My little buddy had been sick for a while but took a turn for the worse the last two weeks. An ultrasound yesterday showed tumours throughout his body. Appetite stimulants weren't working so there was no way to prolong his life in any meaningful way. Took him to the vet a few hours ago and put him down. It was quick and painless but it really sucked to have to do it.
We had a solid 12 years together, more than 1/3 of my life with him. He was the ultimate buddy cat, always at my side and slept in my bed every night with me. My manager was nice enough to give me the day off at the last minute so I could spend time with him.
He was my first pet. I always wanted a cat growing up but allergies in the family prevented us from having any pets. I got him less than a year after I moved out when I was 19. I couldn't have asked for a better pet.