July 6th, 2019, at 7:09 pm CST. That's the date and time of death for my poor black and white fuzzball. Pikachu, a little silly I had since I was 12, went deaf about 8 months ago and developed nasal issues about 5 months ago. Turns out the nasal issue and her effective cause of death were linked. She developed metastatic lung cancer that is believed to have started in her nose, where both the vet and I originally thought it was bacterial in nature.

She's now able to rest easy, breathing clear air and getting love in whatever passes for kitty heaven. I will miss her dearly but at the very least her pain is no more.

Rest in peace pikachu, I'll see you again, hopefully not sooner than half a century from now.