This evening, our household cat, Ritz, passed away after being attacked by a dog.

Before anyone says anything, I do not have any animosity toward the dog owners or the dog itself.
It was a younger, energetic dog which they were out walking when it slipped free of its harness and ran down the street.
I don't know what happened next, but it spotted Ritz and attacked.
My neighbor was outside and quickly intervened, but it was already too late. Ritz passed away a few minutes later. There was no blood or lacerations, so I don't know how much was from any internal injuries, and how much from shock.


Ritz had just turned 20 years old and had numerous health issues, and all I wanted was for him to pass away peacefully when his time came. Not like this. I suspect that given his age, the attack caused him to have a heart attack.

I did not have Ritz his entire life. He was left behind when the previous owners moved and were unable to take him. So, he kind of came with the house, becoming an outdoor cat because the new owners (my not yet roommates) already had dogs and cats.

Before I had moved down here, he had already had his tail run over, and about 8 years ago, after I was now living here, he crawled home after being gone for several days, with a broken pelvis. It was at this point I took him into my room until he healed and after that he became a mixed, indoor/outdoor cat. I'd have him inside every night and he'd only go out during the day when the weather was nice.

About 3 years ago, he developed a cyst on his eye which had to be operated on and although the procedure was a success, the lens remained clouded over, so his vision never went back to 100%.

1 year later, due to having high blood pressure (which I didn't know about because the vet doesn't check blood pressure if they don't have a specific reason to do so), his retinas detached causing him to go permanently blind. On top of this, given his old age, he also had arthritis, so he was now on medication for both his high blood pressure and his arthritis.

Earlier this year, despite being a tiny thing of only 7-8 pounds, he was diagnosed with low grade diabetes, which unfortunately did not improve after shifting him to a high protein, low carb diet, so I had to start giving him insulin shots twice a day.

The only blessing is that after a very rainy January and February, the weather finally cleared and he was able to go outside and lay in the sun. Something he loved to do and which is where he was yesterday, when I took this photo. In my heart, I know he would not have lived as long as he had, if I kept him locked up inside 24/7. Even on the coldest of Winter days, he wanted to go outside, at least for a little while, and would have suffered from depression if he remained confined inside.

I have a loft bed, to which I built steps for him to get up onto, and despite all the aches and pains, he would climb up every night to sleep with me.
I think him not being there is what I will have to get used to the most.

Farewell and rest in peace, Ritz. You had a long and adventurous life and shall always be remember.