Mikey I picked up at an animal hospital as a companion to my female, Marie. I remember the first day I brought him home, he was talking and wanted to eat. He was kind of a runt with a long tail and Marie didn't take to him at all (she never did). The animal hospital wouldn't take him back and I found out later that he had a sister from the same litter who had intestinal problems at a few weeks of age (the whole litter was abandoned by the mother). I couldn't do this to Mikey (what would become of him)? So I was sort of stuck with him but in time he was the most playful cat and funny, but always wanted to eat. He was ok until age 4 when 1 day he was lethargic and walking funny. He was never a fat cat, so diabetes was the furthest thing from my mind until the vet diagnosed it. Put him on Glyburide first which didn't work and then Humulin which was increased up to 4 units twice a day. He had some exacerbations when I had to take him to the vet, he'd be stabilized and then be the old Mikey. Later on found he had irritable bowel syndrome as he was throwing up his food. Mikey was ok for a few years after that after I moved into my first house, he was hanging around with the contractors fixing up the place etc. and my fiance moved in with his 2 cats Quincy & Tuffy. Mikey and Tuffy (a girl) were quite an item and I was happy for him. Last summer Mikey developed a fever and we had to rush him to the vet again and almost went into respiratory arrest on the way but he was given an antibiotic and was ok. On 12/4/10, Mikey suddenly stopped eating and drinking. I was afraid to give him his insulin fearing he'd go into shock, but he was through things like this before and would "come out of it". Waited 24 hours and he was still the same. Had a bad feeling about this so took him to a 24-hour emergency center where his BUN/creatinine were through the roof as well as his glucose. He was in acute kidney/liver failure with diabetic ketoacidosis and it was recommended he be put down. They could have stabilized him if we admitted him but the vet told us we'd be wasting our money and he would not get better, so I made the most painful decision of my life to put him down. I kind of always knew in the back of my mind Mikey would not live long, but I didn't dwell on it, but I didn't expect it would come this fast. At least he got to see us decorate for Christmas. I even heard him Christmas Eve night and feel him all through my house. Mikey was my son, would sit at the dinner table with us and I did the best I could to care for him. He never wanted for anything (none of my cats do), I grieve hard for him every day, but his ashes are with me in a beautiful urn I purchased. I love him to pieces and wish I can see him in my dreams (I pray for this every day).