Today we took Ashes to the vet to get his throat tumor and cancer checked out. Unfortunately, it's growing to the point where he can't even breathe and is having problems. We wanted to have him around as long as possible, but it's getting to the point where he's in pain and suffering, and we are going to have to put him down. We thought this was coming, so I said my short good bye yesterday, I'll be at school and won't get to see him again... We have a lot of cats on our farm, but it's always sad to have to lose one. Ashes was a good old boy till the very end, the oldest of our current 9. He's been with us for almost as long as I can remember, about a good 16-17 years or so. He will be loved and missed by the whole house, especially the other cats. He was like the "mother" to all the new kittens we got over the years, and he made sure to welcome them all with lots of licks and affection. He was good buddies with our more shy cats, and even got along with some of our more "territorial" ones (aka the ones that are mean to everyone else lol). Today is a sad day, I'm going to miss you very much Ashes. Rest in peace in cat heaven with all the others that have gone before you :(