We just couldn't do the necropsy, the vet said it would cost between $180 -
$200 and with our finances the way they've been it would just be impossible
and irresponsible.

We think we've figured out what may have happened after I talked to my
friend who is a nurse.  Every time Hunter would get excited he'd start
coughing like he was trying to cough up a hairball - which we thought it
was.  When Ben found him he was lying on the bathroom floor and had a small
bit of blood next to his mouth.  My friend says it sounds like he had a bad
heart and an embolism (SP?) or clot was thrown into his lungs.  She said it
would have been a fairly quick and painless death (I'm hoping she wasn't
just saying that for comfort, but if anyone knows better I'd rather not
know).

We've buried him in our back yard next to Bandit and Percy - such a small
hole in the ground and such a large hole in our hearts.  In such a short
while he had really worked his way deeply into our family and we're going to
miss him so, so much.  I've never known a sweeter cat - he was so patient
and gentle no matter what we or the vet had to do to him.

I haven't forgotten about the people who helped us out with getting Hunter
to the vet and neutered.  As soon as we get our incentive check (should be
Friday) we're going to send as much payment back as we can after getting the
other, urgent, problems we have now taken care of (basically just trying to
pay off some bills that we've been late with every month incurring late
charges and getting the ceiling fixed and carpet replaced where the A/C
overflowed).

I am so grateful for all your support, purrs and kindnesses - I don't know
how I would cope with this if I didn't have you guys.