Oh God, I just cried at work reading this. I can't imagine how anyone else could sum things up better:

"I joke about Hobey's thousand-dollar operation, but I paid every dime happily at the time. I don't care how much it costs; I want him better. I want him fixed up. I want him to come home and chow down on Pounce treats. I don't care if I have to max out all my credit cards. I don't understand how someone could have left that little stray cat out on the street. I don't understand people who leave cats out on the curb like old furniture. A cat is not a toy. A cat is not a futon. A cat is a friend. A cat is a family member. A cat is not an expense. I can't put a price on Hobey. Hobey has ruined every sweater I own. Hobey has destroyed the arm of my couch. Hobey has left pawprints on legal documents. Hobey has curled up beside me on winter afternoons when I had a cold and pretended not to mind when I coughed every two seconds. Hobey has consoled me during heartbreak. Hobey is a hellion. Hobey is a rock. Hobey is a pest. Hobey is a pillow."

- from TomatoNation.com

My cat, Ghost, was sick from July - November 2006, and I just about lost it quite a few times. It's nice to know that someone else has felt that way.