Simon came home from the hospital with a cancer diagnosis and an upper respiratory infection, and we had to keep him isolated from the rest of the cats until the later was no longer infectious. I spent a lot of time thinking about the paradox of Schrödinger’s Cat while Simon was in isolation, always wondering what would await me when I opened the door to his quarantine area:

The bathroom in which Simon currently resides is at the top of the stairs, so I pass it several times daily. Sometimes I continue with whatever I was doing the had me going up or down the stairs in the first place. Sometimes I come in and sit with him for a few minutes, like I’m doing now. Most times, though, I stand in front of the door, debating whether to open it.

More reflections on slowly losing a beloved pet are on Medium.