Only people that have had to say goodbye to their beloved companions can understand the desolation involved.I have had loads of cats in my 50 odd year marriage,it never gets any easier when they leave us.As others have said,remember what a lovely home you gave to your pet and draw some comfort from this.
@AddicksAddict, Its never easy to lose any pet, especially one that has been with you for many years. The pain is at times quite unbearable, but as time moves on the pain subsides, yet the memories remain as fresh as the day you and they made them. Many of you know we have GSD's and over the years we have lost them, but we had them all cremated, and they came home are 'with us' forever. Others have seen this poem before and although its mainly aimed at dogs, for me its just as relevant for all our beloved pets, please read if it will help (it always helps me and Mrs RM)-:
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill, Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still. Where the friends of man and woman do run, When their time on earth is over and done. For here, between this world and the next, Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest. On this golden land, they wait and they play, Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day. No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness, For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness. Their limbs are restored, their health renewed, Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued. They romp through the grass, without even a care, Until one day they start, and sniff at the air. All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back, Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack. For just at that instant, their eyes have met; Together again, both person and pet. So they run to each other, these friends from long past, The time of their parting is over at last. The sadness they felt while they were apart, Has turned into joy once more in each heart. They embrace with a love that will last forever, And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
With much regret, our cat had to be put down this morning. She was nearly fifteen so had had a good innings.
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So sorry to read this, if life was full of pets the world would be a much better place.
I feel your pain, my wife always comments I get more upset when our pets die than I do humans! Keep the bowls, I always have, not for the next pet, but, well, just as a small reminder. I'm sure you gave her a wonderful life and vice versa.
We had our cat put down this time last year after a relatively short battle with cancer, Billy, he was 10, we tried Chemo but it was too much for him, I still miss him every day. My youngest, he was her best friend, they were literally inseparable, every morning i'd let him in and the first thing he'd do is go upstairs and push open her door and get on her bed.
And despite being a he, looked very much like your cat in colouring/markings even the slightly off smudge on the nose.
Despite missing him terribly and me saying no more pets as I don't deal with the deaths well, we've now got what was a git of a cat from Battersea just before last christmas that no one else would have (well not entirely true, people had took him only to return him within a fortnight!).
I took pity on him as they hadn't even been able to get a farm to take him. Took a long while to train him but he's actually pretty good now, no longer attacks on sight! I was not popular for a while as of course, when naughty, he was my cat! He was only 1 when we got him, no one knew his history but i've worked out he attacked before he was attacked and would cower at the site of men before unleashing.
Did you go for cremation so that you get the ashes?
Mine was like that too. She was returned from two homes for being 'vicious', but that was just her response to being terrified by men (she spent the first week after I got her under the sofa). Well, she got used to me as a tall man and now she is a different cat entirely. She's not keen on other cats coming near her territory, though!
I think that the feral streak in cats that have it can be suppressed, but it doesn't ever disappear!
Sorry to hear about Billy, btw.....he sounds great. It's especially difficult when kids strike up such strong bonds and then have to deal with the loss of a treasured pet. I suppose we have to reflect on the joy that they brought to us and us to them....it always outweighs the bad, but it can take a lot of time to come to terms with it.
100%. It probably doesn't't help that he's we believe part Norwegian forest cat..... and certainly had a very wild side! I just called him the human hunter, he was never really vicious just wanted to get the strike in first. Two tips in case anyone has similar issues;
1. a slightly wetted toothbrush combed on their heads simulates their mothers licking them, 2. never shout at a cat, if necessary a short hold of their scruff again simulates a parent.
Cats like most animals attack on fear, not just because they fancy doing it. It probably took me about 8 weeks, but you saw improvement daily. He hasn't gone for anyone for maybe 5-6 months now.
@Rob7Leewe went for cremation but didn't ask for the ashes.
By the way, I wonder why your moniker isn't Robert7Lee? He only became Rob after he left us (and decided to forget us), didn't he?
Hope today is a little more positive for you.
Re the name, having spoken to Mr Lee since he left, everyone, family and friends etc he was always Rob, it was only in charlton circles that he was known as Robert (although almost all players called him Rob).
"Why should I drink from my water bowl when there's this lovely, green water in the pond?"
You did mention that it was a Charlton bowl!
At the time, it wasn't. The Charlton bowls arrived with the ESI takeover in January (was it only nine months ago? With all that's gone on it seems like a lifetime since those shysters rode into town).
I feel for your loss. We were never cat people, until this beauty and her daughter decided to set up home with us four years ago while we were renting a cottage. The landlord (her owner) died and the rest of his family were happy for them to go feral, so we took them on. Mim (pictured) will be 22 at the end of this year, unfortunately we lost her daughter, Mottie, just over a year ago to liver problems. Not sure how we will cope when Mim has to trot across the Rainbow Bridge, but the pleasure she has given us over the past four years is immeasurable. She would scratch and bite first, and ask questions later, when we first me her, now we can at least stroke her and she is relatively calm. We kept Mottie's bowls and toys just for the memory.
22. Wow. She looks in very good nick still. Well done, giving two down-on-their-luck moggies a new chance.
Cheers, she needs a regular de-matting as she is long furred, doesn't like that at all so we do it sparingly. Her weight's good and all functions work as they should, so we're hoping she makes it until her birthday on 1st December. She's chosen a Platinum End of Life care plan with us, which means regular feeds at 2am/4am etc. Oh well, what can you do?
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
Sorry to hear that.
It's when you have to do things like this to help animals that you wish you could communicate with them and explain why you're doing it.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
That's sounds incredibly tough for you and, of course, even more so for Padraig.
It's tough, hated taking my cat for Chemo, they gave him an anti-sickness dose (squirt into his mouth) he jumped up and flew back into his basket whereas normally it was a fight to get him in.
Fingers crossed for you and Padraig and you are doing all you can.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
And yesterday he had to be put to sleep. Very sad days in my house but our other cats demand we carry on with them. So we will.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
And yesterday he had to be put to sleep. Very sad days in my house but our other cats demand we carry on with them. So we will.
Very sorry to hear that, @iainment. Take comfort from knowing you did all you could, and from your remaining cats. Best wishes.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
And yesterday he had to be put to sleep. Very sad days in my house but our other cats demand we carry on with them. So we will.
Sorry to hear that, but you know you did everything that you could, and it was the right time.
I am and always have been a softy when it comes to cats. A mess when they pass away and act embarrassing when one of ours is near, talking to them in a silly voice and stuff.
Ted is my current moggie, a rescue cat we have had for 11 years and think is about 13......I dread the day.
Back from the vet today and for the first time they started talking about quality of life decisions for our cat Padraig. Not entirely unexpected but still a horrible thing to have to consider.
So for the last week we’ve had to feed him through a tube in his neck. He doesn’t like this but needs must. Hopefully this’ll only be for a short while. I find it quite distressing.
And yesterday he had to be put to sleep. Very sad days in my house but our other cats demand we carry on with them. So we will.
Comments
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
1. a slightly wetted toothbrush combed on their heads simulates their mothers licking them,
2. never shout at a cat, if necessary a short hold of their scruff again simulates a parent.
Cats like most animals attack on fear, not just because they fancy doing it. It probably took me about 8 weeks, but you saw improvement daily. He hasn't gone for anyone for maybe 5-6 months now.
AddicksAddict said:
Hope today is a little more positive for you.
Re the name, having spoken to Mr Lee since he left, everyone, family and friends etc he was always Rob, it was only in charlton circles that he was known as Robert (although almost all players called him Rob).
Cheers, she needs a regular de-matting as she is long furred, doesn't like that at all so we do it sparingly. Her weight's good and all functions work as they should, so we're hoping she makes it until her birthday on 1st December. She's chosen a Platinum End of Life care plan with us, which means regular feeds at 2am/4am etc. Oh well, what can you do?
I find it quite distressing.
@AddicksAddict - I’m getting used to it but Padraig isn’t!
Such situations are so difficult. You can only do your best for him. All the best.
Fingers crossed for you and Padraig and you are doing all you can.
Take comfort from knowing you did all you could, and from your remaining cats. Best wishes.
Ted is my current moggie, a rescue cat we have had for 11 years and think is about 13......I dread the day.