My Furry Baby's Gone

Smodlet

jackieblack, Deep In Debt, doodle-bug, thank you all so much for your kind words and for sharing your furry tales with me. I was in two minds about posting but have been warmed and humbled by everyone's kindness. It really is appreciated, you guys. Thank you. :A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A

KiKi

I'm so, so sorry to hear about your loss. Last September I noticed my beautiful 16 year old cat was having mini-strokes. She was diagnosed with a tumour near/on her heart, and stage 4 kidney disease. They couldn't operate on the tumour because of its location, and her routine blood tests in June hadn't shown any problems. I was distraught, but convinced with meds and lots of care I could keep her going, because in the June she was so unbelievably healthy. In fact, looking back now, she was a completely different cat even two months earlier.

At the end of October her quality of life had deteriorated to the point where all she could do was lie down, eat a bit, and use her litter tray. I couldn't bear to let her suffer and I chose to put her down. She could probably have lived for a couple of months longer, but she was clearly unhappy, and it was the last good thing I could do for her. I was devastated, and still am. And I feel so terribly guilty for taking her life, even though I know she was unhappy and in pain.

Her sister is still around, and still super healthy (and plays like a kitten!), but I miss M desperately. I had her cremated and her ashes sent back to me. I talk to them! #tragic I don't know if I'll be able to do it again once her sister is no longer here. I kinda hope a needy cat will then turn up on my doorstep, too!

The one thing that someone said to me that really helped was "I'm so glad she's got you caring for her" - because not every owner loves their pets as much as we do. So: he was lucky to have you. It might take a long time to get over it but that's okay. 18 years is a long time to love.

Smodlet

Thank you, Kiki, what a lovely post. I am so very sorry for your loss too. Your tiggers were and are lucky to have such a wonderful human. :A

Pollycat

My last boy died 6 years ago next Monday, too young at only 12 years old but he'd had a hard life. :rotfl:
My boss had a cat who was 18 and looked like a kitten, she never went out.
My bruiser was out as soon as the birds began to sing, catching rats and voles and fighting anything that crossed his path (including a Stagecoach bus :eek:).
I said his cat was like the Queen Mum, pampered and protected, and mine was like Oliver Reed, carousing through life and living it to the full.

I have his photo as my screen saver, sat on the top of the shed surveying his kingdom. I talk to him often.
Charlie will always be with you.

ScarletRibbons

So sorry Smodlet. I know how heartbreaking it is to lose much loved pet. Over 40 years we always had a cat or cats, once up to 3 cats, one of whom had just turned up and adopted us. They gave us so much pleasure, and were all deeply missed when they died.

Smodlet

ScarletRibbons, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot. :A

Smodlet

Pollycat wrote: »

My last boy died 6 years ago next Monday, too young at only 12 years old but he'd had a hard life. :rotfl:
My boss had a cat who was 18 and looked like a kitten, she never went out.
My bruiser was out as soon as the birds began to sing, catching rats and voles and fighting anything that crossed his path (including a Stagecoach bus :eek:).
I said his cat was like the Queen Mum, pampered and protected, and mine was like Oliver Reed, carousing through life and living it to the full.

I have his photo as my screen saver, sat on the top of the shed surveying his kingdom. I talk to him often.
Charlie will always be with you.

That is a brilliant tail, Pollycat :A; thank you for sharing. Lisa is the wallpaper on the one and only computer, hiding in a clump of daffs having just espied a bird. It is OH's favourite pic he ever took of her. I asked him if he could make it alternate with one of Charlie but neither of us has a clue how to do that so my three fave pics of him are on the desktop. There is one of him on the garden waste bin looking like a king on a throne, graciously holding court for his humans. Another of him lolling in front of the keyboard, unequivocally saying, "you will use this machine when and only when I feel like moving."

Please don't be embarrassed about talking to your tiggers! We have never stopped talking to Lisa, who died four years and three weeks before her brother. I know what you mean about feeling cheated when they die relatively young, she was only 14.

Please keep the stories coming, everyone, they are really helping at the moment. OH has (unusually) read some of them and passes on his thanks to you all.

SuperMoose

In memory of all my and everyone here's gone but never forgotten furbabies.
You are so very loved and missed

Smodlet

That had me in floods, SuperMoose.

Pollycat

Smodlet
I hope this doesn't upset you too much but I posted this back in August 2011 on a thread about when is the right time to let a pet go.
It's about the cat we had before Murphy, his name was Scamp and he was loved by everyone who came into contact with him (unlike Murphy who was a feline sociopath who loved me, tolerated the OH and refused to accept the existence of anybody else).

We still have the same neighbour and she still remembers Scamp (dead these past 18 years) as well as Murphy, who she referred to as 'The Boss'.

You'll always remember Charlie with love and affection.

Commiserations to all those who've recently had the very distressing experience of losing a beloved pet.

My 'old boy', went from being a healthy cat to a bag of bones in less than 2 weeks.
The vet said his kidneys had failed and there was nothing we could do but take him home and love him.

He lost interest in his normal food so we fed him on bits of king prawn (his favourite).

He sort-of staggered into his water bowl one day and stood with his paws wet through and looked up at me said his look clearly said 'I don't know about you but I've had enough of this'.

It was Halloween 2000 and we told our next door neighbour what we'd decided when she 'trick-or-treated' with her youngest and she told all the neighbours who all called round to say 'Goodbye' to him.
It really was the saddest and most emotional night of my life.

The next day, we took him to the vet who said 'I think he'll go a few more days' but I said 'no, he's ready and so are we - it has to be now'.

Almost 11 years on, I still miss him.

OP, I hope you 'know' when it's time and do the right thing.

Best wishes.