Kitty - final Vet trip.

no1catman

Sadly, last Thursday took our cat to the Vets for the last time - odd coming home alone.
Fourteen and a quarter doesn't seem old (well our previous one made twenty), but senile feline dementia had taken hold, with her lack of appetite her weight loss was becoming more noticeable.

It'll take a while for the 'emptiness' to go away. Have no intention of getting another, she was so unique no one could replace her.

elsien

Sorry for your loss. It was the quietness of the house was what I noticed when my last dog had to leave us. Odd how much they can still make their presence felt even when they spend most of their time asleep.

Silvertabby

no1catman wrote: »

Sadly, last Thursday took our cat to the Vets for the last time - odd coming home alone.
Fourteen and a quarter doesn't seem old (well our previous one made twenty), but senile feline dementia had taken hold, with her lack of appetite her weight loss was becoming more noticeable.

It'll take a while for the 'emptiness' to go away. Have no intention of getting another, she was so unique no one could replace her.

I'm so sorry. Having to make that final decision is the hardest cost of having a much beloved pet.

We thought the same as you - our old lady was so special, we just couldn't think of replacing her. But we didn't replace her - we adopted another special lady, with her own quirks and personality.

I believe that cats choose their 'staff', not the other way round. It may not be for a few weeks, it may not be for a few months - but I'm sure that you will be 'chosen' at some point in the future.

NeilCr

So sorry for your loss

I've always had two cats as it makes it a little bit easier when one dies. However, current cat doesn't do other cats so I am in a one cat situation. He is a healthy lump and looks like he will last a few more years yet - but when he does finally go I know the emptiness will be so difficult. I've been around cats pretty much all of my 66 years and - although he is an a"""hole at times he has the biggest personality of any cat I have had

He is irreplaceable

But I will replace him - with two. They will be different and will be from a shelter. They will need homes and I will want (as someone who lives alone) to have company and someone to make me get up in the morning and feed them.

[Deleted User]

Silvertabby wrote: »

We thought the same as you - our old lady was so special, we just couldn't think of replacing her. But we didn't replace her - we adopted another special lady, with her own quirks and personality.

This. Martha will never be Rags though I found I couldn't live with another cat as I too had it in my mind I would never replace Rags. I also always said I wasn't lonely living on my own but I had no idea the cat made me feel that way until she went.

All the best with the grieving process, I know the first few days can be wildly unpleasant as you think you still see the cat.

Sorry for your loss x

gettingtheresometime

no1catman wrote: »

Sadly, last Thursday took our cat to the Vets for the last time - odd coming home alone.
Fourteen and a quarter doesn't seem old (well our previous one made twenty), but senile feline dementia had taken hold, with her lack of appetite her weight loss was becoming more noticeable.

It'll take a while for the 'emptiness' to go away. Have no intention of getting another, she was so unique no one could replace her.

Am so sorry for your loss .....& I know what you mean about leaving the vets without your 4 legged pal - it seems all wrong doesn't it?

Give yourself time - I'm not saying you'll change your mind but as time passes you might you're more open to the idea of getting another one than you think you'll ever be now.

We're considering the fostering route as we're not certain we could a) have another 4 legged pal around the house and/or b)have a four legged pal of the same breed.

Brambling

I'm sorry for your loss like all pet owners I know how painful that final trip is. In 2017 I lost both my cats within 6 months my last cat due to a RTA where she tried to crawl home very broken and unfortunately needed a final trip to the vet. My vet of 30 years gave great advice, which was go home and wait for six months before making any decisions and he was right. My current 6 yr rescue cat isn't a replacement for my other two he's his own character and he filled a cat shape hole when the house felt too empty. He was handed over to cat protection because he doesn't play nicely with other cats so he needs to be a only cat but that suits us both .

TBH no one could replace my fatcat she was such a character, she was 12 when I lost her and always so naughty my nephews would look for the 666 on the back of her neck

no1catman

Thanks everyone, for your kind words - really appreciated.

Could say more - but I'm not up to it yet.

Claddagh_Noir

I am so very sorry for your loss. We lost our cat at 7 years old. We do not know what caused his passing, luckily, I was home when he went, it could have been a brain tumour we just do not know. The next day, we could not believe how empty the house felt without him. The first thing I would do is fuss him and then feed him. For such a small thing he had such a big impact on us.

What has helped me was having a photo album of all the pics of him on his own or with either myself and my other half. I created funny captions under each picture to look over fondly on.

We have not taken on another cat but we do make a fuss and stroke the cats we see on the street.

I hope your pain eases. x

Deep_In_Debt

I'm sorry for you loss and know how you feel.

I lost one of my old ladies in 2017. She died peacefully in her sleep which is the best way she could have gone.

I took her sister to the vet in May last year and made the decision to have her put to sleep when the vet diagnosed an aggressive and nasty cancer. Due to her age (1 month away from her 18th birthday), I was reluctant to put her through an operation and the cancer was likely to return very soon after. That was in May.

My house felt empty and i hated coming home from work with nothing to greet me.

In October last year, I rescued a couple of young sibling cats - they were 1 year old and had had a terrible start in their short life. They have not replaced my other cats as they are very different but they make the house feel alive again and they have helped me get over the grief.

I felt like you initially, that I would never get another cat but 5 months later, I felt ready to give a couple of rescues a good home.

no1catman

Just had a double-glazing guy in - measured the cat-flap pane to have it replaced by a new pane without the cat-flap, cut down any draught in the winter.
In the coming days, expect to travel to a Cat Protection Rescue centre, (Bryncethin Bridgend), and donate the pet carrier, and enclosed litter tray.

I appreciate what posters have said - a cat could be good company, yet I'd prefer to be able to sleep at night. Kitty in the early years was hard work - her routine was - scratch the carpet to wake someone up (me), go downstairs - look through the French doors - 'do I want to go out after all, no - back upstairs. Her record was ten - wake-ups, but six was not unusual. Did it get any better, when the cat flap was fitted? Not a lot, got the hang of coming in, but took her years to use it to go out!
Previous cat, vet visits were few and far between, annual jab and that was it (missed a few - so difficult to get her in the carrier) until the last few years.
Kitty on the other hand used to need to go every few months!! Even went on hunger strike after being stressed out after an encounter with a couple of 'Toms'. Her Petplan fee has doubled in five years, not that they pay much back. Still a shock after in July the Vet saying what a healthy cat she was - but that was physically, but with her much reduced appetite she became a shadow of her former self - try to remember her as a five - kilo cat.

We're in our late sixties - whilst we both love cats (my username is a clue) can't take the risk of having another 'demanding' cat. Which is part of why the house so empty - no more meows, crying for attention (senile dementia can be very confusing) - miss her loud purrs when we go to her, and her piercing green eyes. And with her distinctive calico markings she was a pretty cat. But what is it with calicos fur drops away so often everywhere, it's a wonder she had any left!?

Sadly, where we live now there aren't many cats - living on a dual-carriageway is not cat friendly! Previous address with plenty of terraced houses they were plenty - had regulars to stop and talk to.