We had to say goodbye to Bud today.

[Caroljo]

What a heartwarming story! I feel for your loss.....

We rescued our Sammy from the pound, he was about 1 1/2 yrs old. We had to put him down about a year go, he was 17! He was my husbands best friend, and just a great dog (part terrier, part wire haired dachshund). We do have another that we adopted about a year before Sam died, which has helped the pain.

 

[Claudette]

Sorry for you loss and Bud found one great home with you Kiwi.

You, of course, found a great pal and friend in Bud.

He'll always be with you in your heart. Right where he belongs.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Oh, look at that face.

We share our lives with them knowing that we will outlive them, that they will leave us after on a very short stay but damn, no matter how many times we have to go through it, when we find ourselves bringing home another one, we know it will be worth it. And, it never ever gets any easier.

I believe, SO strongly, that one of the things we owe them is a decent end.

I've rescued, fostered and adopted many hundreds over the years but most of the time, I have been able to use my head for their best interest. However, way back, early on a Saturday morning, I found a tiny kitten tucked between my front and screen doors (word gets around, ya know?). She was difficult, feisty, angry, hurt and terrified. Sometime I'll write her whole story but what matters here is that when she was 22 yo, her liver failed.

I stood in my vet's office and asked the dumbest question of all time.

"What else can we do?"

We mammals have only one liver and there was nothing else to be done. That sunk in a few minutes later and I said goodbye to a truly amazing cat, a life force all her own, a cat who had been born a "crusty old broad" and unlike any other I had ever known, before or since.

What you did took courage and true compassion and love. Knowing the pain it would give you and your family and friends, you did not take the easy way out. You didn't force him to stay beyond his time because it would be easier for you. Instead, chose to act in his best interest and I'd bet that there was a moment when your eyes met his and you knew he was saying goodbye to you.

Bud was very lucky to have found you.

I hope there will come a day in the future when you do it again. When you choose to open your heart and your life to another needy and loving soul like Bud.

 

[kiwiman127]

Oh, look at that face.

We share our lives with them knowing that we will outlive them, that they will leave us after on a very short stay but damn, no matter how many times we have to go through it, when we find ourselves bringing home another one, we know it will be worth it. And, it never ever gets any easier.

I believe, SO strongly, that one of the things we owe them is a decent end.

I've rescued, fostered and adopted many hundreds over the years but most of the time, I have been able to use my head for their best interest. However, way back, early on a Saturday morning, I found a tiny kitten tucked between my front and screen doors (word gets around, ya know?). She was difficult, feisty, angry, hurt and terrified. Sometime I'll write her whole story but what matters here is that when she was 22 yo, her liver failed.

I stood in my vet's office and asked the dumbest question of all time.

"What else can we do?"

We mammals have only one liver and there was nothing else to be done. That sunk in a few minutes later and I said goodbye to a truly amazing cat, a life force all her own, a cat who had been born a "crusty old broad" and unlike any other I had ever known, before or since.

What you did took courage and true compassion and love. Knowing the pain it would give you and your family and friends, you did not take the easy way out. You didn't force him to stay beyond his time because it would be easier for you. Instead, chose to act in his best interest and I'd bet that there was a moment when your eyes met his and you knew he was saying goodbye to you.

Bud was very lucky to have found you.

I hope there will come a day in the future when you do it again. When you choose to open your heart and your life to another needy and loving soul like Bud.

Thanks! Very nice post. I'd rep you but then you,,,?
Just a shade of 21 years ago I got my Sydney for Christmas from my girlfriend at the time. Sydney is a female Siamese. She is really, really possessive of me. She's feisty as hell. She likes men and hates women (except for my wife). It took almost a year for Sydney to accept the woman who became my wife. My wife has never liked cats but she loves Sydney. Sydney is really low, low maintenance, never jumps up on the cupboard counter or the kitchen and dinner tables. My wife says she's a lot like herself, "she's a bitch, doesn't take shit from anyone and is loyal as the day is long"!
Seven months ago I was told she maybe had two months to live because of Kidney Disease. Well (knock on wood), she's hanging in there pretty well. I have Sydney on a holistic diet that seems to have extended her life. She has always been pretty good at reading me and she knows I'm really sad about Bud. So she's been grooming me (licking my hair/arm/face. She misses Bud too. She has been walking around the house meowing continuously (she normally really quiet), she's looking for Bud! They got along really well. Many times when we'd get home from work, shopping/dining out; etc, we'd find them sleeping side-by-side or laying in the sun together.
My wife and I are still in mourning but I have my other little buddy to comfort me.
As someone who once said he'd "never ever have a cat", I'm very happy to report,,boy, was I wrong about cats!
I thank God for Bud and Sydney. What a great gift to my life. I've been blessed.

 

[protectionist]

Like you I had mine for 7 years, and he died September 25th. He (Tommy) was a Tuxedo cat, and the biological father of my other cat (Lucky). Only now is Lucky starting to come out of the shock she's been in since then. I got both of them together, as strays, and they've been a joy to me ever since. I'm little more past (2 months) the pain and shock than you, and have recovered partially (one never does entirely). I wish you the best, and I know you are lucky to have had your friend for the time you did. Rest in peace, Tommy and Bud both.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

They really are blessings, aren't they. They give us so much and way too often, don't get that loyalty and devotion in return. (I'll add children to that - way too many don't from us get what they deserve.)

Its freezing cold here and yet, may dogs and cats are outside. Makes me furious and very very sad. Your cat missing her dog roomy - We tend to not believe that animals are quite capable of emotions. We seem proof of it constantly, but its inconvenient. If we give animals credit for emotional responses much like our own, then we also have admit that part of our every day treatment of "lab" animals, "food" animals, "circus" and "zoo" animals are nothing less than true torture.

I've known other people to have said the same thing - that they didn't like cats until they got to know one. I think its a mistake to compare dogs and cats - they are nothing alike. I have a cat now who was horribly mistreated. We found her huddled on a huge bridge where someone had apparently thrown out of a moving vehicle toward the water. Her face was badly lacerated, bruised and swollen, she was malnourished and full of external and internal parasites. Decent nutrition and loads of TLC have brought her back a long way but she'll never be as trusting as her spoiled rotten "siblings".

I don't do rep but thanks very much.

 

[Mojo2]

Thank you everyone.
People have compared losing a pet is like losing your own child and that's pretty close. I have a 21 year old cat and I still call her one of the kids. Today our home remains in mourning and I'm sure it's going to be sad around here for quite awhile.
The thing about Bud is had a very strong lovable quality, everybody loved Bud.
We have a pretty large contingent of family and friends. My wife put up a memorial posting of Bud's death and her post received several dozen responses to those who knew Bud. A couple parents mentioned that when they told their kids, the kids cried.
The goods news is, all dogs go to heaven. Again, thank you everybody.

My eyes have welled up from your sentiments.

I can't bear the pain of losing such a friend. Been there done that too often to want to do it again.

And yes it's about me - me - me!

 

[cereal_killer]

Cancer is such an ugly thing. We also just put down our dog a few weeks ago due to a tumor in his mouth.



We held out as long as we could and made the same decision. Bud lived happy and was loved. That was the best gift you could ever give him. I'm sorry for your loss, its the worst part of owning and loving our animals.



Hang in there.....