Death of a pet

[Cold Fusion38]

I just got done thanking almost every post on this thread.......Why? Because they were ALL about feeling for another human beings pain. They were all about loss of our dear friends. Thank ALL of you for trying to help Maggie through what we all know is a heart wrenching ordeal.

 

[MaggieMae]

I should check out these forums a little more.
I know exactly what you have gone through, it's heart wrenching every time.
My prayers go out for you, may your pain be lifted and may you always remember the love you shared with Boo. May you find comfort in those memories.

I am, thank you. The good memories have begun to overshadow the bad one that lingered for days.

I always remember Baby and Mugsy fondly, my wife's two cats when we first met. We now have three, Little Boy 19 (and still going strong-sorta), Jasper 9 and (yes it's true) Boo 3. I call him a Boo in a china shop. This little tiny scared to death kitten is now 21lbs, he'll chase other animals out of the yard but let a person come to the door and "woosh", he's gone, hence the name. It took him 3 weeks to get used to my wife and a year and a half to get used me.

My "Boo" liked women and not men, too. He had been abused when he was finally dumped at the shelter and had lost all his hair due to stress. So I'm glad your "Boo" finally warmed up to you. If only they could talk and tell us their sad stories.

 

[MaggieMae]

Thanks. That's what I keep wishing I had done. Just allow him to die naturally. Before I called the mobile vet, who couldn't come for a full day after I realized Boo needed to be put to sleep, I argued with my sister (who had given me the cat) that I should just allow him to die rather than put him through what I knew would be a helluva cat fight (literally) to catch him, unless he was too weak to fight back. But she insisted it was more inhumane to allow him the starve to death. Now I wonder... I suppose it's the guilt more than anything.

Sorry for your loss Maggie and the trauma you experienced seeing your beloved cat put down. I had a dear Peke dies in my arms after a car had hit him. He had knocked the back door open and followed me and I did not know it. He looked at me like, "I'm so sorry mom" and he passed. He had been ran over in our drive by my grandmother a few years before. The vet was a specialist that put thirteen pieces of bone in his little hip back together. He road on the tank of the motorcycle, went water skiing with me, you name that dog was there. I cried for months nad even years after whenever I would see his pictures, he slept on my pillow curled up on my shoulder. We then had a chow that was with me 24/7 for 17 years. The dog only spent three nights of his life away from me. I had to fly on business so he had to stay with hubby. Certain family members got very angry with me for refusing to let the vet put him to sleep. His last three days he was on an IV at home. He died in my husbands arms. I could not watch at that point. My chow's litter mate/sister we had for 10 years, she had cancer and had been given a death sentence yet lived for another four years after a surgery and lots of meds for a year, one day she just did not feel good needed help getting around it was that quick when the time came...and she died in Rod's arms, I could not watch. I still miss them all. I have no regrets for not taking them into a vet and having them put to sleep when any of them got ill.

I think I had to come to terms with the fact that by NOT allowing my cat to be euthanized I was thinking of myself and not Boo. He was obviously suffering, although he had gone through bouts of choking many times before. This time he was disoriented and wanted to hide which went on for about 3 days. But I think either decision is a crap shoot, because we simply don't know what goes on in their fragile minds when that time comes. We just have to believe that they forgive us.

 

[MaggieMae]

Maggie you made the RIGHT decision to spare him any more suffering. I had to put the cat I grew up with to "sleep". It was tough because he would put his arms around my neck and cling to me like a scared kid. The vet gave him a shot to calm him down so I sat with him for 20 minutes just holding my dear friend who was ALWAYS there for me when I wasn't feeling well. After he was pretty well sedated the vet gave him the shot to stop his heart......She said his heart had stopped and I ran out crying my eyes out.....I look back on it and think I should have held him for five or ten more minutes until his spirit had gone away even though I don't necessarily belive in the after life.......I still miss him 20 years later but I DID make the right decision for HIM of that I have no doubt nor should you. You loved and cared for him as a family member and gave him untold years of happiness. I am SO SO sorry for your pain and loss. My older brother's cat died after being with him for HALF his life TWENTY TWO YEARS he had her.......It's hard to hear your older brother crying his eyes out.

Ah, I'm remembering that the only time I ever saw my father cry was when his beloved poodle died. I had bought the dog, but he took to my dad and they became partners for life. His name was "Sinbad" (bow-legged as a puppy), and died in a freak accident in a park when a baseball came flying through the air, bonked him on the head, and he died instantly.

 

[Cold Fusion38]

My eldest kiity was DELININELY abused by his former owners who just LEFT HIM BEHIND........He showed uo at our back door within a few days of moving in, he sat up and BEGGED, he is so darn cute. After lots of gentle laove he now lets up rub his belly which is a very significat show of trust.

 

[MaggieMae]

I just got done thanking almost every post on this thread.......Why? Because they were ALL about feeling for another human beings pain. They were all about loss of our dear friends. Thank ALL of you for trying to help Maggie through what we all know is a heart wrenching ordeal.

I appreciate that. I'm glad I posted it, because it has renewed my faith in human nature!!

 

[Cold Fusion38]

Maggie.....You made the RIGHT decision......The BEST decision for your cat NOT necessarily for you. You have to have a lot of love to let go.

 

[MaggieMae]

Maggie.....You made the RIGHT decision......The BEST decision for your cat NOT necessarily for you. You have to have a lot of love to let go.

Thanks. As I slowly start putting things away that were exclusively his (window perches, food dishes, litter box, toys), I'm now finding that I'm keeping certain stuff, on the off-chance I'll get another cat (although I vowed I wouldn't). But there are so many adult cats at shelters, and if I can find one that is strictly an indoor cat, I might...

So stay tuned ya'll !!

 

[Cold Fusion38]

Maggie.....You made the RIGHT decision......The BEST decision for your cat NOT necessarily for you. You have to have a lot of love to let go.

Thanks. As I slowly start putting things away that were exclusively his (window perches, food dishes, litter box, toys), I'm now finding that I'm keeping certain stuff, on the off-chance I'll get another cat (although I vowed I wouldn't). But there are so many adult cats at shelters, and if I can find one that is strictly an indoor cat, I might...

So stay tuned ya'll !!

Please do.....There are SO many little kitties that are in need of a home. The time WILL be right in a few months. My brother got a new cat a few months after his 22 year old cat Katie passed away.

 

[RodISHI]

My new kitty. Eyes were opened just last week so can't bring it home yet.

 

[Cold Fusion38]

Our little family members give us SO much and ask for SO little. Once again Maggie I think you made the RIGHT decision the decsion that put the well being and quality of life above your own need to keep your little guy a few months longer. Starving to death would have been a HORRIBLE way for him to die.

 

[MaggieMae]

My new kitty. Eyes were opened just last week so can't bring it home yet.

Omg, he/she looks like the first kitten my dad brought home when I was almost that small. He named her "Shifoss" (pronounced ShiFOSS), and it wasn't until we were older that my mother told us it meant SHIT FACE. (No insult intended, Rod.)

 

[RodISHI]

My new kitty. Eyes were opened just last week so can't bring it home yet.

Omg, he/she looks like the first kitten my dad brought home when I was almost that small. He named her "Shifoss" (pronounced ShiFOSS), and it wasn't until we were older that my mother told us it meant SHIT FACE. (No insult intended, Rod.)

None taken. Told my daughter that brown spot on it's nose says it all a lil brown noser from go! She was a bit insulted, she said "It's a black dot not brown!"

 

[critter]

I understand where you coming to i am only 22 and its 2009 2001-2002 we had to put our dog to sleep cause he had a golf ball size cancer and his throat.

I remember for two weeks he just would not eat or drink. The vet didn't know anything. Anyways once we brought him to the vet. We were just wattling for the vet to come in.
this was the time to put him to sleep. One of my favorites moments was when my Older brother matt called Luc over he wouldn't go. But i brought him over, still even though my brother said its alright.After the vet came in and started to shaved his leg i left i couldn't stand watching everyone and myself cry.

I still miss him a lot and still hard for me at sometimes to talk about my dog luc. Cause every time i bring him up i cry. Nothing wrong with it, But i know luc not gone at all. He also going to be in my heart and will never be gone to me. I also do this before i go to bed
"i love my family and wish my animals where ok and tell them i love them" i also wish luc was here and tell him how much i miss him. I do this every single night.
He was golden lab.

 

[MaggieMae]

So sorry for your loss, critter. (Your name is appropriate!) I think we're all animal lovers before people lovers.

Welcome aboard, by the way.

 

[MaggieMae]

I just re-read everyone's kind thoughts, and want to say again how much I appreciate that--considering that I'm at odds with many of you when discussing politics. It's nice to know everyone can put away their weapons occasionally.

I'm still doing a thorough cleaning of every room in the house, because after awhile I hope to stop finding cat hair or a nail that broke off which belonged to Boo. I know that won't erase the memory, but it helps.

I can't stand to watch those commercials for the Humane Society showing clips of abused animals. If I had all the money I could use, I would buy a piece of land and set up a ranch like Doris Day did and take in as many as I could. Just yesterday coming back from the store, an old Golden Retriever mix was limping down the center of the road but moving right along like he was on a mission. Several other cars had stopped and looked as though they were going to try to lure him away from traffic, but I wonder if the poor dog wasn't just dropped off somewhere by the side of the road and was intent on finding his way home (however bad his home might be). AARGH!! Can't think about this stuff anymore.

Ciao, people, and thanks again.

 

[critter]

I just re-read everyone's kind thoughts, and want to say again how much I appreciate that--considering that I'm at odds with many of you when discussing politics. It's nice to know everyone can put away their weapons occasionally.

I'm still doing a thorough cleaning of every room in the house, because after awhile I hope to stop finding cat hair or a nail that broke off which belonged to Boo. I know that won't erase the memory, but it helps.

I can't stand to watch those commercials for the Humane Society showing clips of abused animals. If I had all the money I could use, I would buy a piece of land and set up a ranch like Doris Day did and take in as many as I could. Just yesterday coming back from the store, an old Golden Retriever mix was limping down the center of the road but moving right along like he was on a mission. Several other cars had stopped and looked as though they were going to try to lure him away from traffic, but I wonder if the poor dog wasn't just dropped off somewhere by the side of the road and was intent on finding his way home (however bad his home might be). AARGH!! Can't think about this stuff anymore.

Ciao, people, and thanks again.

I agree but this is one of the reason why i love to become animal cop so we don't need to help anmails and can live in piece.

 

[ncarolinadixie]

To all who have shared their stories of loss, my heart goes out to you. I can't begin to imagine what it will be like when I have to make that decision for one of my furbabies!! Special prayers were sent up as I read all of this to three very special boys to look out for these wonderful life's blessings!!

Cold fusion......If you're who I think you are......this is Iceman'sdarlin! If you aren't who I think you are.....never mind.