A death in the family
Aww, that’s so sad. I lost both my cats a few years ago, though they had become my mother and brother’s cats by that point. It hurts. They’re nice little people who only stay with you for a short while. Your Kali lived a good long life for a cat. Sorry for your loss.
Of course it hurts. The reason I posted about this at all was:
with tears streaming down her face
I’ve rarely seen Linda weep like that. And it was weeping, no sound came from her, just tears.
At least until I went for the shovel:
“Get away! I’ll take care of her!”
Turn about? Last kitty we lost was Chaucer, who was definitely my kitty. We had to call a vet who did house calls to put him down. He was suffering so much from kidney failure. I ‘weeped’ as I held him while the vet did the injections. Linda cried too, but it wasn’t the silent ‘weeping’ she did with Kali.
And, of course, I ‘took care of him’.
Question: Why do they seem to go just as soon as the ground is frozen?
At least I’ve learned the difference between crying and weeping. Not that I’m happy about that. Especially compared to my previous post.
I am a cat lover and my heart knows where Linda is today. The fond memories keep em alive forever. The love and companionship I get from all my critters gets me through the loss of one of them. Yeah I have dogs and cats and chickens and horses and they are all my best friends. They’ll all cry when I’m gone, too.
Good cat.
Posted by Elvula
12/13/2009 at 10:04 PM
Too familiar with the loss of a beloved partner. Some animals are pets, some are far more. My deepest condolences.
I am so sorry for your loss.
For some reason I’m in a mood of remembering our dog, Riggs. As his end the care was very hard on me, I was more pragmatic when I took him in to have him put to sleep - been doing this since a kid - but for some reason just this week - I’m missing him and want another dog. Not sure it’s going to happen soon though, I’m also pragmatic (and rationally thinking enough) to know going into a no employed person in the house period - is not the time to get a new member.
We have two cats - rescue & feral - that push the limits on loving animals (think typical cat independence compounded with utter terror - one vomits a lot, the other runs from everyone), but I would not get rid of either one, they need loving and care too.
Pass our condolences onto your wife - I know the joy of loving a black cat everyone else in the family despises - her name was Shadow and she passed in 1998.
Nothing we can say can make it better; just know that many of us understand.
MichigammeDavePosted by MichigammeDave
12/14/2009 at 07:25 AM
Yes, it does hurt. They become part of the family and they get in sync with the family routine, and we get in sync with theirs. My condolences for your loss. We too have a small black cat that we got in ‘91 who is not long for this earth…
Cristopher -
May I recommend you visit http://www.rainbowsbridge.com May you and your wife get come peace there - I know my wife and I are having a hard time knowing our Goldy will not be greeting us when we get home now. She left us last Saturday, and the pain is still way too new.
Our prayers are with you ...T.
Some animals are pets, some are far more.
That nails it. It’s how we felt losing ours.
Christopher ... Condolences from us here as well. Believe me, we know the hurt. Only ppl who live with fur people and love em endlessly will understand. Please pass on our good wishes your wife as well.
Our sincere condolences also to all in this sad boat.
Can only add my condolences as well, as I, like many others, have gone through the loss of a furry family member. Amazing how they worm their way into our hearts so solidly and their loss is felt so keenly. A good long life in a loving family is the best any critter hopes for and it sounds like Kali had that. I have lost 2 cats in the last 3 years - one to illness and one to accident. The accident was horrific and for the first and so far only time in my life I was completely hysterical. The husband had to take care of the kitty.
Posted by Nicole
12/14/2009 at 01:25 PM
Condolences on the loss of your kitty. Their minds are simple, but their hearts are pure. They have perfected the art of living in the moment and they have no unfinished business.
Christopher - My sympathies upon the loss of your friend and family member. I’ve had too many pets die, and think I know how you and Linda feel.
Christopher, I’m sorry. I, too, have had pets who became much, much more. When one of them died several years ago a good family friend sent us a sympathy card. The card read:
They will not go quietly,
the pets who’ve shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know
their spirit still survives.
Old habits still can make us
think we hear them at the door
Or step back when we drop
a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place
the food dish used to be,
And, sometimes, coming home at night,
we miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts
belongs to them...and always will.You don’t “get over it,” as some people might tell you to do. The pain will lessen and the memories stay forever.
God bless,
Walter
Posted by Retired Curmudgeon
12/14/2009 at 11:58 PM
That card reminded me - as a child we had many animals dogs, cats, horses, birds and fish. One day this stray dog showed up, medium build, very non-descript (to this day, I still can not pin down the mix) who didn’t bark (until after years of living with us, the other two taught her how) who was the joy of my heart and the center of many stories. She had a habit of going out at night, except for one or two a week and then she’d sleep on my bed (shh, my mom still doesn’t know). Sadly, one day I had to put to sleep the first horse I got, Missy, as she was having a hard time even moving. Our neighbors youngest son (still pre-school age) was having a party, so they requested we not leave her body out in the open - yet the vet had to leave it where the truck could get to it. So he put her down in the grass line just at the edge of the barn and he covered her with one of the blankets. Later that morning I went out to say goodbye before the truck came to take her away forever. The blanket was pulled back and my Sandy dog was curled up under the neck of her best friend having one last sleep together - I finally knew where she went at night and have never forgotten that animals can care about each other too.
Deepest condolences, Christopher. People who for whatever reason have never owned a pet have no idea what a pet’s death means. My brother called earlier this fall to inform me that their dog, Sassy, a Bichon Frise/terrier mix died of old age complications. She acutally started out as my niece’s dog. Then she went off to college, got married, started a family of her own and then Sassy became the “family” dog. Two years ago, I noticed a change in Sassy. She had lost a good portion of her spunk and became despondent as my brother and his wife were preparing to move from Colorado to Virginia, at Christmastime to boot. I left their home to travel back to mine the day after Christmas. I gave Sassy what I thought would be one last hug. I saw her last year again at Christmastime. Some of her spunk had returned, and she greeted me her entire body writhing with delight. She just didn’t wag her tail. She put her entire body into greeting me. She always did. She spent alot of time last Christmas sleeping. She did not pick up her head whenever I petted her. She had lost much her coat and what remained was dry. Her walks became less frequent and shorter. Her legs and back were stiff with arthritis, and cataracts clouded her vision and she had lost most of her hearing. Then, in September the phone rang. I answered. It was my brother calling. There was a tone in his voice. “Sassy died today,” he said. He had arrived home from work. His wife was out of town. His stirrings did not wake her, after all her hearing was all but totally gone. He went over to her bed, bent down to pet her. She did respond. Her body was cool, and her limbs stiff. Her eyes were shut. Sometime during the day, she crawled onto her bed to take a snooze and took her last breath. In her prime years, she lived up to her name--Sassy. “She was my buddy,” I said through a choked up voice. “She was everybody’s buddy,” was my brother’s response. Indeed she was. She loved people and loved giving and getting attention, a hallmark of the Bishon Frise part of her. She was one great dog.
Please don’t let our stories distract you from your grief and sorrow. Once again, deepest condolenses and sympathies, and thanks to all for their courage in sharing their stories. I like dogs, but for my lifestyle, I consider myself a cat person, as my handle on this blog shows, Graycat, for my Russian Blue, Ahina (Hawaiian word for gray) who is my buddy.
Posted by Graycat
12/15/2009 at 01:24 PM
12/14/2009 at 11:33 AM
