A Broken Heart For Christmas, I lost my dear cat just before dawn Options

[lynda]

My baby would have been 17 years old this spring. He was always so healthy and looked so good...I couldn't have known that this was going to happen.

Last month he began to lose some weight and was eating poorly, but after a vet check he seemed to be doing better with antibiotics for a bladder or kidney infection and some medication to help an overactive thyroid. Then late Christmas Eve he seemed to take a turn for the worse. For the sake of the sensitive and loving people who are reading I will not say how I could tell this...it was bad.

We rushed to the Emergency Clinic, where they placed him on IV fluids and began checking for whatever could be wrong. At 4:30 am the doctor called and said that on the ultrasounds and radiographs she had found cancer all spread through his lungs and upper body. They could keep doing more, but I had to say no, just please leave his IV in place because that would save him from having to have another needle. So about 5:00 am, I stayed with him, with his head cupped in my hand, and the vet slipped the euthanasia drug into the IV port. I told him I loved him so much, and that he was going to a place where there was no hurt, ever, and not to worry, I would see him again someday. I spoke the names of his loved ones who had passed away before him and promised him that he would see them.

Right now I wish that I could have gone with him. But better I hurt than my baby who deserved no hurt in all this world.

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[sheps mama]

Lynda, the picture of Larry and Atticus cuddling together really affected me. It is clear to see the love between these two beautiful creatures. And the picture of you with Larry is amazing - he looks so regal and content - I forgot how intuitive and sensitive cats can be.

I have just lost my Old English Sheepdog and this was my reason for searching for this site. But many years ago when I was around 5, I had a cat named Benji who was so loving and playful. I used to dress him up in my doll's clothes and push him aound in the pram. He would just sit or lay there with his hat and dress on and let me do whatever i pleased. He was my best friend in the world and I loved him so much.

One day Benji was run over by a car outside our house. When my Dad told me what had happened I went crazy. It took me a few days before I could be coaxed back to school and when I did return, the teacher told me there was no such place as "animal Heaven!" Well, they had to send for my Mum & Dad because I just went crazy again. When they arrived at the school, they told that teacher no matter what she believed, she'd better tell me there was an animal Heaven (this was a catholic school too!!). Eventually I got over his loss, as children do, but when I saw your photo, the feeling of cuddling with a cat came back to me in a rush.

You see, for many, many years we have had Shep, our Old English SD in our lives and to cuddle with him, you had to get down on the floor / bed and wrap yourself around him. Looking at your picture of Larry and Atticus made me remember how Benji would lie on my pillow at night and cuddle up to me - something that was hidden in my memory until now (and now I feel guilty for forgetting about him in this way) and it may be the grief, but now I am also yearning for a cat. My partner doesn't want to get another dog for at least a year. But now that my grief has passed the insane, nuts stage, I am desperate to have another animal in the house. Until now I'd never really given a cat much thought (sorry cat lovers - I love all animals but have had a dog for so many years!!) but maybe he'll go for this idea - I hope so. I'll choose my moment carefully and try to sweet-talk him.

Lynda, I'm so glad you found this site and like the others who have responded to your post, it has helped me enormously. I hope you will continue to visit and show us more pictures of Larry & Atticus.

Take care,

Debbie
Sheps mama