My Cat Perkin Options

[Magictorch]

Hello all

This is my first post so don't quite know what to write ! First of all, my utter and deepest sympathy to all that have experienced loss of a pet and the effects that is having on them. I say sympathy and not empathy because I had one of my two kitties put to sleep on Monday afternoon, totally unexpectently and I am missing him like mad. I have been sitting here tonight looking at all the pet loss websites and my heart is just wrenched in two.

Perkin was about 7 years old. I got him from the rescue centre approx 3 1/2 years ago. He was jet black, well-built, strong, independent, loving, had beautiful eyes and big back feet. He used to purr away like a locomotive and be as good as gold. I came home Sunday evening and he was all hunched up and not really moving. I took him to the vets straight away and as I am in a bit of a financial crises, my mate put the cost onto his credit card. They gave him a saline drip as he had huge and sudden weight loss and dehydration. Overnight, there was no improvement and I took him to the main vet centre the next morning. They took him in straight away and gave him more fluids. He tested positive for severe diabetes and the vet said that the ongoing cost of treatment was at least 1000 UK pounds. I said I didn't care and I wanted him well. The vet asked me if I was financially able to support the cost of the treatment, (as they had seen my mate pay on his credit card.) I said yes but now wish I hadn't because it's tearing me apart wondering if they recommended euthanasia in case they didn't get the funds from me at the end of the treatment. At the time, I was prepared to do anything to save his life.

Apart from being racked with guilt over that, I wish I had got him treatment sooner, I wish I had held him as they administered his injection to make him die. Instead I was in the waiting room crying my eyes out. I didn't want to see him die but now I so wish I had held him as he passed away. I saw him afterwards and cried, wondering if he needed me to hold him, and now I never will........

Will his little spirit live on ? Will he be with me wherever I go ? I miss him so much I just want to cry all the time. 7 years old is not old enough for a strong, healthy cat to be taken away. They never knew what the problem was.....

I hope you can welcome me into this forum and we can lean on each other for support. We could be scattered across the world but it's comforting to know that I am not the only one who has lost a beloved pet and is grieving.

The attached picture is of my cats. Perkin is the black one on the right.

Thank you all.

Jamie - Birmingham, UK.
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[Ruth]

Hi Jamie. When you mentioned the name Perkin I'd wondered where I heard it before. I'm going to show my age now, but when I was at school I used to go home for dinner. My best friend used to call for me at the end of the dinner break and we'd return to school together. The TV was on and we'd quite frequently catch the last few moments of The Flumps then be unable to get the theme tune out of our heads as we walked back to school. Do do, do do, do do dooo doo. If you get another kitty and she's female, will you call her Posie?

I haven't cried so much today, more just big gutteral sobs. Apart from when my boy went to the vet for a week last November, I don't think I've cried properly for 8 years. So it's not really in my nature to be weepy and I'm normally a very content person.

I too am really glad I found this board quickly. I knew I needed help so I was very relieved to find somewhere where people are so understanding. I don't think most people would have a clue what we are going through. Particularly here in the UK. The Americans seems a little more able to adjust to the idea that you can love and grieve for an animal as much as a human.

Take care.