Introducing Ginger

Ginger! She is a very sweet cat - everyone at the shelter kept saying this "she is so sweet". She is settling very well, no issues adjusting except for scratching (I'll have to decide if to declaw or not...I hate to do this). She is VERY affectionate. Ginger has bright orange eyes!

She is 1 yr old - so very playful and active - I had forgotten this after having a geriatic cat for so long...We are both are very tired today from all the adjusting.

I am so surprised I wanted to adopt so fast. I really just went to the shelter to "look" and find a specific cat Oscar - but he was not on the floor. Turns out he is sick...sigh. I had an orange colored cat in mind. So, I kept looking around and crying at all the cats, especially the big old ones. But, Ginger kept mewing at me.

I do still tear up about Cleo. But, I do feel ready. I told Ginger about her big brother Cleo and showed her a pic. I couldn't wait to go home from work tonight?! The house was too quiet after 18 yrs.

I did participate in the Rainbow Bridge candle ceremony Monday night in Cleo's memory. This helped me be ready to welcome a new furbaby into my life. Cleo taught me how to love a cat well.

PS. Thanks to Simba I, Simba's Daddy, and Simba II for inspiring me too...that is it is OK to love a new cat too.

Goodbye My Friend Cleo

Hello everyone. I am very thankful to have found this site. It was been very comforting to me.

I lived with a wonderful male cat named Cleo for 18 years. We had a long full life together. His kidney's started failing 1 1/2 yrs ago - he was in the hospital for hydration in Aug 2005, but given his advanced age, I did not want to do anything extraordinary. He had lost half his body weight. I took extra good care of him this last year, so we had almost a another full year together.

I am very glad to have been off of work on vacation this last whole week as I had lots of quality time with Cleo. He seemed to be doing OK, but very clingy. On Thursday, my birthday, I came home from dinner with friends and he was very weak. Did he wait until the day was over on purpose? He could barely stand up and walk - it was as if he was paralyzed. I spent all night with him on the floor, petting him, and telling him it was OK to let go. I kept hoping and praying he would die naturally, so I would not have to make the decision. Last year, I had made my criteria list of when it was time to have him euthanized...it was so hard to accept it may be time.

Cleo did make it through the night, but was so weak...I held him for one last time on my chest at home and he put his head under my chin and purred. I took him to the vet, who was kind and gentle. They had a special room set up like a living room. I held him one last time on my chest as the vet gave him the injection. He was looking at me, sighed, and then laid his head down.

I know it was his time and it was the right thing to do. But, I feel so sad and alone. The house is so quiet. I keep thinking I see him, his gray form in all his favorite spots. I also keep hearing his meow. Phantom sounds.

It was helped to read all of your stories. It helps me put words to how I am feeling. It is OK to cry and grieve. Cleo was my loving companion for 18 years, such a big part of my life and it is a great loss.

As everyone says, you will know when it is time...time to let go, time to grieve, time to believe in the Rainbow bridge, and hopefully when time to get a another cat companion...

Thank you for reading my story and sharing in my loss.

RIT