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((((((Hugs)))))) Barb. I am sure Sherlock had a wonderful life with you. Peace to you and good memories.
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So Sorry about Sherlock Barb! Hugs!
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Chris, how is Arthur doing?
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Barb, I'm sorry about Sherlock... that's tough. I'm sure dealing with Sherlock's decline months after Merlin's earlier this year isn't easy. Wishing you many happy memories of both of them.
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Sorry I haven’t kept up with this thread recently - I’ve been dealing with some family bereavements and just trying to get through each week. Sorry Barb to hear about Sherlock and apologies for the late condolences, I am heartbroken for you. Our pets are such loved members of the family and leave a huge gap when they are gone. I’m very sad to report that we took the decision on Monday to say goodbye to Arthur. He had been declining slowly for some weeks but was still interested in life, until last week when he was less interested in food and going out. His nasal tumour was untreatable, with a poor prognosis of just 3 months from diagnosis. We had reached week 9. Our vet was so compassionate. We spent a final loving weekend with our dear cat, with lots of cuddles and love, before the visit to the vet on Monday. Arthur was very calm, and I think very tired. I held him in my arms and he slipped away gently and peacefully. This week has been so tough. Arthur was such a vocal cat and spent much of his time in the kitchen during the day. I’m finding it very difficult to be in there as I expect to see him on his favourite kitchen chair or on the table outside, letting me know he wants to come in. He was my daytime shadow and he is gone. We are thankful to still have our other cat, Merlin. He is very puzzled though, and is searching in the house for Arthur. I am hoping that we just need time, for the grief to be less raw.
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Aw, Chriscat, I'm sorry. Time is the only thing, I think. And wishing you the good memories forever. You did well. Be proud of yourself for giving Arthur a great life, as good as you could give him, until the very end. (((hugs)))
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So sorry Chris for the loss of your Arthur. I know how you are feeling. It's been 3 mths already since we lost our Daniel and our other cat Henrick misses him still.

Just show your remaining kitty lots of love. That's what we do with Henrick.

All the best to you!💝
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Thanks Ali and Gershun, I appreciate your kind words. Keeping busy helps, but that empty kitchen is really distressing. I am giving Merlin cat lots of love and I'm trying to think of the many good times we had with Arthur. Losing a pet is devastating but I would rather go through the pain, as I do feel that pets enrich your life in so many ways.
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Chriscat,
So very sorry for your loss.
Very sad.
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Thanks Send.
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ChrisCat, I'm so sorry about Arthur. My grandson is now conspiring to get me another cat...

((((Hugs))))).
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Thanks Barb. Do you want another cat? Whenever we have been catless in the past, we assumed we would enjoy the freedom from pet responsibilities, but have always caved in and had another rescue cat. Last time I came back with two instead of just one. I am glad of that now. Merlin is a comfort now Arthur has gone.
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Chris, I made my husband promise me he would stay my hand if I tried to get another cat too soon.

My Dumbledore is very much a "king of the castle" (well, king of the small NYC apt.) type. Terrorizes any other cat we've had.

I guess maybe we'll try to adopt from our local shelter provisionally and see how it goes. Two is a good number.

((((Hugs))))
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Chris I am sorry for your loss. Our pets become family members that are integral to our lives.

When I lost my dog I felt like my third man was missing and I had to go get a rescue shepherd 11 days after his unexpected death. When we lost her it was the same thing. We now have 2 rescue shepherds and even though we miss our lost dogs we have that love back in our home.

We know when we get them that they just don't live long enough but, each one brings their own personality and enriches our lives and hearts.

I am glad you have Merlin to comfort you.

Barb: I hope you get the perfect cat that fits in just right.
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Isthisreallyreal, you are so right about wanting and needing that unconditional love in the household.

And Barb, there's no pressure. You'll know if and when the time is right to bring a new pet into your home.

I think Merlin will stay an only cat now. At 14 he may be a bit old to accept a new pet joining us.
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chriscat (((((hugs))))) so sorry for your loss. Arthur was fortunate to have you care so well for him. I think you are right. Merlin might find another kitty too much for him.

Barb - good luck with finding another cat. Pumpkin, the one we lost, was the undisputed alpha animal (including humans) in the house. However, she did adjust to Rocky, and later to Smokey.
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We've chosen to not replace Daniel. Henrick adored him and is old himself. He may not react well to a little interloper and I don't want to deal with the possible fallout if it did not work out.

Instead we're going to let old Henrick live out his days as A-number one cat around here.😽
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Thanks Golden. And Gershun, I just saw your post on the "On My Mind" thread about your sister being unable to offer sympathy when your dear cat died, and how this upset you. Only today we had an example of how a little sympathy goes a long way. My DH was in the garden when one of our neighbours was taking his puppy for a walk. DH explained that Arthur had passed away earlier this week. Our neighbour had known Arthur as he would see him in the fields, hunting mice. He was so sympathetic, and explained how upset he and his family had been when their much loved other dog had died unexpectedly in his sleep a few months ago, and how horrible and overwhelming the loss had been. This was two 50 something men, bonding over the grief they'd both experienced, unafraid to bare their emotions, and I could see that my DH was really comforted by our neighbour's empathy. I think it is better to try to find the words and say something, rather than say nothing for fear of getting it wrong.
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As many of you know we have a feral cat "colony" of about 20 cats, living around our house. We are now down to the last 4 kittens to be fixed and tipped,, and hooray we have found homes for two of them! DDs friend wants them for her son, and they have picked out the 2 they want and came over last night to play with them. They will pick them up next friday as Mom works, and they will be all fixed then ( saving them about 200 a cat!) Friend just bought her first home, and they are so excited,, have bought all the needed things and had all the talks about not letting them outside. Her small son is so gentle with them, and one warmed up quickly. Wish them luck!
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Chriscat, there has always been a real disconnect with my siblings and emotions. But I was hurt that my sister chose to say nothing when I told her about losing my sweet cat Daniel. I always knew she was callous but was still very taken aback. So much so that I'm seriously considering skipping Christmas at her place this year.

I've just about given up on my siblings. It truly feels like an ending. An ending of what I don't really know but an ending nonetheless.

I believe that at least two of my siblings are narcissistic sociopaths to be honest. Hard to accept but once I accept it and move on I think I'll be better for it.

Sorry for posting this on the cat thread.
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Gershun, I totally get where you're coming from - be kind to yourself and do what's best for you. Today I collected Arthur's ashes from the vets. Not sure how I would feeI but I was ok. The vet had written and enclosed a lovely card for us, totally validating our grief and reminding us that we had done the best for our cat. A little compassion goes a long way...
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Your post, Gershun, is welcome here.
Sorry that Daniel could no longer be with us,
but he is,
in memory on this thread and in our hearts.
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Chriscat,
Arthur will be remembered by all the pet lovers here.
Sorry that you are missing him,
and picking up his ashes.
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Chriscat, we didn't keep Daniel's ashes. Instead we got his footprint on a little ceramic thing the same color as him. But I remember it was hard even going back there to pick that up.

I'm sure Arthur appreciated all the love you gave.
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Thanks Gershun. Arthur will spend the winter with us in the house, and I will put him in the garden in the Spring, where he enjoyed lying in the sun and terrorising the local mouse population! Our son is back from Uni on Saturday. He will be upset. He knew when he left in October that he might not see Arthur again. I remember one of my old cats dying when I was at Uni, and it was awful. When you lose a cat you've had for most of your childhood and into adulthood it feels like a double loss: it's the end of your childhood as well.
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Remembering our pets will bring some bittersweet memories over the holidays. 🎄
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Every time I notice again how much weight Delilah has lost since Divo passed (no more gobbling up the daily wet food set out for him), I think about him again, but thankfully I'm not sad. He had so many issues and was a big responsibility, and I was always worried about him -- his health or how he'd react to something. He had quite the personality and expressed it so often. But my lingering feeling is peace because it was like watching an elderly person decline over several years, and at some point, it was so much better for him and for me that he move on to his next lifetime. Which of his nine lives was it he had with me, I wonder. :-)

Newest roomie is so pleasant and considerate, and loves cats. I can see 'LilahBean has a new friend and I'm happy that's a good fit.

Wishing everyone happy memories -- Barb, Golden, and everyone else who's lost their pet this year. Chriscat, that was a really nice thing your hubs and neighbor shared. Gershun, it would have been the supportive thing for your sis to say something, anything, to acknowledge your loss. Your unsupportive sibling is just doing what they do, sounds like.
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Thanks, so much, Ali. Missing Sherlock, Merlin and our huge Maine Coon, Nick.

My daughter in law, who is working from her parents' home in Wisconsin while helping raise her SIL and brother's 4 little kids (he is deployed in Iraq) had to put their 18 year old dauchshund down on Tuesday morning.

Very hard for her and my son to be so far apart right now.
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Thank you Ali! I still miss my Daniel so much. True what you said about my sister. She was just being who she is.
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We left our baby feral Furby in the house today alone with our Chug Chloe,, for the first time. We are trying to socialize her into house cat,, and it seems to have gone well . She is normally in for a few hours, in the morning and evening. She likes it inside so so far so good! Two of the "teenagers" come in for breakfast and dinner, and seem to want to stay in.. We'll see how it goes. The other 18 are strickly outside
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