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My kittie died in my arms this morning :(

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I had something similiar happen to me. Sorry to hear it didn't turn out well. Mine didn't either, it is very sad. So young 🙁
 
My Irish Setter 'Brandi' died in my arms when I was 14. That was the most painful thing that happened to me. She died of congestive heart failure and cancer so it wasn't pretty. I spent about 10 hours sitting with her waiting for the expected. It's VERY different when something/someone VERY close to you dies IN YOUR ARMS instead of just 'hearing' about the death....very different.

Dammit....stupid eyes are watering again 🙁
 
Have a similar situation here, though not as severe. The father of one of my sister's friends had a cat, but he kept it locked in a small room because it was underfoot, and he couldn't take that because he has arthritis. So we adopted it. Our 2 cats didn't take too well initially. The new one, Blackie is a female; our male cat Scotty gets along fairly well. Beverly, our female cat, still hisses and rowls at Blackie, even if Blackie's just passing through. All are fixed too.

But anyway, we got Blackie home, and gave her a bath. She stank from being cooped up for so long. She didn't seem to like the bath, but she purred through the whole thing. Didn't do the trick, so bathed her again - she kept purring. She just loved the attention.
So we took her to the vet next. There was a reason she was as thin as she is. She has something wrong with her thyroid gland - it's about 2x normal size: hyperthyroidism. She's basically wasting away. She eats, but about 50% of the time throws it back up.
The best solution is radiation therapy. But we can't afford the $3100+ pricetag. The cheapest option is surgery, but that's still $800.
We figure that we're giving her a good life here; she would have lived in hell with the disease anyway. She loves the place, loves the attention, and loves exploring stuff (sometimes making large messes in the process.)
So we don't know her life expectancy; the vet says no one ever takes cats like that back to the vet once they're diagnosed. We plan to keep her checked on as long as she's with us.

Long story short, we both managed to make a cat very happy before it die(d/s). Dying with someone you love, and knowing you were liked - that's about the best way to go.

And thanks for reading this in addition to Blundar's initial post. 🙂
 
Blundar, Russ, damn, damn, damn. Still having my own hard times and I thought I was all cried out tonight, but this thread welled me right back up. Big men with big hearts.

Until this year, one of the hardest times I'd ever had was when my Great Dane Bogart (Bogie) died back in 1987. I was down, feeling isolated, and it was right before I fell into being a P.I., so I didn't even have a decent paying job. The Bog (long "o", rhymes with "rouge") was a magnificent specimen and a truly dignified gentleman. We were together out in the woods every damn day of the year, no matter the weather, as that hound needed and deserved room to run. You never know a woods intimately until you been out in one through each of the four seasons in succession.

Everyone said Danes don't live that long, but I thought The Bog would be the exception 'cause I kept him in such good shape. But he came down with bone cancer in the Fall of "87, and after a long series of tries with my local vet, the vetinary clinic at the University of Pennsylvania, and, finally, a naturpathic vet in Yardley, Pa (and over $2,000 total in bills), my buddies and I loaded him into the back of my Datsun 510 wagon, and we drove him around as close as we could get to all the great haunts we frolicked in.

Back at my cabin, I paid a vet to administer the coup de grace, then I drove him out to Chester County to this somewhat peculiar lady to get cremated. I thought I was OK through most of the fall, trying to stay strong and stoic, but the first snow I saw out the window down the south facing hill, I broke down like a baby and cried and cried. Soon after, I wrote this:

First snow without the Bog
Covers the hill outside my home
Like absolution from all guilt
Like a grace I do not deserve

And cannot accept
From a God who would put my eyes out
Should I but look, like the nuns said
Before I am ready, meaning

Before I am dead
So I surround myself with my
VCR and my daily crossword puzzle
Self pity. Like burnt out eyes

Who think they've seen God
And want your blind consent
And yet, for just one
God given moment

Between my car
And my front door
Between my meaningless job
And my favorite TV program

This early, unbidden snow
Has brought the Bog back home
Silent, white
And offering his eyes to me.



I've been stuggling to define my faith my entire adult life, and it's been especially difficult (and important) in this last year's annealing fire of hard, hard loss. But there's one thing I've know for a long time. Each time any one of us reaches out and opens our heart unprompted to another living being, that's God, guys, that's God.
 
4 years and 2 days ago we lost our yellow lab to skin cancer. i'd already accepted his death far before that, when he was first diagnosed in march of that year. he spent most of the summer in and out of radiology, but then left houston for south america, where radiology equipment is needed for more than just dogs.

in october my cat of 14 years (getting near 15 now) was diagnosed with skin cancer as well. i think shes won this bout, and i hope there isn't a second, but i can't be certain. the treatment was aggressive to say the least, as she now has 3 legs, lost the left hind one. it doens't seem to bother her much, though, other than not being able to get on the counter to eat tuna salad left sitting out. she quickly gained back the weight that was cut off, she'd lost a couple of pounds, so i think thats a good sign, and is now back up to 10.5 pounds. i get to see her again on friday when i return from halfway around the world.
 
A neighborhood kitty has adopted me recently. Luckily he's healthy and happy. I have to leave him for 12 days today (goin' skiin' with the GF in Utah), and that's about as sad as my story gets (besides my two childhood cats dying of old age, but that was a very long time ago).

Blundar, I feel for ya. 🙁
 
Bummer. I know that I felt truly awful when I had to put my cat of 21 years (that's right, twenty-one, not a typo) down. She had cancer, and the first operation didn't quite do the trick. I couldn't bear to put her through the recuperation a second time. Once I made the decision, the vet agreed that it was the right thing to do. He, of course, wouldn't offer that advice before I made the decision, but it still helped. A little.
 
When I was about 14, my family's cocker spaniel had puppies. being the animal lover, I was the midwife. The first puppy born was Rudy (as in Rudolph), named after his bright red nose. He was the runt and I tried my hardest to make sure he got nursed and that the others didn't push him away. He was just too small. One afternoon, sitting in English class, I felt a soft flutter against my cheek, and I knew Rudy was gone. Sure enough, when I got home, he has passed on.
 
Pets ARE family. And just like when a relative passes away, time will heal wounds made when a pet leaves us. And eventually the sadness and loneliness is replaced with very fond and happy memories of our loved ones.

Eventually, you will too will look back at your little Annie with happiness and fond memories, knowing that she had a MUCH better life with you than what could have been. You gave her the warmth and love a kitten needs, and you made her pur 🙂

 
Having two cats myself, and being a general animal lover, I sympathize. I don't know what I'd do if either of my cats died...

My condolences.
 
I'm sorry for your loss 🙁

My cat of 16 years was put to sleep last month and she passed away in my arms. I don't think I'm done grieving, yet because as soon as I saw this thread I had to cry. I'm sure the experiences you've shared with your pets were different than mine but I'm betting the underlying feelings are the same so I'll share the poem I wrote with you.


I would nap with you against my will;
You trickster.
I would miss meetings because of your purr;
You beguiler.
I'd follow you around aimlessly from your over-the-shoulder gaze;
You charmer.
I stood at the door when you'd see how long I could;
You con artist.
You'd always get what you wanted from me,
Yet I would never suffer from the effort.
For the covers couldn't look so warm
But when you were curled there among them.
And where I would know peace beside you,
Free from the world in your moments,
It's now come time for your peace.
It's now come time to be free.

So goodbye China.
Goodbye my girl...
My adopted daughter.

I'll leave a space under the covers for you
In my dreams.




Just remember, Blundar. She purred when she was with you. 🙂 Hang on to that purr as it will keep you human for the rest of your life.
 
I'm sorry for your loss. 🙁 My cat will be 16 in April and she's starting to look kind of bad. She's really skinny even though we feed her a LOT. 🙁 She's been a great friend.

nullshark - Wow! That brought tears to my eyes. That was a very moving poem. I'm sorry for your loss as well.
 
I'm sorry you lost your kittie. 🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁

To tell you the truth I'm sure Annie was waiting for you so she could pass in your arms. I've had two cats pass on me of old age and they wouldn't let go until I was home. Hanging on just for daddy to arrive so they could look at me with those big deep eyes (that by now had become glossy) and let out a final purrrrrreow.

I miss you Susie. I miss you Jordan.

crying now. 🙁
 
I am openly weeping right now and my wife is looking at me kinda funny...Last week I had to put my baby of 18 years to sleep.She was my best little friend since high school(I'm 36) and I still get emotional about it.Poor thing was having strokes and couldnt move here legs.Anyways, I feel so darn bad about your kitty,blundar.I have a terrific soft spot for cats and reading these posts about them passing away makes me so sad.Regroup,and if you are going to get another cat or two(or 6 in my case) go to a shelter or go to Petsmart on the weekends.They have gotten together with local animal shelters and adopt hundreds of otherwise doomed animals every week.Take care.




Peace




Lounatik
 
Blundar, I'm sorry for your loss.... I've had cats and dogs over the years and even if people say it's not like losing a family member, it is in many ways... The love you give out isn't different because it's a animal... The important thing is that you know you tried. Most people don't try - and you did that... You tried to help this kitten and even if you couldn't save it, you at least did try to...
 
I am so sorry for your loss 🙁 I have never lost anyone that close to me like that so I guess I can't understand, but if I lost my cat it would be very hard on me. You are a kind person.
 
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