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Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat
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Subject: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 10 Mar 05 - 04:38 PM Today, we took the hard decision to help Amber the very loud Tortoiseshell over the Rainbow Bridge. She was poorly this time last year, and in May we were advised to let her go. She took exception to this and rallied round, to stay with us for another 10 months. This morning, she was very wobbly, very vocal and not at all happy. A trip to the vet this morning got her some shots, but she didn't rally like she usually does. This evening, after watching her stumble round the room and yowl distressfully, we had the horrible choice of seeing how she got on with medication or to give her the easy journey. I hope we chose wisely. She came to us as a result of an Email at work. Her original owner was emigrating to Australia. Amber and her friend Max needed a new person to love them and pick them up from Leeds, so when I came up for the Manchester gathering in 2001, I just popped across the Pennines to pick them up. Amber made her musical preferences known very early on, by yowling during the journey, but being quiet when we played classical or folk on the radio! She loved playing in the garden, chewing inappropriate items and sleeping in the sun... hopefully, that's what she's doing somewhere in Kitty Heaven. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: My guru always said Date: 10 Mar 05 - 04:43 PM So sorry you had to make this decision Liz, but I'm sure it was the right one for Amber. {{{{Lts & all the Family}}}} |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Charley Noble Date: 10 Mar 05 - 04:48 PM Liz- It's sad to lose one of these precious creatures. We've been thinking about the gray tiger we lost a month or so ago. We find it important to just think about him for a while, and appreciate the fact that as a stray he choose us to live with. Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Teresa Date: 10 Mar 05 - 04:51 PM Oh, poor thing while she was suffering. Hopefully she is in a happy place now, a-purring away. :) Rub and scritch Hugs. Tessa. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Morticia Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:02 PM you did the right thing, she was a sweet natured mog who got on with what life dealt her, but it wasn't always the greatest deal...except for her new family.......they were a very good deal and I'm sure she knew it. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Wesley S Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:06 PM They say that when you get to heaven all of the pets you've owned are there to greet you. It makes me want to lead a good life. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: katlaughing Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:06 PM Good for you, for giving her a loving home AND for helping to make the transition. NOT easy, I know; we lost two last August. {{{{{{{LtS}}}}}}}}}}} luvyakat |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Phot Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:19 PM So sorry to hear of your loss Liz, having recently lost Gizmo, and Clyde, I think I know how you feel. My best wishes to you and yours. Chris |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Bobert Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:45 PM Sniff... I loves all the kitties... We'll miss you, Amber... |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Hawker Date: 10 Mar 05 - 05:51 PM Kind thoughts to you Liz, hope Max doesn't pine too much, I am sure Amber is in a much better place and no longer suffering. She'll be a playmate for my Marmaduke who crossed the bridge last November. Cheers Lucy |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 10 Mar 05 - 06:04 PM Here's a picture of Amber in happier days. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Catherine Jayne Date: 10 Mar 05 - 06:10 PM Amber was a beautiful...loud mog! She will be missed. Hope she is playing in kitty heaven |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Bat Goddess Date: 10 Mar 05 - 06:20 PM It's never easy. Hold her close in your heart and memory. Right after I lost Foolish at age 16 after an 8 year illness, I read the first line of an essay by Robert James Waller (the guy who wrote "The Bridges of Madison County"). Foolish had been my best friend through the last years of my first marriage, a rather turmultuous divorce, job shake-up, scramble to find a place to live, miscellaneous crises of a single woman, the meeting, courtship, etc. leading up to marrying Curmudgeon, etcet, etcet. In short, he'd been with me through more stuff and longer than Curmudgeon had at the time. Anyway, what Waller wrote was, "He was young when I was young, and old when I was middle-aged." And that's when I bawled my head off. It's been over 10 years and I still think about Foolish (and his brother Marmalade) every day -- even though I'm surrounded by other possessive moggies. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: SINSULL Date: 10 Mar 05 - 06:35 PM You made the right decision Liz. I wish we humans had the same option. Think on the good times. Mary |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Col K Date: 10 Mar 05 - 07:07 PM You gave her a good home when she needed one and she repayed you many times over with her joy of living there. Remember her with fondness because I am sure that she will be telling all the other cats in Kitty Heaven how good you were to her. Condolences to You Limpet and Manitas Love Col |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: GUEST,Tony Date: 10 Mar 05 - 10:49 PM Perhaps fortunately both mine saved me that hard decision when they passed on. I groomed Horace and put him to bed intending to ring the vet next morning but he died quietly in his sleep that night. Kishi (aged 19) was in obvious distress one morning but was dead when I got back from taking the kids to school. I still miss them. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Sorcha Date: 10 Mar 05 - 10:55 PM Oh, Liz, I'm so very sorry, I know this wasn't easy. Condolences to you all. Esp. Limpit. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Gypsy Date: 10 Mar 05 - 10:56 PM Words cannot express my sympathy. I grieve with you at your time of loss.........for such wee creatures, they sure leave a big hole in yer heart........ |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: KathWestra Date: 10 Mar 05 - 10:57 PM Hey Liz, It's heart-wrenching to let go of our dear four-footed friends. I sent two beloved kitties off within 10 months of each other a couple of years ago. My Tosspot (aged 19-1/2) looked very much like your Amber, and it was months before I stopped looking for her in her favorite sleeping spot next to the couch every time I came in the front door. You honor your Amber with your grieving, and with your memories. I like the idea of these special friends waiting for us somewhere. They are so truly devoted. With both of mine, my wise and wonderful veterinarian told me that I would know when the time was right for them to go, and (as hard as it was), I did. Don't beat yourself up about whether you made the right decision. I'm sure you did. Love and hugs, Kathy |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: pixieofdoom Date: 11 Mar 05 - 07:00 AM Very sorry to hear this, she was a lovely cat. Very friendly and very vocal! Love to you all Fiona xx |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: jacqui.c Date: 11 Mar 05 - 07:52 AM I've been in that position as well - we tool our cat off medication because it was distressing her too much to keep trying to get her to take it. The action shortened her lifespan but gave her a more peaceful end. How is Limpit taking it? |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Cats Date: 11 Mar 05 - 01:32 PM Bathsheba and Isolde send all their purrs and nuggles to you. We send all our love too. We've been there and it is heartbreaking. I still say hello to our pussy cats who are buried in the back garden of our old house every time I go past. There again, this is the person who sang happy birthday to Bathsheba on the answerphone yesterday as I wasn't at home for her birthday. Hugs XXX |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: GUEST,Jon Date: 11 Mar 05 - 02:19 PM Been there Liz. It is never nice but you can only do what you think is best for the animal. I have one in my mind at the moment that I do find harder that the last cat Whiskey we had to have put down. Our little Delia was a wild one and one when we found her, I don't think would have made the next day even though she still had the capability to draw blood from me first time I touched her. We transformed her from this to this and into a cat that used to sleep on my bed. She lasted around a year before being found dead - we believe killed by a dog. I've gone over why God why? many times and what was the point? I suppose the point was we gave her 1 yr happiness she wouldn't have had otherwise and she gave us roughly that 1 year of pleasure. I suppose the point I'm trying to make to you even though it will be of little consolation to you is know you had a loving relationship with the cat, know that however awful the decision making is, you did what was right for the cat. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: JudyB Date: 11 Mar 05 - 04:38 PM I'm so sorry, Liz. We were lucky (sort of) with our big fella Gashay - he was adopted as a stray by our two resident cats, so we decided if they accepted him we might as well go along. He wasn't exactly shy, once he realized we weren't likely to do anything worse to him than pat him occasionally, but wasn't people-centered. At first he'd appear whenever we put out food; when he got a little more self-assured, he'd appear when he thought there ought to be food and stare meaningfully at his dish until food appeared. He outweighed his two "big" sisters combined - and cowered when they gave him the look. It did give us pause when he finally came close enough often enough that we thought we could scoop him into a carrier for a trip to the vet without scaring him off permanently - and we discovered he was FIV-positive. But we did a lot of reading about it and decided that he didn't fight with our two (or with anyone else - especially once we had him neutered), so we decided to keep him and hope for the best. It worked for over 5 years - he was sicker than the other two when they all caught a cold, but that was about the only obvious problem. He seemed as if he wasn't feeling quite up to par in December, but it didn't look serious; we figured we'd take him in for a checkup in January. New Year's Day Charlie was reading on the couch, and for the first time ever Gash jumped up into his lap and curled up there for the better part of an hour. Then he checked the food dishes and went out for his usual evening stroll about the neighborhood. When he didn't show up for breakfast we went out searching and found that he'd curled up and died at the edge of the parking area, right next to the dumpster (as if we wouldn't give a big old lug a proper burial!). It's hard to be sure, but we think he was about 7 - way too young, but we knew that was a risk when we learned he was FIV positive - and like Jon said, it helps to remember that sometimes it's the quality, not the quantity, of life that matters in the end. I have a picture of him at work, sitting in front of his empty food bowl giving me the "well?" look - it reminds me of the good times. And not too long after we lost him I had an image of him and the big old tomcat from my childhood (whom I hadn't really thought about in years, and who was another strong silent type - unlike our two highly vocal little fuzzies) - just prowling about in a somewhat improbable companionship somewhere on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. Again, our sympathy to you and yours. Hugs, JudyB |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 11 Mar 05 - 05:26 PM Thanks everyone. She's buried at the bottom of the garden, under the service tree now. Limpit is not too bad... she's very upset, especially when it comes to feeding time, that was becoming her 'job'. She'll get better with time. In the meantime, if anyone in the UK (within reason!) has a tortoiseshell kitten that needs a loving home...... just don't tell Manitas! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: open mike Date: 11 Mar 05 - 05:58 PM Rest well in your favorite shady place, dear Amber. Sweet dreams of tuna and mice! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: lady penelope Date: 11 Mar 05 - 06:27 PM Sniff, wobbly lip. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Liz,Limpet,Manitas,Cats}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} TTFN Lady P. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: sue exhull Date: 11 Mar 05 - 06:51 PM So sorry :) Im sure Amber will meet good friends at the bridge xx |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 11 Mar 05 - 11:39 PM A cat that is part turtle and part feline is a very peculiar creature. It is worthy of a Doctor Doolittle tale.
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: jimmyt Date: 12 Mar 05 - 01:16 AM sorry for your loss, Liz I love kitties and it is hard to lose one. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: gnu Date: 12 Mar 05 - 05:51 AM It's never easy. Thoughts and prayers. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 12 Mar 05 - 08:32 AM Well Gee, thanks Garg.. I'd never have thought of that one. She was a very strange cat. She didn't like tuna. Gravy though.... she loved gravy. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: artbrooks Date: 12 Mar 05 - 08:43 AM Many of us have been through that. I held our Ferrous cat as the vet gave him his shot, and I like to think that made it easier for him. The cats that magnanimously allow us to feed and otherwise care for them are an important part of our lives. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Flash Company Date: 12 Mar 05 - 11:07 AM liz, unfortunately I am not very good at attachments, but there is a drawing out there somewhere done by Kathleen Hale of Orlando, the Marmalade cat sitting on a cloud playing a harp after his death at the ripe old age of 19 and a half. See if you can find it, looks about right to me! FC |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: tarheel Date: 12 Mar 05 - 06:10 PM liz... peg and me feel your pain...we had to have our tortoiseshell cat put to sleep last july...she had been with us almost 18 years and believe me ,she was really a member of the family! we really miss her dearly to this day! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 13 Mar 05 - 12:39 PM So how long will it be before I stop finding multicoloured fur around the house? LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: gnu Date: 13 Mar 05 - 03:03 PM Hopefully never. Sometimes, reminders are a good thing. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 13 Mar 05 - 05:15 PM Wahhhaaahh.. I was feeding the cats this evening and kept looking round for the third one..... Reminders I don't need. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: JudyB Date: 14 Mar 05 - 12:41 PM It is hard. Try to think of her in her prime, stretched out on a rock in the sun or prowling through fields of flowers, purring softly when she thinks about you. It takes time, but with a bit of luck, when something reminds you of her, you'll remember the good times more often than the difficult times - and maybe, in your own way, you'll purr softly too. JudyB |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: GUEST,maire-aine Date: 14 Mar 05 - 02:47 PM Dear Liz, I'm so sorry to hear about Amber, but you did the right thing. It's hard on us to make that decision (I've done it twice now) but we do what's best for them. I still have two elderly (both 16 years), and I try to enjoy them as much as I can, because I know their times will come too soon. For now, just snuggle with the kitties you still have and console each other. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 14 Mar 05 - 03:05 PM Received a 'With deepest sympathy' card today from the Vet.... Sweet. She never really did much stalking, but I have a lovely picture of her sitting in the garden this time 3 years ago March 2002 . Thank you all again. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: kendall Date: 15 Mar 05 - 12:33 PM Losing a pet is so tough, I always feel like I have commited "failure to protect". ((((((((((((((((Liz)))))))))))))) (((((((((((((((((Limpet))))))))))))))) ((((((((((((Manitas)))))))))) |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Big Tim Date: 15 Mar 05 - 02:27 PM Tortoiseshells are, I think, particularly beautiful cats. We had our Holly for 16 years. Still got the photos. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: gnu Date: 15 Mar 05 - 04:34 PM Sooo, tortoieshell = calico? Because she looks like my last one, Maggie, might have looked had I had her to that age. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 15 Mar 05 - 04:38 PM Yes, tortoiseshell or torties are often called calico... although some define calico as having more white than colour on them. I always wanted a calico cat, and was overjoyed when I first met Amber.... she took her time getting used to us but was worth every minute. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: gnu Date: 15 Mar 05 - 06:10 PM My Maggie was a dream. Upon being brought home as a kitten, she went under the bed and wouldn't come out, until I lied on the floor on my back and started to "purr". She came right to me. She obeyed my every word as if she spoke. For several years, every time I took a nap, I would call her, and when she would nestle against me, I would purr. And we would nap. I still have the scars in my left side from when the phone would ring. Sometimes, reminders are a good thing. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 15 Mar 05 - 10:21 PM A friend obtained a black cat for her daughter. they had planned - but nature had its way and they now have 3 kittens. I have been promised the black one to replace mine of the salt & pepper set who left me a while ago. I wonder if a while one will turn up as in the past... |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Amber the Tortoiseshell cat From: Liz the Squeak Date: 16 Mar 05 - 03:59 AM We're waiting for another tortoiseshell to turn up... Limpit wants a tortie kitten (watch out CatsPhiddle, she'll be coming for Morgana!) but we're waiting until April before we really start looking. I would prefer a rescue kitty, but it depends what is out there. LTS |
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