BS: Shadow is gone.

Subject: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: hilda fish
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:30 PM

Our cat, Shadow, died this morning. The last of our pack of little critters, he was 19 years old. My daughter who is now 23, raised him from kittenhood. I made the decision while at the vet this morning to give him the death shot. Nothing anyone could do for him and he deserved to die in my arms and with minimum pain. We brought him home and wrapped him in my beautiful black pashmina and my daughter and I dug his grave in the backyard. My daughter laid him in his grave and we both hand filled the grave. We have already got the 'it was only a cat' while we weep in grief. Okay, he was a cat, but he was our family and we loved him. With his little body goes a large part of our lives and memories. So for those who understand or care, if a ghostly black cat crosses your path and glares with baleful eye, say 'hi' as it might be our Shadow wandering in some other dimension, cranky and moody, out to scare simply because that was his nature. He wants you to be frightened but really, he was a dear little critter underneath all that attitude. So, goodbye Shadow and whatever dimension you are in, or not, our love doesn't stop. We loved you alive and we love you still, whatever whoever however you may be.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: harpmolly
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:33 PM

I am so sorry to hear that. My thoughts are with you.

I'm always angry when I hear people say, "It's only a cat...". Our companion animals fulfill very important roles in our lives, and when an animal has been with you for two decades, he becomes much more than a mere pet.

I'm glad he had such a long life and was well-loved.

Molly

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Peace
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:34 PM

I'm sorry, Hilda. But hey, I'll watch for him. Promise.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:55 PM

I'm sorry for your loss. It's always a tough decision to make.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:56 PM

(((((((((((((((((((((Hilda et al)))))))))))))))))))))))
I'll look out for him to, and I know you are open to visits...they will do that you know. Our dogs did....

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 11:00 PM

Your post is a lovely tribute to a dear friend, bless him!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 01:24 AM

For those who hate the "just a cat" line, here's a little story for you. Kinda' a "don't get mad, get even" thing.

When my friend Ronnie was 25 he was back in his parents home for a few months. The family cat was 23 years old and Ron could never remember a day without her. She only went out once a day and that was to slip into the bushes outside the door and return within 3 or 4 minutes.

The neighbor had a mean-ass dog that everyone in the neighborhood hated. It had scared inumerable kids AND adults and killed assorted other critters. The owner just laughed it all off and the police could do very little as the area had no leash law and the dog had not actually attacked anyone so far.

So one cold winter day the cat slips out as usual and within a minute or so there is a ruckus. Ron and his Mom go out to find their beloved old cat dead and the dog ambling off toward home. Ron and his Dad went over to the guy's house and told him what had happened and the reaction was......yeah, you got it...... "No big deal. It was just a cat."

A few days go by and one evening Ron hears a clanging out in their backyard and through his bedroom window sees the dog in their garbage cans. Did I mention Ronnie was a bit of a gun nut? He got his Colt Python .357 out of the closet, opened the window, poked the barrel through the screen, took aim, and fired. Dead dog.

Ron calls the neighbor and tells him to come get his dog out of their garbage. The guy finds his dead hound and goes to the door demanding to know what happened and what Ron is going to do about it. At this point Ron said, "No big deal. It was just a dog."

The police came and issued Ron a fine for discharging a firearm in the city limits. The neighbors heard about it and brought Ronnie a nice cake......and paid the fine!

I am very sorry for your loss. Its the worst part about having pets. Maybe Shadow will run into our old guy "Cutter" who died a few years ago at age 20......a couple of well experienced black cats hangin' out and prowling around together....I think that'd be nice for both of them!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 01:33 AM

Twasn't just a cat, it was your cat....... and like the rose in the Little Prince, that made Shadow very special indeed. So sorry, hilda fish.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: hilda fish
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 02:40 AM

My daughter wrote this epitaph for the old boy - thought I'd share it:

Friends,

Irrepressable devil, Shadow Alley-Cat, departed the planet for good this morning.

May his eternal days be spent with endless supplies of giant water rats, tiny helpless bird to torture and other kitties to terrorise.

As well as warm laps to curl up in, nimble fingers for chin scratching and chewing on. And some one loving to pick him up so he can drool obscenely on them.

May his dark shadow bless our anti-social moments, meaningless (yet endearing) aggression, broodiness and slightly bizarre behaviour.

He will be deeply missed by fellow dark moody soul and confidante of nineteen years, Keera.

And by caretaker, love giver, and Chicken from Charlie?s supplier, Pam.

Rest In Peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: JennyO
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 02:53 AM

So sorry to hear about this, hilda fish. As someone who is owned by two cats, I know how you feel.

We have two black moggies over here in Earlwood - Shadow can come over and hang out with them if he likes - I'll keep an eye out for him.

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 05:13 AM

It hurts Hilda, dogs cats they all take piece of our heart when they go. I'm not a cat man, but I've been through this with 3 dogs over the last 15 years, and thinking about their going still brings a lump to the throat.
(((((Pam & Keera)))))

Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Emma B
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 05:33 AM

I'm sorry for your troubles Hilda

"One small cat changes coming home to an empty house to coming home"
Pam Brown

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:03 AM

So sorry to hear this Hilda - had the same with a couple of cats and know how hard it can be. We are lucky though - we always have the memories of our friends to think of and those last a lifetime.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: jeffp
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:25 AM

You have my deep sympathy. People who say, "It's just a cat," just don't get it and that is their loss.

Jeff

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: artbrooks
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 09:02 AM

So very sorry, Hilda. We had to do the same with one of ours 3 years ago (cancer). Our pain was mitigated by our understanding that it would relieve his. He couldn't be replaced, but we did get a pound kitten a few months later, since 3 cats seems about right for our household.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Midchuck
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 09:45 AM

It hurts. A person brushing it off as "just a cat" should be castrated with a dull chain saw, without anesthetic.

We lost Willie last November. About the same time we lost my Mother. The combination threw me for quite a while.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: gnu
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 10:44 AM

Condolences.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:28 AM

My sympathies are with you.

My cat, archy, is also black but he's only 12 so I hope not to have to go through that for a long time yet.

A neighbor of mine has had only two dogs in 37 years. Springer spaniels. The first one lived to be 17 and the other started failing at 20; he went quickly after his systems just kind of gave up.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Kim C
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 01:23 PM

Aw Hilda, I'm sorry. :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: skipy
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:09 PM

Been there, done that, he was the best pussy cat in the world, laid him to rest 4 Dec. 1998, his name was / is Walter, he is in our garden, still talk to him, still love him, still miss him.
Skipy.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:32 PM

It never gets any easier, but at least we can do right by them in the end and get them relief from the pain. Shadow sounds as though he was quite a character. Sorry he had to go. I love what your daughter wrote AND your tribute to him. He sounds a bit like my son's black cats, Izzie and Morticia! This is first time in my life I have been without a black cat, since my Kelpie passed away in my arms a couple of years ago. My current *owners,* all three of them, do not seem a bit tolerant of the idea of introducing anyone new!

{{{{{{{{{{{Hilda/Pam & Keera}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Midchuck, I agree and your boy was beautiful!

Love,

kat and, Merlee-the-border-collie, Trystan, Kipling, and Charlee

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Helen
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 01:03 AM

I'll look out for Shadow here, with the two black cats I have, and the spirit of the one I gave away as a kitten to a loving home but who unfortunately died accidentally.   I'm sure Shadow will visit you from time to time.

Your story reminds me of when I had to make the decision to ask the vet to put one of mine to sleep, and as it happened, it was on my birthday. She was a little cat, but had the little dog next door totally under her spell. They hung out together next door all the time. Her name was alternately Fredericka the Squeaker (she squeaked rather than miaowed, although she rarely did it) or Fritzi, or a number of other names.

When I brought her home from the vet I sat with her body on my lap and started playing some harp music for her. Just then the door bell rang and it was a friend of mine and her son, who has developmental difficulties and at that time, aged about 8, could make sounds but most of it was fairly unintelligible.

I didn't have time to put Fritzi back in the carry box so I took her to the front door with me. The boy wanted to pat her and I had to say that she was dead and that I was just about to bury her in the back yard.

They both came out there with me, we gently laid Fritzi in her grave, put some flowers over her little body, and then covered her with earth. Then the boy did something beautiful. He stood there with head bowed and solemnly spoke some words which had the rhythm of a prayer over her grave, said Amen, and then we went back into the house.

I'll always have that picture in my mind of him standing there so solemnly. I had expected the boy and his mother to laugh at me but they both were wonderful about it.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: GUEST,Scoville at Dad's
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 01:13 AM

It's never "only a cat". Even when I worked for a vet and saw two dozen cats a day, none was ever "only a cat". Amazing little critters, every one of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 02:59 AM

I'm so sorry Hilda.....I'm sure Shadow is playing with our black-and-white Prickle, who crossed the rainbow bridge nearly a year ago. She was just on 18 years old, the oldest cat we have ever had.

JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Amergin
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 03:37 AM

Cat's are never only cats....the one i will always treasure the most was boo boo kitty....he was a smart little siamese....at least until my aunt accidentally shut his head in the car door when we were all going to church...

he survived to be 14 years old...not extremely old...but a respectable age the same....and he was always the mommy cat when a new kitten took us under their wings....that is until one special cat died unexpectedly....that broke his spirit....and he died a few months later....

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 04:42 AM

I'm so sorry to hear your Shadow has gone, it's one of the hardest decisions that Cat Staff have to make, but ultimately, it's the right one.

My Shadow tabby is draped across the kitchen stepstool at the moment, being tormented by black kitty Raven who pokes his paw up through the steps, so his spirit lives on, even if it is divided between other kitties.

Take care.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 03:05 AM

My sympathies,

I too had a couple of 18 year old 'justacats', one black and one white too, sadly missed, now I have two replacements, both black, one called 'Squeak' (never miaowed as a kitten), and her younger (next litter) half sister 'Bubble', who has now turned into one, about three times the size...

They love to travel with me in the car, and visit their mum, who has now learned not to chase them away seriously, but still chases them just for fun...

My friend was evil enough to know that having another little life dependent on you for food helps fight off the old 'black dog'...

I would never have just one cat anymore, they go crazy: with two they have company, and often sleep curled up together and groom each other daily.

Cats don't have owners, they tolerate slaves...

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Nessie
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 02:30 PM

My sympathies Hilda, losing a little soul who's been part of your lives for so long is hard. We had to have our 13 year old cat put down 6 weeks ago (another Archi, Ebbie) and I'm still not used to not having him under my feet in the kitchen, his weight on my lap, the sound of the catflap follwed by his 'I'm home, feed me'. Time IS a great healer, but you will be caught by reminders for a while.

Hugs
Nessie

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: hilda fish
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 04:49 PM

Thanks Nessie, and the rest of youse so loverlee peoples. At 6 am and 6 pm I am missing his yowls of hunger, missing filling his water bowl every morning, missing everything about the old boy actually. He's left quite an empty space which I am becoming more and more aware of as those little routines of life that fit around him are no longer required. I started getting rid of his endless blankets and couldn't go on. It just seemed so, well, final - which is ridiculous because he is dead. It's a strange thing this human mind and human heart. Love to you all and thanx again. It's been a comfort reading the posts.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: GUEST,AgeingRS
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 01:56 PM

Well hilda fish, I think he passed my way at 6am on Hume Highway on
Saturday morning. He told me where I had to go and I did.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 02:16 PM

Last night my Freddie started an awful row at about 3:30 AM that went on until 5 AM. My neighbors are not amused. Nor am I. This is a first (and last. Freddie is grounded) but maybe Shadow passed our way last night.
I am sorry you lost your buddy, hilda. Let yourself grieve.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 02:22 PM

Hilda-

Let me extend condolences on behalf of our black cat whose name in English translates into "My Shadow" and is "Tilahun" in Ethiopian (Amharic to be precise).

Tilahun and her partner Tejitu combined forces this morning to run two new cats out of "their jungle." They have also held their own against one poor unfortunate chocolate lab but fortunately they don't mess with the raccoons or the skunks; they just lie very still and watch them.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 08:24 PM

My little Squeak was bailed out of the pound yesterday - a 50km round trip - they wanted to charge me $25 for the privilege of the round trip and retrieving a micro-chipped pet that a neighbour had allegedly caught 'in a personal cat trap'. I suspected the mad lady next door, but was assured that 'she was caught 10 houses away'!

Means if she was not chased by a dog, then some kid must have picked her up and taken her home. She won't normally travel far - won't go out the front because of the traffic, won't normally go into the back yard cause of the dogs on the other side of the back fence, won't normally go into the mad woman's yard, and just loves to sit in the sun on the front steps of the other neighbour. I suspect that she is so friendly that she was enticed into a 'trap', if indeed she was 'trapped'.

She spent all last night cuddled up to my chest, suspect that she didn't really enjoy her 'adventure'... and Bubbles was quiet distressed till Squeak came back home. And I was not happy that she was not home too...

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 10:10 AM

To back up, Spaw...

I am completely sympathetic to the man who shot the neighbor's vicious dog. (A woman aged 71 was killed in our city last week by the neighbor's two vicious dogs.)

However, a 357 is far too powerful a gun to be fired in a populated place. The bullets could have travelled right through the dog's body and into a house and a person. Or into something valuable but less precious, like a car.

Also, a bullet striking bone can break into pieces. The pieces can be lethal, and they travel in unpredictable directions.

For example, when John F. Kennedy was shot, a bullet hit his skull and broke into pieces. One piece went completely through one of his legs.

I'm mentioning this because this is information about guns that they never show in the movies, but everyone ought to know about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:14 PM

We are about to lose our calico Clementine. We think she's about nine, because the starving sweet "kitten" we rescued on our porch at an apartment complex in late 2001 was actually about a year old, the vet said. She was a wild thing at first, but settled in quickly. Our other cat was the one who called her to our attention. He ran from window to window and meowed excitedly. Usually he hissed at other cats, so clearly he thought this one was special.

She has an unknown ailment, probably pancreatic. We didn't do an expensive test to learn, though blood work showed an infection that was treated. Symptoms persist, she is anorexic. She was fat, now thin, so fatty liver disease might be a part of it, but we can't get past the initial illness that still plagues her, and now she is incontinent. This is the cat who always followed behind her pal to bury after he went into the box; to have no control now is as low as can be.

So, I've told the kids, and that's why I'm posting anything at all. I wouldn't start a thread because a pet is dying. She was a pet, and I don't believe in getting overly sentimental about all of this. The kids need to understand that we usually outlive our small animals, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't love them while they're with us. I'm the grown-up here, and have to make the decision, so my college daughter is coming down this evening to say her good-byes, and I'll take the cat in to the vet tomorrow after picking up the 16-year-old from school. I was going to drop her off in the morning, but as I write here, I realize that is too hard on my son, to go through the day at school like that.

My son is saying his good-byes. This afternoon he took her out on the sunny front porch to hang out in the sun a little. She tried to get on the sunny windowsill in his room but can't jump or climb much now, so he'll have to lift her where he thinks she wants to go. I'll give him the room for his goodbyes, and my daughter this evening, and I'll just be there to help where I can. This is a private thing for each of us, even if we are together in our saddness.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Big Mick
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:24 PM

You are a wise woman, Maggie. And a great heart. Good luck in the teaching of this one. Looks to me like you have it down pat.

Rest well, Clementine. I know the young ones will think of you fondly.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Sleepy Rosie
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:41 PM

Eh, talking to the converted here.
Love my kits. Love 'em.

There's a grave in the backgarden, filled with around thirty years worth of their bones.... Some of them were born here, children of their parents.

One night my Mother awoke to cat ghosts. Our Queen and matriarch Tigerlill, who had disappeared in the feilds one summer, 'returned' a few months after we had given up on her ever coming home ...bringing with her a family of dead kittys (Bob, Possum, Teddy, Boo-Boo, Foofy and Butty-Bear) padding their invisible paws upon her bed.

My Mum was a very practical and grounded person, but still prone to some psychic type events now and then. But in shock at the invisible padding on her bed, she reacted by shouting at the 'manifestation' and the kitty ghost family scattered.

An instant later she recognised the nature of what she had experienced, and tried to call Tigerlill back, but they had all gone.
She was rather sad about it...

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:52 PM

So sorry Maggie, even though we do know they will go before us these creatures become part of our families and it is hard to say goodbye.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:53 PM

ahhh how sad... I loved that kneading my Squeaky did when she was purring and most contented. I imagine they all came back to your mom to share that love.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: gnu
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 03:10 PM

Awwww... You said, "I don't believe in getting overly sentimental about all of this..."

True, it's better to look at the joy of the past and of future memories. But, I still have tears in my eyes from reading your post. And that's okay.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Sleepy Rosie
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 03:16 PM

And aren't the 'cranky' ones just the best characters!

The weird thing is, that the grouchy ones, can often be the most loyal.

I mean, they're not just cat strumpets are they. You've gotta know just how to stroke them, just how they want their food done, just how to avoid that spiky little swipe with the claws...

Anyway, I think what I was kinda getting at earlier, is that I really don't have a doubt but that he'll remember you, and pop in from time to time... Some energetic cords will ever remain.

No such thing as "just a cat" unless you're "just a homo sapian" of course.
Can't understand families where they speak of "THE Cat" as though it's some anonymous furry object they picked up in some sale at Homebase 'cos the kids cooed at it briefly - until they got their new Playstation game.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Anne Lister
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 03:29 PM

Your post awoke all that I felt this last summer when we said goodbye to our Cleo so I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes as well. It's the price we pay for all the love we've been given, isn't it - and it's a tough one.
But I wouldn't be without a furry friend in my life. And as I write this I can hear young Persia thudding her way down the stairs and skidding wildly on the wood laminate floor, trying to provoke one of us into playing with her.
We'll raise a glass to Clementine, and give Persia an extra cuddle tonight to pass on through the cat psychic network.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Sleepy Rosie
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 03:47 PM

I know it's not cool to proselytise. And I do not intend to.

But for those with an alternative spirituality. I've heard *extremely good* things from cat lovers who have a little altar to the Egyptian Cat Goddess Bast (Like prayers and inscence being offered before Her statue and a long delinquent cat returning within the hour etc.)...

I've not had to ask for anything substantial to validate this myself. But for those who may be open minded, I thought it worth mentioning the possible worth of recognising the only Cat Goddess I know...

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 03:56 PM

Iffen there ain't no dogs and cats in heaven then I don't want to go there.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 04:09 PM

Thanks, guys. As a former park ranger, I'm inclined to follow what many ranger friends in remote places do after their pets pass. They leave them in a clearing where the vultures will take care of the dead. We have woods and a clearing where I leave squirrels that have been killed in the street, but I don't think the kids would go for that. Or the compost (dark organic gardener humor there). It'll have to be the yard.

Last year I planted a small tree out front next to a spot where I think I can dig a deep enough hole. The dogs won't go there and I'll put some cinder blocks over the spot for a little while to discourage other digging animals.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 04:23 PM

Maggie, I'm not at all sure the chemicals used would be good for wildlife..??

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 04:30 PM

Hugs to you and your children. It's always hard to lose a pet, at any age.

Khatt x

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 05:19 PM

Ah, Maggie, I've got tears, too. All of mine, over the years, have been cremated, partly because we lived in rental places for so long, but mostly because I want their ashes mixed with mine when I go. Good for you, of letting the kids have their time. I hope you can stay with her as she's put down. I think it is a comfort to them to hear our voices last thing. It will be a sweet release for her, I am sure, having come to such a low point.

Dear sweet Charlee was the last we had to let go in recent times. I still miss his sweetness.

I had one ghost cat come back to me; shortly after she died, Sasheen, a beautiful chocolate point Siamese, jumped up on my bed and walked over to my pillow, just as she'd always done. I missing her so much, really inconsolable until her little ghostie came to comfort me. The ghost of the dog I grew up with also came back when I was extremely upset one time, years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: My guru always said
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 05:19 AM

Tears here too, so sorry SRS!
Hil x

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 12:41 PM

Makes me think of Benny; got him as a farm kitten on a Westmorland holiday - the only one in the litter that didn't flay your flesh off soon as stroke them. Thing was, I'd meet Benny in the fields and he would be totally wild, wouldn't know me at all; nothing of the domestic moggy, but back home, an hour or too later, there he'd be, curled up on my knee...

Here's one for all cat lovers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOqiqBWAqcs

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 04:57 PM

Hilda Fish-

I'd also like to add condolences. We also have a longhaired black cat whose Ethiopian name translates as "My Shadow." Tilahun is a moody little beast but she does love to snuggle.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 05:53 PM

She's gone. This afternoon she just wasn't at all happy, couldn't get to her box, her purr was broken.

You go through the ringer with vets at this time, I've been here before. If they see your animal for years you'd think they'd offer condolences and help them pass easily and so you can afford it. My vet was out so we'd have to wait till tomorrow, then pay $75 for the shot. I didn't want her to suffer. I called a 24/7 vet in the area. $140. "That's very expensive." "We had to include an exam." "She's dying, an exam won't help that, there isn't someone who can simply administer the shot?" Nope. I hung up.

Thank goodness for the Humane Society. I called and asked if they could recommend someone, and she said they do euthanization and ask for a donation only, no set price. "It's the last kind thing we can do for our pets, so it needs to be simple and affordable." I took her down. It was hard, I didn't go in back. It hurts just as much, but maybe it's faster for her if the attendant doesn't have to be careful for my feelings and can just take care of her quickly.

I have the tree picked out and we'll bury her this afternoon. I spoke with Moonglow for a while, and I asked her if she thought I should bury her by myself or wait for her brother. "I'd want to help," she said, so I had her name what she thought we should bury with her. Her bell, to let everyone know she's coming, and toy. She always carried around my son's hair elastics, so we'll include one of those. And I'll explain to him that she'll be buried under the tree I planted to protect his bedroom on the corner of the house. A street intersects with ours right in front of our house.

He's my really softhearted kid, and he's nearly 17. He named her. I'm not looking forward to this.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 09:32 PM

We transplanted daffodils to on the top of her little grave, so we should have a lovely spring bouquet at that spot for many years to come.

I think this about covers it.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 11:01 PM

Oh, Maggie. It is tough, I know. I had a vet go out to an island the day he knew I was going to bring in my beloved Beau Geste and had to wait. It was horrible. I am glad you called the Humane Society and I am sure she was comfortable with them. My son is also softhearted, at 39 years old and I wouldn't have him any other way.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Jan 09 - 07:55 AM

((((((((((Maggie & family)))))))))))

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: maire-aine
Date: 30 Jan 09 - 08:59 PM

I'm so sorry, Maggie. It never gets any easier, does it? I still miss all of my cats. I'll give Little One some extra cuddling tonight.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Jan 09 - 09:18 PM

Maggie-

We miss them all.

And Tejitu is curled up in her nest about two feet from where I'm typing, a little chirp of acknowledgment if I pat her or scratch her head. They seem so indestructible when they are young but we're aware that Tej has already used up two of her nine lives.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Cats
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 06:58 PM

It's never easy but it has to be done. I think back to my goodbyes for my beautiful cats over the years and it still makes me cry. Much love.

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: KT
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:17 AM

I'm so sorry Maggie. Ouch.
KT

Subject: RE: BS: Shadow is gone.
From: Big Mick
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:32 AM

You are a wonder, Mags, and a big heart. You have Big Mick hugs galore headin' your way, and some for the boy as well.

Mick