I had to have my older cat put to sleep tonight.

[srhoades2talk]

My condolences. Cats are the best companions in my opinion, and bring comfort, joy and laughter. My cat was like my own child when my husband and I thought we couldn't have children, and now that we finally are pregnant, my cat will still always be "Mama's Baby". I don't know what I'll do when something happens to him. :cry:

[Premium Parrots]

Sorry to hear of your loss.

[Karanya]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Perhaps you can take some small comfort in the fact that she lived a long life in a loving home.

--K

[ddandb]

I just want to thank everyone for their kind words and condolences.
It means a lot to me.
Though I've had pets who died before I've never had to make the decision for them like this.

This is Filicity when she was about 7.

[VBSnus]

I'm very sorry for your loss. Was she a balinese?

[ddandb]

I'm very sorry for your loss. Was she a balinese?

Siamese.
She just never grew or darkened up that much.
She was always about half the size of any other Siamese I've ever had.
But she made up for it by being very, very, vocal. Her presence was always known.
She loved Italian food. You could not eat pizza or spaghetti in peace unless you gave her some.
That and sitting on your lap, but you had to be sitting correctly or she would just sit on the floor constantly meowing at you until you sat right. No crossed legs and you couldn't have your legs stretched out. Both legs had to be level and together.

[sgreger1]

I'm so sorry for your loss and I know how it feels.

I know it's not "manly" but my parents would only let me have a cat when I was younger so I had this cat that I was so close with for as long as I can remember, but literraly a few months after I shipped out to the army he got a tumor near his ear and it affected his ability to open his jaw. he couldn't eat and the vet said there there was nothing that could be done, so my mom had him put to sleep and I didn't even get to say goodbye

Its weird how much a pet can mean to you, especially if you grow up with them.

[Old Frothingslosh]

My sympathy to you. I know exactly how you feel.

[sagedil]

Wow ddandb, what a beauty.

I grew up with Siamese cats, they really are amazing.

My best advice my friend, as hard as it may seem, get another one soon. I know it is hard to think about doing something like that, but thaere is another cat out there that needs your love.

I guess about 8 years ago, Laura and I lost the grand old woman of our house, Rosa. It was very sudden, she just got sick all at once, we rushed her to the Vet 2 blocks from our house, she was in bad shape and they sent us off to the Vet School with her. By the time we got there, all her organs were failing. Laura and I had just made the decision to put her down when another doctor stepped in to the room and told us she had already left.

Again, we had no warning so we were not in the greatest place. And certainly not thinking about getting a new cat. But within a few days, we realized that Sappho, our other cat was really not handling Rosa's absence well. She had always had another cat from when she was a kitten. And Laura was having especially a hard time, as Rosa, especially in her last 6 years literally had lived on Laura's lap.

So one afternoon, Laura just stopped by the local pet store. There were some folks there from a Vet hospital about 40 miles from Raleigh. They said they had a young cat that had been abandoned at the hospital when she was only a few days old, and the hospital had hand raised the cat. they eventually adopted it out to an older lady who wanted a cat when her grandchildren visited.

But the lady brought the cat back after 2 months, She told the vet that all the cat wanted to do was jump in her lap, and the lady hated that. Didn't want her any more

So here was this cat, who had been rejected only because she desperately just wanted to be in someone's lap. And Laura who had a lap that just desperately wanted a cat. When Laura told me this story, we both just broke down crying, we knew that this cat was just meant to find us. So we went a few days later and picked her up.

As it turns out, Ginger really was a bit insane, I eventually came to forgive the old lady as I realized that maybe Ginger really was too much for her. But for us, she was perfect.

I gave Ginger and Sappho to Laura when we separated. Hardest thing I ever did, but it was the right thing to do.

[ddandb]

It's funny how you mentioned that about the one cat not handling the other cats absence.

We had two Siamese, Silas and Filicity. we got them both as kittens from different litters and the two of them were inseparable.. When they laid down they weren't just side by side but wrapped around each other. You couldn't tell where one cast started and the other cat ended.
About 10 years ago Silas started having some breathing issues, basically the cats version of asthma. We were treating him for it but one night while everyone was sleeping he had a bad attack and died I remember it was New Years Day.
For days after that Filicity would go through the house meowing, looking for him, room to room. A lot of times she would just stop and look at me and meow over and over as if she was asking me where he was and then take off in a new direction as if she had though of a place she hadn't looked yet.

I'd like to really think they are together again.

[sagedil]

They are ddandb. They are.

[Tin Man]

When my Libby passed, the Vet sent me a card with this on it.

http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

[beja]

So sorry to hear of your loss. That is the toughest decision to make. I've only had to do it once, but it's something that I dread ever having to go through again. You did the right thing in electing to be with her. I know she appreciated it.