Hi
i am new here. on sept 11th i had to put to sleep my 14 yr old blind diabetic kitty who was also in renal failure and had serious eye problems that could not be corrected.
i miss him so much!! my entire world revolved around him and my old girl Mickie who is 17+
now that he is gone, my old girl has stopped eating , has lost half her body weight and looks like she is just going to up and die too
i can't bear the thought of it! i don't think i could survive if i were to lose her now too
i know she is old and maybe it is just her time? but these cats are my life- and i don't know how i could go on without them
to me it is like losing a spouse, i live alone except for my kitties and they are my constant companions
both Snoopy, my old boy and Mickie my old girl (i know, i know, a cat with a dogs name and a female cat with a male's name!! what can i tell you?)
anyway they are both very sociable cats and like to be around people
i have two other cats but they like each other best, not people, so they do not spend a lot of time interacting with me
well i am just devasted and don't know what to do
i don't want to put my old girl thru lots of medical "stuff" if she is in fact simply aging and is at the end of her life
but how do you tell?
she was in the hospital last weekend, got IV fluids and some antibiotics for a mild infection but the vet could not find anything else obviously wrong with her
i don't even want to syringe feed her - it upsets her very much- if she is ready to go on,
but if she is "just" depressed and could recover.......................????
this is so hard! any input welcome
thanks
Full Version: Devasted By Loss Of My Boy, And Now
Hi There:
First, Welcome to Lightning-Strike.
I am terribly sorry about Snoopy............I know that 14 years "is never long enough"........ The poor lil' guy had so many things wrong with him.... Blind/diabetes/CRF & un-correctable eye problems.....
Inasmuch as you had to have him put to sleep, you did the kindest and most loving thing that anyone could do!!!
I hope that you realize that, and if your sweet boy could tell you............he WOULD SAY, "Thank you mommy so much for helping me get to Rainbow's Bridge..........I couldn't do it on my own"......
I've been here at LS since February 7, 2004, when Ben and I had to put our sweet Ernestine to sleep.... She had CRF and hyperthyroidism and also and "out of control" Heart rate.........But, she was also 2 months shy of 20 years old....
We were fortunate to have had her for that long...........
She was my daughter, and I will always and forever
love her with all of my heart and soul!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, at that time...............I was just pacing around the house........I had a terrible migraine, my chest hurt (it felt like someone was taking a serrated knife and shoving it in and out.........), I couldn't eat or sleep......I kept thinking that I was seeing my girl (that is very normal, by the way.....)....
I was A MESS!!!!!
I say this one sentence very often, because, at a time when NOTHING MADE SENSE TO ME AT ALL, this one sentence did................
*****She said, "DENISE, YOU TOOK ON ERNESTINE'S PAIN.........SO THAT SHE COULD BE WITHOUT PAIN......"*****
Well, that made sense to me........ "In having my sweet girl put to sleep, even though my heart was breaking, I know that our sweet Ernestine had made it to Rainbow's Bridge...........And, she was just perfect..... She didn't have anymore ailments.........she was "whole again"........ She put on weight........she could eat....
And, she had soooooooooo many friends to play with.........."
Of course you miss your precious boy............it wouldn't be normal if you didn't......
Did your Mickie's symptoms start right after Snoopy went to Rainbow's Bridge?? Does she have any ailments at all??
What has your veterinarian advised you, about Mickie's health???
Does he/she recommend syringe feeding??
My heart breaks with you too, and I grieve with you over the loss of your sweet boy............and now, the ?illness of
your darling girl......
The kitties that we adopted in March from a shelter, they are 7 & 8 years old............and, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN.
We do not have any of the "human kind"......
I will tell you that you will receive a lot of comfort and love and compassion here..... Of that, I have no doubt....
You can write & write and write as long as you want...............as many times as you want......
In the beginning, I used this as sort of "my journal"........ I used to write in a journal, but after losing our
Ernestine, this was better............
I could GET MY FEELINGS OFF MY CHEST............and, so many kind people would actually answer me.....
It really is the most wonderful thing that you can do at a time like this..........
We all understand what you are feeling..........
With Ernie-Bird, I remember our vet would ask quality of life questions..........."Does she still jump up on the chair,
on the bed?????"
"Does she still interact with you and Ben????"
Well, YES, she did do those things.............she'd even jump up onto the bathroom sink to lap up tons of water.....
BUT.................she had just started "not eating"..............and, her retching each and everyday, a few times a day was not, in our minds, ' A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE '.........I stayed up with her on her "last night"....and, she couldn't go to the bathroom.........she looked very uncomfortable, and tried to go in four different places.......No luck anywhere.
Her retching was horrible, and looked terribly painful.
I wouldn't have doubted if she had had an esophageal ulcer, which made her want to drink water with ice.....to cool down her esophagus............
Did we love our sweet Ernie girl?????
Yes............. And, we LOVED HER ENOUGH TO HELP HER GO TO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, WHERE SHE WOULD HAVE NO MORE PAIN..........
She had lost 25% of her body weight in 3 months............... 12/2003 she was 8.2 lbs., 1/2004 she was 6.85, and 2/2004, she went down to 5.9lbs.........
To keep her here "for us" was not an option........... She was very, very sick, and tired........ She needed to rest.
And, as much as I prayed to God to "please take her during her sleep..............", that was not going to be..........
So, we did what we did..........And, if we had to do it all over again---------There wouldn't be ANY HESITATION....
Of course you "can't bear the thought of it"...............BUT, I'm here to tell you that "EVERYONE HERE IS HERE TO HELP YOU...............WHENEVER THAT TIME COMES.........."
Even now, with the loss of you beloved Snoopy....
Another thing a lot of us do when we first come on this site, it to click on any name, and just read all of those person's posts................from beginning to end............(or, beginning to most recent...........)
I read & read & read, etc.............
I cannot tell you how much that helped me...........
You will get through all of this......... I PROMISE YOU............
I was told "for every year that you own your furbaby............it takes "one full month of grieving" to GET OVER our sweet baby's passing"....
I'm not sure that "we ever get over it....................but, it does get easier......"
Please, stick around, and like I said, write all you want.............all your feelings..........
Sometimes the weekends "aren't as busy as the weekdays.........., but, there are still a few people around that will come on, check in, and give you some wonderful advice........."
I wish you much peace & love....
God Bless You.........
Love, Denise
p.s. I meant to say about the photo..........WHAT A GORGEOUS KITTY!!!!!!!!! SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!
First, Welcome to Lightning-Strike.
I am terribly sorry about Snoopy............I know that 14 years "is never long enough"........ The poor lil' guy had so many things wrong with him.... Blind/diabetes/CRF & un-correctable eye problems.....
Inasmuch as you had to have him put to sleep, you did the kindest and most loving thing that anyone could do!!!
I hope that you realize that, and if your sweet boy could tell you............he WOULD SAY, "Thank you mommy so much for helping me get to Rainbow's Bridge..........I couldn't do it on my own"......
I've been here at LS since February 7, 2004, when Ben and I had to put our sweet Ernestine to sleep.... She had CRF and hyperthyroidism and also and "out of control" Heart rate.........But, she was also 2 months shy of 20 years old....
We were fortunate to have had her for that long...........
She was my daughter, and I will always and forever love her with all of my heart and soul!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, at that time...............I was just pacing around the house........I had a terrible migraine, my chest hurt (it felt like someone was taking a serrated knife and shoving it in and out.........), I couldn't eat or sleep......I kept thinking that I was seeing my girl (that is very normal, by the way.....)....
I was A MESS!!!!!
I say this one sentence very often, because, at a time when NOTHING MADE SENSE TO ME AT ALL, this one sentence did................
*****She said, "DENISE, YOU TOOK ON ERNESTINE'S PAIN.........SO THAT SHE COULD BE WITHOUT PAIN......"*****
Well, that made sense to me........ "In having my sweet girl put to sleep, even though my heart was breaking, I know that our sweet Ernestine had made it to Rainbow's Bridge...........And, she was just perfect..... She didn't have anymore ailments.........she was "whole again"........ She put on weight........she could eat....
And, she had soooooooooo many friends to play with.........."
Of course you miss your precious boy............it wouldn't be normal if you didn't......
Did your Mickie's symptoms start right after Snoopy went to Rainbow's Bridge?? Does she have any ailments at all??
What has your veterinarian advised you, about Mickie's health???
Does he/she recommend syringe feeding??
My heart breaks with you too, and I grieve with you over the loss of your sweet boy............and now, the ?illness of
your darling girl......
The kitties that we adopted in March from a shelter, they are 7 & 8 years old............and, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN.
We do not have any of the "human kind"......
I will tell you that you will receive a lot of comfort and love and compassion here..... Of that, I have no doubt....
You can write & write and write as long as you want...............as many times as you want......
In the beginning, I used this as sort of "my journal"........ I used to write in a journal, but after losing our
Ernestine, this was better............
I could GET MY FEELINGS OFF MY CHEST............and, so many kind people would actually answer me.....
It really is the most wonderful thing that you can do at a time like this..........
We all understand what you are feeling..........
With Ernie-Bird, I remember our vet would ask quality of life questions..........."Does she still jump up on the chair,
on the bed?????"
"Does she still interact with you and Ben????"
Well, YES, she did do those things.............she'd even jump up onto the bathroom sink to lap up tons of water.....
BUT.................she had just started "not eating"..............and, her retching each and everyday, a few times a day was not, in our minds, ' A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE '.........I stayed up with her on her "last night"....and, she couldn't go to the bathroom.........she looked very uncomfortable, and tried to go in four different places.......No luck anywhere.
Her retching was horrible, and looked terribly painful.
I wouldn't have doubted if she had had an esophageal ulcer, which made her want to drink water with ice.....to cool down her esophagus............
Did we love our sweet Ernie girl?????
Yes............. And, we LOVED HER ENOUGH TO HELP HER GO TO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, WHERE SHE WOULD HAVE NO MORE PAIN..........
She had lost 25% of her body weight in 3 months............... 12/2003 she was 8.2 lbs., 1/2004 she was 6.85, and 2/2004, she went down to 5.9lbs.........
To keep her here "for us" was not an option........... She was very, very sick, and tired........ She needed to rest.
And, as much as I prayed to God to "please take her during her sleep..............", that was not going to be..........
So, we did what we did..........And, if we had to do it all over again---------There wouldn't be ANY HESITATION....
Of course you "can't bear the thought of it"...............BUT, I'm here to tell you that "EVERYONE HERE IS HERE TO HELP YOU...............WHENEVER THAT TIME COMES.........."
Even now, with the loss of you beloved Snoopy....
Another thing a lot of us do when we first come on this site, it to click on any name, and just read all of those person's posts................from beginning to end............(or, beginning to most recent...........)
I read & read & read, etc.............
I cannot tell you how much that helped me...........
You will get through all of this......... I PROMISE YOU............
I was told "for every year that you own your furbaby............it takes "one full month of grieving" to GET OVER our sweet baby's passing"....
I'm not sure that "we ever get over it....................but, it does get easier......"
Please, stick around, and like I said, write all you want.............all your feelings..........
Sometimes the weekends "aren't as busy as the weekdays.........., but, there are still a few people around that will come on, check in, and give you some wonderful advice........."
I wish you much peace & love....
God Bless You.........
Love, Denise
p.s. I meant to say about the photo..........WHAT A GORGEOUS KITTY!!!!!!!!! SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!
hello,
How lucky Snoopy was to have had you you love him with all youre hurt he knows his mummy loves him dearly!
You helped Snoopy so much at the end he was in pain so you did the kindest thing for him, He thanks you otherwise he'd still be suffering but know he is back to how he looked when he was happy and healthy he is whole again!
And youre poor mickey missing her snoopy Maybe you should talk to youre vet to give her a checkup or something, just get her lots of lots of fuss hugs kisses her favourite foods...
I hope you and mickey ar both ok?!
Love Jay x
How lucky Snoopy was to have had you you love him with all youre hurt he knows his mummy loves him dearly!
You helped Snoopy so much at the end he was in pain so you did the kindest thing for him, He thanks you otherwise he'd still be suffering but know he is back to how he looked when he was happy and healthy he is whole again!
And youre poor mickey missing her snoopy Maybe you should talk to youre vet to give her a checkup or something, just get her lots of lots of fuss hugs kisses her favourite foods...
I hope you and mickey ar both ok?!
Love Jay x
I am sorry to hear about your precious little Snoopy. I know how devastating it is. You did what was best for your Snoopy, no doubt about that. I'm sure Mickie is pretty lost without Snoopy too, so since the vet didn't find anything else wrong with him, he probably is depressed and sad too. I would try every different kind of food I could find -- did he have a favorite? I'll be thinking about you and Mickie.
Marcia
Marcia
Greetings cat!
We all know how you feel--we who have such "important" animals in our lives!
It DOES seem sometimes as if things happen in multiples! My own mother died shortly after my beloved cat Ginger (a guy cat with a girl name) died. I sort of didn't know how much more I could take either!!! But hopefully your situation will improve!! I hope that kitty will start eating again and you will be able to be with her more.
Let us know what is happening--we are interested
Love
Patti
We all know how you feel--we who have such "important" animals in our lives!
It DOES seem sometimes as if things happen in multiples! My own mother died shortly after my beloved cat Ginger (a guy cat with a girl name) died. I sort of didn't know how much more I could take either!!! But hopefully your situation will improve!! I hope that kitty will start eating again and you will be able to be with her more.
Let us know what is happening--we are interested
Love
Patti
hi again
well there really is not much change in my girl Mickie, she is sleeping a lot and eating very little
she does not seem at all uncomfortable except for some stiffness when she first wakes up.
the vet does not have much advice, and right now i am waiting for a call back from a mobile vet, i do not want to take her out, she does not like to travel- it stresses her out too much.
i am going to see if they give cats antidepressants, and if they are safe
i need to know if she is depressed or "just" aging (could be some of both)
the decisions i make would be different based on what is wrong- if she is depressed i will do what i can to get her to feel better
if she is aging normally i am not going to intervene or put her through anything that might be unpleasant, not even syringe feeding.
so that is the hard part now.
any advice welcome
thanks
catnapt
ps
photo is of my blind diabetic/crf kitty Snoopy
well there really is not much change in my girl Mickie, she is sleeping a lot and eating very little
she does not seem at all uncomfortable except for some stiffness when she first wakes up.
the vet does not have much advice, and right now i am waiting for a call back from a mobile vet, i do not want to take her out, she does not like to travel- it stresses her out too much.
i am going to see if they give cats antidepressants, and if they are safe
i need to know if she is depressed or "just" aging (could be some of both)
the decisions i make would be different based on what is wrong- if she is depressed i will do what i can to get her to feel better
if she is aging normally i am not going to intervene or put her through anything that might be unpleasant, not even syringe feeding.
so that is the hard part now.
any advice welcome
thanks
catnapt
ps
photo is of my blind diabetic/crf kitty Snoopy
Aww Snoopy is gorgeous
Its hard to know what is wrong with Mikie but im only guessing she probably is depresed and missing her snoopy she has also lost one of her best friends and she like humans is upset, Just give her so much attention and love I know you do this alread but just give her more and more.
Love jaymie x
Its hard to know what is wrong with Mikie but im only guessing she probably is depresed and missing her snoopy she has also lost one of her best friends and she like humans is upset, Just give her so much attention and love I know you do this alread but just give her more and more.
Love jaymie x
Catnapt,
How are things?? Did you get ahold of the mobile vet? Any answers on antidepressants? Such a tough predicament, not knowing for sure whether it's age-related or mainly depression-related!
In the case of my Little Girl, I knew it was age- and health-related and that her quality of life was no longer good. As far as her appetite went, she held on for a few extra days with Fancy Feast Savory Salmon. Maybe if there was a food that Mickie couldn't resist, it would help get her over the hurdle of what she's going through... if we only had the answers!!!
"i need to know if she is depressed or "just" aging (could be some of both)"
I am sending some very intense prayers your way, that you will be given these answers. My heart goes out------for the loss of your Snoopy (he's a soul experiencing complete bliss now, and he's still with you, but I know it's not the same because you can't see him or touch him), and for your agonizing over these answers for Mickie.
Please keep us posted. I am so very concerned, as I'm sure we all are!!!
Love,
Kathy
How are things?? Did you get ahold of the mobile vet? Any answers on antidepressants? Such a tough predicament, not knowing for sure whether it's age-related or mainly depression-related!
In the case of my Little Girl, I knew it was age- and health-related and that her quality of life was no longer good. As far as her appetite went, she held on for a few extra days with Fancy Feast Savory Salmon. Maybe if there was a food that Mickie couldn't resist, it would help get her over the hurdle of what she's going through... if we only had the answers!!!
"i need to know if she is depressed or "just" aging (could be some of both)"
I am sending some very intense prayers your way, that you will be given these answers. My heart goes out------for the loss of your Snoopy (he's a soul experiencing complete bliss now, and he's still with you, but I know it's not the same because you can't see him or touch him), and for your agonizing over these answers for Mickie.
Please keep us posted. I am so very concerned, as I'm sure we all are!!!
Love,
Kathy
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