Hi everyone,

My name is Nan and I currently live in West Texas with my partner, my adult daughter, 3 dogs, and 7 cats. Up until Saturday evening, we had 8 cats. The 4 youngest who were born in April of 2008 are Puma a calico, Flower a tiger, Silky grey and white male, and Bootsie a beautiful tuxedo cat. He never went out into the road, usually always stayed in our front yard, but Saturday he started crossing (I think to see our neighbor's cat) and someone deliberately swerved so they'd hit him. My daughter and I found him in the road close to the grass in front of my house. From the way he was lying, it was obvious that someone deliberately crossed into the passing lane to hit him. I'm dealing with so many emotions including outrage that someone would deliberately kill an innocent animal that way. It's even more difficult because we just lost our Australian Cattledog Ginger, not quite 2 months ago. We anticipated her going at anytime because she was older and had suffered a stroke last October, but it was still hard to lose her. I was just starting to deal with losing Ginger when Bootsie was killed. As many times as I've lost one of my babies, it never gets any easier, and to lose Bootsie in such a brutal way was especially traumatic. I hope to hear from people here who have gone through something like this and how you dealt with it.

Blessings,
Nan

Hi, Nan, please permite me to offer you my sincerest sympathies in the physical loss of your beloved Bootsie. Losing a companion is never easy regardless of the circumstances or how long we are blessed with the privilege of their company. Losing a companion so tragically intensifies the grief.

You ask a question that all of us ask when our hearts are shattered with deep grief: How do you deal with losing the physical presence of a precious companion, including when the circumstances are tragic? The only answer I can give you, Nan, is one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time in your own way and in your own time.

For different tragic events in my life I can certainly understand your anger, outrage at what happened to your beloved Bootsie. Unless there were witnesses to what happened who were able to get the license plate of the vehicle there is little chance you will know who is responsible. You can alert the local humane society, the animal control officers, and veterinary hospitals as they may be seeing clients who are also victims of this nature and may then be able to work with authorities depending on your State and local animal cruelty laws.

This world is filled with many wonderfully kind hearted people, and I hope and pray you are finding yourself surrounded by family members and friends who are comforting you in this time of deep sorrow. This wonderful forum is another place of comfort to turn to, and I can assure you, Nan, that each of us are here do understand what you are going through, and we are here for you for as long and as often as you need us to share with you what is in your heart and on your mind. There are no judgments made here, Nan.

I know there are no adequate words in any language that can soothe the seering pain of sorrow that is in your heart, Nan. I can only hope and pray that the words I share with you will bring you some measure of comfort, support, encouragement, and hope as you travel your grief journey. One of the many things you need to remember is that your beloved Bootsie is forever with you in your heart and your memories, and she is eternally grateful for the love and care you gave her during her earthly journey. She is now in the company of the angels restored to her youthfulness - - safe among the many residents in heaven's perfect garden. Her sweet Living Spirit continues to share your earthly journey just as she always has and always will. She is forever a part of you, Nan, and nothing in heaven or on earth can ever take this away from you. Your beloved Bootsie is forever a heartbeat close to you.

Thank you so much for sharing your beloved Bootsie with us, Nan. Perhaps sometime you will feel up to sharing a picture(s) of her with us - - but only when / if you want to. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Nan, and please let us know how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello, Nan. I am so very sorry for your loss. Please accept my sincere sympathies. I've never had a cat run over by a car, but I did have a beautiful Tuxedo boy named Danny who died last December. Tuxedo cats are very special, and for Bootsie to have died in a such a cruel way is beyond words. I can only imagine what you're going through, and not knowing who did this. I hope that maybe someone saw it and took down the license plate. Whoever did this needs to be caught and punished. This is such a cruel and senseless act, and my heart goes out to you.

Hugs,
DannysMom

Hello Nan

Please accept my most sincere sympathies on the tragic loss of Little Bootsie-cat. Sometimes we have to wonder about all the evil in the world - and then we remember all the love and joy and gentleness and goodness and love we shared with our precious doggies or kitties or bunnies or ferrets or other fur - feather- or fin-babies and the scale more than balances out. That doesn't make our hearts feel better or our tears stop flowing over the sheer evil of some people and what they've taken from us.

The good news is that, like people, animals have lived from the beginning of time and will live until time ends. They come to earth for such a short time - each one looking for his or her "other half" - the person in the universe who holdss a piece of their soul and whose soul they hold a piece of. Truly that's what people mean when they say soul-mates. There amazing animals search thr universe over, through who know how many billions of people to find THE one and only one with whom they share a soul. Then they arrange to place themselves in our paths so we will encounter them - and the rush of instant, overwhelming love tells both of us that "this is the one." There is no truer love than this.

And .... true love doesn't diminish or fade away. It only grows. So .... Baby Bootsie, my Gretta, Bobbie's Trevor, LMM's Mickey, and everybody else's soul-animals who have gone home to the Perfect World are NOT gone. They are right beside us as they always were - watching over us, guiding our steps, loving and being loved by us. The only difference is that we cannot see or hear or touch them - and that's what hurts like nothing else in the world.

Dear Nan, you are going through the most difficult days of one of the most sorrowful events in this life. Someone here said it's like bleeding to death from the heart. Know that Bootsie-Cat is safe, well, in a Perfect Place and is awaiting the day when you two will be reunited never to part again. No words can ease your pain right now - only time - and even time doesn't take away the pain, it just makes it more bearable.

You gave Little Bootsie all the love that is in your heart. You gave her a safe, warm, healthy home -and a NAME (with all that means). She felt that every day of her earthly life and she feels it now even more in the perfect World. Your heart will cry for who knows how long. My Gretta (the kindest chocolate lab who ever lived) went home more than 14 months ago and I cry almost every day - especially when I post here or sing one of my made-up sosngs about her. The shot-in-the-heart-with-a-high-powered-rifle feeling has dminished and has now settled into a concrete block on the heart and a faucet on the eyes - which will probably continue until I see Gretta again.

Meanwhile, please be gentle with yourself. There are NO shoulds in this grief journey. Especially in the beginning, treat yourself softly and kindly - and DO NOT listen to anyone who tries to tell you Bootsie-Cat was "just a pet." NOPE. NOT SO.

Lightning Strike is the best support site I've seen on the web. We're a family of brothers and sisters who share both infinite love and utter despondency. We support each other when we're down and rejoice in each other's triumphs. Welcome to the family, Nan. If only the admission fee weren't so horrible.

Love and gentleness,

Gretta's mom