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Good-bye to an old friend

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by shotglass, Jan 16, 2007.

  1. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    shotglass,

    When my ex-wife and I separated years ago, it was harder in many ways to walk away from the cat. She was on top of the sofa, staring at me through the window as I left. The wife knew the deal. No way to explain it to the cat.

    A few years later, when the cat died after being hit by a car late one night, my ex called me (on the recommendation of her second husband) to tell me, in tears. We talked for hours and ended up laughing about all the goofy stuff the cat did when we were together.

    You'll always miss the cat, but you'll always have the memories. Hang in there, buddy.
     
  2. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    When I had my old guy put down this spring, the vet was blunt when I brought him in. He told me there were things they could do (dialysis) that might buy him another 2-3 months, but that it would cause Kris a lot of pain and keep him at the vet's until he did die.

    I chose to put him to sleep. The vet gave him a sedative first and let me stay with him for as long as I wanted before he took him back to the back and gave him whatever it is that actually causes death.

    Three days later I got a card from the vet. It meant more than you'd think.
     
  3. Dyno

    Dyno Well-Known Member

    Shottie -- I am so sorry. Reading this thread reminded me of when I was in college and my parents called me with the sad news that our dog passed away. :'( :'(

    My two best friends have struggled with sick cats this year and one had to put her cat down. Very sad...
     
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Pets are great. I love mine. Losing them is hard, hard, HARD even when you know you've done the right thing.
    Hang in.

    My story: My old girl finally reached the point some years ago. Had her longer than I had the kids. They made the call the night before, the time was right. They just had one request - could we have it done at home? On her rug, in her sunbeam? Sure, I said. So they said their good byes and went off to school.

    Vet agreed to come over. Did it. My two other dogs did their best to console me but I'm crying like a baby as I get out my checkbook. Lord, I loved that dog.
    No charge, the vet says. A service he does for long-time patients. That's nice, I'm thinking. I buried her and cried for three days.

    A week later, I get a bill for 50 bucks.
    I call the vet's office, get the vet's sweetheart of a wife who is also his office manager.
    "I thought that was a free service?"
    "It is," she said. "He forgot to charge you for the house call."

    Hang in, shot.
     
  5. Claws for Concern

    Claws for Concern Active Member

    Sorry to hear of your loss, Shot.

    I have only had three cats as pets. The first one lived for 22 years. The second lived for 12 and there's one right now who is 5. Cats are awesome. No offense to dog lovers, but cats are the coolest.

    Hang in there and give all the attention to the two little ones.

    Rainbow Bridge was a cool item, too, sc.
     
  6. Sam Mills 51

    Sam Mills 51 Well-Known Member

    I'm so sorry, Shot. Within the last hour, I just stopped and saw a dear friend of mine who somehow stopped grieving long enough to e-mail me for the first time in a couple of weeks. She just lost a dog that was basically on her doorstep as she moved from her apartment to a fixer-upper house. She fell hard for the dog, which got along just fine with her cat and was setting up to be a wonderful pet.

    Suddenly, every stupid thing I've been through the last three weeks - a the marathon today, starting with a 0630 wakeup from my stepfather who had misplaced his military ID, ATM card and cash and was on the verge of a panic attack - means zero. I feel so bad for her and so helpless ... there's nothing I wouldn't do to make her feel a little bit better. I'm completely blown away that she would e-mail me through a terrible time like this ... and then sent a photo of the two of us before a football game we attended some weeks back.

    And then I read that Shot is going through the same kind of hell. My thoughts are with both of you. Hang in there.
     
  7. Herbert Anchovy

    Herbert Anchovy Active Member

    Damn, this thread is something.
     
  8. donnie23

    donnie23 Member

    Amen. It's incredibly dusty in my house right now, especially after reading Bubbler and Moddy. I know nothing is guaranteed, but I'm just glad my little bad-ass terrier is only 2 and I can pretend for a while that I'll never be without him.
     
  9. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    On behalf of everyone who has ever invoked the Coda Kitties in a post (and a few who haven't), my condolences. It's a little surprising how much it hurts when one of them passes on.
     
  10. Trey Beamon

    Trey Beamon Active Member

    Sorry to hear that, shottie. My condolences.
     
  11. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    You know, you people around here really are the best sometimes.

    Thanks for sharing, everyone.
     
  12. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

    Sorry, for your loss, shot ...

    Thought I'd share a story. Had a cat in college. I was delivering pizza and in downtown Blacksburg, they had a kitten adoption thing going on outside of one of the coffee shops. I decided to stop by after work and adopt one, a cute little black and white thing. So I take him in, raise him, turns out to be a good little mouser and what not.

    Move into another place the next year, and one of my roommates' friends accidentally leaves the door open one night. Cat of course sneaks out, and I can't find him. He doesn't stray far, but he's out in thick part of the woods and I can't catch him. I was kind of crushed. Got attached to that sucker and I was real pissed that he was gone. Another roommate kept putting food out for him, though, and finally, we catch him like 15 days later. He was declawed, so he had no means of fending for himself outdoors. I was as happy as ever when I got him back.

    When I moved cross country after school, I didn't want to put him through the move, so he stayed at my mom's house with a couple of other cats. It's funny how they remember you though. Every time I visit, he runs up to me first thing, jumps on my lap and starts purring like crazy. Goes to remind you that pets are a long-term investment, and if you show them love, they'll return it exponentially.

    So I can definitely understand why it was a tough day for you. Hang in there.
     
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