Loss of a family pet

We had to put down the family cat last night. :sigh:

Ricky had been with me most of my adult life. He was quite literally the runt of the litter – a friend of mine had found homes for all of her cat's other kittens, but no one wanted this skinny little cross-eyed thing, one eye clouded over, with a plaintive cry. Turns out he also had a congenital heart defect, and every vet who ever saw him figured he could just go at any time.

Well, he made it nearly 17 years.

A true companion, he was inquisitive and fiercely intelligent. From an early age, he could open almost any door or cabinet – or find a way around them - despite his poor vision. He was also a helluva mouser – with unbelievable patience, he managed to eradicate the mouse population of my first apartment building over a two year period. You can imagine the number of "trophies" I came home to (or worse, had to take away from him in the middle of the night and dispatch myself).

In later years, he took incredibly well to my new married family life, and quickly became the family pet. He particularly enjoyed it whenever anyone was home sick – many a time my wife would wake up to find him lying on her (an amusing image as she sleeps on her side).

He could handle almost any situation with aplomb. Whenever we had someone over to work on the house, Ricky would follow them around and "supervise" their work, often with his head cocked quizzically to one side.

The only exception to his great disposition was vet visits. A sweet, gentle thing home, he was an unholy terror in every vet clinic he entered. He wouldn't suffer manhandling – he became quite well known around the local office, where staff usually had to get the oven mitts out to handle him. A tough old bugger, he had a growl that could be heard a mile away.

His heart condition worsened recently, and we had just put him on heart medication hoping he could make it through the holidays. He was still feisty and had a good quality of life. But during the night, he threw a blood clot that paralyzed his hind quarters.

Fortunately, he was in our bedroom when it happened, and my wife is a light sleeper and awoke immediately. We managed to get him to a local 24-hr emergency clinic right away. Obviously in distress, they were able to make him comfortable and put him down quickly so he didn't suffer long. I'm just glad the service was available and we were able to get him there fast.

He will be missed by all who knew him!

I'm sorry for your loss. Sounds like he led a pretty fine life while in your care.

Wow.....what a story and what a face. He sure was beautiful. I am so sorry for your loss. He was a lucky little guy to have had someone like yourself to love him and keep him. God Bless.

The dog my ex and I had made it 17 years, which is pretty damn long for a medium sized dog. I got a shock back in August when I found out from my ex that our Chow mix had just gone to sleep on the porch about 2 weeks after I'd last seen her. She's now under the birch trees she used to love chasing the squirrels into. I still miss her...

Sorry for your loss Selfbuilt and looking at the pictures makes all of us want to meet him too.

Awww man, sorry to hear that self-built. My condolences.

My mother always said the runts of the litter make the best pets.
Ricky had a good, long life.

I'm really sorry for your loss. Reading about Ricky brought some tears. I lost my old cat Weston about a year ago and know how you feel. Those little beasties can sure be special. I'll turn on some lights just for Ricky tonight.

Geoff

Sounds like a great cat. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks for all support everyone - appreciate the condolences.

We all still in a state of shock around here. Although we knew it was coming eventually, we thought it would be a question of kidney failure from the heart meds down the road - a sudden clot in the middle of the night was unexpected.

It's hard not to be reminded of his absence everywhere you look around the house. His loss leaves a big hole.

selfbuilt said:

Thanks for all support everyone - appreciate the condolences.

We all still in a state of shock around here. Although we knew it was coming eventually, we thought it would be a question of kidney failure from the heart meds down the road - a sudden clot in the middle of the night was unexpected.

It's hard not to be reminded of his absence everywhere you look around the house. His loss leaves a big hole.

Click to expand...

We lost three cats to complications of old age this past year.

Whiskers - A maine coone cat we adopted from a family with allergies. He had digestive problems and eventually expired. We wish we put him to sleep a week earlier instead of seeing him suffer.



Mocha - A himalayan that we bought from a pet store as a kitten shortly after marriage. (Our 20th anniversary is in April) We put off complete kidney failure by giving him fluids twice a day for almost two years. We put him to sleep when his kidneys were finally near failure.



Sandy - An orange and white domestic that was abused and then abandoned. We had her quite a while! She had abdominal cancer and went down fast. We took her 15 miles to the vet daily for a few weeks. We put her to sleep after she became weak and anemic. This was the first cat we had cremated, it was only last week.



I know how you feel!

The other 6 cats we still have were all rescue cats, and are about 10 years or less. We hope to have a good 5 years or so before going through all the pain all over again.

God bless you!

sorry to hear about your loss, it seems like the more character, the more pain.

:candle:My heart's with ya!

Very sorry to hear of your loss.

I don't know if this helps, but you have a lot of company in having provided a good life, and lots of love for your furry family member, and feeling such an empty hole after losing this part of your family. It was one of the things that made my last experience a tiny bit more manageable... not in a misery loves company kind of way, but that others understood. It took a certain, slight edge off the loneliness at times. I hope the responses from everyone here helps you in the same way.

R.I.P., Ricky.

Sorry for your loss. I'm a cat guy too.

Seventeen seems to me to be kind of a "default" age for a cat. We had two die at that same age.

Thanks for all support and condolences everyone. I've always appreciated the support of this community in my reviews, and am heartened and touched with the outpouring of support on behalf of Ricky.

All of us who have pets experience this loss sooner or later, and I know it is never easy. But I find myself more affected this time than ever before, probably because Ricky was with me through some pretty rough times when I was on my own. Fortunately, things are immeasurably better in my life now - and he had good run with us in the better times too.

Thanks again!

I offer my condolences, SelfBuilt.
It is always sad too see a loved pet go, but think of it as being in a better place.(Cliqued, I know.)

Rest assured, though, that your pet will miss you.

I've had 2 parakeets go, pretty sad experience, as I knew they were sick for some time, and one morning, I found one on the bottom of the cage....

A few months later, it happened to the other...

selfbuilt, you were lucky to have Ricky for 17 years, and Ricky was lucky to have you for that time as well. I know how you feel. Just remember the good times, and he will remain in your heart as long as you live! Take care.

I am very sorry that you had to put down Ricky. That is very, very sad. It sounds like you gave him a wonderful life! I am including a poem that has always helped me in times like these, I hope it helps you too. I am deeply sorry for your loss.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

so sorry for your loss it is so hard as they give such joy,here is something I read when this happens.

I'm Still Here

Friend, please don't mourn for me
I'm still here, though you don't see.
I'm right by your side each night and day
and within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near.
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
as long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I'll never wander out of your sight-
I'm the brightest star on a summer night.
I'll never be beyond your reach-
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.

I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around
and the pure white snow that blankets the ground.
I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond,
The clear cool water in a quiet pond.

I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring,
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
and you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there's no one to love you,
you can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
and you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
and the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, friend, I'm every place!

Being a cat owner myself, I feel for your loss. It will devastate me when it's time for Socks ( avatar ), hopefully many years from now. Our thoughts are with you.

Bob

i think losing a pet is probably the one worst feelings ever. my condolences let him rest in piece.