A sad day :(

[oneshot]

Well....

today has been a somewhat sad day. Those amongst us who have pets will understand. We had to have our cat put to sleep this afternoon.

She had been healthy up to last week, but it turns out she had a tumour behind her eye which was ultimately causing problems.

Whilst they were doing an exploratory op to see if it was a tumour or an abscess they found the tumour. On the vets advice we decided it was kinder to let her go under the anesthetic rather than bring her round only to have to suffer.

She had a good life - over 18 years which I am told is good for a cat - even better for a pedigree cat.

So we are sitting here having a drink to celebrate her life.

All the best buttons:

[Jonathan]

That is a good innings !

Poor Moggy

[rogerch]

Sad, Nuvolari was only expected to live until about 8 but he's 13 now and still happy and healthy. But I dred the day I have to make the same decision. Give another cat a good home for 18 years.

Roger

[Vicki]

I'm sorry to hear that Dave.

It's always sad when a pet dies, even if you know that they have had a great life and lasted exactly as long as they were supposed to. Clarky was only 12 when he died but I reckon we gave him at least four more years than he would have had elsewhere if not more.

Buttons did spectacularly well getting to eighteen!

I would have to get another cat immediately (after getting some artwork done and launching a range of place mats and coasters), as the house just feels wrong without one, but I know that would feel too soon for a lot of folks.

I hope you do get a new cat at some point though - there are a lot of moggies out there wanting homes!

[ifly]

Sorry for your loss Dave,

Having two of the hairy little toe rags around the house I can sympathize and having lost a cat 18 months ago to a hit and run it is never the same without them.

I am sure another furry friend will make an appearance when the time is right.

[Bibs]

Good innings but very sad, pets do become a part of the family and a companion after so long. We had a knock on the door the other day, a couple of pensive young ladies asking if I owned a black cat, which I do. They led me to a cat on the verge which had been run over, fortunately although almost identical (if thinner!) it wasn't mine. I knocked all the local doors but no owner so took him to the vets where they cremated him.

[esprit350]

so sad to lose a pet, soory for your loss

[Boots]

Sorry for your loss. We have 2 cats who are now 16 (older than our children!!!) and we understand how they become part of the family.

[molemot]

My condolences....Buttons certainly was a fine example of felidae! Unfortunately, my situation precludes cat ownership; do occasionally welcome neighbouring moggies, though. A friend of mine in Pontarddulais has just had one of her cats run over, so she's down to four now.

[neill1607]

It's said we're a nation of animal lovers.

We did have 2 cats, both were put down due to tumours. One at the beginniing of last year the other at the beginning of this year. It gets to the point when you know its the best thing to do, when it starts to affect their happiess. After having had them around for 13/14 years it doesn't make the decision an easy one.

[IanQ]

Sorry to hear of your loss. From the photo she looked like a Burmese, a brown tortie I reckon. We've had Burmese for more than 20 years. They never stop being kittens. Hope you will be able to get another kitten soon....

Edited March 10, 2010 by IanQ

[gghc87]

Sorry to hear this Dave

[Kimbers]

Sorry to hear Dave. When Our Lab died it took us 6 years to get another dog. They are so much a part of the family. What a grand old age!

[oneshot]

Thanks for all the messages people. As you say she was part of the family (although there is only me and the wife!) the house isn't the same without her.

Sorry to hear of your loss. From the photo she looked like a Burmese, a brown tortie I reckon. We've had Burmese for more than 20 years. They never stop being kittens. Hope you will be able to get another kitten soon....

She was indeed a brown tortie Burmese. We had her when she was 8 weeks old. She was actually a birthday present for me from my brother and his wife.

I am sure that we will have another cat at some point. Just at the moment we are coming to terms with not having her. We are having her cremated and the vets will then give us an urn containing her ashes with a plaque on. So she will still be with us in one form or another!!

[Paul C]

As you can imagine i am gutted for you mate. Can only go with Vicki's suggestion of filling the vacancy with a new character asap.

A house that had a cat just echoes when it's not there, i get home before Vicki and the house is alive with the cats wanting either food, attention, or simply chasing each other about and ripping into each other. The last cat (the famous Clarky) used to come and meet me as i got out of the van. When such events stop it really affects the atmosphere of the home.

You can't replace any pet. But you can sort out this constant and empty reminder they are not there, as for me thats the worse thing to deal with as it is a recurring thing, just walking into the kitchen without something trying to beat you to it, coming downstairs in the morning to silence etc. Unbearable.

Clarky died on feburary the 8th 2008. The morning of saturday feb 9th, on waking to a silent house, we went to the blue cross and picked 'Monkey'. We only had a few days of a house with no cat-human interaction and then she was here, not to replace Clarky, but to fill the much needed 'cat in house' vacancy. She of course was delighted that she did not have to wait caged at the sancturary unhappy for weeks while we mourned clarky, just as unhappy, in a fur free house.

A cat wandering around the house again.

Clarky hated other cats, Monkey we thought would be ok so once Monkey got settled we went back to the sancturary and got 'Custard'. Monkey of course hated us for this, she had just got 'her' house and we ruined it with the big black cat! Now they fight, play and interact but will never be best buddies. When we get to the sad day that one of them dies, the next day we will spare the other cat (and us) the misery and go get some other homeless moggy to take the job on.

Sad as it is, i plan to outlive many pets.

[rocket63]

Sorry for loss Dave. I will have a quiet toast to your moggy this evening.

[dodgy]

my condolences to you both , .i have seen many of mine and my friends cats pass away, It does hurt as they really are members of the family

[oneshot]

Well....

this is the happy ending for the story. We had a few days of emptiness. As Paul says the house just echoes without a cat running a round.

So on Saturday we went and picked up Mitzy.

She is a blue tortie kitten and was exactly 12 weeks old. Her pedigree name is Reltub Galadriel but we decided to call her Mitzy (We think that's a bit easier!)

Once you have had a Burmese it is very difficult to have any other type of cat!!

So the next few years expect posts about scratched furniture, hands etc.

[rogerch]

Cute cat, you should take a pic with a measuring tape alongside so we can see how small.

Looks a bit like Yoda, so watch for food transporting.

[Simon350S]

Well done Dave, glad you've filled the void.

Hope you have years of fun with her cwtched on your lap

[Vicki]

She's purdy! Cats are ace