Done with pets

[MadcatwomanEnterprises]

Every time we get the heart ache and the tears...... We say..".NO More"

We don't seek the grief and sadness... We seek freedom to travel without the responsibility of another four legged friend . We seek a life without that tail wagging fiend who demolishes furniture, or the one who "Innocently"steals best steak off the work top we thought was out of reach,,,,,,,No More deposits of hairs round the house. We want the garden to be poop free and dug only by ourselves.

omg, so true. I was cursing this morning when I found six cats hairs floating on top of my coffee. I long for food that doesn't have that added keratin-goodness throughout that only a pet can give so selflessly. I'd be so happy if I could buy a sofa that wouldn't be scragged to death, and to be able to sit down without disappearing under a fast-appearing layer of opportunist moggies, or to have intact wallpaper, or for the kids to be able to eat chicken without a gallery of appreciative noses devouring the smell. But, like all good pet-masochists, I'd miss them if they weren't around.

[wyocowgirl1]

I hear you and I am sorry for your loss. I was given a Blue Heeler puppy 13+ years ago. She developed epilepsy when she was 6 months old. I held her through every seizure, I took her to the Vet college and searched out a holistic vet. Finally the seizures stopped and I had a happy healthy dog for several years. Then she got diabetes and bladder cancer and had to be put to sleep. I didn't think I could go on without her. But I have and I have 2 Jack Russell's now. God Bless You for caring for our friends and may he comfort you in your time of grief.

[MrsBentley]

Thank you all very much; it is very hard. I still have 1 dog and 5 cats still. So there will be no more new ones any time soon. I love dogs. And all of my pets are rescued.

[sparkdeco]

Pets give us such joy and it is heartbreaking when we lose them because they do become part of your family. People that have never had animals find it hard to understand how we can feel at a loss of one.
My heartfelt sympathy for you Mrs B, because I know exactly what you are going through. xxx

[pearlygirl555]

Of course it is hard. I'm glad that you still have other animals, it seems more desolate (to me) when I think of people who only have one pet, and lose their sole companion.

Hugs to you and your family as you move through this sad time.

[JerseyDevil]

As a very macho male I always found tears shed for an animal immature.
Then I had to have my first cat ( Rumi ) put down at the vet and I bawled like a baby while I stroked his still body.
As others have noted I'm glad you still have more beating hearts to keep you company.
From your initial post I thought you only had the one.

[GreenHorseGems]

I know how you feel on this one. It does hurt - and it is like loosing a family member, especially if they live with you as a part of the family. Grieve as you would for a human family member. Ignore people who say - but its only a dog. It isn't - it is someone who has been part of your life for 18 years, talked to you, listened to you, played with you and the children, gone on holidays perhaps, been involved in a lot of things that you and your family have done. Its natural that the loss will leave a gap. Involve the children in the routine that you will have for burial - get them to plant a small tree over the grave, or a rose bush, or something like that. It will help them to understand. If they've experienced 'death' before, then it will make it so much easier. Death is a natural thing, and part of the circle of life.

I have had soooo many pets over the years I have lost count. Yet, if I sit down and think on it, I can recall each one in such vivid detail, they are back with me for those split seconds. Some have died naturally, and some have had to be put down at the vets.

After each ones passing, I have vowed - Never Again - It hurts too much when I loose them - But, being the big old animal softy, that can't resist the temptation of those dark brown soppy eyes, does take in another 'baby'.

I have 2 now, both I've had from 10 weeks old, a brother and sister - who are now 10 years old. I know that they are both healthy and well at the moment, although Co does have problems with his eye, but this isn't life threatening (unless it ulcerises (sp??)). They are both the centre of each day, (hubby comes second) and they both give me lots of laughs each day. I know that I will eventually loose them - and probably both at the same time as they hate being separated - so I'll have a 'double wammy' when it happens. I also know that I'll be saying - never again, it hurts too much. But I also know, cos I'm a big softy, within 2 years, I'll have another.

So, allow yourself the grief, it is natural when you loose someone that you have cared about. Take my wishes with the sincerity that they are sent with. Time won't heal, but it will allow you to come to terms with the loss.

OMG! So well said it brought tears to my eyes!

I was initially going to say something comforting and soothing and to the effect of having them far outweighs losing them..blah, blah, blah.
My words pale in comparison to what you have said here so I won't even bother.
.................................................. .........................

I will add that the book "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul" helped me quite a bit when my kitty disappeared in the country and probably the coyotes got her. I was devastated, to say the least.

I had had raised her from a 1-3 day old orphan. She was teeny with barely any hair and close to dead. I spent weeks getting up every 2 hours to feed her and cuddle her.

She was my child. Her name was Lucy. Lucy-goose.

The first time she really drank from the bottle, her first steps, her eyes and ears opening, her first solid food, her first "doody" on her own, they are all firsts that I will never forget.

She was such a great kitty. I was very sick before my lung transplant and she would come to check on me, nudging me while I was asleep to make me move. She purred every time I touched her. If I cried, she would try to lay on my head (maybe like a mother cat soothes her kittens?)

When she escaped the house and didn't come back, I knew the coyotes got her. I cried those heaving, silent, painful sobs that only come with true sorrow and love.

A week later I met a guy with two tiny baby 2-4 day old kittens. They were dying orphans and I felt I had to take them in. Much too soon to have another cat, I vowed I would raise them and send them on their way. I wanted nothing to do with them and I resentfully began waking up every 2 hours to feed them and cuddle them and now 3 years later... Cheddar and Monster are 14 pound hulking cats that fill each of my days with joy and laughter.

.................................................. ............................

I felt guilty like I was betraying Lucy but there had to be a reason that "God" would take her away from me.


I know you loved you baby and it hurts so terribly bad to lose him, but you WILL feel better and you WILL love another pet. That special, needy, furry someone will tug your heart strings and you won't be able to say no to that trusting little face. Even though you already have others...what is one more who NEEDS you?

I feel the lump rising in my throat that is indicitive of tears, so I will be done here.

God Bless you for being a wonderful "pet parent" for all these years. Your doggie, I'm sure, thanks you for it .

P.S. Do the others seem to know something is missing?



*

[razamakaz]

We lost our labrador just over a year ago and she is so missed - I was overwrought with grief at the time but we can think of her fondly now and laugh at the things she did when she was with us.

K x

[JudesNiceThings]

I felt the same - I thought that, since I was over 65 when my last cat had to be put to sleep at the age of 16, it would not be fair to have another cat that might outlive me, so decided not to have another.

In fact, it made me very miserable without having another living creature to share my home with. My children were very concerned after a couple of years, so got me a kitten, and promised that if ever anything happens to me, they will look after and cherish him till the end of his days.

Result:- happy old woman, relieved children, and an extremely well-loved cat!!!

[MadcatwomanEnterprises]

I felt the same - I thought that, since I was over 65 when my last cat had to be put to sleep at the age of 16, it would not be fair to have another cat that might outlive me, so decided not to have another.

In fact, it made me very miserable without having another living creature to share my home with. My children were very concerned after a couple of years, so got me a kitten, and promised that if ever anything happens to me, they will look after and cherish him till the end of his days.

Result:- happy old woman, relieved children, and an extremely well-loved cat!!!

Aww, that is so sweet :-)