I got my cats when my children were young , and my cats have seen all what this story says ,
We all grew up together and had a fun time all the birthdays all the moving all of it , the cats were part of the family, then they all left one by one they all left you know.
what the kids didnt see was how depressed he got and how she would still run to the window waiting and looking at the end of the school day time.
I never let that fat old rather unkept of a fur ball on my bed before they left but when he spent three weeks sitting at my youngest door waiting for it to open with eyes that killed me, one night i said ok but just till you feel better.
it has been a few more years and now i wake in the night to reach for a fur mess and pull him close like the best teddy i could ever have , i like the smell of his fur and his loud obnoxious purr every time i roll over and he gets up walks over my body and lays back in my arms, every single time.
i promised them I wont leave them, and I wont not ever. I think humans might love their pets but no way are we ever so loyal as they are.
That's a real heart breaker, Dot. I know sometimes there are circumstances beyond people's control that force them to give up their furry companions, but lots of people are pretty cavalier about it. They should never have pets to begin with, IMO.
My late buddy Chester, I rescued just before he was due to be put down. My EmmaDog and MollyCat are rescues. When I adopted them, I promised that they would have a home forever, and I meant it. Emma and Molly had already been shuffled around plenty in their young lives before coming home with me.
Emma's a real pi$$er, both literally and personality-wise. When she gets bladder infections, she chews things and has accidents. She barks too much. She hogs the bed. She can be a real pest. I love her despite her flaws, but I have frequently told her over the years that if she weren't so cute and if I hadn't promised, she'd be back in doggie jail. :) Molly took years to lose her feral-cat fear, but now she finally feels safe and craves head scratches and cuddles.
I once dated a guy who didn't like Emma much. Guess who's gone and guess who's still here. :D
That is a heart wrenching piece but so true. I have gotten all of my pets at animal shelters and have volunteered over the years to rescue and re-home abandon animals. It is heartbreaking but rewarding work. I am so grateful for people like you who work so tirelessly to save animals and keep the issue in front of people. I admire your energy and committment. I have had to take a break from volunteering for health reasons, but love my old dogs and young cat who I have made a lifetime committment to -their lifetime, not mine- I recently redid my will and provided for their continued care when I am gone.
So I will set my soapbox up next to yours for a second and ask everyone to consider making provisions for your animals after you are gone. Don't just hope your family will take care of the animals, set aside money to put in a trust for them and name a guardian and trustee. My attorney had me state a sum that would provide a very comfortable life for my animals, name a caretaker for my animals and name a trustee of the funds. Now I know that I don't need to worry about my loyal friends after I am gone or leave the burden on my family to figure out what to do with my animals.
OK. I put my soapbox away. Thanks, Dot. I love you and so do my fur kids.
....and Linda, Amen for choosing the pet over the human. I have done the same and glad I did. My animals are always there for me. Humans... not so much. I have had friends and family members who have done the same and all were thankful to their pet for saving them wasted time and heartache on someone who wasn't right for them.
It kills me to think that Sophie, my lab, at age 6 was headed for the same destination. The people who had had her from a six week old puppy were moving and needed to fix their house up to sell it. They had had a child and both of them worked 12 hour shifts. The story they told me was that she was vicious and might harm their 22 month old child. She was hugely overweight, neurotic and confused. Where did she belong in the order of things now that they had a child and careers? There was no place for her. Naturally, she tried to make one the only way she knew, by being somewhat aggressive and pushing to see where the boundaries were. They were going to have her put down if I brought her back. I took one look at her, snarling through their living room window at me before they opened the door, and decided she was too good to give up on. Under the growling blubber lived the granddaughter of a national champion.
We walked and walked and walked. She had been to puppy school and knew how to heel, sit, stay, the whole bit. We tried dog foods until we found one she liked and we could afford, and eventually she slimmed down. We explained to her the pack order in our household and she fit in quite nicely once she understood. She is the best dog I've ever seen.
She's 14 now, absolutely ancient for a Labrador retriever. She has cataracts and bad arthritis, and I suspect is losing her hearing as well. She can be incredibly demanding. The thought of what is to eventually come breaks my heart and I cannot continue this account.
Once I read of a young woman who came into a shelter with her dog, about 6-8 years old. Her complaint was that the dog no longer played and she wanted to trade her in on a puppy who would play with her. The girl at the shelter had the guts to say "No. There is no puppy here for you. And I hope when you get old and can no longer play, that someone brings you to a place like this and wants a newer, younger, more playful model."
I made Sophie a promise the first year we had her, when she tried to follow or jump into every SUV she saw that looked like her previous owner's. I told her I would never ever leave her. And I won't. I will go to the vet's office for the last time with her, to whisper in her ear at the very end my thanks for her selfless love.
Dot and WG, we lost Maggie (after 15 years) on December 11 at 8:10 pm. She waited until my son and daughter and I got back home that night. She had been slowing down drastically in the 2 weeks before. We carried outside to go to the potty. She no longer could make it down the little step by the sliding glass door and we helped her stand up so she wouldn't mess herself. But on the last day, we came home, I carried her out (she had the look) and she could no longer stand at all. We (my husband and I) held up both front and back parts of her body. She was breathing unusually and I knew it was only a matter of minutes then. We laid her on the sleeping bag that has been her bed for the last year. She began her more labored breathing and her tongue turned very pale. Her lungs were failing and her heart was tired. She gasped a few times and jerked and all this was in about a period of 45 seconds...maybe a minute. But, she died next to my side of the bed where she has slept for almost 15 years...with myself petting her with my daughter and husband as well. she had been loosing her health and I had other family members suggest the vet thing...but how could I have her spend her last hours in a cold unknown place. I preferred to have her to try to keep living at home and we would carry her out to pee and poop as long as she needed us to.
I am crying as I write this, I havent "talked about it" with anyone but my friend who helped me get her to the vet for the private cremation. I told them to keep her collar and tags on her because, a. she freaked when you took her collar off, b. that way I know the it will be HER ashes.
w n' w, I'm sorry you've lost your faithful friend Maggie. I've been there too, and know how much it hurts. It's so great, though, that she had you to love and be loved by...a far more wonderful life than she'd have had otherwise.
Today, a guy called and asked me how much it would cost to euthanize his cat. "Ahh, are you a client?"
"No"
"What is wrong, is she sickly or older?"
"No, it is a he and my brother is allergic and is spending more and more time at my house so I was going to put the cat down."
"We do not euthanize healthy pets. Why don't you find him a home?"
He said, "Well, he is a really cool cat and I love him very much. He is three years old and even people who do not like cats like him."
"Well, what have you tried so far? I will help you."
"You are the first call I made," he said.
"So, he is a great cat - you love madly, and your first course of action is to call me - to have him killed. Does that make sense to you? You need to call the rescues, put him on Criag's list (asking for references) you need to TRY for God's sake."
Geez...... The client in the lobby said, "Why doesn't he just euthanize his brother."
Your stories make me cry...that's not good with contacts.
WnW, your love and concern for your Maggie is a testament to you and your family. And I gotta say I'm not a big dog fan, not because I dont like them but because I do not have the time to really spend with one. It would not be fair to the animal. But your furball, "Happy" is just adorable! I like dogs like that, big, tail wagging, fur balls!
Maybe when I retire I will have the time to care for a dog. Until then it is cat city at my house!
Dot your dedication to animals is amazing! Thank you for the story, it made me cry something horrible. Now I just cant wait to get home to cuddle my cats.
Our wonderful vet allows families to bring the pet in and stay with them. My husband took Maxx. First she gave him just sleeping medication, until he was in a deep sleep and snoring happily. Then she came in with a tourniquet. My husband held Maxx in his arms as he breathed his last. Had he just been extremely old, which he was, I would have just let him slip away at home. But he had a big cancer in his belly and was in a lot of pain. The day before he died, I had four strong pain pills for him, and he got up, walked around and had a very good day, better than he had had in a month or so. The day after that I still had pain pills to give him, but I could tell they weren't doing as much good.
Sophie, I dunno. She is 60 lb and really hard for me to lift, but we doubled her Deramaxx to 1/2 tab every morning and evening and it has helped her a lot. The dampness we're having today is bothersome to both of us. She is, as I've stated before, one heckuva dog. She barks in anxiety sometimes in the evenings, and since we are having a small group here starting next week, I'm gonna get her some meds so's she'll sleep through small group. Nothing heavy duty, just a little Ambien for doggies.
I love my fur doggies. Both of mine were rescue dogs too. I want more, but I know that would not be the best right now. If I win the lottery, I'm going to give HUGE charitable donations to no kill rescues. I may even start my own. I have a huge space in my heart for dogs, and I HATE to see them living in less than desirable conditions.
We have neighbors down the street who keep their dogs outside 24/7 365 days a year. It saddens me when we have over 100 degree weather (common in Arizona) and some freezing days in the winter (we're in a higher elevation so we do get them). These dogs sleep in a hole they dug in the front yard. These idiots have their big boat and jet skies out front amongst the rest of their junk in front of their junky house, so you know what their priority is. I don't understand why they have dogs.
I have to add one more thing. I was not fond of animals until about 4 years ago. I had brought that mind-set with me from being in TWI (no pets, they smell, etc.) I didn't want a smelly dog in my house. When I got married, my husband had a chocolate lab. While I was job searching and at home, that big boy became my baby. I'm the one who let him in the house and babied him.
One dog I have now is a border collie mix, with long black hair. It gets EVERYWHERE!! But I still love her. I just vacuum more.
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pond
I got my cats when my children were young , and my cats have seen all what this story says ,
We all grew up together and had a fun time all the birthdays all the moving all of it , the cats were part of the family, then they all left one by one they all left you know.
what the kids didnt see was how depressed he got and how she would still run to the window waiting and looking at the end of the school day time.
I never let that fat old rather unkept of a fur ball on my bed before they left but when he spent three weeks sitting at my youngest door waiting for it to open with eyes that killed me, one night i said ok but just till you feel better.
it has been a few more years and now i wake in the night to reach for a fur mess and pull him close like the best teddy i could ever have , i like the smell of his fur and his loud obnoxious purr every time i roll over and he gets up walks over my body and lays back in my arms, every single time.
i promised them I wont leave them, and I wont not ever. I think humans might love their pets but no way are we ever so loyal as they are.
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Linda Z
That's a real heart breaker, Dot. I know sometimes there are circumstances beyond people's control that force them to give up their furry companions, but lots of people are pretty cavalier about it. They should never have pets to begin with, IMO.
My late buddy Chester, I rescued just before he was due to be put down. My EmmaDog and MollyCat are rescues. When I adopted them, I promised that they would have a home forever, and I meant it. Emma and Molly had already been shuffled around plenty in their young lives before coming home with me.
Emma's a real pi$$er, both literally and personality-wise. When she gets bladder infections, she chews things and has accidents. She barks too much. She hogs the bed. She can be a real pest. I love her despite her flaws, but I have frequently told her over the years that if she weren't so cute and if I hadn't promised, she'd be back in doggie jail. :) Molly took years to lose her feral-cat fear, but now she finally feels safe and craves head scratches and cuddles.
I once dated a guy who didn't like Emma much. Guess who's gone and guess who's still here. :D
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Scout Finch02
That is a heart wrenching piece but so true. I have gotten all of my pets at animal shelters and have volunteered over the years to rescue and re-home abandon animals. It is heartbreaking but rewarding work. I am so grateful for people like you who work so tirelessly to save animals and keep the issue in front of people. I admire your energy and committment. I have had to take a break from volunteering for health reasons, but love my old dogs and young cat who I have made a lifetime committment to -their lifetime, not mine- I recently redid my will and provided for their continued care when I am gone.
So I will set my soapbox up next to yours for a second and ask everyone to consider making provisions for your animals after you are gone. Don't just hope your family will take care of the animals, set aside money to put in a trust for them and name a guardian and trustee. My attorney had me state a sum that would provide a very comfortable life for my animals, name a caretaker for my animals and name a trustee of the funds. Now I know that I don't need to worry about my loyal friends after I am gone or leave the burden on my family to figure out what to do with my animals.
OK. I put my soapbox away. Thanks, Dot. I love you and so do my fur kids.
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coolchef
i don't even like dogs {love my kitty}
that brought tears to my eyes too
if you get a pet be ready to take care of it for life
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Scout Finch02
....and Linda, Amen for choosing the pet over the human. I have done the same and glad I did. My animals are always there for me. Humans... not so much. I have had friends and family members who have done the same and all were thankful to their pet for saving them wasted time and heartache on someone who wasn't right for them.
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Watered Garden
It kills me to think that Sophie, my lab, at age 6 was headed for the same destination. The people who had had her from a six week old puppy were moving and needed to fix their house up to sell it. They had had a child and both of them worked 12 hour shifts. The story they told me was that she was vicious and might harm their 22 month old child. She was hugely overweight, neurotic and confused. Where did she belong in the order of things now that they had a child and careers? There was no place for her. Naturally, she tried to make one the only way she knew, by being somewhat aggressive and pushing to see where the boundaries were. They were going to have her put down if I brought her back. I took one look at her, snarling through their living room window at me before they opened the door, and decided she was too good to give up on. Under the growling blubber lived the granddaughter of a national champion.
We walked and walked and walked. She had been to puppy school and knew how to heel, sit, stay, the whole bit. We tried dog foods until we found one she liked and we could afford, and eventually she slimmed down. We explained to her the pack order in our household and she fit in quite nicely once she understood. She is the best dog I've ever seen.
She's 14 now, absolutely ancient for a Labrador retriever. She has cataracts and bad arthritis, and I suspect is losing her hearing as well. She can be incredibly demanding. The thought of what is to eventually come breaks my heart and I cannot continue this account.
Once I read of a young woman who came into a shelter with her dog, about 6-8 years old. Her complaint was that the dog no longer played and she wanted to trade her in on a puppy who would play with her. The girl at the shelter had the guts to say "No. There is no puppy here for you. And I hope when you get old and can no longer play, that someone brings you to a place like this and wants a newer, younger, more playful model."
I made Sophie a promise the first year we had her, when she tried to follow or jump into every SUV she saw that looked like her previous owner's. I told her I would never ever leave her. And I won't. I will go to the vet's office for the last time with her, to whisper in her ear at the very end my thanks for her selfless love.
WG
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washn'wear
Dot and WG, we lost Maggie (after 15 years) on December 11 at 8:10 pm. She waited until my son and daughter and I got back home that night. She had been slowing down drastically in the 2 weeks before. We carried outside to go to the potty. She no longer could make it down the little step by the sliding glass door and we helped her stand up so she wouldn't mess herself. But on the last day, we came home, I carried her out (she had the look) and she could no longer stand at all. We (my husband and I) held up both front and back parts of her body. She was breathing unusually and I knew it was only a matter of minutes then. We laid her on the sleeping bag that has been her bed for the last year. She began her more labored breathing and her tongue turned very pale. Her lungs were failing and her heart was tired. She gasped a few times and jerked and all this was in about a period of 45 seconds...maybe a minute. But, she died next to my side of the bed where she has slept for almost 15 years...with myself petting her with my daughter and husband as well. she had been loosing her health and I had other family members suggest the vet thing...but how could I have her spend her last hours in a cold unknown place. I preferred to have her to try to keep living at home and we would carry her out to pee and poop as long as she needed us to.
I am crying as I write this, I havent "talked about it" with anyone but my friend who helped me get her to the vet for the private cremation. I told them to keep her collar and tags on her because, a. she freaked when you took her collar off, b. that way I know the it will be HER ashes.
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Scout Finch02
washn' wear,
I have been in your shoes and know what it feels like. May you find peace and comfort.
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washn'wear
Maggie is the Blue Heeler in the foreground.
Happy is the furrball.
Lady is the fox lab
Baby is the poodle mix on the couch.
All 4 are rescues.
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Linda Z
w n' w, I'm sorry you've lost your faithful friend Maggie. I've been there too, and know how much it hurts. It's so great, though, that she had you to love and be loved by...a far more wonderful life than she'd have had otherwise.
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Dot Matrix
Ahhh such sad stories
Today, a guy called and asked me how much it would cost to euthanize his cat. "Ahh, are you a client?"
"No"
"What is wrong, is she sickly or older?"
"No, it is a he and my brother is allergic and is spending more and more time at my house so I was going to put the cat down."
"We do not euthanize healthy pets. Why don't you find him a home?"
He said, "Well, he is a really cool cat and I love him very much. He is three years old and even people who do not like cats like him."
"Well, what have you tried so far? I will help you."
"You are the first call I made," he said.
"So, he is a great cat - you love madly, and your first course of action is to call me - to have him killed. Does that make sense to you? You need to call the rescues, put him on Criag's list (asking for references) you need to TRY for God's sake."
Geez...... The client in the lobby said, "Why doesn't he just euthanize his brother."
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washn'wear
at least a no kill shelter??
Our city limits laws say only 4 dogs per household.
So --- I may wait a little while but then get another one...it will be a family decision.
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Dot Matrix
no kidding.....
What is wrong with people?
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Eyesopen
Your stories make me cry...that's not good with contacts.
WnW, your love and concern for your Maggie is a testament to you and your family. And I gotta say I'm not a big dog fan, not because I dont like them but because I do not have the time to really spend with one. It would not be fair to the animal. But your furball, "Happy" is just adorable! I like dogs like that, big, tail wagging, fur balls!
Maybe when I retire I will have the time to care for a dog. Until then it is cat city at my house!
Dot your dedication to animals is amazing! Thank you for the story, it made me cry something horrible. Now I just cant wait to get home to cuddle my cats.
Indeed!
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Watered Garden
Our wonderful vet allows families to bring the pet in and stay with them. My husband took Maxx. First she gave him just sleeping medication, until he was in a deep sleep and snoring happily. Then she came in with a tourniquet. My husband held Maxx in his arms as he breathed his last. Had he just been extremely old, which he was, I would have just let him slip away at home. But he had a big cancer in his belly and was in a lot of pain. The day before he died, I had four strong pain pills for him, and he got up, walked around and had a very good day, better than he had had in a month or so. The day after that I still had pain pills to give him, but I could tell they weren't doing as much good.
Sophie, I dunno. She is 60 lb and really hard for me to lift, but we doubled her Deramaxx to 1/2 tab every morning and evening and it has helped her a lot. The dampness we're having today is bothersome to both of us. She is, as I've stated before, one heckuva dog. She barks in anxiety sometimes in the evenings, and since we are having a small group here starting next week, I'm gonna get her some meds so's she'll sleep through small group. Nothing heavy duty, just a little Ambien for doggies.
WG
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Nottawayfer
I love my fur doggies. Both of mine were rescue dogs too. I want more, but I know that would not be the best right now. If I win the lottery, I'm going to give HUGE charitable donations to no kill rescues. I may even start my own. I have a huge space in my heart for dogs, and I HATE to see them living in less than desirable conditions.
We have neighbors down the street who keep their dogs outside 24/7 365 days a year. It saddens me when we have over 100 degree weather (common in Arizona) and some freezing days in the winter (we're in a higher elevation so we do get them). These dogs sleep in a hole they dug in the front yard.
These idiots have their big boat and jet skies out front amongst the rest of their junk in front of their junky house, so you know what their priority is. I don't understand why they have dogs.
I have to add one more thing. I was not fond of animals until about 4 years ago. I had brought that mind-set with me from being in TWI (no pets, they smell, etc.) I didn't want a smelly dog in my house. When I got married, my husband had a chocolate lab. While I was job searching and at home, that big boy became my baby. I'm the one who let him in the house and babied him.
One dog I have now is a border collie mix, with long black hair. It gets EVERYWHERE!! But I still love her. I just vacuum more.
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WhiteDove
Dot thanks for posting that piece it is good to read it once in a while..
Here is another along those lines
Caution Eyesopen Contact Alert...........
You Didn't Even Say Goodbye
"Woof!" I said as you started the car,
"Hooray!" I said, it's my first time afar.
The scents we were passing were all new to me,
For it was my first introduction to this mysterty.
As we got out of the car I embraced you with joy,
After all you remembered to bring my favorite toy!
You threw it once or twice, of which I retrieved,
But on the third it seemed you were ready to leave.
You threw it long and hard and I chased it like lightning,
But when I turned to bring it back I saw a sight quite frightening.
I gripped my toy hard as I tried to comprehend
What it was I did wrong to make our relationship end.
You walked back to your car as I sat there still loyal.
Why am I subservient and you so royal?
Your engine started, and you peeled out into the night,
You didn't even care about my overwhelming fright.
As I sat in my pose determined you would come back,
The sun faded behind me while the surroundings turned black.
Day after day I stayed in that park,
Lying... waiting... too feeble to bark.
As I lay there dying thinking of you master,
I asked myself how I got into this horrifying disaster.
With my last breath of life, I whispered your name
Then I collapsed in a heap over run by pain.
Why didn't you love me master? Why didn't you care?
Had I no significance, was I just a clump of hair?
I stayed there master and I waited for you
I guess taking care of me was just too much to do.
I'm gone now master, no more You-and-I
But what I can't figure out is why you didn't even say goodbye...
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