Had to put my Old Man down

[SniperCJ]

I know most of you guys dont give two sh&ts about cats, but me and old Pete have been buddies for a long time. He was a cat's cat: aloof, sneaky, cranky, and prone to attack your leg by springing out from under the table.

He was getting old and skinny, but suddenly started to swell up. Went to the vet this morning and it was feline peritonitis, a fatal feline virus. Decided it was best to say goodbye rather than have him suffer. Its not a fun disease.

Rest easy my silver haired boy. I'll miss you.

 

[DamnYuppie]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry you had to put him down. I just got me a new cat for Christmas. Hope you find a new buddy.

 

[Maggot]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I'm a cat lover. Wonderful critters. Sorry for your loss. He looks like he was a good friend.

 

[jcfd2201]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss CJ. Not everyone here is a cat hater! I have a Bengal that is getting up there in years now and dread the day I have to be in your shoes. They become a part of the family.

 

[Maggot]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down



Thought this one might make ya feel a bit better.Janita Coombs plays with her cat, Andrea, at her Syracuse, Utah home, on Sunday, …

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) — A stray cat that survived two trips to a Utah animal shelter's gas chamber now has a new home.

Officials at West Valley City's animal shelter in Utah say the cat named Andrea hadn't been adopted for 30 days when shelter officials tried to put her to death in October. She survived, so they gassed her again.

Shelter officials detected no vital signs and presumed she was dead after the second try, so they put her in a plastic bag in a cooler. But when they checked the bag, they saw she had vomited on herself and had hypothermia but was alive.

The shelter then decided to stop trying to kill her.

"It was just one of those things where they thought this cat obviously really wants to live," West Valley City spokesman Aaron Crim told the Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/ylvSDw). "Let's give it a chance to find a permanent home."

The newspaper reports the cat has since been adopted and shelter officials are investigating why the gassing failed.

"She's pretty tough, obviously," Janita Coombs, a volunteer with the Community Animal Welfare Society who agreed to take care of Andrea told The Tribune. "She's definitely got some will to live."

 

[KAZ]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry JC, Pete was what we call a Handsome Brute. I just gave Archie who just turned 11 a rub in Pete's honor. Regards

 

[Queequeg]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I have three cats. Can't remember a time when I haven't had at least one.

I have dogs too. Love em all!

You can learn a lot about life, living with cats and dogs in the house. Your's was a cool looking cat CJ.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Screw everbody else!!! I love cats!!!

We had one that lived to be 21 years old. He resides in our family cemetery in a hand crafted, solid cherry, satin lined casket.

Your cat was one fine looking beast !!!

 

[lightman]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I'm also sorry for your loss.Pets worm their way into your heart and leave a hole when they are gone. RIP old Pete, Lightman

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss - I have 2 cats and they are good people.

I am looking for a good home for the one that sneaks out and attacks your leg!

This is Meowth, as in the pokemon...

 

[kill_zone67]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss brother

 

[sunburned]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss CJ. Pete looks identical to my cat Alexander who we lost last year @ 15. The Vet put him down at the house. Still look for him when I pad across the house early AM to start coffee. Paw prints on my heart and eyes that leak.

 

[pizzamanny]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Rip. Be careful loving that which death can touch.

 

[Truck10]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss...I love me some cats too....

 

[loper]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry to hear it man.

 

[mexicanmatch]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

CJ I am sorry for the loss of your good friend. I am a cat lover also and have had to do the same thing. Some day we will meet them again. MM

 

[EventHorizon]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I have two cats I picked up from a shelter, brother and sister. Great creatures and more family than pets. Sorry for your loss, you did the best for him in health and illness.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Cat lover here as well. Sorry for your loss, I lost one of my two less than a week ago, just got his ashes today in fact. Still smacks.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

SniperCJ,

Some may think this is a bit sappy, but hell with them.

I make very high end, exquisite pet caskets.

I named my business "The Rainbow Bridge Pet Casket Co."

Please share this with any of those who you know have lost their beloved pets.

<span style="font-weight: bold"> </span> <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span style="font-weight: bold">The Rainbow Bridge</span></span>
inspired by a Norse legend
<span style="color: #660000">By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.

Where the friends of man and woman do run,

When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

On this golden land, they wait and they play,

Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,

For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.

Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,

Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,

Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.

All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,

Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;

Together again, both person and pet.

So they run to each other, these friends from long past,

The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,

Has turned into joy once more in each heart.

They embrace with a love that will last forever,

And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.</span>

 

[USAFDoug]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I may not be a cat lover but it doesn't matter if it is a cat, pig, goat, or dog you lost a friend! RIP hope my doggie is up there playing around with him!

 

[1911fan]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

If there are no cats or dogs in Heaven, when I die I want to go where they go.


1911fan

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Not a big cat fan but I have great respect for them. Our current barn cat is a little female that is amazing. She eats squirrels, mice, lizards....whatever she can catch. We were feeding the horses a couple weeks ago and she darts out the door from under my feet. In about 15 seconds she was back with a bird and ate everything but the beak. Amazing predators.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Zebra644]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss,my wife and I have 4 they are our kids.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I have two cats who came home together from the shelter. They were rescue cats, were very ill when they were first saved, and may be siblings. Both are marmalade cats, one is bigger and fluffy with the name the shelter gave her, "Precious" (Sometimes Fluffaluffagus), and the other is smaller and short haired, they called her "Tiny" but we call her "Coppertone" (sometimes Coppycat).

Precious has a cataract in her right eye from when she was rescued, and is blessed with a prominent overbite, but otherwise, both are healthy and well cared for. They are my pals and constant companions here at home, and are nearly always somewhere within direct sight. More often, they both figure out how to share my lap simultaneously. When I'm typing at The 'Hide, Precious is about always in my lap, offering comments. She is sweet and serene, and perhaps a bit dim. Coppertone is an unabashed little moochie rascal. Moxie in a fur coat. Celia calls them our "Furry children".

This is the first time we've ever had more than one cat, and I like it. They chase each other around and it sounds like A Battle Royal, but there's never any evidence of injury, so I guess they just play hard. They get better exercise that way than I could ever provide either of them with by themselves.

I had lost my old cat the previous winter. At 17, I guess she did fine. My advice is, don't wait; get another soonest. There is nothing to be gained by waiting.

Greg

 

[SturmHead]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Very sorry for your loss SniperCJ.
I can remeber very few times that there wasn't a cat in my home. I can't uderstand why some people have such a phobia about these amazing creatures. Each one is special with it's own personnality, and I remember every one of them; in fact I remember the one that looked very much like yours. I was her people and she was my heart warmer.

 

[D Miller]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Sorry for your loss, never a good day when you have to put down a loved pet.

I ended up with "custody" of 2 cats when i split with a girlfriend 10 years back. I didnt know it then but it was a good trade to take the cats and get rid of her.

This scraggly looking cat is my reloading buddy. She has her own stool and is there for hours while i reload. Shes 11+years with health issues, I dread the day i have to make that decision.

 

[gjantzer]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

I just had a conversation yesterday about whether or not owning animals was a good idea at all. The argument against owning pets boiled down to the emotional distress involved with losing one. The consensus was that dealing with the loss was an important life lesson. Life is full of good and bad. At the end of the day its what we choose to focus on that makes us who we are.

One thing we know for sure: our pets miss us more than we miss them. When you go on vacation you miss your pets. When you go on vacation, many pets will stop eating and start to die (usually dogs and not cats but still...). It's amazing the strength of the bond between pets and owners.

Did you know that pet owners actually live longer than non pet owners?

Sorry for your loss.....you are obviously one of the good pet owners!

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

SniperCJ, I'm sorry for your loss.

I will tell you, that no, I am not a cat lover. I'm not even all that great at being a cat tolerate'r.

But I do know one thing, which is in itself, important. You two are a great couple, and you had a (more?) pet(s?) and they are your family. I hugely appreciate family, even when you don't get to choose who gets to be family. The time and effort that you spend with them, and the affection and duty that they give back to you, is irreplaceable.

But it IS repeatable. While you'll never have another 'Old Man', maybe it is time to have a 'Young Boy' or a 'Young Girl' and do it all over again. Both you and the next pet cat/fish/dog/parrot/ferrot/pot-bellied-pig will deserve it. To each their own.

 

[Jaeger898]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

SniperCJ sorry for your loss. Cat or dog they are your friend till the end.Never a complaint just there for us. And that poem by Killer Spade 13 was awesome. Can't speak the feelings better than that. Dosent matter how tough we think we are they have a way of finding the soft spot. Heres to our four legged companions.

 

[CavRed3]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

sorry for your loss

 

[SniperCJ]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Thanks for the words guys. Unfortunately its the price we pay for being animal lovers.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My advice is, don't wait; get another soonest. There is nothing to be gained by waiting.</div></div>

Never fear Greg, this was not a one-cat household!

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

When considering inviting a cat into my home, my concerns are for the cat. I want a cat that chooses me, one which is habituated to human company. Cats that don't have this when they are young will not get it as well in later life. They will be strange and aloof.

I get my cats from shelters. Strays do not usually make as good pets and are often afflicted with illnesses that plague them for a (shorter) lifetime. Around here there is a large population of 'barn cats' which is a nicer name for ferals. They still help control rodents and certain disease vectors, but they are not anything like a house cat. Some folks tell me I should shoot them, but I leave them alone and they leave me alone. Somebody else can become the local catslayer. I save such attentions for local coyotes and coy-dogs.

I recognize that sharing my domicile with a feline (nobody <span style="font-style: italic">owns</span> a cat) is a personal obligation and responsibility on my part. I must be prepared to deal with that cat for its lifetime, however long (mine usually go longer than 15 years), providing it with food, shelter, attention, and medical care, for better or worse.

As I said before, with our 'empty nest' the cats become 'furry children'. I'll admit it, the cats are an investment, with the dividend being paid in entertainment value.

But the cats don't see it that way, they have no comparable concept. They have a very simple (very alien) approach to such things; one accomodates to the cat, and not vice-versa. They are simple, loyal, and affectionate in a way adult humans can seldom emulate. When a cat does something I can't comprehend, it usually ends up being related to something I need to do better, like cleaning their box more often.

Greg

 

[Shortdraw]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

As much as I hate cats, I know how much it sucks to lose a pet. I had to personally put my dog down two years ago due to no veterinary services where I live. I think it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Take care

 

[littlclimb]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful thoughts and words. Pete was with us since John and I met. He greeted us everyday as we came in the door telling us about his day. The house is a bit quieter now, but it looks like our Tabby, Mama Kitty, may pick up where Pete left off.

John picked up his box today from the vet and it now joins the others we have lost over the last 10 years.

The other animals were very clingy for the first few days, but they are starting to settle back into their routines.

Thanks again. It warmed my heart to read all of the posts.

Susan

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gjantzer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The argument against owning pets boiled down to the emotional distress involved with losing one. </div></div>

Wives are like that too.

How can you hurt if you never love?

The pain is worth the 10 or more years of comfort they provide (The cat, not the wife)...

 

[11B-B4]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

That sucks, Ive had cats ever since i grew up on an Iowa farm; Dogs too but cats are alot easier to care for.

Recently put down an old female siamese blue point. She was the runt of the litter, very little cat. But she always was around to love you when you were sick and just be a friend. She followed me around outside when i had my 22 like a hunting dog or something. Shed wait till i shot something like a pointer and then go fetch it for me. It was pretty funny but she was proud of it.

She lived 23 years. I think the harder part with Cats dying is that they live so much longer than dogs. She was a lifelong friend basically for me since im only 27.

It was a little rough but you just have to remember we are strangers passing through this world. Heaven is our permanent residence. This world has too much sorrow and pain. Its a good thing actually when you think about it.

I was thinking the other day too. I was wondering why do humans live so long compared to dogs/cats. Then I reasoned, it might be so that we learn to let go of animals so that it will be easier to let go of our loved ones when that time comes. Im not sure, but I know it will be help with the passing of a wife, a mother or a father.

Good luck to you and sorry for the loss.

 

[Xshot]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

John and Susan, I know what your going through and I'm sorry for your loss.

There was a time I wouldn't have anything to do with cats. I was dog only guy and a dog trainer. My better half, the kindest person I've ever met, opened my eyes to the world of cats and changed my narrow mindedness.

We live in the country where strays and unwanted cats show up a couple time each year. Some are very young, others are older and torn up by feral cats or predators. One was so starved and emaciated, due to a particularly hard winter, only bone and sinew remained. Each time my soul mate, her name is Kerry, gave me that look and we take them in.

At any given time, there's usually a couple living in our home, a couple living in my heated shop and 1 or 2 living outside.

Over the years a few of these darn cats have bonded so closely, to me, I can honestly say their loyalty and affection rivals that of my dogs. Bottom line - life is better if you have a cat(s) in your life.

For all you dogs only guys/gals... you don't know what your missing.

It's snowing really heavy now. I think I'll go outside and make the long walk to the old oak tree and talk to some of past pals.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[EventHorizon]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

My number one gun inspector

He absolutely loves the sound of my 1911 being racked. It makes him purr!

 

[Graham]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

CJ,

That sucks. But know that animals don't fear death like people do.

<span style="text-decoration: underline">End of Days</span>

by Marge Piercy

Almost always with cats, the end
comes creeping over the two of you—
she stops eating, his back legs
no longer support him, she leans
to your hand and purrs but cannot
rise—sometimes a whimper of pain
although they are stoic. They see
death clearly though hooded eyes.

Then there is the long weepy
trip to the vet, the carrier no
longer necessary, the last time
in your lap. The injection is quick.
Simply they stop breathing
in your arms. You bring them
home to bury in the flower garden,
planting a bush over a deep grave.

That is how I would like to cease,
held in a lover's arms and quickly
fading to black like an old-fashioned
movie embrace. I hate the white
silent scream of hospitals, the whine
of pain like air-conditioning's hum.
I want to click the off switch.
And if I can no longer choose

I want someone who loves me
there, not a doctor with forty patients
and his morality to keep me sort
of, kind of alive or sort of undead.
Why are we more rational and kinder
to our pets than to ourselves or our
parents? Death is not the worst
thing; denying it can be

 

[RollinCoal11]

Re: Had to put my Old Man down

Im really sorry for your loss. I have cats also and they are great pets.

Every once in a while someone will drop off a kitten at the fire station and I bring it home and my wife and I will nurse it back to health. We always find a good home for them.

All the guys at the station give me a rash of shit for it