I posted this picture of my Birman Pikake on a different thread but thought to share it here too. Her name means Jasmine Flower in Hawaiian (Clearly, I’ve borrowed her name for the forum)?.
Oh, I love your kitty. She's a special one.
This is my new kitty Cleo.
She was in a hoarder's home and took a while to warm up but is now a complete love bug and so entertaining and playful.
Thank you for starting this thread. It just brightened my day reading the posts and seeing these wonderful pets. They bring us so much joy, don't they? XO
@bluebelle That’s so kind of you ❤️. She’s a sassy one and I speak to her via an animal communicator a few times a year (still working on hearing her clearly), to make sure we fully know what she wants and how she’s feeling. But she’s much more than just a cat - along with her “big sister” Kealani who crossed the rainbow bridge a few years ago, she is one of my spiritual guides. Just happens to be one that weighs 11lbs and is covered in fur.?
What vibe are you getting off her?
@laura-f, thanks for sharing the pictures. Coco and Bambi are so cute! And they love their little routines, don't they? I'm now remembering that picture of Arlo and Tess; it really tugs at my heart.
@ghandigirl, Toby looks like a movie star! Quite the cutie. I think it's lovely that you learned to paint so you could paint him. Cleo looks like she could get into some mischief. So glad that she was rescued from that home and has you in her life.
@yogagirl, Mr Pea and Harry look like very sweet kitties. So they actually share that Christmas present? That must be a delight to see! We humans could really learning something from our furry friends.
My sister had two Springer Spaniels, the first, Molly about 4 years older than Mazie. Molly wasn't thrilled to have another dog introduced into the household, but interestingly, whenever Molly received a dog treat, she would break it up and share the little pieces with Mazie when she was a pup.
Penny from Heaven
My daughter's dog :)
That photo was worth waiting for!
Hello, I have been lurking a long time but never registered until now. I admire the insight, wit, and compassion of all the members here.
The thing that finally drove me to post is not the discussion of global/national issues that initially drew me here, but a more personal matter.
My beautiful, sweet, loving, funny cat Charcoal passed away three days ago. He was eleven years old and had had heart problems since he was young. We knew the day would likely come when it would take him but had no idea when that would be. He suddenly got a "saddle thrombosis" which left his back end paralyzed and his heart was not even what you could call "beating"-- just randomly rumbling We rushed him to the University emergency vet clinic at 5 AM and they recommended euthanasia. So that was that.
I feel bad because he was so scared. And I wonder if maybe I should have had the vets go all out to try to save him, even though they said it was a long shot and even if they saved him, he'd probably throw another clot within a few months. We (my family) were all there and he was in my lap being petted when he died. But I still feel guilty and crappy and I hope he is OK and doesn't resent us for euthanizing him. He was very, very attached to us. I have not "heard from him" (in dreams, feelings, etc) since. I am intuitive but not nearly as much as many of you. My remaining cat is sad but gradually returning to normal. Anyhow, I guess I just needed an outlet. Thank you.
@ana Dearest sweet Ana, it is the hardest thing to do what you did but it was the bravest thing to do. You did it to save Charcoal from pain and suffering. The vets have much experience with these situations and they love animals. Going with their advice is good. Regret is a terrible thing to do to yourself when you are already suffering from losing him. I see that you are a loving caring person who would go to the ends of the earth for him. You did what you did to save him from more hurt. And now he is at peace. Am surrounding you with love and my own feeling that you did the right thing to protect him from pain. We welcome you to our community with open arms.
@polarberry, I loved the Secret World of Pets! Haven't had a chance to see the second one yet.
@laynara, Sissy and Kiwi are precious! Thank you for sharing those pics with us. Our furry companions bring so much joy into our lives.
My husband and I watched both of those movies - the secret life of Pets (1 & 2) and I agree Sissy and Kiwi are just so precious. If I could I would want one now but hubby won't let me :( I do love little dogs so much!
Another great movie: Pick of the litter! Documentary about how seeing eye dogs are raised and chosen.
My deepest sympathy at the loss of your precious Charcoal. You did the right thing Ana, as hard as it was. I look at it like this - I myself, if I were older and dying and also suffering I would want to be treated with the same love and respect you gave to Charcoal. Charcoal is no longer suffering but will always be with you in spirit. ?
@ana don't give up on "hearing" from him. I have heard from all my fur babies that have passed. It might be months or even years but they will let you know. I understand how you feel about poor Charcoal. I have had to let five cats go in my adult life and I feel guilty about eeryone of them! But deep down I know that it was the right thing to do.
I think I heard fromSandy as soon as I did because we couldn't be there with him and I know he was so sick and probably scared. He came back to let me know it was OK, he knows I loved him.
@ana As a cat devotee and cat parent, I feel your anguish. My cat Kealani dropped dead in front of me from a blood clot and for a long time, I suffered tremendous guilt - I feared I had killed her with the food I had fed her that morning. I was inconsolable. While I subsequently did see patches of her calico color around the apartment, the sightings did nothing to lessen the guilt. Something did help and I am very thankful for it. I worked with an animal communicator who conveyed messages from her across the Rainbow Bridge. To the animal, all they do is shed their fur suit and open a door to another realm.
Charcoal is just in the next room, free of the weight of age and pain. If I can share what the animal communicator conveyed - sometimes when the passage is brought on by illness, the cat needs to sleep for a while before moving on. By my time, it was just a few days.
I also derived great consolation from reading this book Crossing the Rainbow Bridge: Animal Journeys to Heaven.
deetoo,
Not many sequels are as good as the original, but I though SLP 2 was pretty funny. There is a scene with a cow that slays me. It's definitely worth a watch. I also still love Finding Nemo. Did you like 2, Tricia?
Our dog's bed is still laying outside where we crossed him over. Can't bring myself to move it yet. He loved to be outside. He'd go out in the morning and lay on the deck or in the grass all day.
Yes I liked both of them. I find the little tough bunny hysterical! My husband and I are like two kids - we loved them both.
We actually called one of the 90 yrs old gals in my dad's retirement place "Dori" all the time because she had short term memory loss. She was funny and adorable and she would eat dinner with my dad and us on occasion (my dad died two yrs ago this 5/25). The very next time we ate with them - perhaps a couple days later, she "met" us all over again. We'd talk about the same conversation and how she grew up in the same town I lived in etc. My dad would laugh and admit he thought she was "Dori" too.
Welcome, sorry about your loss, at least you were there for them. Since 1992, I have had a total of 8 pets, 5 of which we've had to euthanize in the last 10 years, the most recent just in February (^^scroll up for pic^^). In my experience, the only euthanasia regret I have is not doing it sooner for a couple of them.
So don't feel bad - you did the right thing. One of our cats also got a "saddle clot", rushed to the ER, euthanized. There's no treatment for it. At least that cat only had a couple of hours of pain and suffering. And the one in February - we knew he had cancer and I promised him that I wouldn't let him suffer for more than 1 day. That morning he was clearly unwell and was suffering, so we made him comfortable (gave him lots of pain meds), and I made the call for the vet to come to the house.
We were given the option of getting his ashes back in a biodegradable box with wildflower seeds mixed in, so we did that. I just buried him in our garden last week. I still miss him so much. Heck, I miss all of them...
We're holding off getting another cat right now because the remaining cat has pretty severe autoimmune disease (pemphigus), and it's a lot of work to keep her well. Once she passes, probably in the next year or 2, we'll get another kitty.
My hubby and I have to watch SLP 2. We also loved Finding Nemo. @triciact, i'd really like to see that documentary about the service dogs. Thanks for suggesting it.
@polarberry, You talked about holding onto your dog's bed -- after Gracie passed, we kept her ratty comforter for about 6 months. She loved that comforter; it's where she found refuge and slept. (She had a very nice dog bed but wouldn't use it -- that figures! LOL!) The evening that we let Gracie go, I could feel her energy so strongly in certain areas of the house that it actually made me dizzy. She would even follow me around from room to room, which made me laugh. As you can guess, I always felt her spirit by that comforter. Gracie's spirit stayed around us for about 5 days, then moved on. Anyway, I think that's why I held onto that comforter for so long.
@ana, I am so sorry for your loss. My vet once told me that our pets live for us; I believe that's true. We've made a sacred commitment to be their caretakers, offering as much love as their noble hearts can hold. But it's also up to us to ensure their quality of life, and to know when to let go. Please don't second guess yourself; you did the right and loving thing. Charcoal knows how much you love him.
@jeanne-mayell Thank you so much for the welcome. Over the months I have been reading the forum,I have developed a great respect for you.