Today, I said good-bye to my Shadow

[Tim McG]

Acute-renal shut-down claimed the life of one of my cats today. Her name is Shadow and she was only 10 years old. She was named that for a lake in the Sierras.

She went blind on Thanksgiving Day, fell into convulsions this morning, I took her to the vet, there was nothing we could do....and I will miss Shadow, very much.

Tim

[Tim McG]

Shadow is facing the camera....her sister, Silver, is asleep to my right.

Sadly, I have only one computer buddy, now.

Listening to Are you Going With Me by Pat Metheny....my heart is broken.

See you in a few days.

[7/4]

I'm sorry to hear that.

[MoGrubb]

Sorry for your loss, GoodSpeak.

My little feline buddy is 18+ yo, is going crazy.

[Uncle Skid]

Yes, very sad news.

[NaturalSoul]

Sorry to hear that, goodspeak.

[connoisseur series500]

Sad news. I've got a couple of them myself.

Get another one when you recover.

[DukeCity]

Several years ago I lost a cat to renal failure. I'm very sorry for your loss,

[papsrus]

Truly sorry for your loss.

Hold on to the many good memories I'm sure you have with Shadow. And maybe when the time comes, another buddy will enter your home.

[Tim McG]

As I PM'd Aloc, I have been crying on and off all day now and the fresh memory of our last moments together just tear at my Soul.

Even in her weakest state, she urged her body toward me to pick her up just one more time. Then she cuddled with me and moaned a terrible cry. When the doctor came, they had to pry her claws out of my shirt.

I have put two other cats down, but in spite of that I am crushed by this loss.

I'll get over it, but until then....I weep.

Thank you for the all positive vibes and for your humanity.

Tim

[Jazzmoose]

What a beautiful, beautiful cat. All I can offer is my sympathy, and my knowledge that eventually, the good memories of Shadow will replace the loss and turn the grief into warmth.

[Quincy]

A real beauty and far too young to pass. You know the saying, time will heal, but that's little help now as time passes too slowly for comfort's sake.

[Guest Bill Barton]

My condolences, Tim. Take care.

[sidewinder]

Sorry to hear that. My best wishes too.

[Van Basten II]

Sorry about the loss of your cat. Take care.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Van Basten II

[AllenLowe]

it's very hard to explain the bond we feel with pets, though almost everybody understands - I am crazily overprotective of my dog because he's so damned nice and so damned dumb - and I've put one or two pets down and still lose sleep over it -

[Shawn]

I'm very sorry for your loss. My cat is basically my child, she means that much to me. I completely understand what you're going through.

[jazzbo]

Sorry to hear of Shadow. I remember so clearly how I felt when I lost Spot.

Now I just have my original cat, Marjorie Bouvier Haggerty-Armstrong, seventeen years old, doing well considering, ruling my house.

[Spontooneous]

It's a slow healing process, and the depth of the feeling always manages to take you by surprise. Sounds like she had a good life in a loving home, and she's happy about it now.

Lost my cat exactly a year and a week ago, and I still think I hear her around the house.

(But the mice went away after she died. I think she and the mice enjoyed each other.)

[Parkertown]

So sorry to hear...I hope you feel better soon. It's never easy...I am getting choked up right now just remembering some of my former pets...

Sounds like you were very close. From your story, it's so obvious how you must've loved one another...not that it stops now...if you know what I mean.

Heck...my doggie I have now is named Shadow too. And I love him to pieces!

Hang in there...

[paul secor]

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

I understand some of what you're going through. I lost two cats to renal failure in less than a year. I held the second one when the vet gave him the final shot, and can still see the look in Grachan's eyes before he died. Feel your grief and give Silver all the love you can is the only advice I have to offer.

[ghost of miles]

Very sorry to hear this sad news, GS. My wife and I have five cats, and they mean the world to us. My two boy cats (whom I've had since before my wife and I even met) are 18 and 17, still getting along OK, but I know they have only a handful of years left... I hope you're able to find just a bit of solace here, as many Org posters seem to have similar close bonds with their pets.

[BruceH]

Very sorry to hear this. My best wishes to you in your time of loss.

[Christiern]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Tim. I lost 2 Doberman's, Mingus and Bessie, a few years back and went through a lot when Mingus slowly died from cancer and I was making regular trips to the animal hospital. I think you should consider getting another cat.

[papsrus]

My wife and I (like so many others) have adopted "special needs" rescue dogs. They always come from bad situations of one sort or another, and we give them a loving home and the best medical care we can, and fill their final years with as much comfort, joy and tenderness as we can. We have one now with fairly advanced kidney disease. He came to us last spring confused, skinny, and fearful. He's laying curled up at my side now as I type, happy as a clam and reassured that we're his friends. He's my pal. With proper care, he is doing quite well, for now. But we know we will eventually face a day much like you just had. It's always heartbreaking to lose them.

GS, I only say all this because one of the many things you can rejoice in is that you gave Shadow a loving and comfortable home for most (if not all?) of its life. There really is no "good" way to go, but I'm sure throughout her many years with you, Shadow never suffered and was always comfortable, secure and happy. And it's those many, many happy and well-fed years that really count. ... That doesn't lessen the pain of losing a loved pet, but it is definitely something to feel very good about. And eventually, you will.

Give yourself a month, or however long it takes, and then give the gift of a happy, secure home to some other lucky cat out there.

Peace

Edited November 27, 2007 by papsrus