Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well, I think we're gonna do it. We're going to the kitty rescue today to check out who they have.....Our Sasha has been gone now since August, and I dont think he's coming home. The last of my weatherproofed signs was taken down this week, although the local vets/pet stores/etc. still have em up, and the theres still flyers out here and there. Its breaking my heart to admit he's probably gone for good.....his bag of kitty food is still sitting in the corner of the kitchen, and his best friend (my 7yr old) still cries for him. I think we have got to move on, and while in some ways, i feel like Im being a horrific traitor by going to check out who the shelter has, on the other hand, by acting now, we could be saving another kitty life. Not to say we will for sure find that special friend to adopt today, it took my daughter months to find her Sasha. I dont want a "replacement" I want another "lovey" who is the right fit in our family. Oh, this is making me cry to type this, I keep having these awful visions of getting a new kitty, then Sasha miraculously coming home to find someone else that has "taken his place" And that if he sees that/senses another kitty in HIS home, he might just turn around, go away and we'd have lost that chance to have him home again. Am I totally over-reacting and going overboard? Am i nutso? It just tears my heart up, because not only was he a wonderful very special cat, but truly my little girls best friend in the world. They had a bond that seemed almost unreal, and to have watched that for the few short years they were together, just amazed me. Ive never seen anything quite like it.
whats your guys thoughts? I know theres a lot of people on here who dearly love their kitties, and I really really need some input here.....and maybe some reassurance, that its not a betrayal to Sashy to be doing this.....is it?
Not at all! The best sign of how good he was is that you want to do it again. If he does come home, he won't react like a person would. He's more likely to come in to see who's there! And maybe hiss over who is boss. Two cats is OK! But cats don't think like humans. So go on and get another best buddy, it's the best memorial for a great cat.
well, we went today and spent quite awhile checking out the rescue kitties. I wish I couldve taken them all home!!! There were a few that I just about couldnt resist....only 1 of em was a teeny kitten. He was too freakin adorable! A little black and white guy, but not your standard spots/stripes/etc. More like if you take an oreo and mush it up real good. More black than white, but the colors ran over each other and mixed, really hard to explain. He had med. long hair, and the best part....just a wee little stub of a tail. I love manx kitties. But not a whole lot of interest from my girl. The usual ohhhs and aaahhhhs, but nothing special..There was a 2yr old female, cream w/orange and gray area, and she was soooooo lovey! She about melted through the cage to get to more petting from me. but no way did she want to be held...my daughter of course, wanted them all to come home with us too! but the real hard part was we found one that looked so much like her Sasha it was amazing. Seemed pretty laid back too, but the foster mom said he is really skitterish, and after mall days he goes home and hides for an hour or so With a mean screetching bird, and 2 terriers, I dont think he'd do well in our house. So, we left, then came back a couple hours later, visited em all again (mainly our favs. ) but ended up leaving empty handed......
the right one will be there when the time is right.....
Take your time, and find the right match...I'll share a story a woman who does cat rescue told me last week.
A while back, she adopted out a beatuful red Persian to a wonderful home. Sadly, the owner's home was broken into one day when she was at work, windows smashed, door left open; and the cat was gone. She searched and searched and called local rescues, to no avail. After some time had passed, a rescue group called her to let her know, they had two Persians, brother and sister, up for adoption. She went and saw them and fell in love. She adopted both.
A few weeks later, she received a call from the rescue group...someone had brought in a red Persian! They thought it was her missing cat. She ran down to check, only to discover this new cat was not hers! Still, the cat was beautiful, and needed a home. She adopted this cat. Now she had three.
Over three months after her cat went missing, she heard a noise at her front door. When she opened it, in walked her cat! Now she has four beautiful Persian cats!
I guess my point is...keep the faith, and don't give up. Fate has a way of working things out. I posted on another thread about finding a stray cat; I had been wanting a cat, and, somehow, a cat who needed me came into my life. (Thus the name Karma). The right cat will come along, and your cat may still return.
what a lovely story!!!! Thank you so much for that.
we're definatly not going to rush into this. Not like picking out a new book or toy. We'd really thought that Annika and her Sasha would be together til he passed on from old age, but, it seems we were cheated out of that. But, we will always have that tiny spark of hope that he'll come home again. What a miraculous day that would be! Im just not counting on it. sigh....and for my daughter, we really do have to move on. Shes going to make herself sick over him otherwise. I wrote in my other thread, on the pets section, its my Need help/advice, lost cat thread, anyhow, very tragically, one of my daughters little classmates died unexpectedly recently. It was a horrific tragedy, and has been a real nightmare....how to expain to 1st graders when one of their little friends dies? very very sad....anyhow, I know that the loss of a cat is nowhere near compareable to the loss of a child. But my Anni tied it together in her own heart to heal herself heal. She thinks that maybe GOD took her Sashy up to Heaven so that when this little child died, her little friend would have someone very special to love on and comfort him when he went. I tell ya, that was a conversation to rip your heart out....sigh.....
but, it was her first acceptence that her BFF is probably not going to come home again. She still talks of him almost daily, and keeps their little "BFF" picture frame w/a pic. of the 2 of them facing out the window just in case he happens to come by. The tears still come a few times a week, and she is just having a heck of a time moving on. I know everyone grieves in their own way/time, I just worry. She does seem very excited about a new kitty in the home, and it taking this choosing very seriously. I just hope we will find the right one for our family and that he/she will help Anni along w/healing. Of course, he/she will be loved dearly in their own right, as they kitty they are. NOT a replacement.
anyhow, thanks for the kind words and help.
Definitely take your time, and do NOT feel guilty about getting another kitty... wherever your Sasha is, I'm sure he would want you to move forward. Nothing will ever replace your other cat, but you can open your heart to a new one - and rescuing is a fabulous act of kindness. Good luck, and keep looking in the shelters! And hey, if Sasha does come home, you will have two great kitties to love.
So we have found our kitty. We just got him yesterday. His name is Iggy (the little one named him....) and we're all in love already.
I had found an older camera, and saw it still had film in it. So, finished off the roll with a few pics of Anni and her new little love, then took the roll down to walmart. Got em developed, and of course, stood there at the counter looking through them. And promptly burst into tears. The last pictures taken on that camera, were of Anni and her BFF Sasha. the next ones following were the ones of her with Iggy. I actually had to leave, and go into the bathrooms because i was just racked w/sobs. That was the last thing I expected to see.
but Iggy is going to be just as wonderful in his own right. Who could resist that darling little face? OMG...what a snuggler!
Annika w/Sasha BFF
Status:
" Charleston South Carolina"
(set 1 day ago)
Location: home...finally, home .
8,814 posts, read 21,271,680 times
Reputation: 20102
What a lovely little girl you have. Best of luck with your sweet new kitty. Thanks for posting.
__________________ ******************
People may not recall what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel .
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The last of my weatherproofed signs was taken down this week, although the local vets/pet stores/etc. still have em up, and the theres still flyers out here and there. Its breaking my heart to admit he's probably gone for good.....his bag of kitty food is still sitting in the corner of the kitchen, and his best friend (my 7yr old) still cries for him. I think we have got to move on, and while in some ways, i feel like Im being a horrific traitor by going to check out who the shelter has, on the other hand, by acting now, we could be saving another kitty life. Not to say we will for sure find that special friend to adopt today, it took my daughter months to find her Sasha. I dont want a "replacement" I want another "lovey" who is the right fit in our family. Oh, this is making me cry to type this, I keep having these awful visions of getting a new kitty, then Sasha miraculously coming home to find someone else that has "taken his place" And that if he sees that/senses another kitty in HIS home, he might just turn around, go away and we'd have lost that chance to have him home again. Am I totally over-reacting and going overboard? Am i nutso? It just tears my heart up, because not only was he a wonderful very special cat, but truly my little girls best friend in the world. They had a bond that seemed almost unreal, and to have watched that for the few short years they were together, just amazed me. Ive never seen anything quite like it. 
But not a whole lot of interest from my girl. The usual ohhhs and aaahhhhs, but nothing special..There was a 2yr old female, cream w/orange and gray area, and she was soooooo lovey! She about melted through the cage to get to more petting from me. but no way did she want to be held...my daughter of course, wanted them all to come home with us too! 
Sasha....and Iggy...
