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There's that story, then there's the one about the man in Arkansas who awoke from a coma after nineteen years, and still more from time to time about human and beast alike. I think they provide a thin but effective cushion of denial for all of us who've lost a human or pet but not in the final sense of the word. "That cat in Manitoba went back to her people after all that time. Maybe the kids' kitten who escaped while we were moving to Nebraska, seven years ago, will find us yet."
Do people believe that the cat actually remembered her human family after over a decade, though? I think she'd probably been abandoned (or escaped again) somewhere down the line and was just happy to be "re-homed." The Prairie Provinces get COOOOOLD during the winter. A Japanese saying goes, "Be kind to a dog for three days, and it will remember you for five years; be kind to a cat for five years, and you're forgotten three days later." There's a kernel of truth to that.
My first family cat disappeared during childhood (IMHO he was returned to the previous owner, hopefully not to a shelter, now that I look back.) Weasie - my present-day feline fraulein of 17 years - went into heavy grief for weeks, less than two days after her brother vanished and never came home again. As for me, my denial that these boy kitties are gone forever just got boosted! I've had closure where the pets who've died are concerned, but hope springs eternal for the missing.
I had an interesting experience. Pedro, the most lovable friend anyone ever had, was little more than a kitten 19 years ago when one of my son's friends put a plastic handcuff (from a cops and robbers set) around Pedro's little neck and attached him to a table leg. It was quite a few minutes before we found the howling cat and he was really traumatized. After that incident, my son's friend could not get with a mile of Pedro or he would hide and growl if approached by the delinquent. Kids moved out, fast forward about 12 years, the friend of my son's stopped by to say hello and the second he walked in, Pedro, instead of his usual greeting of leg rubbing and food begging, took off like a bolt of lightning and could not be found in the house until about an hour after the fellow had left.
Did Pedro recognize this guy from 12 years earlier? You bet he did. I guaranty it.
wilson1010: What a beautiful cat. He reminds me of my beloved Shanghai, who only made it to 12-13 years (she came from the shelter, so I'm not sure). My condolences; I had to have another cat (Siggy) euthanized six weeks ago and the memory is still very painful.
wilson1010: What a beautiful cat. He reminds me of my beloved Shanghai, who only made it to 12-13 years (she came from the shelter, so I'm not sure). My condolences; I had to have another cat (Siggy) euthanized six weeks ago and the memory is still very painful.
My condolences for your loss also. This is the hardest part of pet ownership, i.e. we outlive them by many times. With our children, for the most part, they outlive us by decades. When they don't it is a tragedy. Most parents I know pray for that among all else, that their children will out live them. For our beloved cats, just like children to many of us, we have to endure the pain over and over. Hardest part of the whole deal.
Meezers never forget. I believe Pedro remembered the person who hurt him. What a handsome kitty. My last two Siamese cats lived to be 17 and 18.
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