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.
Catdad, I am so very sorry about your baby. I have one the same age as yours. You did an incredibly loving and unselfish thing by letting him go. I know your heart is broken. We had to let our baby girl kitty Maggie go in May. I still miss her terribly. Sending you lots of hugs.
Reading "ran for Rainbow Bridge" plucked a sensitive string. That's exactly what Weasie did as she slipped into her final coma three years ago TODAY. (As if I hadn't thought of that before. Not a chance.) She was semi-conscious, and fully relaxed for the first time in many months, when all of sudden all four of her legs started vigorously twitching. The vet told me that indicated she was in a dream state, and "she's running in her dream." Cynics would say Weasie was getting into an intense drug experience and having pleasant hallucinations. "Believers" would say she saw a bright doorway with her brother, parents, and other cats - and humans - who predeceased her waiting with open paws or arms. I fall into both camps to some degree, but know for certain that helping her pass away was absolutely the right thing to do.
Karma is hereby coming back to catdad for all of his sympathetic posts. I've been there! I know how it is! Virtual, "bro"-style, hugs from me too!
Except...I don't "know how it is" entirely. Weasie left no descendants (I'd made sure of that when she was about 8 months old.) Neither were there other cats to share territory and help keep me in check. But from what I hear, no matter what behavior results from the "alpha" and/or "elder" in a cat family being out of the picture, life will become interesting for a while. In the beginning there could be a period of mourning, anything from lethargy to wails of grief and refusing to eat - or not - but the hierarchy will now need to be re-established. So be watchful that things don't go too far.
Take good care.
That's good advice, but not so much applicable here in my case. My 4 remaining cats are all females, and 3 of them are wanna-be Alphas, and have been their whole lives. Stormy was always outside of that 'conflict', and it didn't apply to him. The girls always deferred to him and showed him affection & respect. I've seen no change in their interactions with each other so far, and don't expect to. But I will keep an eye on them.
They definitely know he's gone, and something is different now. They were unusually quiet & subdued Monday evening. My girl Angel went into the bedroom closet where Stormy's bed was and sniffed around. Then she came up on the bed where I was watching tv, and laid down next to me.... which she rarely does. She would not leave my side for the rest of the evening, and she slept in that spot most of the night... again something she normally doesn't do. I like to think she knew I was hurting, and was trying to comfort me in her own way, which she did.
Thank you Goyguy for your kind words & thoughts. It really does help.
I want to thank everyone here on C-D for all the kind thoughts and condolences. There are so many good people on this forum that are willing to share some of the sadness at times like this, and I'm thankful to be a part of this group. It means a lot to me, and is very much appreciated.
Catdad7x, first, hugs to you; we have presently 6 cats, the oldest is 17, the youngest one, and in the past 12 years have seen 4 others pass across the Bridge (all at home).
My now-oldest cat was pretty much pair-bonded with my favorite cat of all time, Worf. I used to breed Maine Coons (only about 3 years, then just spayed everyone). Shimmer and Worf were inseparable, even though Worf was my clown, Shimmer was and still is aloof. When Worf died, she came over to me, snuggling into my blanket, like she used to do to Worf.
Cats mourn. If there are more than one cat or dog, suddenly the remaining cat is alone. If there are a few, suddenly the hierarchy changes. Things will even out, though I suggest keeping an eye on your cats. The loss of one cat can confuse the remaining cats, and they will notice the absence.
It's been 9 years for me, and still Shimmer snuggles next to me.
Catdad7x, first, hugs to you; we have presently 6 cats, the oldest is 17, the youngest one, and in the past 12 years have seen 4 others pass across the Bridge (all at home).
My now-oldest cat was pretty much pair-bonded with my favorite cat of all time, Worf. I used to breed Maine Coons (only about 3 years, then just spayed everyone). Shimmer and Worf were inseparable, even though Worf was my clown, Shimmer was and still is aloof. When Worf died, she came over to me, snuggling into my blanket, like she used to do to Worf.
Cats mourn. If there are more than one cat or dog, suddenly the remaining cat is alone. If there are a few, suddenly the hierarchy changes. Things will even out, though I suggest keeping an eye on your cats. The loss of one cat can confuse the remaining cats, and they will notice the absence.
It's been 9 years for me, and still Shimmer snuggles next to me.
Thank you for your kind words. We adopted Stormy in 1997 when was abandoned at our vets office. In 2000 we adopted a 3 mo old female we named Rainbow. Shortly after her Spay at 6 mo old, a little light bulb went on over her head, and she decided she was madly in love with that gorgeous black cat Stormy. She attached herself to him, and rarely let him out of her sight for very long. She followed him everywhere... ate with him, slept with him (and on him), and always had to know where he was and what he was doing. For the most part, poor Stormy tolerated her obsessiveness, but there were rare occasions when he made her leave him alone & give him some space. This continued for the next 13 years until Rainbow passed away in 2013. When my wife was still with me, we used to joke about them being 'an old married couple'. We had always assumed that Stormy would pass away first, and were convinced when that happened Rainbow would die shortly after of a broken heart. I'm thankful that her time came before his, and that she didn't have to suffer the trauma of losing him.
After she was gone, I know Stormy missed her because he became even more clingy & needy to me than he was already. But I don't think he missed her as much as she would have missed him.
I'm just seeing this, Catdad. I know what a hard thing it is to do, however much you know that it's time. The story of Stormy and Rainbow is very sweet. It's nice to think that they're reunited, at least. I'm very sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss. It's been 5 years since our dog past. I still miss her. But I know she was happy and loved.
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.
(As if I hadn't thought of that before. Not a chance.) She was semi-conscious, and fully relaxed for the first time in many months, when all of sudden all four of her legs started vigorously twitching. The vet told me that indicated she was in a dream state, and "she's running in her dream." Cynics would say Weasie was getting into an intense drug experience and having pleasant hallucinations. "Believers" would say she saw a bright doorway with her brother, parents, and other cats - and humans - who predeceased her waiting with open paws or arms. I fall into both camps to some degree, but know for certain that helping her pass away was absolutely the right thing to do.
I've been there! I know how it is! Virtual, "bro"-style, hugs from me too!
