No longer suffering...

[AfWife29]

On July 29, 2011, we had to make the hardest decision ever and have our beloved Misty put to sleep.
We got her in 1995, she was about 4 months old, I was 12, I remember the day like it was yesterday.
She was never a lap cat nor did she ever like the company of any other cats, which we found out the hard way when a couple of years ago my parents (along with Misty), moved in with my husband and I (along with our cats Gizmo and Jasmine).
The last 4 years or so she was showing more and more signs of aging...but I could never bring myself to even imagine that the day would come that she would no longer be with us.
Around July 24 2011, she started eating and drinking less, so we decided to take her to the vet, the first vet we saw, reassured us that all that she needed was a few teeth removed (due to infection), and that she back to normal in no time, so he sent us hom with some antibiotic, and told us that as she soon as she started eating again we could schedule the surgery.
We were seeing no signs of improvements, by July 28th we had scheduled another visit (for the 29th), this time with a different vet in the same office.
We still had some hope, but we were quickly realizing that it was false hope, the second vet told us that the mouth infection was caused by kidney failure, he could feel that her kidneys were smaller than they should be. He told us her options. I knew in my heart that putting her out of her misery was the best thing and before I knew it, after a few nods and filling out a form it was time to say goodbye.
She slowly drifted away, until the vet confirmed that her heart had stopped. We brought her home and later found a spot in the garden and layed her to rest.
It still hurts today, I miss her and I still question whether we made the right decision and I fear I always will.

Rest in Peace Misty girl...I'm sorry.

[blondie1483]

What a loving tribute. I'm so sorry for your loss. Don't question your decision - you gave her a wonderful life, and you did the right thing by letting her pass gracefully. You said it yourself - you knew in your heart it was the right thing to do.

<3 <3 <3 Rest in peace, Misty.

[LilyC]

I am so sorry for your loss. RIP Misty.

[cooncatbob]

So sorry for your loss, I lost a 16 year old back in May.

[cooncatbob]

Why does it hurt so much and why do we second guess ourselves when we have to make the painful decision to end the suffering of a pet that lived a long and full life.
I've given the subject a great deal of thought since I lost Samantha in May right after her 16th birthday.
In many ways our pets are like children who never grow up, the paradox is while they never grow up, they grow old, get ill and they die.
For me I never saw Samantha as old until the very end, she had become old and feeble over night, her eyes which had always been so bright were now glazed and her coat which had been so sleek and soft was dull.
I felt of her like a parent feels for their child, a parent isn't suppose to out live their children but we as pet owner loose many beloved pets over the course of a life time.
They depend upon us to care for them and when they get old, ill and die we feel that we've failed them, it's not rational we can't stop death, theirs or our own but we feel the loss and we feel the guilt that we should have done better.
Even though my cat live an exemplary life, never sick, hurt or hungry I still feel that I should have a better Papa.

[tarah44]

AfWife29,

I am so sorry for your loss.

It's been a month since I lost Mr Man and not a day goes by that I don't think of him. Guilt and the "what if" or "should have" thoughts still burn in my head. Then there are moments when I see something of him in another cat and I start crying all over again. Or the moments that he would normally be a part of like when I crawl into bed. he would always follow me up and lay on top of my chest for some bed brushing. Is it bad to say I love my pets more then I love my friends? I've certainly never cried as hard over a break up, or the loss of a friend. What gets me is I had no idea I loved him as much as I did until he was gone.

I agree with you Bob, my pets are my children, I love them all the more because they are such pure spirits. I've never lost a pet that I was attached too before so my emotional attachment to my loss is a whole new experience for me. I don't remember feeling this way when my mom's cats or my grandparents dogs left. As much as I love animals, a large part of me is scared to take on any more pets. I cannot imagine loosing again and again in my life time but as I say this, I can't help but look at adoptable cats. I don't act on it, but I keep looking. For every loss, a door opens up to help another animal find a loving home and the opportunity to save another life.

[AfWife29]

I want to thank you all for the kind words.
As more time passes, I feel more at peace with the decision, and I understand it's only natural to question it.
It certainly helps having our other cats around us, keeping us busy and entertained like only they know how.

Thank you again all.

Fiona

[cooncatbob]

Originally Posted by AfWife29

I want to thank you all for the kind words.
As more time passes, I feel more at peace with the decision, and I understand it's only natural to question it.
It certainly helps having our other cats around us, keeping us busy and entertained like only they know how.

Thank you again all.

Fiona

If I hadn't had Little Chiquita to comfort me I don't know what I would have done.
I do believe we pass on the legacy of love by providing another pet with a loving home.
I would have probably gotten another cat, I have chosen to have these small wonderful creatures in my life knowing full well that their life span is short compared to my own.
They leave a void out of proportion to their size in our hearts when they pass but they provide use with so much love and teach us valuable lessons, like living in the present moment.

[konstargirl]

Aww! So sorry to hear about Misty.

[Ted]

Fiona,

I'm very sorry to hear of Misty's passing. I hope, with time, the pain eases.