Conference misery::feline_v1

    I had to make a similar decision for my cat Jesse and I know how
    hard it is.  Jesse was put to sleep in February and the pain is
    still very intense.
    
    Sharing a story like that with people who understand and care sometimes
    makes it a little easier to deal with.  Don't feel guitly about
    ending Jake's pain, I am sure he knew that you were doing what was
    best for him, just as Jesse knew that what I was doing was best
    for him.
    
    Jo

    We are so sorry about Jake.  How lucky you all were to have so
    much time together.
    
    Karen, Sweetie and Holly.
    

    I hope that when the time comes for one of my kitties I'll have
    as much strength as you did.  Jake lived a good long life and i'm
    sure he never doubted for a second that you all loved him very
    very much.  
      Jake will be comemmorated in the Q1 Silver Lining Memorial.  If
    you don't know what that is, see note 2228.  
      Nancy DC

    I'm so sorry about your long time feline friend.  It's so hard to
    say goodbye :-( .
    
    We hope Jakes' brother doesn't miss him too much.  BTW I know just
    what you meant when you wrote that you asked the other cat where
    his brother was.  We do that at our house all the time.  Panther
    is usually the missing cat.  (She spends most of the winter as a
    lump under the quilt on the bed or any other place that she can
    find that will be very warm.)  Spot always knows where she is, and
    will (usually) tell us or take us to her if we ask *very nicely*
    and promise a kitty cookie, Pounce or Bonkers.
    
    We understand your pain and thank you for sharing it, time does
    help to revive the fun memories.
    
    Feline Sad,
    Sue & Panther & Spot

      I know exactly how you are feeling right now, and there is really
    nothing that anyone can say to alleviate the ache in your heart. But
    you must not feel that you need forgiveness for what you were required
    to do. It's amazing how the animal in these cases seem to KNOW what is
    happening, and they actually WANT to be let go at the time. I have gone
    through it 5 times now in the past two years, with four of my dogs and
    just a few weeks ago with our 3-year-old kitten who contracted Feline
    Leukemia without any warning whatsoever. She was perfectly healthy, had
    tested NEG for her entire life, but was probably harboring the dreaded
    killer in her bone-marrow all along. 
      We must remember that the quality-of-life had been taken from our
    babies by a HIGHER authority, and we were asked to do what was right. 
    We should not feel bad for not allowing our friends to suffer. We
    should, instead, take comfort from the fact that we have given them all
    that we could....love, comfort, safety, warmth and a kind hand and safe
    shelter while they were here with us.
      A friend such as this NEVER dies, it simply transfers from the
    physical life here on the Earth to a safer, happier and secure place in
    our hearts, where nothing can ever harm them again...and we'll meet
    again someday!!! I'm convinced of it!!
    JMcD

    re: .5   AMEN to that

    Our support and prayers are with you and Jake.  He sounds like a much
    loved part of your family and I know how much you miss him.
    
    We had to put our family cat, Muffy, to sleep almost 6 years ago and
    we still miss him so.  (The only real price we pay for sharing our love
    and lives so fully with our pets.)
    
    I, too, believe that someday we will be reunited with all those we
    love--that in itself would make the hereafter "heaven".
    
    Take care.
    
    Barbara (Melody, Melissa and Brittany)
    

    About ten years ago I had to make the dicision to have my 17 year
    old canine friend, Lassie, put to sleep.  Reading your story brought
    back everything I went through at that time.  I knew I did the right
    thing, but I agonized over it for years afterward.  Then one night
    she came to me in a dream, and looked at me and spoke these words,
    "I know that you did what you did out of love for me, and for that
    reason it didn't hurt a bit, and I love you for it."  Maybe my
    tormented mind manufactured that dream, I don't know.  But after
    that I felt (and still feel) much better about it.  Could it be
    that she was able to conquer the barrier between there and here?
    I like to think so.  
    
    I now have (or he has me?!?) a male gray cat that I love with all
    my heart.  It scares me to death knowing that something could happen
    to him, too, but I know that the love we share together will make
    it all ok in the end.  
    
    My heart (and tears) go out to you.  I hopy my story helps you in
    some small way.  
    
    P.S.  I remember now that I already told this story once, I apologize
          to anyone that is bored with the rerun!!
    
    Sharon and Smokey in Atlanta

        Sometimes I'm glad I read most of these notes at night. Because
    it's embarrassing to be here in the lobby where everyone can see me
    with a teary face!
        I know what you feel.  I made that same decision 3 times within
    the past year.  It's so awful, but so right.  And they DO know. They
    know what is happening and that it was for them. They understand
    and know why you are doing it. And they will be there waiting when it
    is our turn, so we can all be together again.  That is one thought we
    can hold on to.
    
                                   Condolences, 
                                   Denise, Max, Silvy, Pepper, Chief kitty
    

    re: .9  We're all going to have one heck of an escort into 
    heaven   :-)

    
                           Thank you!
    
    Thank you to all of you who responded to my sad story. As you can
    tell it took me a very long time to share my story with all of you.
    It's so hard to find anyone (except for feliners) who understands
    how you feel. My heart and tears goes out to each and everyone of
    you who have had sad stories. 
    
    Fred did get very lonley after Jake left us. It got worse and worse
    by the day. In June I read a note (of course in this file) from
    someone who worked part time a an animal shelter called Just Cats.
    She listed all the cats that were up for adoption. Fred was demanding
    more and more attention and was crying at the door to go out. We
    kept telling him indoor cats do not go out! So I mentioned to my
    husband the note I had read and told him about the cat named Chico.
    Chico is 8 years old, a grey tiger, a nutered male, and is up to
    date on his shots. I felt Fred needed a companion and Carl did not.
    Anyways, I called Just Cats and left a message on the answering
    machine that I was interested in adopting a cat. I felt Fred needed
    an older companion and not a kitten. Val at the shelter called me
    back and we dicussed Chico. She sent us his vet records and a couple
    pictures of him. We went to see our vet to get his opinion, look
    over the records to see if he thought we'd have any problems. I
    called Val back with a few questions our vet told me to ask. He
    said if we were satisfied with the answers to go for it! We called
    the shelter and made an appointment to meet him. Chico seemed to
    be a safe choice color wise, see Fred does not like orange and white
    cats. I'll explain that in another note. This shelter is located
    in Mansfield Mass., which is where Great Woods is. Middleboro, where
    Jake is burried, is about 20 minutes further. So I made an appointment
    for Sunday July 2nd at 2pm. If anyone in Mass remembers that day
    it was one of the hottest we've had this year. We left in the am
    for the cemetery to visit Jake, got there with no problem and found
    his grave site. By the way this is a very nice place to have a cat
    or dog burried. After our visit we headed to Mansfield to meet Chico.
    We fell in love with right away and decided to take him home, hoping
    they would be compatible. It was the longest one and one half hour
    ride I have ever had! Thank goodness I brought along a container
    of water, a small bowl, and a roll of paper towls. It was much to
    hot to confine the cat to the cat carier, so Chico layed on the
    floor in the back on the passengers side all the way home. I sat
    on the seat in the back wetting him down and trying to get some
    water in his mouth. He panted all the way home and meowed a few
    times. From everything I have read it's not advisable for the current
    resident to introduce an new member of the themselves, so I had
    someone ready to take the cat (of course in the carrier) from our
    car to their car to bring to our house. We got Chico transfred,
    and headed home and they followed. I ran in the house, said hello
    to Fred, changed my clothes quick and washed my hands, arms and
    face. By that time Jill was there with Chico. She opened the carrier
    and Chico jumped out with his tail in air looking around as if to
    say, well it's about time we got here! Fred was very curious as
    to who the intruder was. Well to make a long story short Chico is
    still with us and everyone is doing very well. Chico is the most
    lovable, tubby, little critter! 
    I thought I'd let everyone know that there is a silver lining in
    every cloud!
    
    Celeste .... Fred and Chico  

    What a lovely sequel to read, Celeste! You obviously have a lot
    of love in your home, I'm glad you're sharing it with a new member
    of the family.
    
    Shayne

    Yes, Thanks Celeste!  That gave me a big smile to start my day.
    I look forward to hearing more about Fred & Chico.  Its really
    special when someone takes an older cat home.
      Nancy DC