Sad news at our place

[WiccanLiberal]

V4R and I had the sad duty this morning of taking our sweet Pandora to the vet for the final time. She has been declining since the surgery and even the steroid shot that she received last week did not have its usual effect. She had essentially stopped eating the past couple of days and it was obvious it was her time to leave us. She did get off one last hiss at the vet. Gary has known her for years. I doubt he minded. There'll be no replacing this one. She was a unique personality and has left a mark on both of us. R.I.P. my sweety, hope there are loads of moths to chase and plenty of chinese spare ribs to snack on.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

V4R and I had the sad duty this morning of taking our sweet Pandora to the vet for the final time. She has been declining since the surgery and even the steroid shot that she received last week did not have its usual effect. She had essentially stopped eating the past couple of days and it was obvious it was her time to leave us. She did get off one last hiss at the vet. Gary has known her for years. I doubt he minded. There'll be no replacing this one. She was a unique personality and has left a mark on both of us. R.I.P. my sweety, hope there are loads of moths to chase and plenty of chinese spare ribs to snack on.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Brings back to me memories of when I lost my dog that I loved so much. I've never owned another dog since.. He simply could not be replaced...-Tyr

[aboutime]

Our pets are just like Family members. She gave both of you those wonderful years of pleasure. Remember her for those great times, and know. She is now...no longer in her quiet, unspoken pain.

God Bless. At least we treat our pets better than we treat one-another.

[jimnyc]

Oh man, that sucks, and I'm so saddened to hear that. It's never easy, I never want to experience that again but I know I will. I'll pass along this poem that I have so many times before...


Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

[Kathianne]

V4R and I had the sad duty this morning of taking our sweet Pandora to the vet for the final time. She has been declining since the surgery and even the steroid shot that she received last week did not have its usual effect. She had essentially stopped eating the past couple of days and it was obvious it was her time to leave us. She did get off one last hiss at the vet. Gary has known her for years. I doubt he minded. There'll be no replacing this one. She was a unique personality and has left a mark on both of us. R.I.P. my sweety, hope there are loads of moths to chase and plenty of chinese spare ribs to snack on.

My condolences to you both. Nearly all of us have suffered the loss of a beloved pet, it never gets easier. Here's to the good memories.

[Shadow]

Sorry to hear about your cat. Mourning an animal can almost be as bad a mourning a family member. Some animals have a way of touching your soul.

[Nell's Room]

V4R and I had the sad duty this morning of taking our sweet Pandora to the vet for the final time. She has been declining since the surgery and even the steroid shot that she received last week did not have its usual effect. She had essentially stopped eating the past couple of days and it was obvious it was her time to leave us. She did get off one last hiss at the vet. Gary has known her for years. I doubt he minded. There'll be no replacing this one. She was a unique personality and has left a mark on both of us. R.I.P. my sweety, hope there are loads of moths to chase and plenty of chinese spare ribs to snack on.

Sorry to hear of your loss. Pets become our family, and I still grieve for my kitty whom I had to put to sleep three years ago.

[Kathianne]

Sorry to hear about your cat. Mourning an animal can almost be as bad a mourning a family member. Some animals have a way of touching your soul.

I'm glad you said, 'almost as bad a (sic) mourning a family member.'

If someone had told me at 18 that I could grieve more for a person or pet than I did for Taffy, my 16 year companion, I'd have called them 'crazy.' I'd had that dog 'of my own' since 7, she'd been my aunt and uncle's dog before that. Heck when I was 5, and Taffy was still with aunt and uncle, I'd come up behind her and startled her, she bit my brother, who'd been nicely playing with her. LOL! My uncle nearly killed that dog.

From the time I was 7 and my brother 5, Taffy was our dog. A high strung Cocker Spaniel. Oh the stories I could tell!

There was one though that kept coming up after she died, that made all of us smile, laugh. Thanks, Mom! She was the one that reminded us through the tears.

I was probably 16, maybe 17. Sunday morning there was no question that we'd be going to church at 12:00 or that dinner would be at 3:30 or that it would be a roast sirloin of beef.

Mom of course put it in the oven at 325, before we left for church. We went, came back. At 3 she took it out of oven to 'set.' Got a call from a neighbor of some problem, we all went. (Can't remember the neighbor or what was so important that my folks would say we all had to go. But it happened.) Came home sometime later, to the roast being on the floor, Taffy lying next to it.

My mom thought poor Taffy had died! But no, she'd just been a glutton. She was sick for at least 24 hours, having devoured most of a 4-5 pound roast. She was too sick to yell at. We went out to dinner. LOL!

Taffy died a few days during my first break home from college at Thanksgiving. Very traumatic, no vets available. She died at home after some sort of seizure, she was at least as old as I was at the time, give or take a few months. Thanksgiving was at our house and my aunt and uncle were equally devastated at the loss. Then my mom recounted the story of the roast beef and how she was glad Taffy had that moment. LOL!

[Kathianne]

OMG! I got so enthralled with my reminiscence of Taffy, I totally forgot my point:


I'm glad you said, 'almost as bad a (sic) mourning a family member.'


I could go on with Taffy stories, Snoopy and Allie stories too, but that would be besides the point.

As much as my family with Taffy, or my kids and myself with later pets loved them and I believe them us, it's not the same.

I was lucky, I never really lost anyone I loved until pretty grown up.

I think in a way, Taffy's death and an earlier 'trama' put it in perspective. My 'boyfriend' from 5th/6th grade stayed a friend through high school years, though not close. We had common friends and would sometimes be at same parties, that was all. I knew he was spoiled and I knew his parents didn't much care what he or his siblings did or didn't do. When he was 16 his birthday presents were 2, yes 2 cars. 1971 'Cuda (Plymouth I believe) and 1971 Corvette. Yep, got that right. He died in the Corvette before 17.

I felt a loss, mostly though I felt confused. Why would an adult give a kid a fiberglass car? Seriously, even then I wondered. EC, I still feel bad, I don't know how you would have turned out, if given the chance.

With Taffy though, my heart ached in missing her and yet, my soul rejoiced in having had her for so long, regardless of neurosis, of which there were plenty. It was very difficult to return to school.

My real point here though is that even the most beloved pet and the loss of her/him, only 'helps' to prepare one for the loss of parents or siblings or other close family members. Pets love us unconditionally. Parents try to also, but no matter what they or we say to our own kids, we all know it's not true, at least in the short runs. Siblings we love and sometimes we hated. Perhaps they were more successful or we thought mom and/or dad liked them better, maybe lots of things.

Pets though, it is much simpler and certainly easier to recall the good/funny stories.

I'm botching this I think, I hope someone else can bring more clarity to my point, that I keep trying to hit and missing.

[red states rule]

V4R and I had the sad duty this morning of taking our sweet Pandora to the vet for the final time. She has been declining since the surgery and even the steroid shot that she received last week did not have its usual effect. She had essentially stopped eating the past couple of days and it was obvious it was her time to leave us. She did get off one last hiss at the vet. Gary has known her for years. I doubt he minded. There'll be no replacing this one. She was a unique personality and has left a mark on both of us. R.I.P. my sweety, hope there are loads of moths to chase and plenty of chinese spare ribs to snack on.

I am so sorry for you. On April 15, 2010 I had to have my favorite cat. Munchkin, put to sleep. She has very sick and after 3 days in the hopsital her liver gave out

I cried for days and still tear up when I think about her

It is like losing one of your kids and you will never stop missing them

[SassyLady]

{{{{{{{{Pandora's parents}}}}}}}}

[Kathianne]

I am so sorry for you. On April 15, 2010 I had to have my favorite cat. Munchkin, put to sleep. She has very sick and after 3 days in the hopsital her liver gave out

I cried for days and still tear up when I think about her

It is like losing one of your kids and you will never stop missing them

T, I love ya, but no matter how much one loves their pets, it's not even close to what losing a child or any person who's important in your life.

[ringotuna]

When we bring pets into our lives, we accept the inevitable eventuality that some day we will lose them. The joy they bring us during their tenure somehow makes the eventual loss a little easier to accept. Take some comfort Wiccan in knowing too that you gave the pet a long, healthy, happy life in return for the pleasures she brought you.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

T, I love ya, but no matter how much one loves their pets, it's not even close to what losing a child or any person who's important in your life.

I agree with that completely. I have lost 4 grandparents, my father, my son Cody, my daughter Angela, my 14 year old brother, 6 uncles , 9 aunts, 2 cousins, one brother-in-law and several really close friends. Nothing even comes close to the loss of my son and daughter except the loss of my father and my baby brother. I lost my dog that I truly loved and it didnt even compare to losing my relatives. One can only know this if one has lost a close relative IMHO. There is no adequate way to explain it. -Tyr

[WiccanLiberal]

Just got back from completing a hard trip. I picked up Pandora's remains from the pet crematory. They are sitting in front of me in the little floral container the company provides, along with her collar and ID and a small piece of fur. Sometime this weekend I will go through my pics of her and select one I like. I will submit it to an online site and order a lacquer finished box with a photo tile on top. Then she will join the two other kitty angels she grew up next to and who also reside in my heart. She and Sam and ET were my original three and now they are together again.

[red states rule]

T, I love ya, but no matter how much one loves their pets, it's not even close to what losing a child or any person who's important in your life.

Kat, I do not have nay kids (well none that I know of) so in my world they are my kids.

[Kathianne]

Kat, I do not have nay kids (well none that I know of) so in my world they are my kids.

I do understand that, I have RL friends that go to the ends of earth for their pets. Still and all, without kids or spouse, there are parents and siblings, no?

I know I love Julia Roberts, our dog. ;) However, if something happened to my friends, her passing would pale. Granted, she gives only love, well except that time she 'ate' my hearing aid. Come to think of it, not even an enemy ever did that! LOL!

Seriously, pets are the closest we'll ever get to 'unconditional love' if we treat them right. However, humans, with their conditional love are still more important to most of us. My parents passing is still nearly impossible to bear, as is my sister's. I don't know how to explain the difference, but it's there.