Goodbye Amber the Cat

[cookie]

I don't know what else to do except come here and rant.

We just had to euthanize our cat, Amber. She was diagnosed with cancer a couple of months ago and there was nothing we could really do for her except keep her as comfortable as possible. Over the weekend, her condition turned for the worse. She stopped eating completely. She had been steadily losing energy over the past few weeks, but she still ate. We had to feed her canned food because she could no longer eat dry. Then she stopped eating all together.

Today, she could no longer walk and became incontinent. She hardly moved all morning. She acted like she was trying to get up and I picked her up. She let me hold her like a baby for a long time and did the only purring she did all day. It was like she knew she was going. I know that seems silly, maybe like anthropomorphism, but honestly, I believe it. When she had had enough holding, she mewed slightly and we laid her back on the floor.

When we took her to Cornell Animal Hospital, they were very kind. The whole family was with her. They gave us last minutes with her and let me hold her while she died. The doctor said the sense of hearing is the last to go so she encouraged me to talk to her, which I did.

We just brought her home and we all buried her in the back yard. The animal hospital gave us a little cardboard coffin-like box and they had wrapped her in a soft blanket. We wrote her name on it, and a few words and then we let her go.

The whole family has been crying. We had her for about 10 years and she was truly a beloved family pet.

Goodbye, Amber. We loved her so much.

[Ron Thorne]

Cookie, I'm so sorry that you lost Amber.

I've had a love affair with cats my entire life, and this is the first time in my life that there hasn't been at least one cat in our home. The reason? We lost our wonderful cat, Peewee, nearly three years ago, the week before Christmas, to feline leukemia. She was 14. As with Amber, she had wonderful, sensitive care, but it was still bitterly painful. We haven't been able to replace Peewee yet, but hope to some day. We just had great fun with our son's two cats in California, Luna and Smokey, which touched those cat nerves once again.

Sounds like Amber had a wonderful, loving family.

[Cem]

Cookie, I'm very sorry for your loss of Amber.

I lost Stella Blue's brother Ozone 8 years ago, at 4.5 years old. He was a high-spirited cat who ran the neighbourhood and his mannerisms reminded me more of a dog. A definite hipster, with a natural swagger, yet ultra-friendly and totally loveable. We got a necrospsy done and found out that he had ingested too much of something he was allergic to, no clue as to what it was.

It was very painful, so I can sympathize with your loss. Take care...

[tippy]

Oh Cookie. I'm sorry you've lost your beloved pet. I had a similar experience with my first cat who died of Feline Leukemia. It is heartbreaking to see them like that in so much pain and to know what you have to do and then do it. I would second Ron that your family obviously gave her a loving home and a happy life.

[stonemonkts]

I'm sorry, Cookie.

Cats and dogs have always been an integral part of my life, as much family as any children would've been (they're just adopted kids of a different species, after all). Losing them is a wrenching experience. You have my warmest thoughts.

[Jazzooo]

Cookie--

On behalf of Glenda and myself, we wish you and your family a speedy and satisfying transition from grief to found remembrances. Unfortunately, these things are never brief--as I approach the one year anniversary from the day that we learned George had only two weeks to live at the most, you message brings back a flood of feelings. Today, we are 150% in love with our new dog Duffy Grolnick Robinson, but my heart still tugs a little for George.

RIP Amber.

As for this comment:
"It was like she knew she was going. I know that seems silly, maybe like anthropomorphism, but honestly, I believe it."

I don't think it's silly at all--in fact, I'm certain that we as a species are among the *least* in touch with our bodies. From what every pet psychic I've every heard says, our pets are not afraid of dying the way we are, and thus there seems to be a greater acceptance of the whole affair.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

So sorry to hear about Amber, Cookie. We finally brought Holly aka Brew, our yellow lab to the vet this past August 15th. No, Joanne brought Holly to the vet. I didn't have the nerve to do what had to be done. Joanne walked into the vet's office crying and got everyone else crying. Holly walked in wagging her tail and licking the vet. That was Holly, a gentle soul.

Last night when we came home from being out for the evening, as I walked into the house, I barked as if Holly was still there (she always barked in a happy way when we came home). Joanne laughed and said that although she didn't actually bark, she did think of Brew as she entered the house. We miss her but we still have Magic, our cat..............

RIP Amber

[hornplayer]

Cookie, as I'm reading your post, I'm sitting here beside my dear little Julia Child Kitty. She has just begged a piece of trout off my plate and is going at it. She has been part of my "immediate family" for the past 9 years, and I don't want to think of life without her in it.

Losing a dear pet can be just as difficult as losing a loved human. My heart and my prayers go out to all of you.

[graypencil]

Cookie:

I am so sorry for your loss ..

RIP Amber, it sounds like you have a great family ..

Phil K

[bluenoter]

I'm sorry, Cookie! RIP Amber.

I still miss my dog decades later, as in "Mr. Bojangles," and I still have dreams about him.

[GoodSpeak]

I am so very sorry, Cookie.

People who don't own cats really have a hard time with understanding the love and mutual caring that will make us cry and grieve over a cat.

I have euthanized two cats myself...one to relieve its suffering and the other because of acute renal shut-down. It's never easy and, in many ways, I still grieve for the second cat I had to put down...I loved her as much as I do any human being. Her name was Aspen...it was one of the hardest decisions of my life.

I truly feel for you and your loss, Cookie.


Peace.

[Tom Storer]

My condolences, Cookie. I too am a cat-lover and cat-owner, so I emphathize.

The curse of being a feline-ophile is that their life spans are so much shorter than ours. Parting is inevitable. Of course that doesn't make it any easier.

[gonzo]

so sorry to hear for your loss. the loss of a beloved pet can be very painful. they are important members of the family. hang in there and remember the good times you had with amber. pets are little blessings that god sends to us to make our lives easier. again, so sorry to hear of your loss.

[cookie]

Thank you for your condolences, folks. As I wrote on her little coffin: "She was a good girl."

I think that the family will decorate her grave tonight. We'll place flowers and burn a candle. I think I'm also going to find some sort of perennial bulbs to plant there so that each year we can watch Amber's flowers grow.

Again, thanks for condolences. It's nice to be comforted by people who know how much a pet can mean to the family. Thank you.

[Jazzooo]

"So sorry to hear about Amber, Cookie. We finally brought Holly aka Brew, our yellow lab to the vet this past August 15th. "

Jimmy--I was wondering how things were going for Holly aka Brew. I'm sorry I wasn't around to give you some comfort, as you did when we went through George's passing. RIP Holly.

[Chris D]

So sorry, cookie. It's a hard thing to go through.

[GoodSpeak]

Originally posted by cookie
Again, thanks for condolences. It's nice to be comforted by people who know how much a pet can mean to the family. Thank you.

For you, Cookie [and I think I speak for everybody on this BBS]...anything. Just name it.




Again, Peace to you.