OT: Sad News

Judy, so sorry for your loss...(((JUDY))))

Hugs, Neets, Memere Neets, Anita Connecticut, USA

Thank you so much for listening. I think this group is way better than any therapy! :)

Judy, SA

Judy i did not believe that you could become so attached to an animal until I returned from Germany with a big black cat I bottle raised. He was my first "pet", Anyhow while home papa accidently let him out with the dog. I was gone for a couple days and when I cam ehoe at nite, well something was different. Soot was not there. I woke up mama and papa andthey told me. I was angry at first then dowright became totally sullen. i was brokenhearted. nyow I would not eat anything which devastated mama as she cooked FOR ME when I was home. papa would not eat as he was upset that he hrt me. It was a real family nitemare.

Two days later a neighbor behind us came over and said he saw a starnge black cat in his shed. i went and found teh cat and it was Soot. i was so happy!!

Anyhow then I learned how important pets are to us, especially when you can nt have kids yourself and they "replace" them. Anyhow a few years later I got stuck in Atlanta over halloween. I live in a mobile home communty. I got home and for the third time that year I got broken into. However all tey took that time was my big beautiful balck cat, Soot. I think I cried for a week. I wondered the neighborhood a couple times a day, at nite even and the woods aroud.I did find a glass mug that was taken in a earlier theft. Anyhow I even checked the pound and that really did me in, I could not take seeing all those animals in there.

I never did find Soot and still wonder where he is and that has ben 7 years now. My baby i have now, well I know she is a real gift and I di nt know what I will do if something like that happens.

All that I can say is Judy, tey truly are a gift from God and are really a part of us. I always remember m pets in my prayers too. God Bless and big hugs to you and yours for your loss.

OKC Dave

{{{{ Judy }}}} I'm so sorry your beloved kitty crossed the rainbow bridge. I lost 2 cats to kidney failure. You may want to switch your cats to Waltham food, you get it at the vets and it is great for deterring such things. They have both dry and wet food. Cynth

-54.5 Banded 1/30/2004 Dr. Kuri

Hi Cynthia

Thanx for the advice. We have the kitties on IAMS at the moment which we also get at the vet's' and I've seen a Scientific Diet there aswell, but I'll keep an eye out for Waltham. :) I've read on the Net today that once the diagnosed the kidney problem, you should curb protein and phosphates from their diets, problem was just that we had no idea she was ill at all. I've decided to take the other three for checkups in the coming week I'm also scared the food might have contributed to the problem, so if they come up with similar problems, I'm defnitely going to change their diet.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences Dave. It really helps to know there's people out there who understands. You know, I sometimes think that our pets pick us, not the other way around. This really is a wonderful group. Thank you everybody!

Judy, SA

Oh, Judy...so sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my dog last year quite suddenly like that and I still mourn for her when I see pictures of her. They are so much a part of your family. Extra hugs being sent your way.

Selena Baton Rouge, LA

Judy:

My sincere sympathies on the loss of your beloved kitty, Tammy.

Like you, I don't have human kids & my kitties are my family. My first cat (who I grew up with from the age of 7) lived to almost 18. Tigger, who's at the other end of the couch right now, will be 18 1/2 next month. Every time I come home from work or otherwise being out, the first thing I do is check on him & make sure he's OK. With his age, I treasure every day & know I may not have him much longer. We've been watching his kidneys (he's been on a special diet) for several years now.

{{{{Judy}}}}

Alicia

Judy

Thanks so much for feeling that you could share your sadness with us. You will find that this is a very supportive group....it doesn't matter who or what the situation is. We all love our furbabies just like our human babies and our heard hurts when one of our group is mourning. Hugs to you my friend....... Susan

I had to have my cat of 12 years put down earlier this year, I still cry sometimes! Prayers going out for you and hubby! Barb:o)

Thanx Selena, yes I'm finding it very difficult to continue on her album, but on the other hand I also feel the need to do something special for her.

Judy, SA

Hi Alicia

I was in total shock when the doctor told us it's acute kidney failure, becasue she never showed any obvious symptoms up to the very end. In hind sight I recall little things that might have been indicators, however the doctor also asured me that one sometimes only notice these symptoms when it's too late. We never expected anything like this, since she was only 7 and a half. I must have been a weakness in her system.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Judy, SA

Oh Judy, I know just how you feel. We have an old,ailing cat that is so dear to us that we are trying to prepare ourselves for his leaving us My sympathies to you and your husband and I am so sorry that you have lost your dear furbaby. They truly are so much a part of our lives.

Hugs, Sabrina in Kentucky

a good friend is a life long treasure

Thank you Susan. Talking about this really helps. Everybody in this group is so wonderful. I really feel blessed.

Judy, SA

Thank you Barb :) I'm having a hard time walking around the house, because a lot of things remind me of her. Hoping your sadness will soon be replaced by happy memories :)

Judy, SA

Hi Sabrina

So good to see you :) Thank you so much for your support and good luck with your furbaby. Keeping you in my thoughts

Judy, SA

Hi Arleen

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It helps me a lot to know that there are other people out there that have also gone through this. It seems to me that kidney failure is more common than I knew. I think there is about 4 or 5 of us in this group who lossed their kitties to the same disease. Tammy never had seizures, but was "weak". She was put on a drip the Wednesday evening and passed away on the Thursday afternoon, even befor her blood works came back. From what I've read on the Net, it also seemed to me that even if she survived, her quality of life would not be good, but in a way I'm very glad I did not have to make that decision to euthanize. I think that must be the hardest thing on earth to do. You don't want them to suffer, but still it's not easy to say goodbye.

Keep well

Judy, SA

Good idea! I had mine on Science Diet and they had kidney failure. My current cat had bladder stones and had to have surgery and the vet said the best you can get to prevent urinary problems of any kind is the Walthams.

Cynth

-54.5 Banded 1/30/2004 Dr. Kuri

MC, I've read a heck of a lot on the Net this weekend and thought about what the doctor said and as they say, hind sight is 20/20. Still, with all this info, I MIGHT have noticed something, but I can't swear I would have for sure.

Tammy has always been a 'scardy cat" - very nervous, always wanting to be indoors and close to us. That being said, she felt closterphobic (spelling?) quite easily and never wanted to be held too tight. However in the last two weeks, she wanted to be on our laps all the time. I think now that she was feeling sick and wanted to be comforted.

Also she did'nt want to eat dry food only wet. But ALL our kitties prefer the wet food and we thought they were just tired of their normal IAMS. I read on the Net that one should watch out when they drink a lot of water and wee a lot. This is the closest to that symptom she came. She did'nt drink a lot of water, but preferred the wet food.

Another symptom is loss of weight. She did loose a bit of weight in the last two weeks, but it's Spring in South Africa and they spend more time outside, so we did'nt think this was strange. She never was a big kitty and I always teased her saying I wish I could keep my girlish figure like she did. I don't think she had time to get very thin. Probably her small posture counted against her in the end, because there was'nt a lot to absorb the toxins her kidneys did'nt excrete anymore.

Tammy had acute kdney failure. The cronic kidney failure, which is a slower disease is more common among older cats and something vets look out for Because she was only seven and a half, this was'nt something they looked out for and it's also apparently a rapid disease, or at least once you notice the symptoms, the kitty is very ill allready.

I must honestly say that we first noticed something wrong on Tuesday when she did'nt want to eat, was quiet and weak - not wanting to walk and "talk" (she was a chirper and always happily chatted with me while I prepaired our suppers in the evening) and by Thursday afternoon, it was all over. All the websites also say that the symptoms are not obvious, only subtle changes.

Like I told Arleen, I'm taking all my kitties for checkups this coming week, because I don't want to be caught unawares like this again.

Hope this help everyone else :)

Judy, SA