Topic: My Cat Died Today

[Xessive]

Hey guys. I just feel like sharing. My cat, Butch, died earlier today. I feel like I lost a family member. We've had him for 16 years. We had his mother and he was born in our house, in my sister's wardrobe. Had a lot of flashbacks today.

To cut a long story short, about 2 months ago we took him to the vet and they told us he had some kidney problems which would inevitably lead to kidney failure. They couldn't estimate how long he would have but they said his time is short since he's already quite old for a cat. We pu him on a renal diet in the hopes that it would give a little more time, just something to ease his kidneys. Though we were gradually getting into the idea that his death is imminent. Knowing and preparing for it doesn't make it any less sad. His last days were the hardest.

Poor guy couldn't eat solid food anymore, I was manually feeding him glucose with a syringe. Following another trip to the vet he became paralysed from the waste down, so I he could move around at all. Whenever he needed to go to the bathroom he'd call me (a special meow that lets me know he needs something), he'd hold it in till I put him in his litter box.

I know to most he's just a cat but to my family he was one of us. We've had him since I was 12, I'm 27 now! I was there at his birth! Even after I left to Canada for university and came back a few years later he still recognized me. It's creatures like Butch that make me realize there's more to animals than raw instinct.

May he rest in peace.

I've just been having an emotionally rough couple of month. Death seems to be the hot topic this season. My ex-gf died last month (diabetes), then a week later a colleague (food poisoning), now my cat.

[idolminds]

That sucks man, I know how you feel. It always sucks to lose a pet.

[scottws]

I hate cats, but that was quite touching.  Thank you for sharing.  I am very sorry for your loss.  I haven't lost a pet yet, but I can imagine maybe what it might be like. My dog definitely feels like my own child to me and I would be crushed if something were to happen to him.  And he is not even two yet.

My parents have a 15 year old Brittany Spaniel (they usually live to be 12-14).  He is completely deaf, has cateracts, and has arthritis so bad his last four or so vertebrae have fused together.  He barely move from sitting to standing or vice versa and really struggles for breath if he lays down.  There was a time recently where, even though he wasn't in great shape, I wasn't ready for him to go.  I think I'm ready now though.  He's clearly suffering.

[beo]

that sucks. i remember losing my pet lizard a year or so ago. that was horrible. lost a couple of cats too, and it really sucks. i really love cats, but you know, they live a pretty awesome life - if reincarnation is true i think being a well cared for cat has got to be amongst the highest forms. i'm sure he had a good life.

[Quemaqua]

Sorry to hear that, man.  I'm going through the same with my rat right now.  He's had problems with mycoplasma since birth, and we staved it off for a long time with antibiotics, but he was never really healthy.  People generally don't understand how hard it is to lose a rat, but it really is.  They're very much like small dogs.  They know you and can distinguish between individuals, come when you call, love to spend time with you, and even like to wrestle and stuff when they're younger.  They're very social and they really bond with people when the people treat them right and spend lots of time with them.  Whenever I think about how sick he is and that he's going to die soon, it shatters me inside.  He's been probably the only consistently good thing in my life for a year now.  There's been so much struggle in our household, and so much shit at work, but whenever I come home he's always happy to see me.

Pets are always a double-edged sword that way, I guess.  They're great to have around, but it seems we must ever be reminded of their short lifespan.

[Xessive]

Thanks for the empathy, guys. I hope all your pets have great lives.

Scott, I hope your parents are doing ok, it must be hard to see their dog in that state. It was heartbreaking to see Butch in his last days. My mom took it especially hard since she used to spend a lot of time with him, he was really attached to her. She wasn't particularly fond of cats until that little guy came along.

Beo, that's one of the main comforting thoughts, knowing that he had a comfortable and relatively long life eases the pain of loss.

Que, I hope your little rascal pulls through his illness. How old is he now?

Mortality seems to always have a way of raising our awareness. It helps me appreciate my surroundings and all my encounters in life, and somehow makes me grateful for not being immortal. It's hard enough outliving a cherished pet, imagine outliving everyone you love. I'm sure you'd get used to it after a long while but I doubt it would get easier.

I guess the only pets that can exceed the average expectations are parrots, tortoises, catfish, and bonsai trees (more of a hobby but still technically alive).

[Pugnate]

[Xessive]

Thanks man. I remember the thing with your cat. I know that was hard too.

[Quemaqua]

What kind of cat was Butch, X?

My rat's probably about 2 and a half or nearing 3 years old now.  Considering that he's just a feeder rat, he's done remarkably well for himself.  Julia didn't know any better when she bought him, so it's no surprise at all that he's in ill health.  But he's hung in there like a champ and is really probably getting somewhere close to the end of his natural lifespan, illness or no.  Feeder rats like this don't generally make it beyond 3 years or so, whereas better quality rats from breeders and such can go as long as maybe 6, depending on  breed (but that's really quite at the outside).  So he's had a good run, not to mention he got to live like a king instead of becoming snake food.  To be honest, I don't think I've ever been quite this close to a pet.  Even my dog, who I loved dearly, didn't depend on me quite so much as he does, and was a little more independent.  Julia and I are really going to miss him.  We do plan to get more rats, though.  Next time we're going to try to get two, and hopefully two bred from better stock.

[nickclone]

I'm sorry to hear about Butch, I don't know much about pets dieing because I've only had fish...which are pets, but its not the same.

[Xessive]

Butch was a cross between Himalayan and Persian Blue. He was extremely furry, we had to shear him in the summers so he could cool off.

My brother composed a short memorial slideshow which I posted on YouTube, here.

I just realized I have to get used to referring to him in the past tense.

Nick, I always thought of fish as living decoration or furniture until I came across Japanese Koy. These fish react and behave in amazing ways! When I moved around the pond they'd swim alongside me, when I pointed my finger they'd all face the direction I was pointing! It was weird! When I brought my hand close to the water the big ones would stick their heads out and open their mouths wide, ready to receive a treat! hehe I was surprised by how intuitive and interactive they were.

[Quemaqua]

Fish can be pretty interesting, though they certainly lack the personality a lot of other creatures have due to very inexpressive features.

Awesome little slideshow.  Very pretty cat.  Was cool to see your family, too.

[Cobra951]

So sorry to hear that, man.  I know how attached people can get to their pets.  While I was married, we lost one dog, and that was heart-wrenching, even for me, who doesn't do pets very willingly.  I hope you can put the grief behind you soon.

[Dragonlor]

Oddly as it is I'm really attached to my fish.  I have 4 Giant Danios that I have had for about 4 years now.  As much as I joke about them and call them names I would probably be pretty saddened if one of them died.  They live together for 5 Tiger Bards and Bob my Plecostomus.  I haven't had the tiger barbs or bob for as long as the Danios.  They have moved with me 2 times and survived each trip. Pissing me off each time trying to catch them.  I have lost other pets in my past before, one of them being a toy puddle when I was a kid.  Some one ran over him in a Jeep I was a sad kid that day.

Giant Danio

Tiger Barb

Plecostomus(Bob)

[Cobra951]

I had freshwater fish once.  29-gal tank.  Angels, small tetras, a little catfish, a few others I can't remember specifically now.  I never thought of them as pets, but more of a hobby.  I got a couple of the angels to grow huge.  I was really into doing everything by the book, but I still lost one now and then.  I wanted discus, but they were expensive, and supposed to be delicate, needing even softer water.  Never got one.

[Dragonlor]

I understand that, most people wouldn't see fish as pets.  But I play with them in a since.  I'll have them chase my finger from one side of my 55gal tank to the other.  Or chase them with a lit match (Fish are afraid of fire.)

[Pugnate]

as all living creatures...

[idolminds]

And unliving creatures.

[Pugnate]

I did a search for 'undead fish', and this came up:

[Ghandi]

*boner*

[Raisa]

aww. my friend just lost her dog too.. She had him for 16 years also.

My pet bird died.

May they all rest in peace.

Animals are people too!