The death of a family pet...
Discussion
So I head home tonight, I don't spend an awful lot of time with the parents, I definitely should spend more.
I walk in and my Dad is standing in the entrance to the utility room, which is pretty much accepted as the cats bedroom. Mum is crouching down, crying her eyes out and stroking Barney, our faithful family pet.
He's 24 years old. We got him the day after my middle brother was born, from a rescue centre, an abandoned cat, recently born. I'm the oldest at 25, youngest bro is 18.
I have grown up with Barney, remember going away on family holidays as a teenager leaving him in the capable hands of family members who would feed him daily but leave him to play in our garden, large enough, happy catching birds and other stuff. Lately, he's gotten old, when the parents have gone away he's been in catteries or with family members, been more of a house cat.
He used to run to us when we got back, iAlex had missed him and he had missed iAlex!
He now has feline leukemia, he's deaf and partially sighted. Vet has always told us that as long as he purrs then he is happy.
We've found a growth on his stomach, and the vet has told us that any further issues it is likely he will need to be put down. Hence the tears tonight.
He's purring but he's clearly in pain. Regular readers will recall me running him over a few months ago.
We dont know what will come of his visit to the vets tomorrow... but I give you the pictures, Barney the 24 year old faithful family pet...
Topic may be a none starter but I feel better for sharing.
I walk in and my Dad is standing in the entrance to the utility room, which is pretty much accepted as the cats bedroom. Mum is crouching down, crying her eyes out and stroking Barney, our faithful family pet.
He's 24 years old. We got him the day after my middle brother was born, from a rescue centre, an abandoned cat, recently born. I'm the oldest at 25, youngest bro is 18.
I have grown up with Barney, remember going away on family holidays as a teenager leaving him in the capable hands of family members who would feed him daily but leave him to play in our garden, large enough, happy catching birds and other stuff. Lately, he's gotten old, when the parents have gone away he's been in catteries or with family members, been more of a house cat.
He used to run to us when we got back, iAlex had missed him and he had missed iAlex!
He now has feline leukemia, he's deaf and partially sighted. Vet has always told us that as long as he purrs then he is happy.
We've found a growth on his stomach, and the vet has told us that any further issues it is likely he will need to be put down. Hence the tears tonight.
He's purring but he's clearly in pain. Regular readers will recall me running him over a few months ago.
We dont know what will come of his visit to the vets tomorrow... but I give you the pictures, Barney the 24 year old faithful family pet...
Topic may be a none starter but I feel better for sharing.
iAlex said:
So I head home tonight, I don't spend an awful lot of time with the parents, I definitely should spend more.
Whilst I truly love cats and dogs this sounds like it needs to resonate a bit more for you. You seem to know it too! 
With hindsight I guess I speak from experience.You have my sympathy. Just bear in mind that if it's time for Barney to leave the buidling, it'd be a kindness...he certainly done his stint.
I used this approach to say goodbye to my beloved retriever/Newfoundland cross, Spot. He didn't deserve the pain of cancer and had to go, at 7 years of age. It's desperately sad but sometimes you have to repay your pet's devotion. Good luck.
I used this approach to say goodbye to my beloved retriever/Newfoundland cross, Spot. He didn't deserve the pain of cancer and had to go, at 7 years of age. It's desperately sad but sometimes you have to repay your pet's devotion. Good luck.
I know the feeling, my childhood cat lived to the ripe old age of 22 before she couldn't go on any more.
If you are a 'pet' person you understand the companionship an animal provides, and they become a family member to some degree.
Twenty four is a really old age for a cat, and like anything, nothing is permanent - you have to learn to accept that, eventually, everything comes to an end.
I have a slightly jaded view, having lost all my grandparents and my father by the time I was twelve.
You learn that life goes on – ‘expiring’ is an inevitable process, and is ‘natural’ (my grandparents all reached a ‘good old age’, but my father was taken early by cancer).
My sister died very suddenly (3 days after the birth of her first child at 30 years old) which was a curve ball for me. I could not have survived emotionally without the experiences that I had as a child - perhaps everything has a reason.
Barney is approaching the end of his ‘journey’, and you just have to accept that sometime soon he won’t be around – remember the good times – I am sure there are plenty of them.
If you are a 'pet' person you understand the companionship an animal provides, and they become a family member to some degree.
Twenty four is a really old age for a cat, and like anything, nothing is permanent - you have to learn to accept that, eventually, everything comes to an end.
I have a slightly jaded view, having lost all my grandparents and my father by the time I was twelve.
You learn that life goes on – ‘expiring’ is an inevitable process, and is ‘natural’ (my grandparents all reached a ‘good old age’, but my father was taken early by cancer).
My sister died very suddenly (3 days after the birth of her first child at 30 years old) which was a curve ball for me. I could not have survived emotionally without the experiences that I had as a child - perhaps everything has a reason.
Barney is approaching the end of his ‘journey’, and you just have to accept that sometime soon he won’t be around – remember the good times – I am sure there are plenty of them.
It's so easy to become attached to our pets, I couldn't imagine not having a little furry companion in my life..
24 is an amazing age for a cat, and I hope you can appreciate and find comfort in the wonderful life and home he's had with you and your family.. It does sound like it would be unfair to put him through too much pain at this point in his life.
24 is an amazing age for a cat, and I hope you can appreciate and find comfort in the wonderful life and home he's had with you and your family.. It does sound like it would be unfair to put him through too much pain at this point in his life.
You gave him a happy 24 years - almost double the time. RIP Barney.
I shall walk in the sun alone
Whose golden light you loved:
I shall sleep alone
And, stirring, touch an empty place:
I shall write uninterrupted
(Would that your gentle paw
Could stay my moving pen just once again!).
I shall see beauty
But none to match your living grace:
I shall hear music
But not so sweet as the droning song
With which you loved me.
I shall fill my days
But I shall not, cannot forget:
Sleep soft , dear friend,
For while I live you shall not die.
(To A Siamese Cat by Michael Joseph)
I shall walk in the sun alone
Whose golden light you loved:
I shall sleep alone
And, stirring, touch an empty place:
I shall write uninterrupted
(Would that your gentle paw
Could stay my moving pen just once again!).
I shall see beauty
But none to match your living grace:
I shall hear music
But not so sweet as the droning song
With which you loved me.
I shall fill my days
But I shall not, cannot forget:
Sleep soft , dear friend,
For while I live you shall not die.
(To A Siamese Cat by Michael Joseph)
Not many cats live to see 24, even when they don't have an accident of any kind.24 should put her in the "over 90" bracket for humans. Always sad to see a pet go, but at 24, she's had a good and long life. I hope you can get it over your heart to put her down before she starts suffering too much.
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