Discussion
Received the phonecall we were dreading yesterday 
Lady from the Council's dog kennels letting us know that Brian had been found, unfortunately too late.
Brian was one of 2 brother cats who moved in 18 months ago and brightened out lives up more than I could ever have imagined. Although there were only 2 of them it was like a herd sometimes as they chased each other around the house. Most of the time they were inseparable.
Working from home had become a lot less lonely. I'd come to accept that my keyboard was clearly the most comfy place for a cat to sit and could forgive the 2 or 3 times they'd found the right combination of keys to reboot my PC or boot me off the VPN
They both had very different personalities and Brian's was more puppy than cat. In his short life he'd grown to weigh nearly 9 kilos, although not a porker. He'd always come when called, bounding over like a puppy then flopping against whoever had called to have his tummy tickled
A call of 'kitten-time' and they'd appear from wherever they were in the house to meet at the front door and go out to play in the garden, a great way to mark that the working day was officially over. When the wifebeast arrived home she'd normally be met at the car by Brian
They were housecats, only going outside when we did, although that usually meant several hours a day, and not straying more than about 10 houses away. Both would normally return when called, bribing with food helped. Neither of them has ever stayed out overnight.
It all went wrong a couple of weeks ago on Saturday night. We decided to sit in the front garden with a beer and as usual the herd came out with us. Brian disappeared down the road to meet a couple of chums, nothing out of the ordinary. An hour or so later when we called him there was no response. We live in a small estate with one road in so we walked around several times calling him and looking in bushes, bin-stores, under cars etc. His chums were about but no sign of Brian.
We went to bed convinced that he'd get us up 5 minutes later to be let in or at least be there in the morning. Since then I've been going out every day at dawn and both of us have gone out each evening to look for him. We started with the estate and expanded the radius. Did leaflets and posters and spoke to people, advert in the local paper, all the usual stuff. Most journeys in or out in the car had an extra half hour tacked on to search local streets.
He turned up on Thursday night, about a mile away. Frustratingly it was just outside the area we'd limited ourselves to searching, the other side of a main road that was our boundary. We'd driven past the end of the road that evening. He'd survived for 12 days only to be hit by a car (living in a cul de sac he'd had little experience of traffic). I'm told that he looks fine and it's not possible to tell that he was in an RTA. Have to go and collect him today, that'll be fun
I've had a few pets in the past but have never felt as low over one as we do right now over Brian. I've probably regarded people who get very attached to animals as a bit loopy, I've now joined them
It's frustrating that we'll never know what spooked him that night. There are so many 'if-onlys' going through our heads.
Loc8tor is on order for his brother, Stewie
Really don't want to go through this again.
It's likely that we'll want to get a companion for Stewie. His character has changed at the moment and he seems to be lonely, we're definitely of the opinion that 2 cats is better than one (for them and us). Can anyone advise on the best way to introduce a new cat into the house without stressing the existing one and what we should be looking for (male/female/age/2 more kittens/etc.)?
RIP puppy cat
Lady from the Council's dog kennels letting us know that Brian had been found, unfortunately too late.
Brian was one of 2 brother cats who moved in 18 months ago and brightened out lives up more than I could ever have imagined. Although there were only 2 of them it was like a herd sometimes as they chased each other around the house. Most of the time they were inseparable.
Working from home had become a lot less lonely. I'd come to accept that my keyboard was clearly the most comfy place for a cat to sit and could forgive the 2 or 3 times they'd found the right combination of keys to reboot my PC or boot me off the VPN
They both had very different personalities and Brian's was more puppy than cat. In his short life he'd grown to weigh nearly 9 kilos, although not a porker. He'd always come when called, bounding over like a puppy then flopping against whoever had called to have his tummy tickled
A call of 'kitten-time' and they'd appear from wherever they were in the house to meet at the front door and go out to play in the garden, a great way to mark that the working day was officially over. When the wifebeast arrived home she'd normally be met at the car by Brian
They were housecats, only going outside when we did, although that usually meant several hours a day, and not straying more than about 10 houses away. Both would normally return when called, bribing with food helped. Neither of them has ever stayed out overnight.
It all went wrong a couple of weeks ago on Saturday night. We decided to sit in the front garden with a beer and as usual the herd came out with us. Brian disappeared down the road to meet a couple of chums, nothing out of the ordinary. An hour or so later when we called him there was no response. We live in a small estate with one road in so we walked around several times calling him and looking in bushes, bin-stores, under cars etc. His chums were about but no sign of Brian.
We went to bed convinced that he'd get us up 5 minutes later to be let in or at least be there in the morning. Since then I've been going out every day at dawn and both of us have gone out each evening to look for him. We started with the estate and expanded the radius. Did leaflets and posters and spoke to people, advert in the local paper, all the usual stuff. Most journeys in or out in the car had an extra half hour tacked on to search local streets.
He turned up on Thursday night, about a mile away. Frustratingly it was just outside the area we'd limited ourselves to searching, the other side of a main road that was our boundary. We'd driven past the end of the road that evening. He'd survived for 12 days only to be hit by a car (living in a cul de sac he'd had little experience of traffic). I'm told that he looks fine and it's not possible to tell that he was in an RTA. Have to go and collect him today, that'll be fun
I've had a few pets in the past but have never felt as low over one as we do right now over Brian. I've probably regarded people who get very attached to animals as a bit loopy, I've now joined them
It's frustrating that we'll never know what spooked him that night. There are so many 'if-onlys' going through our heads.Loc8tor is on order for his brother, Stewie
Really don't want to go through this again.It's likely that we'll want to get a companion for Stewie. His character has changed at the moment and he seems to be lonely, we're definitely of the opinion that 2 cats is better than one (for them and us). Can anyone advise on the best way to introduce a new cat into the house without stressing the existing one and what we should be looking for (male/female/age/2 more kittens/etc.)?
RIP puppy cat
So sorry to hear of your loss, you never really know how much they weedle their way in to your heart til they go.
Take a small amount of solice in the fact you can bring him home, lay him to rest where ever you choose, and give him the best send off that he deserves.
It may be difficult but it may be worth letting Brians brother see him, it seems to settle them to know that he has died and not returning rather than them pacing for them to return.
Hope that makes some sort of sense, its a bit dusty here as we had the same call a month ago.
X
Take a small amount of solice in the fact you can bring him home, lay him to rest where ever you choose, and give him the best send off that he deserves.
It may be difficult but it may be worth letting Brians brother see him, it seems to settle them to know that he has died and not returning rather than them pacing for them to return.
Hope that makes some sort of sense, its a bit dusty here as we had the same call a month ago.
X
I agree with MrsX - when you've got him home for the last time put him in one of his favourite sleeping places and let his brother find him - I've lost a 5.5 month kitten and my 16.5 year little me old lady in the last couple of months - the old lady naturally and the kitten with FIP which was awful - and I did that with both and it seemed to help. I now have 6 left, including the old lady's sister, who is very lonely, and I'm panicing today cos she won't eat - but that's another story.
Either bury him where he was happy or have him cremated individually and keep the urn - our first furry family of 2 we buried but when we moved house it was heart breaking leaving them so subsequently I have 4 wooden caskets, which may seem morbid but somehow it's comforting, and I've arranged for 'my' cats to go with me when I go.
You're definitely right about quantity - the more the merrier! When the time is right is down to you - my first feline bereavement I was so desperate for another - not replacement but tribute. Already having a herd it's easier introducing a new one - it hasn't been a problem for us, just let the new one find its feet for 24 hours or so, and then supervise the meeting and play it by ear.
Either bury him where he was happy or have him cremated individually and keep the urn - our first furry family of 2 we buried but when we moved house it was heart breaking leaving them so subsequently I have 4 wooden caskets, which may seem morbid but somehow it's comforting, and I've arranged for 'my' cats to go with me when I go.
You're definitely right about quantity - the more the merrier! When the time is right is down to you - my first feline bereavement I was so desperate for another - not replacement but tribute. Already having a herd it's easier introducing a new one - it hasn't been a problem for us, just let the new one find its feet for 24 hours or so, and then supervise the meeting and play it by ear.
So sorry, it is heartbreaking At least you know, small comfort though that is
Bast changed when we 'lost' Chilli, so we got Pepi about 3 weeks later.
We did the whole, careful introduction thing, keepig the kitten (cat) in another room & gradually introducing them over a period of weeks.
I have to say, I don't actually think that this is any easier than just letting them both have full run of the house (which is what I had done before without knowing any better! (no internet in those days!)). In fact, it hurt to close the door on the kitten and hear it crying for company when we left it..
Bast reacts the same now when Pepi comes home from a trip the Vet on his own, as she did when he came home initially, and gets over it in a couple of days.
You are not replacing your cat, just filling the hole they have left in your life (as I've said elsewhere to others in similar situation )
At least you know, small comfort though that is Bast changed when we 'lost' Chilli, so we got Pepi about 3 weeks later.
We did the whole, careful introduction thing, keepig the kitten (cat) in another room & gradually introducing them over a period of weeks.
I have to say, I don't actually think that this is any easier than just letting them both have full run of the house (which is what I had done before without knowing any better! (no internet in those days!)). In fact, it hurt to close the door on the kitten and hear it crying for company when we left it..
Bast reacts the same now when Pepi comes home from a trip the Vet on his own, as she did when he came home initially, and gets over it in a couple of days.
You are not replacing your cat, just filling the hole they have left in your life (as I've said elsewhere to others in similar situation
)
baptistsan said:
Sorry for your loss. He's a handsome fella.
He was definitely handsome, and we used to tell him regularly Thanks everyone for the kind words.
We collected him on Saturday and brought him home. He was curled up like he had just gone to sleep. The 2 weeks away didn't look to have harmed him (apart from the obvious), he looked like he'd been feeding OK.
We dug a hole in the back garden near the patio and put him on a blanket near the edge. We opened the patio doors and let Stewie come out. He completely froze when he saw Brian. He stretched out towards him sniffing and stretching out his paw but wouldn't quite touch. He was hyper-sensitive to any noises and ran back into the house several times then turned around and crept back. We decided enough was enough and buried Brian. At least he knows it's final now.
Went around the area on Sunday retrieving posters, not very pleasant. A few had been defaced or ripped down, some people can be such arses
Stewie seems a bit more needy at the moment, always wanting to be near one of us. He seems OK with the new Loc8tor on his collar, looks like a good bit of kit, just wish I'd known about them before . . . always wanted a remote-controlled cat
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