RIP Oppy's cat :(

An unusual one, this, for me. Usually I post something from my far-off travels, investigations into nutters, or occasional interviews with Blizzard underlings. This time I have one for the cat lovers, of which I know there are a few here. I had to say "goodbye" to my long-time cat companion, Jacob, the other day. Man, it was one of the hardest things I had to do -- kill my own cat! Uch, it doesn't get any easier with age.



http://ryanscribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/rip-jacob-our-faithful-friend.html

Mate, I don't lie when I say that brought a tear to my eye. I feel your pain buddy, RIP Jacob.

Ta mate. I'm still gutted and guilty, thinking "what if..." I could afford x, y drugs to keep him alive a little longer, etc. I think it was the right thing to do, but it was hard. I'm just sorry for him, too, that his cards were "marked" in terms of his health: I guess he just was unlucky. Maybe something about being a rescue cat screwed up his immune system early on, although I did later find out that neutered males are much more prone to these urinary tract problems (and you shouldn't feed them dry cat food -- wish I had known that earlier), and then the food for the urinary problems can go on to cause the kidney problems.

It's also damn expensive keeping a cat alive. We were doubly-unlucky in that his insurance ran out a few months before the first big illness and I hadn't got a new one sorted. He then got ill, and after that nothing was covered. I literally shelled out thousands on that bugger Still loved him though.

Aww, poor moggy It is hard, but you have to remember that rescue cats are often likely to have suffered in their early life and those you get as kittens have been saved from having to go through all that so the time they have with the people who take them in is something wonderful to them.

They may poop in your shoe, puke on your duvet or pee all over your nice carpet but its all a sign of appreciatation really and we miss it all when they're gone

Chances are we'll have to go through the same thing soon as my oldest cat (now 19) is starting to look very unsteady on her feet and has the bane of old age, incontinence (mebbe you have some tips for us there Opalol? ).

Thanks JB (I feel weird using fake character names): I still feel maybe I could have kept him alive longer, etc, but I guess it wasn't to be. My mum's cat lived to 19; another I know is 22; seems unfair that Jacob didn't make it. But thanks for being nice

If I can help re. your oldest cat, most happy to do so.

I'm sorry to hear this, as cat lover and owner I could only imagine how hard that is.

My deepest condolences.

Damn... so sorry for the loss, mate. I can really relate on this one. My first cat ever had to be put down because he was old and many things, that were done on a daily basis and didn't hurt for healthy cats, was painful for him. I know that it feels like you could've done more to keep him with you still, but in the end it's, what I like to think, not something the cat wants. I mean, can't be that enjoyable to suffer life on the brink of death, having pills keep you alive, just because it's possible. It was the right thing to do, I'm undoubtedly certain of that.

Edit: Not comparable by the least, but me and my girlfriend just lost our pet winter white Russian dwarf hamster. :'[

(pic is not ours, but looks just like that)

To make matters worse, he was found with his head no longer attached... and it was the cat, which I hate more than any animal I know, that had done it.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. Again, sorry for your loss, it's tough. *brohug*

Thanks for the words, mates.

And sorry about the hamster: one (small) mercy from my point of view that I had with Jacob is that he couldn't be arsed to hunt! You could shove a spider/mouse/bird in front of him and he'd flick one lazy eye open (a-la Garfield!), or maybe throw a half-hearted paw, then give up and leave it alone again.

Most cats are the opposite, they'll kill for "fun". It's partly why I cared for him even more, he was too crap to be a good cat!!!

cheers,

N

Actually, this article on the BBC website describes all the above quite well:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8454288.stm

Aaw, I´m realy sorry to hear about your kitty. But I guess it is better than him having to be in pain... atleast that´s a bit of a bright side to it. And I´m sure he knew you all loved him, or atleast felt it, as much as cats can..

Aw sorry to hear that, seems like a fuzzy little cat!
Also, Tony, that hamster is to adorable to describe, it makes me wanna have my hamster, Mr Snuggles, back!

Yep, people do get silly about their animals, I agree ..! (me included)

Luckily for us, we have a great little son and another about to emerge any moment, so no luxury of long nights mourning ... kids don't let you!!

Well.. I could talk about attachment to animals... my fish is depressd lately, and it makes me realy sad to watch it just at the bottom of the tank all day