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NBR-only read if you have ever truly bonded with a non human animal

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Started 6 months ago by PDaddymom
Latest reply from lifeisamazing

pennygirl

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This makes me both sad and happy. The original Hellhounds (Winston and Daisy) are gone but we have a new pack now. The pain I felt when I lost them was immense and long but at some point I was able to enjoy the memories without crying. At the end of the day they are always with us in some shape or form.

Posted 5 months ago #
oldguybc

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Having a pet is a wonderful and happy experience. The loss of a pet can be much more tragic than people realize.
The older you get the more you realize this, and the more you foresee your pet outliving you, and the more you consider the pet's tragedy as being greater thin yours.
All of life's happiness and tragedy must be experienced, or rather, will be experienced.

Posted 5 months ago #
teigyr

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Thank you, PG.

Plant, is there anything Zach really loves? We had an agreement, the cat and I. She wouldn't fall for the smushed pill pocket routine (I do that with our senile piggy cat) but she did love treats. Treats were restricted due to her diet but if she took her pill and actually swallowed nicely, she got a treat. It was partially a reward and partially to ensure she actually swallowed. It got so she looked forward to taking her medication and would come to me if I took out the pill bottle. One thing our vet recommended was encasing a pill in cheese. It didn't work for us but it's an idea. Another thing that works, sometimes, is encasing it in butter. I think you encase it and then refrigerate the encased pills.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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Well, the fluids went better than expected. Actually, I think we did it better than the vet tech! We hung it as high as we could and I held him while my husband did the injection. He did fine until the end, when I think all the fluid was getting to him, but even then he just squirmed and complained. He is a good boy - not a biter or scratcher at all. So...I think we can do this. Thanks everyone for the advice on this. It gave me a bit more confidence that we could do it too.

I just need to get him to eat. He shows interest in food - we have put just about everything you can imagine in front of him - but he isn't eating much. He is taking lots of meds and I hate to add any more, but I think I will ask about the appetite stimulant. We had that for our princess cat once and it worked great.

Until I can get him to eat something, I don't think encasing the pills in food will work. He only has to take two, twice a day. We were able to get the rest in liquid forms so we just squirt it in. This morning he flipped the tiny pill he takes out of his mouth and shook his head and it went into his ear! I could just imagine it getting stuck there, but I turned his head and shook him a bit and it fell out.

Overall, I am more encouraged than I expected to be. Aside from not eating and being relatively still and quiet for him (but he is anemic from the kidney problems too, and I know how tired anemia can make you)he is enjoying petting, his scratching post, going out on the deck, and the usual Zach things.

Teigyr, I am thinking of you and hoping that every day is a little easier. It does help to have other pets in the house, but the unique qualities of each one makes them so special to us.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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The last week has been pretty awful. It appears that Zach does not have chronic kidney disorder, but a tumor on his kidney. His decline has been very fast and it is not likely he will last more than a couple of days, if that. There is nothing to be done but make him as comfortable as possible. Despite his advanced disease, however, he continues to purr, want to be with us, want to go out onto the deck, look out the window at birds and blowing leaves, etc. It has made the decision to let him go harder - he is not retreating away from us or in obvious pain, but he is clearly uncomfortable and not eating enough to sustain himself.

We have agonized over whether we were trying to help him live his final days with love and dignity or just seeing what we wanted to see. And that brings me to the reason for this message. We have found an amazing hospice vet, based right here in Ballard. http://apeacefulparting.com/ We called, thinking we would have her come and do a home-based euthanasia. She came over, agreed with us that he was not quite ready yet, set him up with a new medicine regimen, and is providing us with a sounding board for his progression. When the time comes, she will come over and he will go peacefully, in the home he has lived in his whole life, without fear or stress. In short, she is awesome.

I wanted to let people know in case there are other like Teigyr and I out there dealing with this. I don't think she is that much more expensive that our regular vet, but the ability to be able to treat his final days peacefully in familiar space, and for us to have someone to help us see things objectively, is worth pure gold. Unfortunately for those of you with dogs, she only treats cats. But she might know of a dog hospice specialist.

Posted 5 months ago #
PDaddymom

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Oh plant - my heart breaks for you. You are giving your boy an amazing gift by handling this the way you are. Just love the heck out of him until the time comes. My thoughts and prayers are with you. {{{{big hugs}}}}

Posted 5 months ago #
teigyr

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PlantLover, I am so sorry. I know that decision and it's agonizing. Thank you for the link and thank you for doing right by Zach and you ARE doing right by him. That's an amazing link, thank you for researching and posting. I'll be thinking of you -- and please let us know if you need anything.

Posted 5 months ago #
crownhiller

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Ah plant - I'm sorry to hear about your cat - but what a lucky guy he is to have you as his human. I too appreciate the link - I was at the vet with my howling terribly unhappy kitty yesterday, and heard someone making an appt. for euthansia - I couldn't help thinking that they weren't the people I'd want handling my cats for such a stressful time. (really gotta change vets!) Good to know there are such caring alternatives.

Posted 5 months ago #
onederfullone

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"I wanted to let people know in case there are other like Teigyr and I out there dealing with this."

post-save-archive

ty

Posted 5 months ago #
lifeisamazing

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I am so very sorry. This thread makes me cry.

Plant, your sweetheart is so very lucky to have a family such as yours. And how lovely that you take the time to let the rest of us know of a way to take care of our loved ones at home. There is nothing to say except my heart is with you at this very hard time.

For anyone else who made need the information
http://www.kraftmobilevet.com/
Does take care of dogs,cats and birds/exotics in your home.

Teiger I am so sorry for your loss. As has been said, yes it makes it a bit easier to have other pet family members about but it doesn't take away the loss of that one.
My thoughts are with you and your family.

As I look over at all of my little boxes of ashes and look at the various pet family members I have now I am honored to have and to have had these wonderful little creatures as my companions.

My heart is with you guys.

Posted 5 months ago #
gordy

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LIA, you put that beautifully and I totally agree.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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Thanks so much, everyone. I feel a little foolish sometimes that I am so distressed over a pet, but it helps to know I am not alone in loving them as a family member. Zach is the smartest cat I have ever known, and a sweetheart, and watching this happen to him makes me feel like I am failing him.

I do feel very lucky that our vet recommended Mary to us. Her evaluating Zach in his home environment really helped us sort out what our vet was saying based on test numbers and a scary cat at the vet and what we were seeing at home. She was compassionate but also very matter of fact. And knowing that we can do this at home, with a minimum of distress to him brings me some peace.

Thanks for the link, LIA. It is good to know the other critters have this option too.

Posted 5 months ago #
lifeisamazing

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Plant, I hear what you are saying when you say "I feel like I am failing him" I know what that is like when making these decisions for both pet and human family members, and I know this won't make a difference, but I have to say - know that you aren't. You are doing everything you know to do. So you are doing everything. I guess this is getting all zen on you but this is his little path, you are just helping him through it.

When you are the one experiencing this you expect yourself to have some kind of magical all healing powers that, if you could just do the right thing, you could tap into the "answer" and fix it all. When you watch someone else go through it you see the fallacy in that so when those thoughts come up, reassure yourself as you would someone else in your position.

Just love him. Sadly and wonderfully that is all there is and that you are doing better than anyone could. Take care and keep writing to us if it's helpful.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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Well, it turns out love was not enough. Zach's illness was just too much and nothing we could do could help him. But at least he went before the pain was too much and he was able to go peacefully at home, after a very loving petting session that he enjoyed very much. He died knowing he was very much loved.

If/when any of you have to go through this with a cat, I can highly recommend A Peaceful Parting. I don't know if we would have made it as far as we did with him if she was not there for all of us. She was willing to exchange texts with us in the evening when we did not know what to do next and she was very supportive yesterday when we finally made the decision that the end was inevitable and near and we needed to intervene on his behalf.

Posted 5 months ago #
PDaddymom

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Plant - sweet Zach is now at peace and out of pain. Like you said, he knew he was loved and safe, and was in a good place when he crossed over. Thank you for loving him and making his life rich and rewarding right to the end. My thoughts and prayers are with you xoxoxoxoxo

Posted 5 months ago #
teigyr

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Plant, thank you for doing right by Zach. He was a lucky boy to have you. How are you doing?

Posted 5 months ago #
gracie

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Oh Plant, I am so sorry. You were good parents to this little one. Your cat died knowing how well he was loved. My cat before Pickles got sick. I held him twenty four hours a day on a Sunday feeling he was not going to make it. Going to bring him in Monday morning & that morning he died in my arms in my bed.
You'll see your buddy again some day.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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Not well, Teigyr, not well.

But back to the original reason for this thread - I absolutely think Fiona Apple did the right thing. We had a very strong bond with Zach and spending extra time away from work to be with him was the right thing to do. I am glad we made that choice and I think she will be too. I have always been a big fan of hers, and now even moreso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ6YYwtBx_Y

Posted 5 months ago #
lifeisamazing

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Oh Plant, I'm so sorry. He was such a lucky boy. How lovely to have that time together before saying goodbye.
My thoughts are with you.

Posted 5 months ago #
crownhiller

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Plant - I guess we were all pulling for Zach around here - you have been a stellar kitty keeper beyond measure. Glad he had someone like you in his life.

Posted 5 months ago #
gordy

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You did absolutely your best and it is wonderful that Zach's final moments were spent peacefully with you. When our dogs passed, there was(and still is) tremendous grief, but they are no longer in pain. There is a feeling around here as if they are still present, watching over all of us. My sympathies on Zach's passing.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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I am glad so many people were pulling for him. We still ache over this and the tears spring up without notice. Zach was very special to us - a super smart, super strong-willed guy whose middle name was "Love" (really). Our two remaining cats have their own unique and wonderful personalities, but Zach has left a hole in our family that they notice too. (Though interestingly, his brother has moved immediately into the role of trying to snag their sister's food, something he never did when Zach the Mooch was around)

Everyone, just love your pets every day. If you told me a month ago that Zach would be gone today, I would have thought you were crazy. He was a strong, seemingly healthy 10 year old cat. You just never know.

Posted 5 months ago #
lifeisamazing

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Oh, plant. Nothing I can say can make it better but I'm sending good thoughts your way. Take care.

And, thank you, I will take your very good advice right now. I am surrounded by 3 of my furry and feathered kids and well aware of the little boxes upstairs. Snuggles, scritches and scrubbles all around.

Posted 5 months ago #
PlantLover

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I am resurrecting this very sad thread because I want to report that our angel, Mary Pittari from A Peaceful Parting, passed away from cancer this past weekend. Mary got us through a very tough time, while she herself was going through a very tough time. I don't believe in a heaven, but I would like to think she is somewhere surrounded by all the cats she showed so much compassion to and helped to peacefully part with their people.

Since she was a Ballardite, my condolences to any of her friends and family that might be on the forum.

Posted 1 month ago #
PDaddymom

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Oh so sorry to hear this Plant. Thank you for sharing. Mary must have had quite the welcome celebration at the rainbow bridge :-)

Posted 1 month ago #
lifeisamazing

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How sad for us on this side to have lost one such as her. How joyful to them where ever one goes from here.

Posted 1 month ago #

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NBR-only read if you have ever truly bonded with a non human animal

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