I think we will have to say good-bye to our cat today

[joneschick]

I've posted acouple of times re: Arawn's failing health. We've suspected for the 7 years that he's been with us, that he suffered some sort of neurological damage. Whether it was birth trauma or a later injury, when he came to us he had his issues. Cats generally don't miss the couch when they jump up or slide across the floor on dismount--or simply fall off the arm of the chair where he's resting. It never stopped stopped him from finding his choice of comfy rest. We added a hassock at the end of our bed so he could do a two stage approach and dismount. Well, today the vet concludes that it's not kidney or bladder/bowel failure, but rather more likely the continuum of whatever neurological damage that he's lived with. So, we'ree gathering our 3 girls from sleepovers and jobs and heading to the vets. So if you could hold some kind thoughts or send your famous lounge vibes, it would be deeply appreciated

[MissMillie]

1. I am so sorry for you... I 'm wondering now if this is be Millie's fate to

:hug:

I know Arawn will miss you very much.

[joneschick]

3. thanks, Miss Millie

how 'bout we send mutual vibes:hug:

[wildhorses]

2. I am truly sorry for your loss. such a beautiful creature.

:hug:

[joneschick]

4. and such a sweet one

this guy assumed if you came to his house you would sit down soon and make your lap available for his purring self.

[wildhorses]

5. well, of course...do humans exist for any other purpose?

aside from being a can opener....

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. I am so sorry...

:cry: Your Arawn could be a twin to our Merlin. My heart is breaking for you.

Here is Merlin:

I was stunned when I saw this picture...




Thank you for giving him a wonderful home. Again, I am so sorry. :(

[devilgrrl]

7. I am very sorry for your loss.

:cry::hug:

[joneschick]

8. thanks, devilgrrl

just got the last call from the vets. without catheter, Arawn can no longer eliminate bladder or bowel,the neurological damage has reached it's conclusion. We're headed there momentarily. thx

[Pool Hall Ace]

9. I am so sorry

Take the time to cry and be good to yourself during the grief process. :hug:

[Callalily]

10. My heart is

breaking for you, your family and Arawn. From one cat lover to another

[Dangerously Amused]

11. Oh god, my heart goes out to you!

:cry:



I am so sorry.

[rhino47]

12. I am so sorry for what you are going through.

Sincerely , Lindy aka da rhino

[grannylib]

13. I am so sorry to hear that...losing a loved animal companion is so hard.

My thoughts are with you and your family...
I hope it is as peaceful and painless as possible for Arawn...:hug: :cry: :hug:

[NewWaveChick1981]

14. I'm so sorry.

:hug: I know what that is like. You have my sympathy. :hug:

[City Lights]

15. He's a beauty. So sorry to hear your news.

From our home to yours, :grouphug: :cry:

[joneschick]

16. he went away purring.

we'll bury him in the yard at the corner of the house he would make a break for whenever he could slip out the door---just for a mouthful of grass.

Our other cat is so confused. How 'bout some hugs for Ritz (and his girls) :hug:



thanks for all you kindnesses this morning.

[Dangerously Amused]

18. Big hugs for Ritz and his girls.

And a candle for Arawn:





:cry:

[joneschick]

19. thanks, I'll make sure they all get your greetings

we buried him wrapped in one of his favorite sweaters of my husbands. When Jon had to be out of town he would leave his sweater on the bed for Arawn. Arawn was a lover all around but Jon was responsible.....we went to the Humane Society with the girls understanding that they had to agree on one kitten. Which they were eventually able to do. That would be Ritz. Then Jon decided that someone should at least hold one of the adult strays. Yeah, that cat never went back in the cage. :hug:

[sarge43]

17. Condolences joneschick

It's always hard to lose a friend. :hug:

[xchrom]

20. for arawn

Poem For Cats

And God asked the feline spirit
Are you ready to come home?
Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul
And, as a cat, you know I am most able
To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.
Soon, replied the whiskered angel
But I must come slowly
For my human friends are troubled
For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don't they understand? asked God
That you'll never leave them?
That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?
That nothing is created or destroyed?
It just is....forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,
Replied the glorious cat
For I will whisper into their hearts
That I am always with them
I just am....forever and ever and ever.

Author Unknown

[joneschick]

24. oh, xchrom, thank you so much!

we have so many tears to go. thank you for your poem gift. :hug:

[NNadir]

21. Good luck and good vibes. A beautiful cat.

[kiraboo]

22. Goodbye Arawn.

You looked very much like my cat Maxi(mouse) although you sound like a sweeter fellow.

I'm sorry joneschick.

[joneschick]

25. the sweetest. he went away purring.

[GoneOffShore]

23. Goodbye Arawn

What a beautiful guy.

We lost our ginger cat, Mip, to cardiomyopathy 5 years ago at 12 and we still miss her.

We wrote down all the things she did, all her little ways, and it helped a lot.

Here's something else for you.

Cat - by Jan Struther

I am exceedingly rich: I have several toys.
Some of them are silent,
Some make a noise.

Item, a scrap of string;
A wooden spool;
Item, the loosened braid
At the edge of a stool;

Item, a rustling leaf
Which fell to the floor;
Item, a safety pin
Which one of Them wore.

Item, a pellet of paper,
Brisk as a mouse —
All of the unwanted clutter
Of a casual house.

And if these should be thrown away
And all else fail,
I have attached to me,
My own proud tail;

Tail, Me and yet not Me,
Tail beyond price,
Tail worth a dozen spools
Or a hundred mice;

Tail unpredictable,
Now gay, now serious;
Tail all familiar
Yet all mysterious.

I lead a pleasant life;
Toil not, nor spin.
In, I want swiftly out:
Out, I want in.

They are my willing slaves;
I have Them by the fur.
When He's off duty, I
Just call for Her.

And yet, I sometimes feel
A vague unease.
It is dangerous to dwell
With such as These.

It seems They too possess,
If toys should fail,
Some Thing as much Their own
As this, my tail.

But thing not safely joined
To rippling spine —
A treasure less secure
Than this of mine;

Thing which may one day steal
From me, perhaps,
Their smoothly-stroking hands,
Their useful laps.

They talk and talk; and I,
Crouching and watching,
Think, with a dim disquiet,
"Souls may be catching."

And yet, what choice have I?
A tamed, wild thing,
I live by their bowls of milk,
Their scraps of string.

So if this strange disease
Should take its toll,
And I should die, sick
Of an wanted soul,

This is my testament;
To my successors
(Since They, being once possessed,
Must stay possessors,)

I leave a scrap of string;
A wooden spool;
I leave a loosened braid
At the edge of a stool;

I leave a rustling leaf
Which fell to the floor;
I leave a safety pin
Which one of Them wore;

I leave a pellet of paper,
Brisk as a mouse—
All the unwanted clutter
Of a casual house.

[joneschick]

26. I don't know you at all GoneOffShore,

thank you for your poem gift. Arawn was a fairly sedate fellow, but yeah, he ran a casual house. Thank you so much. Damn, I think I have to bookmark my own thread! :hug:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. RIP, Arawn.

[joneschick]

30. thanks, it's been a tough day

[u4ic]

28. I am so sorry, joneschick

:hug:

[joneschick]

31. thanks for the hug

I'll share it around a very sad household.

[Kajsa]

29. I'm so sorry.

Arawn is a beautiful cat.

I know how hard this is, I've gone through it
a few times with the many cats I've had over fifty years.

Just know that he loves you and knows that
you love him.

I'm sending a big hug your way at this very difficult time.
And a big hug to your family, including Ritz and the girls.

:hug:

[joneschick]

32. thanks for the tea and sympathy.

did you see the poems from xchrom and GoneOffShore? wow. the DU support team has been wonderful. Thanks for the hugs.

[Kajsa]

33. Yes, I did, Joneschick.

They are beautiful and they
made me cry.

[onecent]

34. What a beautiful animal!! I LOVE cats, kittens, and I have an 11 yr old

persian (snooty) and a new little kitty that was going to have to make it on a farm (in this heat).

We just lost a 11 yr old husky, and this kitty coming along has been
THE BEST THING FOR MY HUSBAND AND I....she is a joy.

Loves Water - faucets, bathtubs, toilets,
Have to watch her
Loves tomatoes, pineapple, ham, hamburger, wine, ice and definately water.

We put our Husky/Malamute down several months ago. It's a very difficult time.

Hugs to you

[joneschick]

35. thanks, onecent

this is the first time in my life I had to make the descision. Very difficult even with family support.
--we really don't know how old Arawn was. He was a stray adult when he joined us 7 years ago. He was missing a few teeth then but the vet couldn't say whether that was age or care. Apparently cats can lose teeth fairly early with poorer quality food. He was so happy with us and we with him. :hug:

[Jamastiene]

36. I'm so sorry for your loss.

If it helps, there are some Native Americans who belief that our pets' souls come back to us over and over again in our lives only in different forms. We now have a cat named Domino who couldn't possibly be more like our Jebbie, a black poodle who died years ago. I think there may be some truth to that saying. Just remember that if you open your heart to another pet again, you will feel lots of unconditional love from that animal before the pain of losing them comes again.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss today. :hug:

I hope this helps. I know how it feels to have to do the right thing by them. It's your sacrifice for them. That's true love. It's the closest thing to unconditional love we humans seem to be able to give.

R.I.P. Arawn, you beautiful boy.

[joneschick]

37. before we let him go, my 3 girls each invited him back.

they promised to welcome him in whatever form he presented himself. He was such a sweet guy, they told him that he could haunt the house if he liked.......