It's been a sad few days . . .

. . . with so many members, new and existing, losing their beloved kitty friends.

It's always so sad to read of these passings.

I do hope that if ever anything happens to my babies, there will be help, support and understanding here for me, because I know I would be completely beside myself.

Nice place we've got here with nice people too.

That there is no end to the compassion, the understanding and the support that the board members here offer others at their time of need. I have seen it time and time again, and have had to draw on it myself on occassion. For me, this is how I feel right now...

It is so hard to let go of them when you love them so. You risk so much of your heart when you start with a feral colony and begin to supply them with food first and love later. That first small victory of them trusting you, be it a head bump, a look, a short pass across your hand, fills you with such wonder and gratitude. You take every day as it comes, knowing that you both are working against chance taking a gamble. Wondering if the next move you make will be well received by this distrustful cat, or put you back into square one of training. Wondering if the charge in front of you was able to nurse mom adequately without fail, had gotten enough antibodies worrying about every sneeze, measuring food doling out love.

Then one day, you have one of your cherished ones that is sick and not doing well. Vet visits are beyond stressful for both of you. You do everything in your power to help them, you sing to them, cuddle them if they will accept it and you love them. Sometimes they pull through, and sometimes you lose them. You come here and share your journey and your pain and others reach out in understanding and compassion and you somehow find the strength to get through another hour and face what lies ahead.

But the process, the lessons, the love, the wisdom they give you is unlike any teacher's lessonbook. They teach you about pride, about patience, about adjustments. They make you laugh, sometimes they make you grind your teeth and they show you a love that few are privy to.

The gamble with working with ferals is that sometimes, they are just living on borrowed time. But while they are here, they have much to teach everyone around them.

I hope you never get to the place Yola where you need the support this board can offer. But I do know, when the time comes, the support will be there for you.

My heart goes to all of you who have lost a loved one recently. It isn't easy to deal with. Colby said it best to me on the phone on Sunday, in their passing, we make their pain ours. They are better off, in a better place and it is up to us to understand and accept that. Thanks for reminding me of that Colby. In my sorrow, I had forgotten.

Thank you for sharing Hissy - that was very elequant and beautiful.

Yola - I, also, have not had to part with one of my furbabies. I can't even imagine how I will react, but I know that every one will be behind me.

Hissy...that was a beautiful post!!

Yola, (and others) if ever the time comes you lose a beloved pet, and hopefully that will not happen for a very very long time, many years from now, but when and if it does, we will all be here for support.
I am always so fearful of something happening to my Merlin, because I know I would just fall apart, I love him so much...but I also have the comfort of knowing that my pain would be eased here, and much support would be going my way, which would help alot.

The members/mods/Anne are so great!!! And have such big hearts.

I'm pretty new to this site, but it has already given me so much. I find myself impatiently waiting for news - whether it's someone's new cat, a sick cat, or a behavior problem. It's an incredible network. It's helped me through my first experiences with cats, and I'm sure I'll need it for support through more serious problems. The people who participate here are all wonderful, seemingly incredibly caring people. Many seem like superpeople - how do you all do it?

Yola - I can't imagine that having this forum available won't help ease the inevitable pain. So many big hearts here, giving so much to so many.

I cannot say anything better than is what already here,so I will just say that I love coming here. The support and encouragement is the best any place around!

Losing your beloved pet , is one of the hardest things that can happen to you !! i experienced it a few weeks ago with my dearest Sydney !!

If you like , you can visit his tribute memorial at Heaven's Garden !
http://www.geocities.com/heavens_gar...als/index.html (garden nr5 !)