loosing one

i really sat and thought the other day, im 23 i have two cats that i know in my heart im going to outlive and it nearly tore me to pieces with everything else going on in my life it breaks my heart to know im going to loose one of my cats before me, and i remember how lucky i am to still have Flash after what she went through as a kitten and how thankful i have her now

it kills me now being away from them but i know i can still see then but when they are gone i cant and thats really upset me

im sorry for rambling

It's like thinking about anyone passing away. Don't think about it, and enjoy the time you have.

yeah i know, just everynow and then i have that thought more so at the minute i know its not healthy and im sick of myself being so matter of fact and realistic about everything

im going to go see them both tomorrow with a big bag of treats and have lots of hugs, the pair of them helped me so much with life and got me through my day that i cant get how i will manage without them i struggle enough now and the just live across town

It has been said that one of the most important things our pets can teach us is just how short life is, and that the world goes on for those we leave behind.

Better we learn it from them than from the people we are close to.

Life IS too short to worry so much sweetie. I understand how you feel however...and hope you can cheer up.

It's no better the other way round, I have a friend with terminal cancer who is getting worse each appointment shows more cancers. She is heartbroken she'll be dying before her cats.

Well look at it this way, unless they are in their late teens, the chances of something bad happening to them and to you or another human being aren't that much different.

I think about this ALL the time, I have some anxiety issues and I guess that's just part of it. And reading about other members' kitties passing, I really just can't bear it. What I said above is really what helps me stay sane, even though of course it doesn't always work, when I decide to obsess over something bad happening, it's very hard to get back to thinking logically.

It also scares me that throughout most of the day Jake is on my mind, if I am at school I wonder what he's doing, when I'm home I periodically check on him, go up to him to pet him, I talk to him all the time...I wonder what would happen to me if he is gone, what would happen to all of these thoughts, I'd probably want to sleep all the time to avoid thinking about how he's gone..It's really scary. But there is no point in thinking about it because really, there are a billion scenarios that are just as horrible to think about that could potentially happen.

Just try to enjoy every minute. Those of us who have lost our pets can tell you, don't ever take them for granted. Make the most of every day and enjoy them to the fullest. Give them hugs and kisses every chance you get and spoil them rotten.

i know life is to short to worry about it, i didnt used to worry when i spent all day with them but im starting to have major anxiety problems about it, im forever asking blaine what they are doing and i know what the answer is going to be each time - they are sleep or eating

i think im just in a bad place at the minute and im getting worked up over everything and cant stop myself so being away from the cats is just to difficult coz they alway cheer me up and i dont want to loose that

Sweetie, I know exactly how you feel. Four of our kitties turned seven last year, and it is just so odd to me to think that they're technically going to be "seniors" this year. I try not to think about it - but we did almost loose Tuxedo twice to his autoimmune disease. I will NEVER forget the first time the vet said "I'm out of bullets." Tuxie's hematocrit was 7 (his red blood cell count). It's supposed to be around 30 - 35. Between 25 - 30 is OK, but low-end of normal. Below 25 is anemic. At 18 he was listless. At 7 - he had "maybe" a couple of days to live. We had to cancel all our work appointments - Gary could not stop crying. I had to be strong for him.

...but every once in a while, especially when I'm blue to begin with, one of the kitties'll come over for a pet, and while I feel so warm and thankful inside, my heart is screaming "what am I going to do when something happens to you?"

It's got to be that much harder being separated from them now.

It is hard when you know their time is soon. We recently found out that our Much has a tumor near her lungs. We don't know what time we have left, but it is weeks depending on how quickly this thing grows.

We have been fortunate to have her with us almost 17 years.

i know what it feels like to lose a kitty ='[ someone took away my Sidney when i was just 16 by shooting him =[ it was horrible, and i had another cat called Sabrina who i left back with my parents, i don't see her that much and it's not nice either.. but i'm thankful for the three beautiful kittys i have living with me now, they are so close to me and i'll never let anything happen to them =]

I DO sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by the problems of the cats at the shelter. I have to be careful not to listen to ...I think channel 73 on the Sirius radio. It's sort of emotional new age, and it can really start me thinking morose thoughts.

I haven't had a pet for so long, it's been over 10 years since I've had to say goodbye to one. And he was my dog who ended up staying with my parents when I went to college so he became more of their dog. He was around 15 years old when they finally had to put him to sleep, he was blind, diabetic, and just not having a good quality of life. It was hard on me, but I wasn't as attached to him as I am to my little girl that I spend all my free time with these days.

Honestly, I worry more about something happening to me and Holland having nobody to take care of her. I'm single, and I don't really have any other cat lovers in my "real life". I'm afraid if something ever happened to me she'd end up back at the shelter, and that breaks my heart. At least I know with me, she will have the happiest, healthiest life that I am able to give her.

I echo the sentiments to treasure every moment you have with your little furbabies...

Its awful but try not to think like that, I think you have enough on at the minute and you are just feeling quite down. I get like that and its awful but you have to try and stop yourself from thinking these things.Big to you, 23 is a fab age for a cat, my mums cat is 23 and I can tell you she doesn't look as though she is planning on going anywhere quite yet. xx

I have 11 cats. Seven are seniors. Sometimes the significance of this overwhelms me. I love them all so much.

But I will say I hope they do not outlive me. My fear is something may happen to me (I am 57) and in good health. But they would be so traumatized if they needed to be rehomed. My DH would take excellent care of them though, so it is very unlikely that would happen. But they would miss my presence.

I think these feelings come and go. Just always be aware of how much they mean to you. So when their time comes, you can say, "I never took them for granted and loved them and showed kindness and mercy to the end of their lives." No regrets. Nothing lives forever.

So smile and be happy!

Like the above poster I am in my fifties with twelve cats. These are cats who cannot be re homed, the ones no one else wanted. They were all rescued from the streets and we live in a heart worm prevalent area, so I will probably lose most of them well before their time. It absolutely destroys me very time, but knowing that they had their time indoors being loved and well fed makes it worth it. It's much scarier to me to think that they might outlive me and once again become the cats no body wants.

Originally Posted by missymotus

It's no better the other way round, I have a friend with terminal cancer who is getting worse each appointment shows more cancers. She is heartbroken she'll be dying before her cats.

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Its true for me. I worry more about that. My sister who lived with me when I got all my cats and lives with me now promised she would take care of them. They are like her own anyway. i just worry about us both dying in an accident together since we travel alot together. I would like to think my mom would do right by them but i dont know for sure. Perhaps we need to talk about it...

We know how you are feeling aj. We all struggle from time to time. When you see how cats live in the moment you will learn how to do so yourself and enjoy the precious time you have with them even more so.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I DO sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by the problems of the cats at the shelter. I have to be careful not to listen to ...I think channel 73 on the Sirius radio. It's sort of emotional new age, and it can really start me thinking morose thoughts.

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I hear you, I have similar issues.

I am a big 57 old guy, work in the petroleum industry (traditionally a macho environment), I shoot clay targets and ride motorcycles but have a very soft spot for things like that, it has become more pronounced as I get older.

Our three are all over 10 and I "know the score" but live in the moment.

I feel bad for Kasey who I rescued when she was approx. 8, she is a friendly cat who was in a tough environment and I feel bad that I didn't bring her home sooner in her life. At least the other two have been raised in our home environment from an early age.

I take some satisfaction in that at least the last 1/3, or optimistically, 1/2 of her life will be better than the first part.

She has got her health back, is happy and returns the affection given to her in a big, appreciative way; that is worth it for whatever time we have, though we always wish it could be longer.