Pandora

Pandora came to live with us last December. She belonged to my husbands grandmother who passed away in October. Pandora had been living on her own in the house, being looked after once a day by my FIL. At 19, I didn't think it was right that she should be left unattended in the house all day on her own, and insisted that she came to stay with us.

In her old age, moving to a strange new home full of other cats and a young child, made Pandora grouchy. She stayed most of the time in my Mother's bedroom where she was happy in the peace and quiet, waited on for her every need. She would tap my Mother's arm at 5am every morning to get some attention and to get some treats.

At the beginning of July my Mother went on holiday and I took over Pandora's day to day care. I started to leave the bedroom door open most days and gradually she learnt to come down the stairs and started to explore the rest of the house. At the end of that week she seemed very happy, but we were going away on holiday and my aunt and a friend were going to come in and look after all the cats. When I left on the Friday, Pandora didn't get up to greet me when I took her in some food, but I assumed that she wasn't hungry as she was curled up by the window in her favourite spot. She raised her head and looked at me so I knew she was okay.

We left to travel to Florida, but on the Sunday morning I had a call from my aunt to tell me that Pandora had passed away some time on the Saturday, peacefully and quietly in her sleep.

I am sad that there was no-one there with this elderly lady in her last moments. This is my tribute to her. May she be young again and painfree at the Rainbow Bridge.

Amy Shojai writes in her new book Complete Care for Your Aging Cat the following:

"Grieving is a normal human process, and major loss of any kind will produce bereavement. But Dr. Sife says that pet bereavment has unique qualities becase we share very different parts of our lives with pets."

You shared the last half of Pandora's life with her, and although there was some changes in her life, it sounds to me like she was treasured, loved and cared for. I am sorry you were not around to tell her a final goodbye, and that she died alone. But she is no longer alone, and she is painfree. You will see her again some day and what stories you will be able to share together.

I was watching the pet psychic the other night on Animal Planet.
She communicated with a cat that had passed mysteriously (and when the owner was not home).

The pet psychic said that animals do not like to die alone and that their soul leaves their body before they die.

She also reassured the woman who lost her cat, that he was sitting right there beside her on the sofa trying to get her attention.