Tiger is gone

Tiger was relieved of her suffering at 3:30p.m. in the comfort of her home with her mom and dad by her side. Yesterday she made a turn for the worse and this morning I knew today was the day. One of the vets had just taken blood yesterday to see where things were and her numbers were out of the park. So when he called to say it wasn't good I was already prepared and had made arrangements with Tiger's lady vet to come to the house this evening.

I sure will miss our conversations. Up until the end she was making biscuits, purring and trying to talk. Her little voice grew so weak that all that came out were little squeaks. I hope I'm as brave as she was when my time comes.

I asked the vet to autopsy her kidneys and send them to the lab for analysis. If at all possible, I want to know why her 6 yr. old kidneys failed.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers, good wishes, cyberhugs, etc. They helped so much.

We are sure going to miss her.

Patsy

I am going to move this to Crossing the Bridge. Perhaps when you are up to it, you can look over some of the stories and poems shared there. There are also links to help you grieve during this time.

((( Many many hugs Patsy )))

Tiger was loved and knew she was loved to the very end. . .that is what counts.

Patsy
I am so sorry for your loss. You now have a special little angel watching over you from Rainbow Bridge.

Patsy, I'm so sorry. No other animal can take Tiger's place and you will never forget her. I know the pain you are going through, but someday you will have a similar bond with another animal. I have had this happen in my life. Tiger was on loan from God to give you some special years. And you were a gift to her as well. Remember that.

I was sure hoping she would fool us all and live several more years. My heart is breaking for you. Take comfort in knowing that she did not suffer. She was thanking you in her purrs for giving the best gift of all - the gift of unselfishness. You gave her the best life possible, and you gave her the kindest passing possible.

And you'll see her again, when it comes your time to cross the bridge.

Thanks to all of you for your words of comfort and sympathy. It wasn't an hour after I posted the message about Tiger's passing that the vet called and told me the autopsy showed she had horrible cancer throughout her stomach. At least I know why her 6 yr. old kidneys failed. However, it won't stop me from missing her and wishing she were here.

Thanks again

Patsy

Bless her little heart. And yours. Well, now, if you had even an inkling of a doubt that you helped her on her journey to the bridge prematurely, now you know for sure you did the right thing and the right time. And she's purring even louder at the bridge while she is waiting for you.

Patsy, I'm so sorry for your loss. She was a very special kitty, and you and your husband were very special to her as well. You will never forget her, and I know you have a new little guardian angel watching over you at the Bridge.

Patsy. I pray that you will heal your heart quickly. You are a wonderful woman. I am so sorry about Tiger.........

Very sorry yo hear about your loss.

However...I can't understand why people wait so long to do the humane thing for their pets. It should never be "I ended their suffering." It should always be "I prevented them from suffering."

As usual, my post will probably get deleted because my views don't seem to mix with the majority who post here. Cruelty isn't just doing stuff TO animals, but also what you DON'T do when you really should...

Dear Cryogenix:

Thanks for much for your condolences about my Tiger. I understand what you are saying about people not wanting to do the right thing when it comes time to help their pet pass. I think some people are just so terrified of the idea that they can't do it. A good friend of mine was telling me the other day, that years ago she had a dog that was dying from cancer and rather than put it to sleep, she let it die. She said she is real sorry for that and today would know better. She said she realizes it was cruel what she did.

I hope this doesn't sound nuts, but the agony for me was not just the actuality of losing Tiger, but the fact that I couldn't help her and had to help end her life. To live means to die and I understand that. It's the part I have to play to end the life that weighs heavy on my heart. Of course I love her and miss her, but for 2 weeks I agonized over what I knew would be the inevitable. After it was over I could relax.

I unfortunately have had to euthanize many animals just because of the numbers I deal with so the death rate is high. Also, a lot of my cats come to me with feluk or other diseases so I know from the beginning their lives may be shortened. However, in the case of Tiger I was quite surprised when I learned how ill she was. No matter how many I have to help pass, it never get easier. In fact, it gets harder and harder. I was so hysterical just thinking about having to help Tiger pass, I made myself ill.

There's a poem or something, maybe a letter that has appeared in Ann Landers or her sister's column. I don't know the title, but it's a letter from a pet telling his/her owner thanks for taking care of me, but when my time comes, love me enough to let me go or something to that affect. Have you heard of this poem/letter?

Some people are just not strong enough to have their pet euthanized.

The timing of your post was just right. I was just "corrected" on another post regarding breeders and what I think of them. My views on this subject are not accepted on this board. I don't mean to insult people, but I guess the truth can come across like that sometime. However, I realize this is not the place to do it and so I'll keep quiet when breeders or the business of breeding is being discussed.

Patsy

I have always asked my vet to do everything possible to help my animals, if there was any chance at all of healing them or giving them more time-as long as they would not be suffering. When he advised that that was no longer possible, and he advised euthanasia, that's what I did. It would have been easier on my very limited budget to have them euthanized immediately. It's a matter of perspective, isn't it? I believe Patsy is suffering enough. Criticism is not helpful; we weren't there, and we don't know what the vet had advised her. I believe that people who criticize our decisions really believe that they are being helpful, but they don't know the whole story. They aren't IN the situation. The heartache they cause is often unjustified. Patsy did what she thought was right for her beloved kitty. That's all any of us can do. Cryogenix, I wondered where you were. You were missed! I'm sure you mean well, but why hurt someone already in pain? Aren't we here to help one another?

By the way, Patsy, I have had DSH and DLH, mostly wandered kittens, all of my adult life. I now have Siamese cats and a Collie, all purebred. I'm glad that someone is keeping the traditional breeds going. Nevertheless, I will always have a soft heart for a homeless kitten, especially a black one. We all have our preferences! And we all have the right to our own opinions. The truth? Socrates searched for it his whole life. Only God knows the truth. Ours is only an opinion, an attempt to be true to ourselves.

Dear Jeanie:

Thanks for your warm thoughts. Like you, my Tiger cost me a lot of money before she passed on, approximately $800. Money is never in my decision as to whether an animal should be eutha. I'll sell everything I own before one of my animals dies because of money. I have my reasons for feeling so strongly about that, but I'll keep those to myself as I don't want to bore everyone to death. As it turns out the reason she was so skinny and ill was that she had cancer. When I made the decision to help her pass she was already dying, not able to eat, drink and barely able to stand.

Patsy