How do you say goodbye to your pet?

Question

I'm not sure how much longer my cat is going to be with me, and I'm just a complete wreck over it. I really need some help.

Answer 1

I went through the same thing. I had a kitten that i had basically raised from within an hour of her being born. My fiance and I loved her so much and i could just sit there and stare at her because of her all mighty cuteness. Whe she was about  3 or 4 months, i had put her into my room for about 20 minutes. When i came back in she was just sitting on my pillow, her body twitching, and she couldnt keep her eyes open, she just kept meowing. We freaked out and rushed her to the vet and eventually she slowly started coming too, but not even the doctor could figure out why this happened to her. He came to the conclusion that she'll fell, bumped her head and got a concussion.  This was not the case, it was actually the beginning of something fatal. Over time her stomach started expanding and getting bigger and bigger and never in my mind did I think it was because she had a fatal disease. she had trouble walking, and she just didnt seem right so we took her to the vet, she had just turned 6 months old I believe. The vet ran some tests, and finally came to the conclusion that my little Daisy-Mae had FIP, and will she wouldn't be around much longer.She had 2 forms of this disease,one affecting her physical body and her organs, the other affecting her nervous sytem, ensuring her imminent death. We cried so much and i couldn't even look at my baby because she was deteriating rapidly. I didn't know what I was going to do without her, I had grown so close to that little one. She died a week later, a few hours before we were going to put her to sleep, upside down on her back(I believe she had a stroke)looking up at me. It was so hard to see her like that. But it makes me feel better that my fiance was sitting there holding her head and he was singing to her when she passed. After about 2 days, I started to feel alittle better because I knew she didn't hurt anymore. I only think about her when she was ok during the happy times and sometimes it still hurts me but then I remember that Daisy was meant to pass hours after her birth in the garden. She got to live a happy life full of love for a few months, and thats better then nothing. Just wanted to share my story because I've been there and I know that life does go on, and you will be just fine.  

Answer 2

Just be their for your life long friend to it's last breath if you can? Touch it and show it how much you loved it and as much as it will hurt at the time you will be glad you did and that your pet didn't leave this world alone. I have even held my pets that have passed away and pet it a few minutes after it's soul had left. I know that I wouldn't want to be alone at the moment of my death if at all possible, would you?

Answer 3

just stay and do fun stuff with your cat as much as you can, take pictures with it so you will always have the memories of your cat with you. my cat got hit my a car one day and i was miserable. but luckly i had taken a picture with him and a video of him that i  love looking at and remembering how i loved the cat and now at least it is in a happy place.

Answer 4

do not be around where it was mostly try to store most of the stuff like toys beds but don't throw them away i case you get another cat hang with your friends but dont do somthing over exiting cause it will remind you of him/her im sorry for your cat

Answer 5

My heartfelt sympathy to you.  

Losing a beloved kitty can be as difficult as losing a human family member.  In fact, some grief counselors think it is more difficult to loose a pet, because of our one-on-one relationship and being sole caretakers.  

I have lost two of my older kitties in the last year and I know what you are facing.  What I did was spend as much time as possible with them.  

Talk to your kitty, tell him/her how special he/she is to you and what joy he/she has brought to you.  Tell him/her that you know he/she does feel well and you will miss him/her.  Then when you are ready give him/her permission to leave his/her ill body behind.

A couple of hints from my vets when facing and deciding when it is time is first to consider the 5 P's.  The 5 P's are Purring, Preening, Playing, Peeing (normal) and Pooping (normal).  When these are no longer so neither is the quality of life.

Another hint was to keep a daily log of kitty's behavior and activities (similar to above) and at the end of the day rate it as a 'good' day or a 'bad' day.  When the incidents of bad days are more frequent than good days, it is time to let kitty go.

I chose euthanasia for my cats.  The word euthanasia comes from the Greek and means 'gentle death'.  After each of my cats had been ill for so long, I only wanted their crossing to the Rainbow Bridge to be as gentle as possible.  They have both been cremated and I have their cremains in pretty containers that reminded me of how unique each one was.

There are several good pet grief websites and I will list my favorites.  They have excellent resources to help pet owners work through their grief.  There are support groups listed by state, too.

Here is a poem that gave me peace when I knew my time was coming to an end with Maybelle and Kelley.  I hope it brings you comfort, too.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

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

Answer 6

So often, the best thing to do is to make your cat as comfortable as possible. It's always a terrible thing to adjust to losing a pet, but enjoy them as long as you have them. Spoiling a pet may sounds superficial, but animals understand things like extra affection and their favorite food are equivalent to love. But when it's time to say goodbye to your pet, sadly, you have to take it one day at a time. I do recommend the support of family and friends, though. You can always rest in the peace that you took care of your pet the best way you could, and knowing that you helped give them a safe, satisfying life. That's really the best anyone can do.

Answer 7

I just lost my cat of 16 years and you bet it's hurt.  But I knew he would not be here with me and I spent time with him have lots of pictures. At his passing a dear friend and some great people showed up for a service for him. I even made a special box for him.

Do whatever it take to help you with your lose. Pets are very special in our lives.

Answer 8

no one can prepare you for that day,sometimes it comes along and hits you like a bolt out the blue, my cat who was nearly 17 was attacked 5mths ago by a dog she suffered a massive heart attack and died in my arms,she had a good life the best of everything but she didn't deserve to have her life ended that way.she wasn't ill and still had some years left in her

and monday i took my other cat to the vets because for 3 days she had a cold,the usual symptoms runny nose and eyes,to me it was just a cold,but by the time the vet looked her over that morning,it turned out she had a stomach tumor,he gave her a injection and some dehydration fluid but she too died in my arms that evening.

i have 6 cats now aged 15 and 16 and i am

just living  day to day with them and making the most of each day that i wake up and they are still here,because tomorrow they could be gone.

Answer 9

I was the same with my last cat.  She was 19 years old and becoming very frail and sickly.  I didn't think I would be able to live without her, but I realized I was being selfish by keeping her alive.  She was suffering and I couldn't bear it any longer.  As hard as it was, I took her to the vet and had her put to sleep.  We did it as a family making it somewhat easier, but we all cried including my husband!  I now have comfort in thinking it was the best choice for her to end her misery.  This makes it easier to accept.  If your cat is sick, just think of it in terms as being caring to have it put down.  Your cat will understand...they know these things.  I hope this helps you.

Answer 10

Make the most of the time you have left, you cannot to anything exciting like run around with a ball like you could with a dog but, just lay on your sofa and watch tele with your cat laying on top of you purring while you stroke it, if your cat likes that kind of thing? That can be a fond memory.

Answer 11

sos to hear that mabe wen the cat does go a funaral may help just think of all the happie times u had sos to hear that  

Answer 12

It might be easier to do it on your own terms then discovering it dead or watching it die.  Either way it's hard, but if you put it to sleep, at least you will feel you helped the suffering of the cat.  You can take it to the SPCA and they will do it for $25, but they won't let you watch.  We watched our dog at the vet, they charged us $100 and it was really tough, but we got to remember him happy.  

My cat who died in my arms...  That was the hardest and saddest moment of my life.  I wish I would have put her down sooner.

Answer 13

I had a cat named Onyx who I had to put to sleep about a year ago.  We had such a bond as I am sure you have with your cat.  I have other cats but they will never ever replace him.  The vet asked if I wanted to be present while he was euthanized...at first I said Yes, but then she told me if I wanted to be present he would have to have a catheter put in, so I changed my mind because I didn't want him to feel more pain then he was already feeling.  So I had them put him in a nice box when it was over and I took him home and buried him in my backyard.  I am not a crier but I broke down in the vet's office while he was being put down and I cried for the rest of the night uncontrollably.  His death affected me more than any family member that has ever passed away.  A good cry really helps.  But then you have to go on with your life.  Right now I am crying just thinking of it but believe me it gets easier after time.  You are probably sadder now then you will be once its over.  Just remember that everything dies....it is the way of life...and there is nothing that we can do to stop it.  I am really really really sorry about what you are going through.  Remember, every cat lover experiences this and we all get through it.  

Answer 14

sorry to hear that hun, it must be very hard. Just enjoy the moments you have with him/her.  Take lots of pictures and make sure you tell her/him that you love her/him.  

Answer 15

Aw, Im sorry to hear about your cat.

If you really, think you will need help try your doctors OR buy another kitten to put your mind off of things.

Answer 16

I had a dog that died last january, and had had him all my life. Just make sure that your cat has a good time for the rest of its life, and know that if its in pain now, it will feel better once the pain is gone. Let (s)he know that you love them, and it will all work out.