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Today We Lost Our Little Friend!

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by righteousdude2, Aug 2, 2011.

  1. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    The last two months have been difficult for our house, as our oldest cat has been going down the hill physically. He would have been 18 in a few months, so we are blessed for the time we had him, but we'll still miss his company and quirky little acts.

    In truth, he was the master of quirky acts. Little things like diving for your feet when you had no shoes or socks on. He loved naked feet. He'd not only rub his scent glands all over your feet for as long as you could tolerate it, he also drooled, and sometimes the deciding factor of when to make him quit rubbing came when he'd bite one of your toes.

    Over the years, Eli loved one of his cat sisters, and fought like a wild animal with the other. He also loved to terrorize our parakeet, and any chicken or turkey in the kitchen was his to be had.

    At times he made our youngest dog angry, but they got along much better than they wanted us to know, as we'd see them cuddling from time to time in the front room and the kitchen. In fact, our dog was with my wife and I as we held and comforted Eli this morning. The three of us were there as he took his last few breathes and peacefully left this world to return to the Creator.

    I don't know how many of you feel about pets, but I'm of the belief that if God gave mankind domesticated pets to care and nurture, then He must have an eternal place for them when they enter their rest, too! :flower:

    We've lost a lot of loved little ones over the years, and it never gets any easier. I always promise myself I'll not get another pet, but I break down, and find room in my heart and home for one more of his little gifts to us.

    If you've lost a little member of your family, you know how sad it is around the Zimmer house today. However, the memories of the good times will always be with us, as we look forward to the day where all of us will once again be with those who we loved and called family in eternity.

    This post is to all of you on this board who have lost a little friend, or face that prospect in the days, weeks, months, years to come. We chose to allow him to stay in the home environment with his loved ones around him, so long as he wasn't suffering. He passed peacefully, and in the arms of those who cared and comforted him over the past 14 years of his life in this home (he was a rescue pet), surrounded by his people parents and furry family members.

    "Eli, we will miss you as much as we miss all our loved family, friends and pets. We know that you are in a much better place now that you have received your just reward for bringing us 14loving, purr-fect years of love, laughter, and those long term naked foot rubs!!! :wavey:

    Good-bye to another special, furry friend. You were the best little tabby we could have ever had. :thumbs:

    Mom, Dad, Skittles, Teeger and Mouse
     
  2. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    I am sorry for your loss. Losing a long-time pet is tough. Been there, done that, and cried for two months over a dog we had for 10 years. It might be "just an animal" but it's a loss nonetheless.
     
  3. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Thanks....

    I appreciate your thoughts.
     
  4. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    It's amazing how these creatures get into our hearts. I'm so sorry for your loss.
     
  5. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    Our beloved "missionary dog" Chloe Belle passed away last year. She traveled the USA with us on furlough and all over Mexico before we returned to the USA. Although we have replaced her with another dog (and a cat to boot!) we still miss her terribly.
     
  6. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    I am sorry. Those pets of ours just wiggle their way into our hearts and it hurts when they leave us or we have to put them down.
     
  7. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I'm sorry for your family's loss. We put our cat down 13 days ago. She was only 8, but didn't respond to treatment for an inflamed urinary tract. She had mental issues since a kitten (my wife literally rescued her from the euthanization table at the humane society she worked at). She was a 6 week old stray found on the side af a freeway which I'm sure contributed. I cried awfully hard for a few days...it's tough.
     
  8. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Thanks for All Your Warm Thoughts and Prayers

    I am really being blessed with the response of my fellow board members. Those who have written so far, are true members of the family of God. You know how to rejoice when others rejoice, and how to pray and care when we have loss.

    My wife and I are still crying over the little foot rubber. Gonna miss him for sure, as I know you have all expressed the same kind of love and loss for your pets.

    We can all hold each other up as we go from loss to acceptance, which is difficult to say the least. His peace is special, even when we lose a furry family member.

    Thank God for pets. They are truly friends who never fail to love us, even in our unlovable times.
     
  9. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    Very very sorry to hear of this. You have my heart felt sympathese.

    These incredible little creatures start off as a "pet", then they become a "family member", and then they become a dearly loved family member.

    The grief when they are gone is very very real, and it should NEVER be dismissed as..."Oh, its just a dog/cat/ etc etc.

    My Jack Russle terrier is going to break my heart something fierce one day when her time is up, but I'll just hurt for a while, and then go out and get another one of Gods wonderful creatures to love and care for.
     
  10. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    I know how it feels brother. We currently have 8 cats and I love every one of them. Over the years we've had so many I've lost count. Some of them were outside cats that met untimely deaths, some of them just got so old they had to be put down. I miss all of them, especially the ones that hung around for a long time. One of them we had for 17 years. He had a back leg removed due to a severe injury when he was a kitten. We called him Skipper. I miss him terribly. I wept uncontrollably when he died. He had it rough but kept on going. All of our cats are and were strays that we took in, cleaned up, repaired, and spayed/neutered. A few of them turned out to be problems, but by far the majority became wonderful pets.
     
  11. glfredrick

    glfredrick New Member

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    We're "cat people" as well. Over the years, we've had some okay cats, some horrid cats (which found new homes rather quickly!) and a couple spectacular cats that, seemingly, could read minds. Our current Russian Blue is one of the great ones! Though small in stature, he more than makes up for his size with attitude. We had him de-clawed so that we could co-exist with him in the same house, but as he has aged he has also mellowed (just don't tell him I said so!).

    He gets along okay (tolerates) the dogs we've had as well, one a very curious and food-driven beagle and the other a Grosser Munsterlander that weighs in at about 80# -- the world's largest lap dog! Over the years, the cat (Kooter the Koon Kitty) has tolerated a few other cats until he won the right to be the rightful King of our home. He dictates family policy, will find the person in the room who is most allergic to or most hating of cats to snuggle with, and generally keeps us all occupied serving his every whim.

    I understand your loss... God's grace during your time of sadness, and know that the next very special cat is just a bouncy ball of fur with a perky tail away!
     
  12. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    This is What the BB Is ALL About!

    I can't believe all of the pet people on the board. It is great to hear from all of you, and hear your stories. Us pet parents have something in common. We may not be able to build an ark, but, we seemed to all collect and lovingly raise God's special gifts. :thumbs:

    Love you all,

    Pastor Paul & Shelly
     
  13. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Awww, I'm so sorry!

    I still remember the first pet I had to have put down as an adult. A beautiful cat I got as a kitten, she slept with me and was pretty quirky herself, I swore she thought she was a watchdog. Nobody could touch her but me and she'd curl up and sleep with me. Everyone else hated her. Even the vet. LOL She was my baby though.

    Although cats are my choice, my oldest is allergic so we have a dog. (although I'm allergic to dogs) and she's very dear to us. A rescue, totally adorable and we're continually amazed at how exaggerated her expressions are. She's very sensitive and will respond just to facial expressions.

    It gets better as the memory of that tough last day fade and the many happy memories remain. You were there for her through everything right to the last minute and that speaks volumes about your character in how you stepped up in your responsibility to care and tend to one of God's critters. Good job! :thumbs:
     
  14. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Thank You Gina!

    I appreciate your kind words. It is so interesting that you mentioned your dog. We have one that is just as expressive. You can read her every thought, and it seems to us that she can read ours, too!

    I was once allergic to cats, but, allergy shots got me past that. Had to do something, as my wife loves several cats and dogs around. After 31 years, I've grown accustomed to their being around me too. Talk about sleeping with us, the dogs are bed hogs, and recently, our youngest (8 years old) has started to pass gas. It is quite overwhelming to say the least, but, as we both agree, they are family, regardless of those smelly little air muffins! LOL.

    Thanks for your thoughts, and the thoughs of others as they have helped both my wife and I more than you folks will ever know.
     
  15. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    Bro. Paul,

    I read your OP, and some of the others, and its hard holding back the tears as I type. Animals have a way to get in our hearts thisquick. We have a healthy9praise God!!) 3.5 y/o Chinese Pug named Lexie. Here is how fast she got into my heart.

    My wife had been wanting a Pug for years. One night, she found an ad in a local "trader", that had them for sell. I called the #, and found out I knew the man who had them for sell. One sunday evening, we went over to look at them. There were six or seven, all were fawn with black masks, except one black male. The black male was not an option, honey wanted a fawn female. All of them came to her, with the exception of one. She laid there, minding her own "p's" and "q's", and Tracy told me she like that one because she was lazy...and still is in that condition...LOL. We took her home that night, taking her from everything she knew, including her litter mates. Well, she slept in my arms a while, she slept in Tracy's arms for a while, even in our nephew's arms. When we laid her down, so that we could all go to sleep, she began whinning. Tracy got up and played with her a little, and I went on to sleep. She woke me up about nine that morning, telling me that I needed to see if he would take her back....she hadn't slept at all that night. I tried explaining to her what Lexie was going through. We had taken her away from everything she had known. Well, that didn't work. I called him, and he said he would do a refund....even though I wanted to keep her. I took her back to him on my way to work, dreading giving her back, after only about 12 hrs. I was at work later that evening, and I was working in blood bank(I am an MLT in a hosp. lab), trying to hold back the tears. She called me, and she was trying to keep from crying herself, saying she wanted Lexie back. I told her I would see if he would be willing to give her back to us, and that if/when she came back, she would not leave again. Well, over three years later, she is still at home, still in our hearts, and just as fat and sassy as ever!!

    So Bro. Paul, my heart goes out to you and your family for your loss, my prayers go up to the Father that He will comfort you and your family as you deal with this anguish. If I live long enough, I know that I will be where you are at now....I pray to God, that this doesn't happen for years to come. May God comfort you and your family as you grieve for your loss of a family member. And yes, animals are a part not apart, of the family. Love you Brother!!

    Willis
     
  16. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Heard Ya, and Felt Your Tears!

    I appreciate your thoughts and prayers, as they mean a lot to both my wife and me. You sound a lot like me, and while I hope you have many years before you lose your gifts, I pray you be able to enjoy and "bank" every happy memory.

    Time goes by so quickly. The 14 years we had Eli, seemed to be gone in no time.

    In His Love, I ask the Father to bless you and your family in a mighty, and awesome way when it comes to the pets he sends into your family to love and nurture. They become family in a matter of heartbeats. Enjoy and be blessed!

    Paul
     
  17. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Paul, I'm so sorry. I had to put down my little yorkie about 5 months ago (he was 10 and had been in bad health for several years). I know how it hurts your heart. I believe God gave us animals for pets because he created us with that need for companionship. They are a true blessing.
    God sent me another dog which was a stray and half starved and he has become my "baby".
    I pray for God's comfort for you. :flower:
     
  18. Gwen

    Gwen Active Member

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    I'm so sorry about the loss of your pet. They become so much a part of our lives that we think of them as family.

    We had our cat, Chelsea, for 9 years. Even tho it's been about 8 years since she has been gone I still miss her every day. She always sat with me every morning while I read and drank my tea.

    God bless!
     
  19. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    RD- I am so heartfelt sorry for what you're going through.
     
  20. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
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    I am sorry for your loss. My brother and his partner lost a dearly loved elderly cat due to declining health and euthanised him (the cat). They were wrecked, but appreciated flowers that I sent.:1_grouphug:
     
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