My oldest and dearest pet when to the big litter box in the sky today. He was 16. I've had him since I was 9. I've been struggling with his peeing in the house for a few years now, and in the last week he's been unable to control his poo, constantly scared, and always crying. It was time to let him go, and I truly believe it was the right the decision. But it was hardest decision I've ever had to make.

I've had pets die before, but none I've had to put down. I was there with him, and it was fast, but he was scared and he cried. Afterwards, I took him to my childhood home (where we spent the bulk of our life together) and buried him in my parents' backyard, in the garden. I can visit him whenever I need to.

Let's just say that today broke my heart.

Good bye little Tuffy. Mama loves you, and she'll never never forget you.

I'm so sorry, Becky! I'm glad I got to meet him, what a sweetie! Putting pets down is so hard, but you did the right thing. My heart is aching for you right now.

Dani

I am so sorry Becky, I understand the pain you are in. Big hugs to you, Tuffins had a wonderful life with you and was lucky to have had you as his Mom.

so sorry to read this. im sending you big hugs. i to canunderstand your pain.i lost my kittie of 19 years .

I am so sorry Becky. I've also had to make that decision ... three times as a matter of fact and it is such a hard choice ... but the right one in each case. I know your heart is breaking, but Tuffins would thank you if he could ... he is in no more pain nor embarrasment for his incontinence ... you were the last thing he saw, heard and felt, so you can take comfort in that ... he knew he was loved right to the end. Sending you lots of comfort.

Becky you are right when you say "it is the hardest thing to do", I've had to do the same thing more than once and I about went insane, but I knew it had to be done at the time.......

Tuffy was a beautiful kitty and I can imagine how attached you were to him...you did more than I could ever have by seeing the last minutes of his life and then taking an burying him....gosh, you are a strong lady....I just couldn't do things like that; not strong enough....

I'm sure you all had wonderful times together..... I do hope your broken heart will soon heal.....

I got a precious white Persian from a couple who recently had a baby and the cat was laying too close to the baby and they were afraid of what might happen. So I was glad to take it on. He was only with me for about 7 months when he developed heavy breathing and shortness of breath. We took him to the vet because we were highly concerned, and the vet told us that he had cancer in his liver that had likely spread to his stomach and other organs. There was a chance he could've been saved, but I did not have a few thousand dollars to spend on a chance, so I was forced to have him put to sleep.

The vet could have maintained him until I was able to get to see him, but I didn't have the heart. In the end, I regret that decision. Because Big Papa was such a fantastic cat. He would come and sit on my stomach and just watch me breathe and he would come and lay in between my legs or on my chest when I was asleep. My other cat (who is still happy and healthy and 13 years young) couldn't stand him, and wouldn't "talk" to me at all while he was with us, but I did enjoy the time I was able to spend with him. The bond between my animals and I is seemingly more deep than some of those I have with people. Seeing your beautiful cat and hearing what you had to say has made me think back fondly of him...

That's so hard, I know, but as others have said, he'd thank you if he could. Sixteen years is a good long life for a kitty, and he was obviously dearly beloved and knew it.

I am so very sorry Becky for your loss. My heart goes out to you during this time

I should have been asleep several hours ago. I'm having a rough night.

Do you think the death of a pet is legitimate reason to call off of work? I hate the thought of it, but I'm just overwhelmed by fits of tears off and on. I'm not close enough to anyone there to feel comfortable crying in front of them (or the customers, for that matter).

I know grief is normal and will subside, but this hurts a lot. I only have a handful of memories from before Tuffy was in my life. And now, he's gone.

And really, the death was more traumatic that it should have been. The first vein collapsed, and Tuffy pulled away. The medicine was only half injected and the doctor had to run out of the room to get more. It was probably only another minute, tops, but it was HEARTBREAKING to see him lie there, dazed, looking up at me. And he struggled to avoid the second shot, even though he was already dying.

I shouldn't dwell on those details. His death was swifter and more painless than the deaths of many animals, but it's still hard.

Can you believe, talking to my boyfriend, I was saying how empty our home will be without Tuffy? Not with our zoo. And yet, it is empty, very empty, to know that his pouty, grumpy, demanding little butt is gone.

Sorry for the long, morose rant. I'm just verbal and writing/talking it out helps.

I should focus on happy Tuffy memories, on the many many years we got to spend together (there was only ONE year we were apart, when I was away at school).

There was the day he got caught in a clothing store bag and fell down the stairs, and broken his poor little nose. He was always scared of bags after that. But I was the only person he would let look over his owie.

There was the year I struggled particularly hard with depression, and he would often serve as the pillow that caught my tears and made me smile in spite of myself.

There was his ****-ish insistence on going up to Grady, our other cat, and asking to have his head licked. Grady would gladly comply, and then, when he was tried of it, Tuffy would punch him in the face and run off.

There was getting woken up at two in the morning to find him scratching furiously at the glass porch door to attack the outside neighbor cats. He could scratch for hours if I would let him--nevermind that he never got anywhere.

There was his kittenhood. When he was too young and too small and scared of EVERYTHING. It took him TWO years to warm to the rest of my family. And a few years after that to warm to strangers. But he always, always loved me. He would creep out of his little hiding places to come watch TV with me. Remembering that makes me proud of what a shameless attention-***** he grew up into. He really learned to see people as good and gentle, not scary.

There was when my family got a dog. Tuffy hid in the basement for a month. But when he came out, he would sit on the coffee table, wait for the puppy to walk to by, swat her head, and then watch with glee as Lucky got in trouble for barking.

There was catnip. Tuffy loved catnip. He would roll around with it in the most humiliating ways. It was a joy to watch.

There was bedtime. Tuffy's favorite thing was to sleep me. He would demand petting and then walk JUST too far for me to reach, and then cry about it. Eventually, he would settle down next to me. His favorite was when I would fall asleep touching him somehow: hand resting on his tummy, arm cradling his head, fingers holding his tail. He didn't want to be petted during the night, just touched. I loved falling asleep like that. It's probably why I can't sleep now.

Okay. Enough. Thank you for letting me grieve.

I'm glad that you feel some comfort in coming here to grieve. It's good for you to get it all out, even if it is in type.
My heart truly hurts for you. I know exactly how you feel.

I must tell you, I admire you so much for being with Tuffy in his final moment. I've often wondered how people can take a pet and leave it with a stranger to die. What must our pets think when we walk away and leave them there? You did the right thing by giving Tuffy peace and staying with him as he went to the bridge. He knew all the way to the end that you loved him dearly.

The good memories will finally take over and wipe out the sorrows. I will pray that God allows that to happen quickly, wishing all the time that I could do more.

Maybe God has some kitties that need a more experienced paw to help discipline them. Tuffy may well be giving them a kind old swat as we type!

BIG HUG for you!

I'm very sorry for your loss. I know how difficult that is.

Becky, if you pop on before you are supposed to go to work ... if you don't feel up to going in to work, call in. Tell them you have a cold or something, your eyes will certainly not look like you are healthy, they'll be all red and watery. You don't have to tell them you are greiving your cat -- most ppl don't understand ('it's just a cat') gggggrrrrr -- just that you don't feel good and need a day.

I'm so sorry Becky. Having just put down our beloved dog a couple weeks ago, I know exactly what you're going through. *Hugs*

Becky, I completely agree with Jobo...I think the death of a pet is definitely a legitimate reason to call off, but say you have a cold or something.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know what it's like to put an animal to sleep, I held my dad's dog as she died. My mom's cat, Purrsia, is the same way...when I lived there she was my cat, and I couldn't sleep without her beside me. I had to be touching her to be able to fall asleep.

I hope the pain you feel will get better soon.

Dani

im very sorry for your loss. ive been there,dont want to ever do it again. and yes its a legit reason to call out !!! ive done it before.

Thank you all very much for your kind words and thoughts. I'm feeling better. Sad, of course, but better.

I'm so grateful to have had Tuffy for as long as I did.


And I did make it into on Friday, though I DID cry.