Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

amy butterworth — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:53:01 GMT

You're not crazy everyone finds it hard when losing a pet I was hand raising a kitten from a day old a few months ago and when I had to have him euthanised at two weeks old at work I had to sit upstairs and cry all the staff working that day were great and I felt like there was a lot of support from them I was grateful that there was a lot of bloods that needed running so I could get away for half an hour or so x

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Ilovehorses — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:09:52 GMT

You arn't crazy, you are human. I've lost two dogs and two horses now and I've struggled will all of them. I can't say that the pain never goes but it does get easier with time. Don't beat yourself up about how your grieving, it is natural to do it. Thinking of you xx

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Laura Ringsell — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:51:56 GMT

Not crazy my lovely, and I will only say what everyone else on here has already said. Taken me a while to open your post to read it as I immediately thought of my very same situation. Helping clients deal with this is different, you are one step removed. Be careful over the next few weeks though as you will probably find that too hard to bear, I certainly did and a colleague got every pts until I could feel brave enough again. It's true what they say, time is a great healer, it's not that you forget but the pain gets easier to handle. Be gentle on yourself and talk about how you feel with those that understand. Best wishes, and I am so sorry for you both L x x

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

ameliakp — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:39:55 GMT

I went through this a few months ago. my first ever cat had to be pts at just 7 years old. She had an underdeveloped brain and i spent years helping her and putting up with many behaviours and quirks.

I have been pretty used to having pets pts, but her death affected me more than anything i had ever experianced. After a couple of weeks i started to think i saw her around the house, and i even used to see wee patches on the carpet! (long story, she was never littler trained, a long struggle with that), I had been so used to caring for her and have her always been there i felt lonely without her.

I thought i was pretty crazy, and couldnt bear to nurse a black and white cat after that. But, time is a healer, and I had some great friends that would let me talk about it forever, and cry whenever i needed. My other cat also became super clingy at the time, i guess he thought i needed the extra love.

So it will get better, and you will feel better, but dont be afraid of grieving and being upset. I think as nurses we get more upset than those that dont work in the profession. x

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

bongo — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:52:07 GMT

Thank you for all your lovely replies of support, It made me feel a lot better knowing Im not losing the plot. He was an indoor cat and so a constant companion but I know he is in a better place now and we did everything we could for him. Its still strange in the house without him, he was such a character. I know I need to remember him with fond memories but I cant stop thinking about the horrible day last week when we had to let him go. I guess they mean it when they say time is a healer.

Thankyou all again

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Katie Mansfield — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:14:12 GMT

You are def not crazy!! It took me 5 years to get over losing our first dog. That was 2003 and I still occasionally have little pangs for her now. When you someone special like that it takes time. In a little while you'll only remember the good times you had with your boy and although it'll still bring a tear to your eye it won't be as bad as it is right now. Don't worry about getting more pets just now, give yourself time. You probably will have another in the future but just now you need to come to terms with your loss. By the sound of it you made a very difficult but right and unselfish decision for him, and I know how hard that is.

K x

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

SmegSlayer — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 07:37:21 GMT

You're not crazy! (or maybe you are and so are the rest of us!) When my Cav Brandy died it took me several weeks to begin to function on a normal level. I wasn't at home when she went and felt like I had betrayed her by not being there when she had always been there for me while I had been ill and was the reason I got through my GCSE's and A Levels.

I have her collar which is hanging on the TV table but for a couple of weeks after I went to sleep with it wrapped round my hand so I could go to sleep with her smell. I had the Blue Cross counselling service phone number by the bed just in case.

Her birthday was Christmas Day so that day is still hard as it's now just 'boring Christmas' instead of Brandy's Birthday and Christmas. She went in the October so the first one after that was awful then the following year I made this for mum and dad for Christmas and they love it. It hangs on the wall as you go up the stairs and we still silently say goodnight to her every night after 4 years.

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Sal the 1st — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:09:16 GMT

My empathies. I had to talk my sister through having her dog euthanased last week ( emergency situation - status epilepticus). This is the first pet death she has experienced and she is really struggling at the moment.

I guess I am in the 'crazy' camp as well - I dont think anybody who cares forgets the lives that choose to spend their time alongside us. When they leave us they leave a void- and it takes time for the happier memories to start filling the gap and taking away some of the sadness of their loss.

dont know if it helps - but have you taken a look at the Ralph Site

Re: Hard time coming to terms with losing our cat

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:20:27 GMT

If you're crazy, then I'm crazy too, and thank you, I'd prefer not to be sane. If you didn't love your pet enough to miss him, what kind of a nurse would you be?

I miss all the pets who spent time with me. Even my first cat, who I had since the age of 4 and lost when I was 21. (And that was a long, long time ago.) His name was Harry (original, I know) and I still dream about him sometimes.

Crazy? Not in my book. It means you gave a damn about your pet.