That Da**ed Cat!

[herron]

It was a sad day yesterday. My son's cat and best buddy for the past 17-1/2 years had to be put to sleep. Oreo (my son named him when he was a boy of 11), and who I fondly called "That Da**ed Cat!" succumbed to a rather nasty and rapid turn of feline cancer.



Because of the ulcerated sores in his throat, he had trouble eating, and he had lost almost half his body weight in the last two months. One of his kidneys had ceased to function, and he was having a terrible time getting up a step. The vet said they could give him something to keep him alive for a few more weeks, but it would be an agonizing few weeks for him...so we had him put out of his misery (my son just could not do it himself).

The cat...excuse me...Oreo, had been Brad's best buddy - staying with him through all the agony of his accident and recovery, following Brad literally everywhere. I confess I had a few tears in my eye too when they put him down, and you can guess how my son reacted. They had a very special bond, those two.

Oreo -- "That Da**ed Cat!" is going to be missed around here!

[bayoufoto]

Have you ever heard the "Rainbow Bridge" story?

[vintageslrs]

Ron

My deepest condolences to you and your family....
I understand...as I have known no greater loss than that of my beloved "Scoops".



Bob

[kiev4a]

The world would be very bland without cats. Sorry for your loss.

Wayne

[Randy]

My cat is 15 years old and has epilepsy. What's the Rainbow Bridge Story Rick?

[herron]

kamera said:

....Do not want to start a "war" here but I have always been a defender of euthanasia with humans. Jeanneatte and I both have very specific instructions in our wills and health care paramaters regarding the point where superficial extending of life only continue the agony of a dying person. Sorry to get off tangent there.

But yes...Oreo will be sadly missed you can be sure!!

Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI

Not arguing either, but I can't support the idea of euthanasia. I do, however, firmly believe that superficially maintaining life when there is absolutely no hope of recovery, or of quality of life afterward is not something we should do.

Hospice is the most humane thing in such cases, to keep the patient as comfortable as possible, without extraordinary means.

I had to stand next to my brother-in-law and watch him die an agonizing death (from cancer), all because my sister was foolishly clinging to the doctor's "5% chance of recovery" comment...and vowed it would never happen to me. It should never happen to anyone. My wife and I have made specific instructions on that, should the need arise.

-----
And I don't believe I recall the Rainbow Bridge Story, Rick!

[bayoufoto]

When a cherished pet dies it goes to a magical place just this side of the Rainbow bridge. There they are free of disease and physical woes to play and run and enjoy life. But every so often a pet will stop and look back down the road, then take off running to meet it's owner and they cross the bridge together
I miss you Blackie, Whitey and Ginger

[mickeyobe]

Oreo had a long and obviously happy life.
His unique face has been seen on this site several times,
so he had friends here.
That da--ed cat will be missed here too.

Mickey

[herron]

Thanks, Rick...and everybody.

Pets can certainly become members of the family, and Oreo was around for 17-1/2 years. Being the first one up, he used to look for me to fill his food dish in the morning, and would meow loudly if I didn't move fast enough.

No meowing, and no warm fur walking between my ankles in the kitchen this morning. I miss him, too.

[Just Plain Curt]

Sorry 'bout your cat Ron. Pets leave a big hole in the family when they go. Only time helps.

[Rachel]

How sad Ron. We really miss our cat Smokey who died two years ago just a few days short of his eighteenth birthday..