Pets.

[Mimi]

I'm so sorry that this day happened more quickly than you expected. It's never anything we can ever properly prepare for because it feels so unfair. She was lucky many times over, to start out a feral cat who found a home, and to find a home with such a wonderful human to take care of her. And she left you with two of her own. Give Butters and Licorice hugs for me.

Thanks. I'll be giving them extra hugs. Not sure how they're going to handle it. To be honest, I think they knew. The way Butters hovered around her the last few weeks was different. He acted more like a caretaker than a mama's boy.

[Inder]

Aw man, that's rough. Sorry, Mimi.

[Mimi]

Aw man, that's rough. Sorry, Mimi.

Thanks.

[JennyB]

I'm so sorry, Meemz. You gave her such a good life and she knew that. It's so heartbreaking.

[BostonBeaneater]

This sucks Mimi. I just went through it in January. Don't doubt yourself, from the last month or so of posts you did everything you should have.

[Mimi]

This sucks Mimi. I just went through it in January. Don't doubt yourself, from the last month or so of posts you did everything you should have.

Thanks, JB!

Thanks, BBE. It's hard not to second-guess yourself, especially when you have to make that decision. I take comfort in knowing she doesn't have to suffer anymore.

[Rat Patrol]

http://www.theonion.com/graphic/dogs-ey ... -dog-55523

Acceptable answers also include: "...on owner or any guest upon arrival in house"

[Mimi]

Not that I really doubted it was possible, but animals do suffer grief. It took Butters a day to realize Kitty was missing. He looks for her in the mornings. For about four days, he was unresponsive to my touch. He'd sit and stare, wouldn't play, and wouldn't meow. Today, he seems to be back to his normal self. Licorice is very vocal, per usual, but it seems like she's trying to get him to come follow her to the spot where Kitty spent a lot of time the last few days of her life. As a person fascinated by animal behavior, and someone who is familiar with these two, it has been interesting to see. A little heartbreaking, too. I knew Butters would be affected the most because he was a momma's boy. The new social dynamic will take more time to work out, I believe.

[Dr. Medulla]

Not that I really doubted it was possible, but animals do suffer grief. It took Butters a day to realize Kitty was missing. He looks for her in the mornings. For about four days, he was unresponsive to my touch. He'd sit and stare, wouldn't play, and wouldn't meow. Today, he seems to be back to his normal self. Licorice is very vocal, per usual, but it seems like she's trying to get him to come follow her to the spot where Kitty spent a lot of time the last few days of her life. As a person fascinated by animal behavior, and someone who is familiar with these two, it has been interesting to see. A little heartbreaking, too. I knew Butters would be affected the most because he was a momma's boy. The new social dynamic will take more time to work out, I believe.

Pagan didn't exhibit anything unusual, but Dickens had been in failing health for so long that she was less and less close to him. Still, on the advice of our vet, when he was euthanized, we brought her along so that she could she that he was gone. No clue whether that actually registered with her or was mainly for our comfort.

What might be curious is whether B and L decide all the old rules are gone and new pecking orders and behaviours emerge,

[Mimi]

Not that I really doubted it was possible, but animals do suffer grief. It took Butters a day to realize Kitty was missing. He looks for her in the mornings. For about four days, he was unresponsive to my touch. He'd sit and stare, wouldn't play, and wouldn't meow. Today, he seems to be back to his normal self. Licorice is very vocal, per usual, but it seems like she's trying to get him to come follow her to the spot where Kitty spent a lot of time the last few days of her life. As a person fascinated by animal behavior, and someone who is familiar with these two, it has been interesting to see. A little heartbreaking, too. I knew Butters would be affected the most because he was a momma's boy. The new social dynamic will take more time to work out, I believe.

Pagan didn't exhibit anything unusual, but Dickens had been in failing health for so long that she was less and less close to him. Still, on the advice of our vet, when he was euthanized, we brought her along so that she could she that he was gone. No clue whether that actually registered with her or was mainly for our comfort.

What might be curious is whether B and L decide all the old rules are gone and new pecking orders and behaviours emerge,

It's already happening. Not sure what the end result will be, but I'll give them the space to figure it out for themselves.

[Dr. Medulla]

It's already happening. Not sure what the end result will be, but I'll give them the space to figure it out for themselves.

Every time we've moved, whatever cats we had would take it as an opportunity to revisit dominance in particular areas (food, litter box, humans). It always ended up the same arrangement, but there was an awareness that once the old set up was over, the process of establishing a new one kicked in, with everything seemingly reset to zero.

[Dr. Medulla]

"You can tell da boss that Wiggles won't be shittin' in any flower bed that don' belong to him no more."

[BostonBeaneater]

[coffeepotman]

We just lost our beloved Mookie, 18years old, suffered from kitty dementia, kidney disease and lost his hearing. He declined quickly, starting having night terrors about 3 weeks ago. Poor thing but I think he was ready, he lived a good life. Born to a crackhead in Bushwick Brooklyn and purchased at just days old for 5$. Fed him and made him healthy, lived in a house with a back yard in Queens then got to life in Puerto Rico for 4 years with my sister in law and spend the last 10 years of his life with me and my wife in the city. He will be missed terribly, I've never had to go through this before so it's especially hard but the procedure was actually really nice and painless. My wife held him the entire time and he just went to sleep.

[Dr. Medulla]

So sorry to see this. A long and varied life. There is comfort, as you suggest, in that euthanasia is a very painless experience. The next few days and even weeks will suck, but take comfort that the happy memories will soon swamp the sadness.