/ot/ - off-topic

>>1364964
was this necessary we already have a pets thread, anons can take their griefs there.

>>1364967
Maybe people don't want to bring depressing shit to those threads

my got rid of an injured kitten I brought in when I was 12, she literally threw him in the trash, all the while she told me that she her a neighbor take him to a vet, I really fucking hate my mom

I grew up in a house where my dad didn't allow pets that weren't contained to a cage. So small pets only. Which was fine. I had everything from hamsters to rabbits and guineas. A couple at a time. As an adult I kept it up seeing as I was living in apartments anyway. But over the years it just got depressing to go through so much loss. They only live a few years. The toll of losing them adds up. I now have a house and could get a bigger pet (with a longer lifespan) but I just don't have it in me anymore to get attached to something and go through any more loss.

I went from losing pets while living at home and my dad shrugging off the loss as no big deal to living with partners and them being the same way. I feel it though. I hate the memories of getting up one morning and going out to discover they're gone. And when people around you don't get it it stings that much more. I love small animals. I love anything rodent like. I weirdly relate to their skittish ways (as an anxious person lol) I used to get alot of fulfillment from turning nervous lil animals into these chill and well looked after pets. That was the best part.

>>1364967
No I think this is a good thread. I think this is more for advance and sharing loss and sadness. I think the other thread is best for sharing cute pics and stories.
Thanks for the links too anon!

>>1365020
Did you take it out of the trash? What happened. It takes someone really cruel and awful to do something like that.. what the fuck!!

>>1364964
The house is so quiet without him

>>1365030
What a beautiful boy. Tell me more about him nonna!

>>1365020
Whenever I read about cats or dogs getting found alive in dumpsters or trash I wonder what kind of person could do that to an animal, it makes me sick. At least kill the animal if you are going to get rid of it. Why do you think your mom is like that??

>>1365023
Aww anon I know rodent love. My parents were the same only allowed small pets, although we all felt the loss of our one hamster we as a family never got another. I had another hamster with a boyfriend and we were both sad when she passed. Then I got degus and they lived until they were 8. They saw me through a lot and two relationships. The last relationship the man was hateful and didn't care when they died but he at least went with me to dig them graves in a really nice spot I can always visit so there's that. Rodents are adorable. Degus are said to be skittish and every day I still miss my little guys. They were so tame and affectionate and I felt loved by them unconditionally.

I had a long hair guniea pig I loved so much for around 4 years as a kid. He would get play time where I took him out and let him wander around the hallway and my room. He was so calm he barely talked, he let me brush his fur with a tiny brush. One day I went to the pool for a few hours but when I came back he wasnt moving. He suddenly passed, and to this day it might've been my fault because his water was very low, the sun was shining on his cage even though our AC was on, idk. My oldest sister told me I was a piece of shit for it many many years which was why I couldn't get a pet again. Everytime I asked for something like a hamster or small bird she would bring my guniea pig back up that I killed him. I was 10 when he died btw. Still miss him, we buried him in the backyard there.

I miss all my guinea pigs I had as a teen/young adult. I had one that lived for almost seven years. I loved that all of them had their own unique characters and I always thought how amazing it was to have them around and how they get used to your daily routine. I liked to sit next to their play area and have a breakfast with them before I got ready to leave the house. Sometimes when I go grocery shopping I see veggies and fruits that they loved to eat but now I have no more reasons to buy it anymore. Sadly my current place is way too small to have some piggies but one day I will have enough space (and money) to adopt new ones from the shelter and give them a new home, with hopefully a small garden area to play.

>>1365033
His name was Sparky, he lived to be 14 and he was a border collie. Defended us from my abusive dad before my parents split, was very smart, liked to make noise (he literally would make mooing sounds and 100% understood English lol). In his prime he was 65 LBS and an absolute unit for a BC. We put him to sleep because he was very old and his hips were giving out. I miss him everyday. Thank you for asking Nonnie it means a lot, I wanted to honor his memory as a truly chad dog

>>1365035
she's illetrte and a half a tribal at her stage, in a way I don't blame her cause our society made her the way she is, my grandmother selected her for my father cause she seemed that she would be good daughter in law cause she was dumb

>>1365042
……..what?

>>1365042
I'm sorry you grew up with that

my little old man will be 14 in december. he spends the vast majority of his time sleeping but still gets these bouts of high energy and excitement that tell me he's not done yet. im mostly worried that b/c my husband is being relocated overseas for a whole year starting in February that the dog will die while he's away which will make the mourning process so much more painful for both of us. i desperately want him to make it to 15 so he can see his "dad" again before he goes.

>>1365041
>>1365030
sparky sounds like he was amazing. im glad he was here

>>1365042
Am I retarded or does this make no sense? Whatever though, it doesn’t excuse the fact your mom is an awful person

>>1365088
nta but "half tribal", illiterate, arranged marriage = from the more rural part of some third world country. Anon was explaining that her mom is traumatized and from a retarded culture which is why she threw a kitten in the trash. she wasn't making excuses or saying her mom wasn't awful, she already stated she hated her mom.

Nonas I know this is dumb, but I don't know whether to keep or bury some of my dog's stuff with her. She has a really old raggedy towel (beach towel that was her bath towel, turned into just a towel on the floor she would always sleep on), and a ripped off ear off a toy chihuahua (it was a plush of taco bell chihuahua kek) that she fucking LOVED. Part of me wants to put them in the casket for her. Maybe it's too much to be thinking of sending her off to heaven with those items, but I'm planning to have her buried in a pet cemetery. It's a lovely place, but it's not home. My stupid self just wants her to have a piece of home with her. I know she'll be gone, maybe the afterlife and spirits don't exist and it'll all be for naught.

Selfishly, I want to keep these items too. I want to have them in a corner in my room, or in their old spots, so if her spirit comes to visit home, she'll have her old towel to sleep on and her favorite ear to nibble on. Not sure where the rest of the dog toy is tbh kek.

I want to have them with me, I want physical reminders of her. I want to take them with me when I move out, so I can always feel like she's with me, since I won't have any ashes. I'll always have her memory but I want something physical too. I know logically maybe I should give her the ear and keep the towel but I'm greedy and I want both since one represents her resting spot, the thing she always loved to sleep on, and the other one represents her when she used to be able to play- so rambunctious! I couldn't let her play with other real dogs because she always went for their ears lol.

>>1365241
Bury her in the towel so she can rest peacefully and keep/do something special with the ear so you can remember her playing and being happy.

Sometimes I can't help but getting caught up in the memories. It's especially hard when you grew up with your pet.
I'm still having a hard time, but what does help me is to process my emotions with any form of art. It means so much to me. I have a picture on my wall in the area I keep my plants and I sometimes stand in front of it, it just happens automatically.

I feel guilty about my dog's death. We grew up together and everyone chalked her decline up to old age. She still enjoyed going for walks and ate well, but I felt like she was being stoic, because sometimes she obviously struggled. This also happened at the same time I was in and out of the hospital, so family was watching her. I feel like I'm making excuses for not doing enough and not being there for her. She ended up dying suddenly in the night, the aftermath didn't look peaceful. From what I've been told it was about as peaceful and fast as it can be without euthanasia, sudden spontaneous tumor rupture and even if she would've gotten treatment earlier, at her age the outlook would be grim either way. She's buried in the Harry Potter blanket I gave to her when she came into my life. I know it sounds retarded, but in a way she was like a sister to me. She deserved better.

My grandmother left us with her 6 little kittens before she passed away. We left them the first week in our washing machine room which is connected to the kitchen and our backyard. We thought it was a good place to start out before going all over the house. The backyard door was made out of like wired metal and a wooden door. The bottom was damaged from a previous hurricane, but nothing could honestly get in. It just had some of the metal bent sticking out. Well we think around 4AM a shitbull smelled or heard our kitties and was gnawing on the metal to the point of pulling it more outwards. The wood of the door was already chipped broken a bit and the dog broke more of the pieces off. It made enough damage to fit it's head inside, previously you could fit like a few fingers at most. We think the dog gave up after an hour and went wandering around. Well anyways the kittens ran out the door and we all woke up at 6AM to the sound of kittens screaming and a dog barking. My mom got a bat and I looked outside the window to nearly all the kittens laying dead on the ground and a shitbull eating another. I cried so much that day. My mom tried to lie about the situation and say that the kittens just ran away, but I saw her picking up the dead kitten body parts into a trash bag. The 2 that were on a tree holding on for their life died within the day because they bled out. We don't know who the dog belonged to, but I prayed it would get ran overed and died a painful slow death paralyzed in agony. It was the first time I had pets and they died within a day. I never got a cat again until this year and it makes me remember of the incident everytime I take her to the vet and there are dogs in the lobby. I instantly start sweating and feeling like she's going to die and im incapable of saving her like how I wasn't able to do anything back then. Rest in peace kitties, I miss you all.

Feline leukemia took my kitty away from me very early and I'm still heartbroken I had to put her down I miss her everyday what do I do nonnies….

I feel guilty about my cat's death, he was bitten by a snake but we didn't realise until we found him dead. If we realised sooner he may have been saved.

My dog died of cancer and I feel guilty we did not seek treatment even though it was expensive and only delaying the inevitable. He was a really good dog. I first hated the new dog we got after, didn't like that we got the same type of dog. Felt like we were treating him as a replacement. Though now I love the new dog and realise he has a wildly different personality/nature.

>>1365364
Oh anon. As long as you treat your pets with kindness and mercy, you are loved. Not everyone can afford bougie medical care for their pets or behavioral health strategies but as long as you do everything with mercy kindness and empathy you are giving your pet a better life than if they were confined to a small cage with the same care. I wish you the best and absolve you from your sins as white pet Jesus

after childhood the first pet i had that really clicked with me personally (lived in a house full of people and another pets) was sort of ex-communicated by her sister cat for ??? reasons. she still hung around, just moved herself to the unclaimed front yard. down the road is a big supermarket. once she went missing for an extended period and was found after a few days nearby, talked to the kindly man who found her and he mentioned that the supermarket tends to leave out poison for the cats because their giant ass unsecured industrial bins are a great breeding ground and i guess poison baits a few times a year is less expensive than fixing their loose shit up. anyway she had walked over, ate a bait, tried to get home and died against a light-post halfway. i still remember the pillowcase the man had covered her up with, blood from her nose staining the outside. it was such a sunny pleasant morning until then and i'm always meaning to re-create that image of her half in a pillowcase against that pole, a little blood staining where her nostril would've been underneath it. surreal. stopped fucking with art over a decade ago though but if anything brings me back it'll be to get that picture out of my head. least i still have her dumb cute kids

>>1365382
Thank you white pet Jesus.

My parents adopted two cats in 2020 and they already lost both because they tried keeping them as indoor/outdoor cats. What really irked me is that I had to post info on social media and missing pet sites because they didn’t do anything when either one went missing.

I was taking care of a feral for a bit and he brought great joy in my otherwise miserable life. He stopped showing up months ago after consistently coming most days of the week for a year. The area is quiet without many people but I know the reality of what happens to ferals or what people do to them. I know it's illogical to have such strong feelings for a wild animal but I loved him all the same. I pray there's a small chance he's just found another food source but I know the chances of that are slim. I wish I was in any position to own a cat right now.
See you again one day, scruffball.

Last night when I told my dad it was time to put our dog to sleep, he said ok. I made the appointment this morning with the vet and cemetery, and now he's saying we should wait? See if she improves?

How can she improve? She is blind, she can't walk, she's incontinent, and I'm pretty sure she has dementia. I can and have been doing everything I can for her. Buying her wipes to wipe her down between baths, more frequent bathing with new medicated shampoo, diapers, new blankets, new cushy mat for her joints, preparing her juice, holding her food for her, watching her and adjusting every little thing I can to make her comfortable. It doesn't bother me. None of this is a chore. I do it without thinking, and I do it all for her. But when she started crying the other night because she couldn't handle the chill of her juice (she won't drink water anymore), it really just hit me that I have to stop.

I can change warm up some water and honey for her so she can drink something at a comfortable temperature. I can warm up her food. I can continue doing everything for her. But I can't give her new eyes, new legs, new kidneys. I can't give her a new body.

What is there to improve? I didn't suddenly wake up and decide "hm, time to get rid of the dog!" It hurts me to make this decision. I don't want to make this decision. It would be so much easier for me to just continue being her caretaker, but it isn't fair to her. For all the things I can do and give her, there are so many equally important quality of life things that I cannot.

I read on a pet loss site that "to end their suffering, we must accept our own" and it really hit me. Either she suffers, or I do. And I just love her too much to let her continue suffering. I hoped she would've passed at home, but now I know that if I wait until that happens, I will feel even more guilty knowing she suffered just to have that end where I didn't have to make that decision. I will cry no matter what, I will miss her no matter what. At the very least, I want to do right by her and know that she has suffered a little bit less. I hold a lot of guilt about how I could've done better for her, I don't want any more. I don't want to remember my childhood dog and only remember my guilt and her suffering.

>>1365975
if your dad doesn't do any of those caretaking tasks than he's not in a position to say she might improve. dont let someone who doesnt understand your dogs situation make you feel guilty for putting her needs first, you know whats best for her. if she won't even drink water i can't imagine her condition improving

>>1365330
>I know it sounds retarded, but in a way she was like a sister to me.
This isn't retarded nona. I consider my dog my sister, and my parents consider her their second daughter. I'm the one who wanted her so maybe I should be her mom kek but she fits into our family as if she was another person. She is the younger, spoiled child. She is forever the baby of our family.

We will always feel like we could have done more. I struggle with this thinking a lot. Other kind nonas have always told me that dog's don't understand the concept of something better out there for them. As long as she was loved, and from the sounds of it I'm sure she lived a life full of it, that is enough. Don't blame yourself nona. I'm sure she's sleeping comfortably on that blanket in heaven.

>>1365975
Anon, this literally made me cry earlier. I have a dog too but I can't imagine your suffering. I'm sure she's incredibly happy you've been close to her this whole time. You've done so much for her and she loves you dearly. I feel stupid as fuck because I'm tearing up even rereading your post.

>>1366176
Thank you so much for your kind words ♥ I've been crying a lot the past two days, and just when I think I'm over it- I start bawling again! But it's slowly becoming easier for me to process and accept. I cry because I will miss her and I truly hate and dread having to say goodbye, but I'm coming to really accept that this needs to be done. Being able to exert some control also makes me feel better (i.e. deciding what her last days will look like, making sure she will be surrounded by family when she goes, what I will bury her with, etc). They are hard decisions that brings me to tears because each decision really solidifies that she will be gone, but I feel like this is the only control I have right now in her life against mother nature. I cry at the thought of seeing her life leave her body, but it brings me solace to know that she will be surrounded by family when it happens. While I wish she could pass on at home naturally, there is always the possibility that it would happen when no one is at home and that it would be painful. I do not have to worry about that now. I will get to be there, my family will get to be there, and we will have a proper goodbye and a proper burial. In a selfish way, this is also to give me closure.

She is my one true love, my sunshine, my happiness. I have only risen to the occasion of truly being her caretaker in the last few years, and taking on the burden of saying goodbye feels like my final task.

Sorry for writing out so much. I've been ranting a lot and thinking the same things a lot but it's been really helpful in helping me process my emotions as I go through this. I feel like to some extent I also have to really convince myself that this is the right choice too.

Give your dog lots of hugs and kisses from me! I hope you will have many, many, many more lovely years with your dog. ♥ They are such a lovely pet, and despite the pains of saying goodbye, I would make the choice to bring her home time and time again. Our adventure together was worth it.

>>1366064
Thank you for being so nice nonna.
>she fits into our family as if she was another person
I think at times my dog forgot that she's a dog. When people would be talking to each other, she'd try to contribute and try to talk with us. Not like barking, idk how to really describe it. Kinda like those talking Huskies, but my dog wasn't a Husky. We barely even trained her really, somehow she trained herself oftentimes, like sitting and waiting at a crossing (even when the street was completely empty). I don't know if she did that out of respect, love or understanding that we have to keep her safe, but she was so easy going for her type.
>Other kind nonas have always told me that dog's don't understand the concept of something better out there for them. As long as she was loved, and from the sounds of it I'm sure she lived a life full of it, that is enough.
Yeah I guess you and those other kind nonnas are right. It just hurts because their love is so pure, the sense of empathy I got from her. They're too good for this world. People around me suggested I should adopt another pet to cope, but I feel like I have to first be in a better place with fewer distractions, so I can really give my all. It also feels like I'd be replacing her, when that's impossible. Though that's not just the case with childhood pets. Introducing someone that irreplaceable again in my life feels emotionally risky. Maybe I could handle fostering in the future.

>>1366280
She sounds like she was the loveliest gal! I hope you might find it in your heart to welcome another pet into your life. I understand the feeling of replacing your old pet, I fear that if I give a future dog a better life (now that there's so many widely available and free resources on the internet compared to when I was a kid), I would feel guilty that I couldn't do all this for my past dog. An instagram I follow said she very suddenly got the opportunity to get a new dog after hers passed, and due to the circumstances she was hesitant but didn't want this dog to go to a shelter when she could offer the pup a home, and she said to help her cope with losing her old dog, she would tell her new dog stories of her old dog. This is something I want to do. It might be 10 years from now, but I'm sure I'll still remember some goofy stories. I think in doing that, it won't feel like my old dog is being replaced. This is just a new friend in my life, and they are their own being, and will become irreplaceable in their own special way.

I wish you the very best nona.

I'm the nona from above who is supposed to be putting my pet to sleep. My dad was okay with it yesterday but now we had a whole argument about it because he refuses.

>Who cares if she can't walk? I will take her out
>Your relative was bedridden and shit and pissed themselves and we didn't abandon them, we didn't pull the plug on them
>YES I am selfish!! We are keeping her!
>We are killing her if we put her to sleep! I will feel guilty, what if we are making the wrong choice?

He doesn't get it. He won't listen to me at all. She can't walk. She doesn't want to play. She cries and is uncomfortable all the time. He insists that we should just continue taking care of her. I'm not tired of taking care of her, I am tired of seeing her suffer. I will not regret putting her to sleep, but I will regret prolonging her life here and watching her suffer. He insists on waiting, insists on mother nature taking it's course. He thinks it's fine for a dog to live like this, that it's fine as long as she is breathing. He doesn't pay attention to her. I told him that we can't do this to her, it's not right to keep her here for our comfort. This is not about us, it's about her.

I am not abandoning her. I am not getting rid of her for my own convenience. I just want her to be at peace.

>>1366560
I am so frustrated. I don't know what to do. He refuses to take her to the vet, he won't even let me take her there and let the vet decide.

It's so cruel but I think of what I can do at home to end her life but I know any options I have are awful and would be the worst way to end her life. I just want to let her go in peace. It would not make me feel any less guilty putting her to sleep than it would be to wait a week, a month, a whole extra year to pass on on her own, and then suddenly she's gone. She will be suffering that whole time. I can't do this to her.

>>1366565
I'm sorry to hear this Nonnie. Your dad is being really selfish. My Dad was the same way back when my cat died. My mom was the one who had to bury him.
I won't blame you if you chose to try and lessen your pets suffering yourself. I don't know why some people can't see that death's the merciful choice in some cases.

>>1366577
I talked to my mom and she begged me for another two weeks, and then she'll try to talk to him. She understands a little bit more that we can't keep doing this to her, but I think she's struggling a lot with the idea of letting go.

I know I could get a vet to come to our home behind their backs and to put her to sleep while they're out at work and then pretend like she died on her own, but I don't want to go behind my parents back like that. It would be a merciful for my dog, but I truly want her to be surrounded by me and my parents when she goes. I want a proper goodbye, and proper closure for her and for us. Maybe that is selfish of me too. I really want things to be a specific way, in an effort to really give myself a bit more closure.

I was going to just drop her off in their room (she stays in my room) and let them deal with her, but knowing they will straight up ignore her pains me too much. He says he'll take care of her, but I know he won't.

>>1366560
It truly amazes me that people can be like this. They made their relative suffer and humiliate themselves so it's ok to make the animal suffer too? Jesus. How cruel can you be.
It's all "me me me"! Oh no, I'll feel guilty. I want her to stay. Fucking entitled boomer mentality.
You should constantly send your dad videos and audios of her suffering to see if he likes it. It's easy to say you want her around when you spend 8 hours a day away from them.

>>1366590
I also just remembered that he literally said "I know I said I would be willing to put her to sleep if she is in pain, but now I don't want to!" and then proceeded to talk about a time he was in such massive pain that he wanted to die but then he… just got over it? Presumably because the pain went away! But her pain will not be going away! Even if it does, it still won't give her back the ability to see and walk and be a regular dog anymore.

I keep trying to explain that keeping her around for our convenience is worse but he's convinced that as long as she is alive and eating, that must mean she wants to live. He can't fathom the idea that other people want to see an end to their suffering. He tried to compare her situation to himself and said "would you pull the plug on me?" Out of mercy and the overwhelming love I have for my family to know when to let go of people? Yes, yes I would.

I know I'm just repeating myself over and over, and I feel so cold hearted and detached because I'm set on this to the point where it feels like it might come off as me just wanting to be rid of her… but I've been crying for two days straight thinking of her final moments and thinking through all of this. I love my dog, I love her so, so much. I can't ask her to give me any more than she already has. I've received a lifetime's worth of unconditional love and companionship.

>It's easy to say you want her around when you spend 8 hours a day away from them.
He talks like he does anything for her but once when I was stuck at work I texted my parents asking them to at least just remove her diaper so she wasn't sitting in it for so long and he didn't. Their excuse? "I forgot."

I just realised that this is the last picture I took of my buddy. we had to put him to sleep the same day. I wish I could go back to that moment and keep him there, on my lap, for longer, and kiss his little head one more time. I wish I knew it was the last time so I that could have cherished it more. it's been over a month, and I still miss him so much it hurts. I love you, I love you, I love you, please come back to me when you're ready.

>>1366778
Can you at least try to integrate and not post pictures of your manhands?

>>1366844
not a man, but okay, I've been told I have large hands before, so no offence taken. as far as integration goes, I don't even know what you're on about. I'm sure there must be better places on the world wide web for you to nitpick shit like this than a pet loss thread though, no?

>>1366778
I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for loving your little guy, and I hope you'll be reunited some day.

>>1366883
nta but youre a douchebag

>>1366883
truly do fuck you is all I have to say.

>>1366897
use your manhands to type sage in the email field

>>1366922
This is /ot/, you aren't even required to sage, retard.
Did you know that women can have short nails or bigger hands? Crazy thought. Some anons seriously need to go outside and touch grass if they think that all women have dainty manicured Barbie hands, fucks sake.

>>1366596
Nonna you should just take her to the vet and put her to sleep while they're away. He clearly does not care as much as he says he does. He'll "forget" or "get over" her death in a day or two. Don't try to empathize with him when he clearly makes no effort to empathize with anybody else. Not even with his pet.

Sorry I keep posting here. My dad is starting to come around, but we're just going in for the vet's opinion this week. I spoke to him privately beforehand this morning and I had just woken up when he called so my thoughts were really frazzled, but I said "one of our main concerns is that we feel like we're just killing her…" and the vet said "yeah, well, you are." and I just… Is the bluntness supposed to help?

I'm struggling a lot now. I know it is the right choice to end her suffering, but on the other hand, I can't help but continue thinking "is this the right choice? is this what she wants? am I really just doing this for myself?" Now I'm the one who feels selfish, because this is my decision to make for her. Am I making the wrong choice?

She nuzzled my hand yesterday, which is a very rare thing nowadays. She also stood up! But promptly sat down. I wonder if she is telling me she knows what's coming and is trying to tell me to not do it, that she can still fight. I don't know nonnas. I thought I had it all figured out, but now I don't again. I'm scared of going to the vet and him saying "she's fine!" then telling myself constantly "well if the vet says she's fine, she must be fine!" while forcing her to stay here with me.

I lost my baby angel in early May this year, and I miss her everyday. I adopted her and a little black cat shortly after moving away from home for university.

I had a very turbulent and lonely up bringing, and these two angels helped me through a lot of my self destructiveness caused by my childhood traumas. I felt like I experienced unconditional love for the first time and she was always there to give me cuddles whenever I needed it. She was there to keep me company while I studied, played videogames and painted. I always imagined her in every iteration of my future so it was painful when her life was cut short.

I still don't know what was wrong with her but within a week she went from being a little wobbly when walking to completely losing her ability to use her back legs and became completely incontinent. She hid so I slept on the floor next to her until I had to make the hard decision to put her out of her pain.

I still find myself crying randomly in public and I find it so embarrasing. When she was alive the only dreams I would have with her in them would be filled with anxiety (natural disasters where I couldn't reach them etc), but now I sometimes dreams where she's happy and can wall again. I like to imagine she's visiting me in my dreams.

I believe my other cat has been lonely so despite telling myself I never want to go through that again, I adopted a friend for her who was on death row. I thought to myself, I couldn't save my other angel, but I can give this one a new lease on life. The new cat has been unwell with conjunctivitis and has been isolating in my room for a month. She has play aggression and is a little moody but I don't mind spending time training her. I don't really know what I've gotten myself into, grief is awful.

>>1369382
What an absolutely beautiful gal! Thank you for giving her a loving home, and for welcoming a new little friend into your home too. I know it's hard. We are basically inviting this awful pain and grief into our lives when we bring an animal home, but for all the many years of unconditional love and companionship, all the fun memories made, I think it's worth it. We'll have to say goodbye eventually, but you are able to give them a good life so they can leave this world knowing what it's like to be loved. Like you said, you've given your new kitty a new lease on life! May you have many, many years with your new friend.

The primary reason my parents never got us an actually good pet is because they didn't want us dealing with the loss and heartbreak when it eventually died and I'm pissed. That's the stupidest reason for not getting a pet ever.

>>1369272
Anon, is she in constant pain? If she is and she is always distressed no matter what, then it would be better to let her go. However, if she's not always in pain, can sometimes move and is able to tell you're there, then you should definitely think about it a little more. You can't rush this decision anon. The thing is, pets want to be with us even when they can't walk or even if they're blind. They usually have a strong will to live if, again, they're not in constant pain or too mentally gone to know what goes on around them. If you're unsure about this decision just wait a bit to clear your head. What's the vet's opinion? How were her previous checkups? If they say that she's fine then she mustn't be that far gone, unless your vet is an idiot.

>>1369608
>>1369272
Also if you're still unsure or don't trust your vet enough, try to get a second opinion. This is about the life of your pet and you have to be determined about what you're doing.
I can only give you my opinion, I know that my dog would want to stay with me until the very end if she can. You know your own dog's attitude. If you feel like she wants to keep fighting, that she has comfort in feeling your presence, that she's a little responsive, then definitely wait. If you're struggling with taking care of her in the meantime (not a bad thing obviously, taking care of a disabled and/or old pet is not easy) you need to tell your relatives, who also care about her, to get off their asses instead of just talking.

>>1369608
>>1369612
Thank you nonnie. I think right now I'm afraid of backing out and dealing with my dad yelling at me for flip flopping, but I think he might also appreciate it knowing she can still be here for us. I just worry for the day when the pain never ends, if he will be able to come around again. I'm afraid of him using this time as ammo, saying "well we almost put her to sleep before but then she was fine, so that can happen again!" She was struggling to sleep through the night a few days ago, but is back to her regular routine now. I feel like it might have just been a scare and I blew it out of proportion, but I have been thinking about how happy she must be with life with no longer being able to run and play. Taking care of her is not something that bothers me, because it makes me happy to know I can do something for her to make her more comfortable. It's a direct and immediate way to see her become more comfortable and it's probably one of the only things I feel like I have control over in her life.

We will see what the vet says, but I think I already know he's going to say "it's up to you" and it is. He said that in our last few check ups, where he saw that she was slowly losing her mobility until she became the way she is now. He's always said "I think she's fine, she's clearly clean and well taken care of, but if you think it's time to let go, let us know."

Thank you again for your words nonna. My friends have been a great support system for me, but I feel like I'm burdening them now because my dog is all I talk about and it feels like a big thing to be talking about her death one moment and then suddenly the next it's like "haha just kidding!" It's stressful for me and my family and I don't want to keep bothering my friends with it but I don't really know where else to go to get someone else's thoughts besides here. I love you nonnas. I will give my old gal a big ol' smooch for you all.

>>1366565
>>1365975
>>1369862
>>1366560
NTA, nonna I had been going through the same thing this year. Right up until the very end she would struggle here and there and then go back to her regular routine. So my father also refused to put her to sleep, because she always seemed fine again. Until one night she just suddenly died and no matter what the vet says to reassure, I know it would've been better if she had been put to sleep with everyone being able to be there for her and actually say goodbye. Instead of it happening suddenly, while she was all alone and having to clean up the gruesome aftermath.
I know my dog was stoic and felt like it was her duty to be there for me and that resulted in waiting too long. She saw how stressed I was about her situation and also my own health and she really tried to be a big tough girl for me. People have this weird idea that natural deaths are somehow peaceful, but even without an obvious torturous decline preceding it, it's really not. Maybe I would've put her to sleep a month or two before her actual natural death, had I gone with my gut feeling, but she would've had a less painful and less lonely death. Mother nature isn't gentle, mother nature is cold hearted and gruesome. I waited and waited and waited, waited a little more, until I didn't even get to make the decision anymore to give her a peaceful and painless death. And she was one of the "lucky" ones when it comes to natural deaths apparently.
It's one of the most difficult decisions to make in your life, but you'll also beat yourself up over it if you don't make it at all. There doesn't seem to be a magical "sign", people wax poetically about in pet loss blogs. It's one thing if you actively decide against euthanasia at all, but it's a whole other kind of feeling if you didn't even make that decision yourself. I feel like I took the "easy" way out, through my indecision, which is arguably highly unethical. I don't know how accepted euthanasia is in your culture and whether that could affect your vet's demeanor about it, but all I can say is: trust your gut.

>>1369984
Thank you so much for sharing this with me nonna. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I was reading one of those pet loss things and it mentioned about natural death rarely ever being "animal passes away in their sleep peacefully." It's selfish, but knowing exactly when her last day is gives me peace because I can plan up to it (which I was doing before). Knowing that I will have to watch her pass is awful, but being able to be there with her brings me a sense of peace. I fear if she passes naturally, what if I decided to stay go out with friends that day? Or I had to stay at work late? I would feel so much regret, so much "if only's".

You are right, there is no sign. I wish there was. Things would be so much easier if she was terminally ill or something. She eats so well everyday. She doesn't play, but she is quite alert when she's awake. Your words mean a lot to me. I had accepted it last week, but now I feel like I'm bargaining for time again, telling myself "she's okay, we can wait a little longer." I feel like I am robbing her of the future… but at 18, what more is there? What more can I ask of her to give me? I feel like I can't talk to my parents about it because I know they will take any hint of hesitation to convince me that we shouldn't do it. I know they mean well, I don't want to do this either, but it's not right. I'm not even really sure what I want to be told- either answer feels wrong to some extent.

I feel selfish either way. Selfish if I keep her here, because that's just for my own comfort, but also selfish if I make the decision, because it feels like I am robbing her of the choice to live.

Either way, I hope your sweet girl has found peace. I hope we'll be reunited with them someday.

My cat passed a year ago, I miss him so much.
He would come and snuggle me if he heard me crying, he’d snuggle me if he didn’t feel well and he would fall asleep in my husbands arms every night. When my husband and I would cuddle he’d try to wiggle in between us until he was included too. He just had so much love to give.
He was abandoned as a kitten by his family, just left outside. The neighborhood took care of him but eventually he got picked up by a shelter. We looked all over the county for him until we found him and took him home.
He was plagued by health complications so wasn’t allowed to integrate with the other cats in the house at the time. Any chance he got though he’d seek them out just so he could snuggle with them.
He loved food, always wanted more but we were pretty strict about portion control and feeding times. I could set my watch to his hungry meows he got so good at knowing when it was time to eat. He was spoiled a good deal, which is one thing I’ll never regret. He deserved to be treated like a king, all he wanted was to love others. He’d always try to snuggle and curl up on everyone’s laps, even the vet. It made check ups difficult because he was delighted by the attention and purring so hard.
My biggest regret is that not enough people go to meet him, he was such a big softy. The closest thing to a living teddy bear and that’s all he wanted, a warm lap and lots of yummy food.

>>1384898
He sounds like he was the loveliest kitty ♥ Thank you for opening your heart and home to him, and giving him the best life on earth.

>>1384898
I'm sorry anon, he must have been a beautiful, smart, and special boy, and you did so much good for him. Rest in peace angel.

I've fostered many strays and I remember their names but I miss my sweet (almost )one year persian of all … he was bitten by a stray cat while he was in the lounge he got parvo a week later he had a seizure and died… I cried all the way home while holding his casket …I still miss my baby

>>1386088
I've fostered many strays too, I keep a book with when I got them, roughly how old they were, when they passed, etc. If I'm feeling real shitty I look at it and remind myself that at least I helped these cats that no one else would care for. I know how you feel though. There was this one Manx cat who absolutely stole my heart. She was temperamental due to being used as a breeding machine and no doubt had mental issues from so many kitties being taken from her and sold which meant she could often be angry. But I kept at it with her and she grew to be so affectionate. She loved to cuddle, especially in bed at night. So much so that if I was staying up too late she would sit and frown at me kek. Maybe it's just the autism but I felt very in sync with her. I have schizophrenia and multiple times during an episode or when I was distressed by hearing things she would come over and nuzzle into me which was very grounding and calming for me. Unfortunately the toll of so many pregnancies and old age caught up with her eventually and she had to be put to sleep. I grieved her like I would a person. In fact, I've grieved her harder than some of my family members, as cruel as that sounds. I struggled to sleep for months because my chest felt light without her lying on it. I even tried putting a cuddly toy on my chest to replicate the weight but nothing could help me sleep like she did. I still cry over her, but I like to think she's in pet heaven with the other cats I've looked after over the years.

It happened less than 10 years ago but I still feel so guilty about this I don't think I'll ever forgive myself. My family got a dog when I just went to school basically. We had two dogs before that, one when I was too little, I don't remember him, and the second one died when we were out of town and she got stung in a throat by a wasp/bee that she swallowed, and my mom couldn't help her. I really loved dogs as a child (I turned into a cat person in my teens) and I always wanted to have one. And once my mom got a black medium poodle puppy somewhere and she wanted to bring it to my grandma's and late grandpa's village, but my brother and I just couldn't let her do that because the puppy was so sweet we instantly fell in love with her. So she stayed with us. Damn, and she really was my friend. I just found a pic of a similar poodle and instantly started crying. So why I feel guilty. My parents are, I'd say, kind of neglectful. Not full-blown but in some ways - yes (mostly because it's like they don't know what they're supposed to do or just don't want to bother). And now I can see how many of the pets that we had weren't properly cared for, but I guess many people didn't attach importance to that back then?.. like maybe the info wasn't as available back then or something. Anyways, they changed a bit over time, but the tendency is still there, although now they're more self-neglectful, regarding their health, for example. I think we should've spayed the dog but no one ever seriously considered it (and I guess my mom could even think it's undesirable somehow, against the nature or something like that). We also didn't take her to a vet, I think EVER, until something obviously got wrong - she developed cancer and we noticed it at the terminal stage. She was 14. We had to put her down. But I wasn't there. And what makes me feel extremely bad now is that at some point I became coldish to her for some reason. And I can't even explain why… surely she was still cared for and all, but she wasn't as loved as before. I was weirdly detached for the last few years of her life. I did feel bad for her when it appeared she was sick, but then again, I wasn't there when she was put down and maybe I just absolutely repressed everything, but now I see myself in the past as this cold bitch, and I wish I was kinder and as loving to her as I was as a child. Makes me so fucking sad because she was such a good dog and she made me so happy back in the past. I don't know why I got like this, could be because of depression. Could I somehow get emotionally neglectful because I was neglected like that? But damn, she didn't deserve it. We could still be great friends. Now whenever I remember about her, I feel like crying, and most of the times I do. It's probably stupid but it is what it is.

They didn't die but my baby was in the NICU and I was unable to take care of my rats so I had to give them away. One of them was a small male rat who kept trying to breed with the jumbo female rats but he was neutered and it was always a blast to watch. One of the biggest female rats would lay on my tummy while the baby kicked and the other one would eat any food I gave her like a corn on the cob. It was always fun giving them scraps and having them give me little nibbles

He was my childhood cat. Had him since I was a toddler. I initially had no empathy for him at all in my first memories for him, as you'd expect, but he was the first thing I remember actually developing empathy for, and genuinely loving and wanting to care for. We bonded as we grew older and were extremely close. He was always there through tough times. He was a really big fluffy cat. Always a tad grouchy, loved a good scritch behind the ear or a belly rub, loved snacks, was a little lazy. He was super loyal to me though, always came when I called him, always wanted to sleep in my bed and play with me. We were pretty much known as the inseparable child and pet duo. He stayed with me, lived a really long fulfilling life, made it through high school. I knew he was gonna go some day, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. He was old, tired easily, but still lively and lovey-dovey with a chip on his shoulder as he usually was. One day he just seemed a little more tired than usual, my mom insisted that nothing was wrong with him, and there was no reason to believe it was anything wrong, but I still felt this intense anxiety, and refused to leave his side for even a moment that night. He still ate, still perked up when he was being given attention, still drank. He jumped up onto the couch and I went to sleep that night. He'd usually sleep with me, but sometimes he likes his space. I slept in that day because it was a Saturday, and was just laying in bed, kinda still waking up when I heard a distressed cry from the floor in my room. Found my buddy lying right next to my bed, in a puddle of his own piss, struggling to get up and I fucking lost it. I picked him up, cleaned him, tried to get him to drink something, let him lay in my bed, pet him. He was still reacting to the attention, and still lucid. He drank and ate a little, but just stopped. I couldn't get him to eat or drink at all after that, no matter how much I tried. I watched over him all day, begged my mom to take him to the vet and that something was horribly wrong. For the rest of the day, I watched over him, pretty much knowing that he wasn't going to survive this, and that I should just give him the most dignity I can while he lay there. He kept pissing himself, trying to get up, I had to clean him. I held him. Then I heard him cry out to me once again, and the sound just fucking broke me. I started sobbing out loud and completely lost my composure. I hardly ever even shed a tear and this reduced me to nothing. We drove him to the emergency vet, and my mom still thought he was going to make it. As we were in the waiting room I noticed he had jaundice. I simply told the vet the list of symptoms he showed, the jaundice. She said his liver and kidneys apparently had shut down as I suspected, his blood volume was incredibly low because something had apparently started rapidly killing off his red blood cells, likely cancer. His bladder was basically empty, showing severe dehydration. I asked if we should put him down. They said yes, nothing could be done for him at this point, he was basically just a breathing corpse. He wasn't even lucid at this point, wasn't suffering, just in a mental twilight zone. Over the course of ten hours, his body and mind just shut down. They brought in the needle to anesthetize him first. I stood there, stroking his fur the whole time. Then they brought in the needle full of pink euthanasia drug. His blood pressure was so low they couldn't even inject it normally. They had to shave a different leg to put it in, and just barely managed to get it in. I stood and watched, and his muscles began to contract as he was basically dead but his body was still giving out. The muscle contractions were not like convulsions, but just one fluid stretch. His head stretched back as if he was just stretching to yawn, except he didn't yawn, he was dead and his head just kept stretching back until it was at an odd angle. I knew it was just muscle contractions but I couldn't help but to cry out in pure horror at the sight. I comforted my mom in the car. Coudln't get the image out of my mind of his head bent back at that angle. Don't know why that was the particular image that bothered me, but I couldn't stop seeing it for a week. My dad made fun of me for it and I decided to stop talking to him after that. Now I'm fine. His death isn't some forbidden topic people are afraid to broach with me, and it's a relief we don't have to pretend like he never even existed. My bed and my life still feel empty without him. I've never actually lived a conscious life without him up until now, so it's a bit odd. I'm at peace with the fact that I'll never see him again, I don't believe in an afterlife, and that's okay. I just wonder what my loved ones will see of me when I die. Will my head be sharply bent backwards in such a manner as well?

>>1386244
do you know what a paragraph break is nona?

>>1386257
Sorry. It's a little harder to see in the text box vs. in a writing software, I must have forgotten to add breaks.

My dog passed away this morning. I am the nona from above who was fighting with her dad about putting my dog to sleep. I got almost a whole month more with her. With my sweet girl.

I sort of knew time was coming. She threw up blood a few weeks ago. She was struggling to eat. I thought she might've been getting better, because she had been eating more in recent days. Last night, she ate quite a bit! She had her favorite- beef. I thought she had more time. I thought I was going to have to speak with my dad again about putting her to sleep since she was slowing down again. But she decided to leave on her own terms.

She woke me up in the middle of the night last night. She was laying on her side and couldn't get back onto her belly, so I helped her back up and I pointed the fan down at her so that it might cool her off and help her sleep. I could hear her breathing a little heavy, what she usually does when she's uncomfortable, and then it got quiet. She had fallen asleep. All of this morning I've been thinking on that moment. I now know she must've really fallen asleep at that time, because she was in a different position when I woke up. She must've moved around a bit to sleep again. I still wish I could've been there for her. That maybe I had pet her a little bit more, given her one more kiss before I went back into my own bed.

There are lots of little things this morning that I can't stop thinking about. Yesterday was supposed to be bath day, but I decided that I was going to push it to today. I have mangoes in the fridge that I bought for her, and I had been waiting for them to ripen. They are her absolute favorite treat in the whole wide world. I couldn't even give them to her one last time. I should've cuddled her more. I should've spent more time with her. I thought I had more time.

She was the best dog a girl like me could've ever asked for. Was she nice? No. Did she do lots of tricks? No. Was she at least a cuddly companion? No. She was rude and bossy and very tsundere-like. She was stubborn and never liked to listen, and I wondered at times if she just didn't listen because she was really stupid, or because she was really smart and knew she could manipulate us. She absolutely hated getting her photo taken, so picrel is probably the only really good, front facing picture I have of her. I took it many years ago, but it is still my favorite picture of her of all time. I loved her despite how much of a grouch she could be. I loved her with my whole heart. Every moment I spent taking care of her, cleaning her up, changing her diapers, making sure she was clean and comfortable, I'm happy I did it all. I did it all for her. I hope she knows that I loved her so much.

I am so grateful that I got to have her as a dog. I am trying not to be regretful of things, trying to not feel so sorrowful about her being gone. I've had her for so long! She's seen me through every school graduation- elementary, middle, highschool, and college. They were just talking about a high school reunion next year. She's been with me this whole time! But now it feels empty moving forward without her here with me. I will no longer come home to her. There will be no more kisses, no more cuddles. Our journey together has come to its end.


Her name was Angel, and she was my angel. I miss her so much already nonas.

>>1394635
That's a beautiful picture nonna! From the sound of it, she passed peacefully, which is good news. You gave her so much attention and love, she surely knows how much you loved her and she'll be waiting for you for the last journey. My vet said dogs tend to pass when we're asleep or gone for a bit, because we give them too much motivation to keep going, they want to be there for us out of love. I don't know if that's true, or something just said to cheer me up, but I believe it was true about my dog. Sounds like it was also the case for your Angel. So we shouldn't feel too sad or guilty about not having been there when it happened

>>1394635
I'm so sorry for your loss. Angel looks like such a sweet dog. You took care of her so well and I'm sure she was grateful for all the love you gave her, even if she acted so cheeky!

>>1394635
What a beautiful girl, so sorry for your loss but remember that she will be waiting wherever she now is for you whenever you pass, and she wants to hear all the great stuff you did and about all the fun you had. What a cute little doggie, it will feel lonely at first and the sadness may suddenly creep back in even after years but you two had so many nice moments together and she must have known how much she meant to you, hugs anon.

I am always thinking about my Baby Paul, my first rat and my heart rat. I feel so much guilt about not holding him more during his last days, he had my mom to be with but I should of been there for him at night when she was asleep and I should of held him on the last day before we had to put him down. I had developed a bad allergy to rats and I had to wash whenever I held one due to hives and breathing issues so I avoided holding him as much. But he loved me so much, he loved being in my arms and I wasn’t there for him

>>1394660
>>1394661
>>1394670
Thank you nonnies. I have been crying on and off all day, cycling through so many different thoughts. I wish I knew yesterday was our last day. I had stayed up a bit late to order something that was being restocked and I knew would sell out quick. I wish I had spent those last moments with her instead of on my computer. I wish I had just spent a little more time telling and kissing her goodnight. But it's not like we ever really know when our last day with them will be. This morning I cleaned her up (she pooped after dinner yesterday before she went to sleep so thankfully not too messy this morning) and combed her fur. She usually got baths every other day or so, so she wasn't very dirty, but some of her fur was oily because she's a messy eater. I really can't stop fixating on the fact that I wish I had given her a bath last night. I have been saving her fur recently and I'm glad I did, but I wish I had saved even more.

I do think that maybe she had forced herself to hold on. When I first got into that fight with my dad about it, by the very next day she seemed to be a lot better. I would lay next to her on the floor and she'd nuzzle me. I know she was cleaning her face too (she loved using me as a human napkin), but I felt like she was saying, "I can go on!" My mom wasn't against putting her to sleep, but begged me to just wait two weeks. It's been about three weeks. She must have known.

She held on for me, and I am regretful to have placed that on her, but I am grateful she is resting now. I am grateful I got all this extra time with her, and I'm glad I did have some days and nights where I just laid down and cuddled with her for a while. I'd be watching a video on my phone while one hand was just petting her, and she would just be resting next to me. Pure bliss.

I was also just thinking the other day that my body is painfully in tune to her. On Sunday night I couldn't sleep at all. I didn't know what the hell it was, but I just couldn't fall asleep for hours. Suddenly, I could hear her heavy breathing, and then her crying. She was awake the whole time, in discomfort, and my body knew it even if my brain didn't, so I just couldn't sleep. I could never sleep if she was in discomfort, my body just refused to let me. Last night, after she settled down to sleep, I fell asleep too. I think that was a sign that she went peacefully. I wouldn't have slept through it if she started crying. I think she is at peace now.

We will be burying her tomorrow. I already know what I'll be burying her with, and in lieu of flowers, I'll be placing the mangoes I never got to feed her on top of her grave. I can't bring myself to eat them, they were always going to be for her.

>>1394674
I'm sorry nona. May heaven for him feel like sleeping in your hands. I hope we will be reunited one day. ♥

I went to go visit my dog's grave today. The mango we left on top of her grave is still there, I was actually surprised none of the workers removed or (or that some wild animal hadn't come and taken it). There were some bites taken out of it, probably a squirrel. We brought some more mango for her, cut up this time because we used to feed them to her by hand. We left a few pieces on her grave, and then divided up the rest to place on the surrounding graves so all of them could enjoy some. I hope some squirrels or racoons or other animals will come and partake in the mango we left too.

On my way out, I noticed a gravestone for a pekingese named Yente. According to the gravestone, Yente was born in 1913, and passed away in 1925. I wanted to know more about Yente, but obviously that information would be near impossible to find.

I think often about how my dog now only exists as a memory. There is undeniable proof of her physical existence in this world, but now she only exists in my memories, and one day that too will disappear. In 100 years, I wonder if someone will happen to look upon her grave and wonder the same things I wonder about Yente- what was she like? what were her favorite foods? what was her family like? It's just a sad thought that's been lingering in my mind. I look at old videos of her when she was rowdy and rambunctious and it makes me laugh, but I am still missing her dearly.

Walking through the cemetery is nice. It's nice to look at all the graves, especially the ones with photos to see what the pet looked like, and exciting to find ones from the early 20th century. I'm glad I have somewhere to go to see her.

>>1394635
Hi anon, it's your penpal. I had been wondering about how you two were doing and then I finally saw this post. I'm sorry I'm seeing this so late, but it's devastating hearing about the loss of Angel and what a hard time you went through these past couple of months. She was so beautiful, and I will always cherish all the pictures you sent of her. Rest in peace baby, and my condolences to you. She will always be with you in your heart and know that you gave her the best life possible. I drew this for you.

>>1416768
This is a sweet story. RIP to your beautiful dog and the other dogs out there. I hope they are all playing over the rainbow bridge.

Not my pet but my friends cat Sabbath passed away on friday in her arms. We were sitting on the couch talking as she was petting her. Her cat gently bit her finger, but when she noticed she wouldn’t let go, she knew she was gone. Its been rough on her, she still has moments where she breaks down and cries, and her other cat Mikey wont enter the room Sabbath passed in.

We’ve been exchanging photos of her cat, remembering the good times with her

>>1395279
My condolences. I know I'm late but I didn't have the guts to check the thread (I've been having issues with my dog too) but I did wonder how you were doing. I was one of the anons who suggested to wait when you were posting about putting her to sleep and your dad not agreeing. To be honest I wasn't sure if it was the best advice but I'm so very glad your Angel passed away peacefully and you got to see and pet her not too long before her parting. I'm sure she enjoyed her time with you very much, her picture above is lovely!
I like to think that we will be reunited with the ones we love one day, and she will be there for you.

>>1417284
I saw this just before going to sleep last night and I really had to fight back the tears. Words can't describe how deeply grateful I am for your drawing of her, you captured her cuteness so perfectly ♥ I've been slowly amassing a collection of drawings of her, and I'm so happy and excited to add your drawing to my little memorial for her. I want to print it out so that I can look at it every day. I hope you are well and I plan to write back to you soon!

>>1417737
Thank you nona ♥ I hope your dog will get to live as long as Angel did, or maybe even longer! Angel and I had a really good run together, and I eagerly anticipate the day I'll be reunited with her. I try to remind myself to be the person she saw me as and tell myself that she will always be with me in my heart. I have been surrounded by lots of love and support from friends and family and nonas here as well, and it's so much more than I could've ever asked for. Be well nonnie, and give your dog some extra love from me ♥

>>1417329
Yes! Remember all the good times! I hope Sabbath is up in heaven as well, enjoying the view from the cat tree up in the sky. ♥

Hey, I just wanted to say thank you to the OP for making this thread. I know it's silly, but I'm glad there's a place for us all to grieve our lost family pets and animal friends. ♥

My parents got my dog put down today. I couldn't be there because I was working, although I was hesitant to be there in the first place. Now I regret it, but I knew it was coming for a long time anyway. My dad brought her home as a puppy on Christmas Eve in 2008, so weird to think that I was 13 and a totally different person back then. For some reason I forgot that I was basically still a child when we got her, she's been around for so long. I remember when my childhood cat passed(That I had since I was four), I found some peace in my dog who was there for me. She was so sweet and full of life. Now I'll never see her again, except in my dreams. The hardest part is seeing how torn up my mom is over it, the dog was her baby, it's the hardest thing in the world to see something so innocent and cute get old and die before you do.
Still, she's been sick since last year, so I'm glad we got an entire year longer with her. I'm glad my parents could be with her in her final moments.

>>1433953
It really is the end of an era when our childhood pets die. I'm so sorry. The description of you getting her on Christmas sounds so cute and I bet that's a really sweet memory.

We had to put a cat down on Saturday because she was 23 and in failing health, but she wasn’t really our cat. She lived on the street but had no specific owner, not registered with a vet, and not microchipped. We took her to the vet because she was incredibly bloated and in pain, and they said the options were pain management (and she’d likely pass within a few weeks) or put her to sleep. We chose to put her to sleep, knowing that she wouldn’t come back to us regularly enough to get her pain medication, and she’d most likely curl up to die in the cold outside.
We’re paying to have her cremated and getting her ashes back, we were going to scatter them in the park near where we live so she’d always be able to roam free and run around, but now I’m having doubts. I know this is unhinged but do you think we’ll be dooming her to an eternity of coldness by putting her ashes outside? She was a street cat, no matter how much we tried to coax her into staying inside and warm, so it seems untrue to her to force her ashes to stay indoors.
Then I considered keeping a small amount of her ashes at home so she’d always have a home, and scattering the rest, but then I’m worried about separating her from herself.
This is probably the most deluded thing I’ve ever posted but if anyone has any thoughts, feel free to tell me I’m crazy

>>1437187
You're unhinged by grief. After death all sense perception and processing of sense perception becomes impossible. What nerves in the ash will detect the ambient temperature? What neurons is the information conveyed to? All is gone.

Thanks for doing the right thing taking care of the cat responsibly.

>>1437187
I understand where you're coming from nona, I really do. I dealt with a lot of similar thoughts. But I think you should scatter her ashes outside. The nona above has a good point, but I view it from a very spiritual place. A very important thing for my family is that we are reunited with the earth after we die. Although we had our dog buried, cremation would have been okay too as long as we scattered the ashes. Keeping the ashes in an urn keeps what is left of them with you which can be comforting, but also in a way, traps them inside the urn. By letting scattering the ashes, you allow her to return to and become one with nature.

It will be cold out, but the sun will shine and warm days will return.

aw man, my labrador is 11 years old nearly, im terrified. reading this thread makes my heart ache for all the nonnies suffering with loss. sending love

She just died I'm so sad. I was giving her Pedialyte with a syringe and crushed up some lab block and made a paste to feed her and was giving her medicine and I thought she was perking up she was even chewing on her favorite treat stick. But I knew she wasnt doing well when she couldn't unpouch litter on her own I had to help with tweezers. And she felt so swollen but skeletal I just feel so bad and guilty and powerless and just wish I could've done more or taken her to the vet sooner. She got worse so fast she was alive a couple hours ago. I'm so fucking sad I miss her so much I just don't get why she got sick she wasn't even a year and a half I don't think but I don't know exactly how old she was. I miss her so much she was such a spunky but kind hamster that never bit me. And she loved big treat sticks as well as oatmeal. She liked to be petted and run around my couch. She was usually very zoomy but we had many times shed just relax into my chest or the couch and enjoy getting petted she was very tame which was rewarding because at first she was very skittish and wouldnt even let me pick her up.

It's exactly 4 years today that my dog was put down. Seven days after I moved to another country. I knew he wasn't doing well and his health was declining. It was so upsetting to read the text from mum and I'm a little conflicted because this was obviously discussed between my parents but I get the feeling they waited until I left to do it, but I'd have liked to be there. Then they got him cremated, if they took or spread the ashes I don't know. I don't know where his collar is, if they kept it. Yes, I could just ask but honestly I'd rather assume they've kept it and I'll just find it someday instead of having literally nothing from him after 15 years.

I have a little purple dot on my palm from when he accidentally bit me still, I check it periodically to make sure it's still there, I like having it. He was deaf and blind and I fed him a treat an awkward way and he bit into the meat beneath my thumb, though he would never consciously bite, ever ever. My brother was around him from an annoying 5 year old child up until he was 20. Crazy shit. I remember not long before I left he wasn't drinking much water and I'd hand feed him as many ice cubes and wet dog food as he'd take, but it stressed me out because I had so many arrangements to make before starting a new life in a different country I didn't have as much time with him as I'd have liked. An hour or two a day when I just wanted to curl up with him. He had dementia too and would just…stand there most of the time. I'm glad I had him for the time I did. He was such a sweet dog, I never did find out what mix of breeds he was since we got him from a rescue place, but I've never seen a dog like him since.

My cat died in October. I still feel so empty without her. Even though she stayed with my mom when I moved out, I always knew that she loved me and it meant so much to me just to know that. We had so many nice, comfy memories together. Now I wonder who will love me like that. I still cry if I think about her too much. My friends say that maybe it's time to get my own cat or that I could foster one. I don't think I have room in my heart to love another cat right now. My mom wants to adopt this stray who keeps coming to our house every day. She sends me pictures and asks if she should adopt her. I don't care. She should if she wants to and I'm not going to stop her. I know she's also sad about my cat dying and she'll be lonely when our other cat dies so it might be good for her to adopt that little cat too. But as I said, I don't have room in my heart to love another cat yet. I don't go home very often anymore anyway so it doesn't really matter- and obviously I'll still care for the cat and feed her and be nice.

It feels a little overdramatic to be this distraught still. I'm sure my friends think I'm being overdramatic that I can't move on either. Anyway my favorite stories are how she once ate some of my mac n cheese when I wasn't looking. Also once in high school when I was getting ready for school and it was still dark out, I opened the door to let her out but she didn't see the screen door and ran right into it with a loud bang. It was so cute and funny. The only time that happened. Also if she was hanging out in a dark room and you turned on the lights, her eyes would get so squinty but she'd try so hard to open them to see. It was so cute lol.

I cry everytime I come home and see where she used to be. I can keep my composure okay all day until I get home and see the empty space where she would spend most of her time and I just lose it. The worst part is she was what I would hold for comfort when I needed it, and now she is just gone and I can't feel any comfort.

I have so much guilt that if i would have noticed things earlier if she still could have been here. But I was afraid I couldn't afford it & it was already too late to pay for treatments and she would of died anyway. I suspect it was a devolving cancer but now I'll never know because she's already been buried.