(I haven't been on this site for a few months since my cat started showing signs of declining health.)
This past Tuesday, October 21st, I had my lady vet (and one of her assistants) come out to my home on a house call and put my male brown tabby manx breed cat, Tiger, to sleep (I hate the word euthanize) because of the complications of old age. Tiger lived for 17 years, 4 months and 8 days. He was an indoor cat and being inside, he was my constant shadow and a true pet companion. I'm thankful that Tiger chose me as his favorite person during his lifetime.
Because the bond between us was so strong, Tiger taught me what "unconditional love" was. I always put Tiger's needs and wants before my own. I'm really missing Tiger and this house doesn't feel like a home at the moment, it just feels like "a house with something missing in it". I'm not sleeping well at night either. I keep waking up at 2 hour intervals and this is not my normal sleep pattern. It seems when I'm asleep, my unconscious mind knows Tiger is gone and this is the cause of me waking up during the night.
Since I plan on being cremated, I'm having Tiger cremated and his ashes will be returned to me sometime during the middle of next week sealed in a box with his name carved on the box. The reason Tiger is being cremated is because when I pass away, I'm also being cremated. Since both of us loved "water" (me saltwater kayak fishing and Tiger loved playing in water), my wife (and if my wife passes away before I do) or the eldest niece will take my ashes and Tiger's ashes down to the Gulf of Mexico. There, our ashes will be mixed together and than scattered upon the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. If there is another realm of existence, then Tiger and I will be together again.
My wife knows what I'm going through. She had a female lynx point siamese cat, named Woodstock which chose my wife as her favorite person. She too was an inside cat. Woodstock also had to be put to sleep because of the "ravages of time". Woodstock lived with us for 19 years, 6 months and 6 days. Both Tiger and Woodstock always got the best medical care (and food) and this is why each one of them lived long and happy lives.
My wife and I don't know if we'll ever have another cat since we both know we might not out live another cat. My wife's eldest niece is 34 years old and she says we "need" another cat. Our niece said there is another cat out there somewhere that needs and wants a good home. Our niece told us if we get another cat and the cat out lives my wife and me, my niece said she will gladly take the cat into her home where the cat can live out the rest of her life being spoiled and happy.
In closing, "It is said some lives are linked across time, connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages".
This past Tuesday, October 21st, I had my lady vet (and one of her assistants) come out to my home on a house call and put my male brown tabby manx breed cat, Tiger, to sleep (I hate the word euthanize) because of the complications of old age. Tiger lived for 17 years, 4 months and 8 days. He was an indoor cat and being inside, he was my constant shadow and a true pet companion. I'm thankful that Tiger chose me as his favorite person during his lifetime.
Because the bond between us was so strong, Tiger taught me what "unconditional love" was. I always put Tiger's needs and wants before my own. I'm really missing Tiger and this house doesn't feel like a home at the moment, it just feels like "a house with something missing in it". I'm not sleeping well at night either. I keep waking up at 2 hour intervals and this is not my normal sleep pattern. It seems when I'm asleep, my unconscious mind knows Tiger is gone and this is the cause of me waking up during the night.
Since I plan on being cremated, I'm having Tiger cremated and his ashes will be returned to me sometime during the middle of next week sealed in a box with his name carved on the box. The reason Tiger is being cremated is because when I pass away, I'm also being cremated. Since both of us loved "water" (me saltwater kayak fishing and Tiger loved playing in water), my wife (and if my wife passes away before I do) or the eldest niece will take my ashes and Tiger's ashes down to the Gulf of Mexico. There, our ashes will be mixed together and than scattered upon the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. If there is another realm of existence, then Tiger and I will be together again.
My wife knows what I'm going through. She had a female lynx point siamese cat, named Woodstock which chose my wife as her favorite person. She too was an inside cat. Woodstock also had to be put to sleep because of the "ravages of time". Woodstock lived with us for 19 years, 6 months and 6 days. Both Tiger and Woodstock always got the best medical care (and food) and this is why each one of them lived long and happy lives.
My wife and I don't know if we'll ever have another cat since we both know we might not out live another cat. My wife's eldest niece is 34 years old and she says we "need" another cat. Our niece said there is another cat out there somewhere that needs and wants a good home. Our niece told us if we get another cat and the cat out lives my wife and me, my niece said she will gladly take the cat into her home where the cat can live out the rest of her life being spoiled and happy.
In closing, "It is said some lives are linked across time, connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages".