Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted to drop a line to let you know that Pookey seems to be doing well so far. He's eating and doing all the right things in the litter box regularly. No siginificant depression I can see; he does wander once in a while looking for Stanley and meow some, but not as much as I expected and his appetite is still OK, so that is good. My cat-sitter said she'd stop by at least two and sometimes three times a day while I am gone (I leave tomorrow thru next Saturday). My neighbor said she'd also stop by in the evenings to visit with him for a bit. So, he'll have three to four visits a day. I picked up an appetite stimulant from the vet for the cat-sitter to use if she senses he isn't eating, or to even give every other day to be safe, it won't hurt him.

It is tough. I have guilt. He was getting noticeably weaker, would stay in the same spot for hours on end. Would walk some for a while and then just suddenly lay down. Should I have forced him to eat longer, etc., maybe he would have rallied... These are things I am working thru. He'd lost even more weight the last few day. We weighed him Tuesday night -- if he was the same weight or gained, I would have stopped thinking he may have eaten in the short times I didn't have my eye on him the last four days.

It is so quiet and lonely, even with Pookey. Stanley was such a part of the daily routine. I'll have the weight of this over me heading to Texas tomorrow thru next Saturday and the added guilt of Pookey home alone. I do think he'll be just fine and will keep in close contact with my cat-sitter and neighbor. I am just thankful his appetite is staying normal.

I am going to post a question after this to get the fun started again. I don't want the board to hesitate because of this bad news. I don't plan on mentioning this again except maybe an update on Pookey when I get back from Texas.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

I'm glad to see that Pookey is doing well. He and Stanley were close, so I was wondering if he would show any depression. It's definitely an adjustment for both of you.
As far as guilt,I can understand you having second thoughts and whether you did the right thing. However, try not to beat yourself up. Stanely wasn't eating and even if he had rallied a little, his age was against him in the long run. As you mentioned, he was getting weaker and had started going downhill. I don't think there was any going back as he would have further declined. You did what was best for everyone involved.
You know that Pookey will be in good hands, so have a good trip.

Ellen

I'm glad to hear Pookey is adjusting and he'll have lots of visitors while you are on the road.

the decision to say good-bye is never easy, even when it's clearly the best choice of action; you gave Stanley a long healthy life against tall odds starting from the day you spared a little kitten from the needle so try not to second guess yourself. He had a good life.

travel safely

You can mention "this" all you want. That is what friends are for and we have all been there. There are always questions but from what you said you made the best decision for Stanley. I firmly believe that our pets let us know when they are done fighting and ready to go. The fact that Pookey is dealing so well with his loss may be due to the fact that he already knew it was coming and they said their goodbyes. Several years ago, my Foudini had a sister, Tippy....they were inseparatable. Everywhere you saw one you saw the other. Tippy was Felv and I came home from the store one day to find her in dire straits. I took her to the vet and he told me that she had a tumor that had eaten through a blood vessel and it was filling her lungs with blood. Nothing could be done so I said goodbye to my 3 year old cat and came home to her sister. Foudini had been sitting by her sister when I found her and when I got home she was still there. She looked at me and I picked her up and held her and cried in her fur. But she was ok, she looked for Tippy a few times but no major upset. I believe that she knew before I did that Tippy was dying and that they said their goodbyes and she accepted it.

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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo, Penny (We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

Thank you all. This board is a great comfort, many times folks don't feel about pets as we do, they don't understand it can be very, very difficult to say goodby to a beloved member of the family.

Tessa, you mentioned something I spoke to my cat sitter earlier today about when we were setting up Pookeys visits. I think he knew something was wrong with Stanley. Pookey has been in the shadows for a while now while I focused on Stanley with various medications for his anemia, constipation, and frequent smells of the vet from checking on his kidney values every 90 days and starting the sub-q fluids Friday (and finding out he had lost 3 pounds in a very short amount of time). He had become lethargic the past 3 or 4 days and energy ebbed. I spent a great deal of time trying to get him to eat -- feeding him 3-4 times a day if he'd eat a few treats...Pookey pretty much hid out. Stanley had become somewhat antisocial and didn't really want to be petted much (would kind of grumble) or visited by his brother. Pookey was very gentle with him when he came near him. The last night, he couldn't make it all the way down the hall to me. Made it half way after I called out to him a few times. I brushed him, something he LOVES, he liked it for a bit, but walked away and went to lay down in his cat bed to be left alone. Something he normally would never do.

I am rambling. I do believe you are right, Tessa, Pookey knew there was something wrong and this is the first time in a long time he is not overshadowed by Stanley's needs and has more attention just on him.
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

I am sure that he did know. And by walking away from being brushed Stanley was telling you that he was tired and done fighting and that it was time. I am sure of that. Know it in my heart. Stanley was ready and is grateful to be at the bridge.
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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo, Penny (We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers