We have something similar for each of the cats we have lost. A pawprint pressed into some fired clay. My wife treasures them.
That’s really nice of your wife.
Sure is! We also have her paw prints pressed in clay. I went to a local frame maker to have a memorial made that’ll hold her ashes, paw prints and a picture. I was gonna use a regular picture, but my wife’s sister had this made for us:
So we’ll definitely be using this.
That’s sweet, Brian. Peace, man.
All of what Brian is doing is, I think, the correct way, as opposed to what I was planning on doing when my oldest kitty’s time is up: the whole Denethor/Faramir thing.
I’m not really sure I’m joking :\
Do you mean, a little boat over a waterfall?
After returning from our vacation and having had Rosie on meds for the duration of it, she’s actually putting some weight on her foot again. I’m not 100% sure she’s full use with it, but certainly she’s getting around on it without slowing down.
But during vacation my SO had a long chat with me about Rosie and surgery. She asked me to hold up on it, and specifically knew that it would bother me to think of NOT doing something, especially since it started after something I feel I did. What she offered was that Rosie turns 15 (that we know of) in two months. That’s pretty old for surgery. It’s also pretty old to consider the benefit of any said surgery. Rosie is also a rescue with a checkered past and we’ve already improved her life, greatly. She urged me to hold off on surgery for a longer period of time and to even consider the options we might have if we do nothing at all.
I took that conversation rather poorly but I concede the points she brought up. I also conceded another point she brought up, in that my SO has her own medical issues and will quite possibly run up a fairly significant bill before too long (hip replacement.) It’s very hard for me to consider doing nothing if I feel I can, but even more so because I have guilt. To cap off her point, my SO reminded me of our neighbor who at 67 just poured a good chunk of his savings a few years ago trying to treat his 18 year-old dog for multiple issues prior to it eventually passing. Sure, I consider what he did noble but poor management of money and extending the life of a pet in pain just for his companionship. But somehow for me, I can’t objectively look at the issue in the same way.
At any rate, we have a follow up coming up with the vet. Our vet isn’t a surgeon, so I’m not sure how much she will push one side or the other regarding surgery. I do know she was very good dealing with me, and my dog Buddy as he suffered through and eventually passed from cancer. I’m hoping whatever decision we go with is more clear after our follow up with the vet.
If Rosie is getting around fine and is not in real pain from the injury, then I don’t see surgery as a necessity. I do understand the guilt involved and the desire to do the right thing but your SO has it right. At that age unless the surgery is necessary for a major raise in quality of life, it’s probably safer for the dog to not do it.
Those same points were brought up to me from my fiance. Man it’s so hard for me to not, “fix the problem.” Maybe a little time and a chat with the vet will help me, but honestly as mentioned, I took the conversation about it poorly. Mostly because of guilt.
I totally understand. My dog has brought unmeasurable joy and happiness into my life. I never ever want to see him in pain, especially if I was the cause, so I get it. You want to do right by your pal.
Makes me wish I had a normal cat instead of the furry asshole I have now.
The jokes on you, you do have a normal cat.
FWIW, I agree with your SO and that 15 is getting very old for a cat. I know it’s super tough to even think about them passing at some point for all the joy they bring you during their short time here on earth with you.
Non-pet owners drive me crazy b/c they just don’t get how we look at our pets as our children and how we’d do nearly anything for them. But I think near the end of their lives, I can look at it as they’ve had a great life and it’s time to move on, as heart-wrenchingly difficult as that may be.
I’ve had six cats total for varying amounts of time, plus two more I almost brought home with me, thank you. This one is not normal. He doesn’t groom himself, either. So in addition to being an asshole he is also filthy. The reason I got him in the first place was because he was an asshole to my sister’s other cats (and because he’s filthy).
I hear ya. It’s also a part of us and them being our friends, though we do care for them. I have a set of neighbors who have had multiple Golden Retrievers for years and years. They are the most pragmatic pet owners I’ve ever talked to. I remember bringing up that their current golden is getting a bit old. The woman basically told me that they’ve seen all the breed commonalities regarding health issues at this point. When they reach one that goes beyond a moderately small amount that will have negative effects on the life of the dog, they have it put down. That’s hard for me to look at the same way, but I can understand if you have multiple pets like that, at some point practicality has to come into play.
Sounds like something is wrong.
So I come back to this thread with the unfortunate news that Harry has now torn his other ACL, three months after surgery for the first (the other back leg). We will have a consult with the surgeon in two weeks. Ironically, he had been doing great in his slow but steady recuperation from the first surgery in late March.
I’m sure my wife won’t consider any option other than paying for the surgery ($2k~) and rehab ($1K). There are extenuating circumstances – our son passed away eight years ago, and this was his dog, too. Doing whatever we can is the only option.
Good luck in your decision, @Skipper.
Harry, who is hard wired to chase after rodents and such, is miserable:
Sorry to hear about Harry’s problems. The poor pup has had it rough these past few months. Hope he heals well.
So what position exactly does Harry play on the Warriors? ( gratuitous basketball joke )
My dog lately started peeing in the bed at night while I am asleep. (She’s about 13 or 14 yo.) You can really tell she’s unhappy since I started putting her in her crate instead. She tries to hide under the bed so I can’t get to her.
:(