Marj37

Wow--- I love that pillow.   Thanks for sharing and the link!!!

I have a wonderful postersize print from Snapfish hanging on my liv rm wall.....they did a terrific job.

Love your setting - thanks for sharing it with us.

OH, my dear - what a dreadful scene that was to find Houdini that way.  He was such a gorgeous kitty.   I'm glad to hear you have counseling set up.   It is so difficult to lose  our special companions and doubly in this fashion.

Hi Gordon

You found the absolute perfect place to tell us your heart story.   I'm so sorry for the horrible accident.  My heart goes out to you and your wife.   As another older  animal lover I know how we love our companions.  It's a day by day, or sometimes minute by minute journey .

The additional pictures are fantastic.

Thanks.

Hi Sparkles

You are definitely at the right place to share your loss feelings.   We know the pain.  And we know the time it takes.

Your kitty is (her spirit is with you forever) - beautiful.  Thanks for the picture.  It is beautiful.   And brown tabbies are my favorites 100000%.   Lost my special connection Gb last summer - he was very ill.   And it took several months of crying before I felt like I was human again.  But not a day passes that I don't have a pang of grief for him.  this is a very hard time for you.  Take one minute or hour or day at a time.   That special connection has been physically broken.  When they have eaten, slept with us, been our companion 24/7 it is normal to hurt.  And it hurts like nothing else. 

It really helped me cope with the sad minutes to scribble in my anger journal. Sometimes the words were huge!!!! Also I bought a pretty journal at the bookstore to start writing all the antics and memories of Gb.  Often tears would roll as I wrote. 

And maybe set up a memorial space in your house where you can sit and talk to her.   

The emptiness is hard.  Keep crying.  Take care of yourself even if you don't feel like eating - a couple bites are better than none; and so it is important to keep hydrated.

Post often.  Our hearts stay with you.   And again, I am so sorry for your kitty to be gone.  What was her name?

Your chair thief    They are good at that.  And then it sure takes a bite when they aren't there to do it.

With the porch windows open tonight it brought tears -- Gb and Hamish would sit in the window from dusk to dark just entranced by bugs or whatever was going on outside.  They'd sit there until I had to close up for the night.   These youngsters aren't really interested.  And Hamish doesn't sit there alone.  I sat with him awhile (tho not in the window)  :))

Hi Nikki

Thanks for relating your trip & experience at the picnic.

And I sure know about nose "prints" on windows.

Thanks so much Maylissa.......I love the stories of your romps with the kitties~and the "Hide and Seek".  Such fun for you and them.  Your humor is beautiful.   And thanks for sharing those tears.    

And you, also, Kay - I thought about you and Ms M when I was writing the first post.  I imagine you are seeing her everywhere.

Thanks for Marty for hosting this amazing forum!    We know we have comrades right here and now.  And don't even have to be dressed or have brushed our teeth to comment.  

Hi - 

I started this new topic because I have these waves of missing my Gb kitty come out of nowhere.   I don't purposely think the sad thoughts; they seem to appear triggered by anything.  I know that here in this Loss of  a Pet forum I am free to speak of this.   Not really in my daily interactions with humans or my sons.  It's now been 13 months since Gb had to leave.  I do miss him daily but not with the intensity that can happen.

For instance, Saturday night it was beautiful outside and it triggered tears. I remember how after a hot day I'd take Gb and Hamish out in the evening to enjoy the relative coolness, the shade of t he trees, the cool grass and the few bugs flitting around. They really enjoyed that.   I can picture some of those times vividly.    I cried it out for awhile.

I know this is perfectly normal after losing a close being.   I read a bunch online about this "phenomena" as I'll call it.   Most had to do with loss of a human , however I know it applies to us here.

Hope some of you will share an incident, or feelings or thoughts.

That poem seemed just right since you said she stayed in your garage awhile before you took her in.

She came find her furever home.

Kay, you do so much for all of us in this Grief Forum that I decided to make this for you.

That's so cool, Marty.   I have special boxes with memory items from Ms Neffy and Mr Purr from quite a number of years ago- and now of course my Gb kitty.

Thanks so much - I just read the post you linked by a friend.   It was wonderful .

And those surges of grief - they are frightening and normal.  Hard to handle but they do pass .   I sure know about how those feel.

Been thinking about you, Kay, these past few days.    I'm sorry as can be.   You were so fortunate that Miss M chose YOU to live with. Wow - love that story. That is amazing isn't it how we come to adopt these precious kids.  !   Yes, definitely choose some way to commemorate Ms M.  She spent a good part of your life with you and it is important as you always tell us.  

And that is a huge number of losses plus your human ones.  Sending you soft thoughts.   Hope you are sleeping better.

Hi Kay

As you know someday in the future you will remember  her with a heap of  gladness as you have the other companions you lost - but now is way too soon,   I hope you cry soon.  You are one of the advocates of tears I know.

Sending healing  thoughts & cyber hugs to you 

Oh, Kay, again, I'm so sorry she has left,.    I know about that business of trying to sleep when they have slept with us for years.  

I wish you could have an answer.

Sendings love thoughts.

HI----- I also encourage you to cry.   We were created with tears and that is their usefulness.   Do whatever you feel like - even pounding on a mattress in the frustration of having to deal with grief.   Grief walk is hard.   And it is painful.  And all of us here will attest to that.   And eventually things become softer but it is too soon for that now so keep posting to us your feelings - whateve they may be.

And I am so sorry you lost your companion of many years.  That makes emptiness and can even feel like a bottomless pit in the first throes of loss.  But we are here.

Oh Kayc ---- I hope your darling Miss Mocha returns.  Or at the very least you learn what has happened.   Having her go off like that is so wrenching.  Along wiih Mary & Enna  I send prayers and positive thoughts.

That's ok about   That's ok about not thinking of your son,etc., coming.   You are without your special companion.   Keep us posted!  If you have neighbors, do check with them.

Hugs

 Beautiful,  Nikki , with the 3 candles - thanks so very much  for sharing it. .

I think it will be good to make this an annual event.   I'm so happy for  all who participated.    We can spread healing, love and light this  way.  

Nikki - you are so right to go with your feelings.   Use another feeder I say.   

I have not been able to let another kitty use Gb's hardness.    It hangs where it always hung with his name on it.   New harnesses for the new kids (if they will ever get used to wearing them)!

Hugs

Thanks everyone........and more good things to read that evening as we remember.  It does help to travel together.

With much love

Hi Everyone -

On Thursday evening (any time) Mary and I are lighting candles in memory and honor of our fur kids that have left us .   

We invite you to join and light a candle that evening; making light and hope and love through out the land and even the planet...

And here is a poem you might read that Mary sent to me.

Namastè

The truest words of all: I will not forget you. 
You are in my waking thoughts, 
my sweetest memories, my dearest dreams. 
I will not forget you. 
You have touched my soul, opened my eyes, 
changed my very experience of the universe.  
I will not forget you. 
I see you in the flowers, the sunset, 
the sweep of the horizon 
and all things that stretch to infinity.  
I will not forget you. 
I have carved you on the palm of my hand. 
I carry you with me forever.

~ Ellen Sue Stern, Living With Loss, 1995

Oh Oh Oh~   Sweet Bella.   Thanks so much for showing us her photo.  What a beautiful ball of fluff.

Our grief trip sure is a long road .  But there are smiles on the way as we remember the dear one's love and daily behaviors.  And tears as we do remember.

Allow yourself to be open to her spiritual presence around you.  I know you'd prefer she'd be there in body however it is a great gift when they can be with us in spirit.