Kitty Prayer

[Margaret]

Please say a prayer for the soul of my darling kitty Nikki. We had to do the hardest thing in the world today and I miss her so badly already... I know that there are many, many caring pet owners here and I know that you'll understand my pain. We had 17 wonderful years together and I wouldnt' trade them for the world.

[Baby Sister]

Margaret, I am so very sorry for your loss. Our pets truly are members of our family and losing them is a horrible thing. Try to remember all the good times shared with your friend, that will help with the loss.

[Raspberries4ever]

Margaret, You have my deepest sympathy. We made the same decision to say good-bye to our beloved cocker spaniel in March. It was an agonizing decision, but we knew it was also the kindest decision we could make for our best friend. We received the following sentiment from our vet. Maybe you're familiar with it. I wasn't, and I really appreciated it. I hope you do too.

The Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills, and valleys with lush geen grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth. So, each day, they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches!! The ears are up! The eyes are staring! And this one suddenly runs from the group!

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again, and you look once again into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

[AnneG]

Margaret,

How fortunate you are to have enjoyed Nikki for 17 years. I'm sure she was unique and delighted you every day.

It's so hard to go through this, but let me pass on to you what my vet once told me. He said that whenever you make 'that' decision, it is never, ever, too early. It's always the right decision.

Please share a favorite story or two about Nikki --when you can. It helps us enjoy her wonderful spirit, too.

[chris hess]

margaret,my deepest thoughts and sympathy for you...that's alot of years,give yourself lots of time,when we had our misty put down,it was about the worst thing i've ever done,but remember,you gave her great joy and company,she might not have had that if you we'rnt her owner..let her go now,she loves you,and she's probally frollicking now with other cats..lol,chris

[raspberrywolf]

Oooh Margaret, I DO understand your anguish, I said goodbye to my beloved Sherah whom I had also for 17 years. One thing I do know is that she has left you to be comforted by the many wonderful and treasured moments you both shared...they will help you heal through all of your grief!! I am also one, who truly believes in "Rainbow Bridge" ...so I know that Sherah welcomed your beloved kitty Nikki and barked to her we will play in cool grass of this perfect meadow and you can watch all the rainbow coloured butterflies that fly above you now Nikki! My sincere sympathies to you Margaret!

[AnniekNY]

I know there are so many friends here who share your anguish and I am certainly one of them.

I absolutely love the Rainbow Bridge poem and it is very heartwarming.

[Kirk]

Margaret, I share in your heartbreak and pray for you and Nikki. Our vet gave us the Rainbow Bridge when we lost one of my mom's kitties recently. I guess mom needed her more than we did. Take care. Kirk.

[Ecstasy]

Having had to make that decision several times myself I know how painful it feels. My most sincere condolences.

[ECatw]

My most heartfelt sympathies for you! I had to let go of my kitty a few years ago. There's not a day that I don't think of him. I like to think that he's keeping my dad company now. He's just checking things around so everything will be OK when I meet up with him at the bridge.

I hope everyday gets a little easier for you.

Sending you big (((hugs))).

[julesberry]

Sorry to hear about Nikki. I had to put my Rory down a few years ago, he had cancer. The nice thing about it was the vet came to my house so he would be relaxed and not all stressed in his final minutes as he did not like car rides.

I hope you decide to visit your local humane society and adopt a new kitty when you feel up to it.

Prayers for you Margaret and for Nikki.

[blackhawkpat]

Margaret,

So sorry to hear about your pet. I just got home from having to go through the same thing minutes ago. Our family cat Theo was twenty and suffered a stroke this past weekend, rendering him virtually unable to walk. The vet said we should be proud to have taken care of any animal for that long, but it was his time and the decision had to be made to alleviate his pain. My daughters and I are just heartbroken over it. Hopefully, this means your Nikki has a playmate in Heaven.

Pat

[Margaret]

My deepest, heartfelt thanks to all of you very kind folks. My heart is absolutely broken - Nikki was my baby, especially as I do not have any human children. My husband and I got her from the Animal Rescue League in Boston and right from the second we brought her home she claimed us as her own. She never liked any other people - or cats! She lived a good, long life considering all of her medical issues. She'd been an insulin dependent diabetic for the past 7 years, had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and she developed hyperthyroidism and chronic kidney failure over the past year. The hardest thing I had to do was to tell her that it was okay for her to stop fighting... Our vet was absolutely wonderful. She met us at her office on Sunday afternoon so that we would not have to go to the emergency hospital.

All of your kind words do help. Again, thank you all so much for reaching out.

Julesberry, there will be other pound kitties in our future -probably sooner than we anticipated.

Pat, my sincere condolences on the loss of Theo. As my vet said to me on Sunday, there's never enough time - we always wish we had more.

-Margaret

[Guest]

When I remember each of our family cats, it's hard to believe that they'd reach out to join city people so many centuries ago, and continue to do so.

Joey lived one year, but that was a splendid year. He had urinary tract disease.

Tindkerbell lived for 13 years and died of heart disease when I was 25.

Rascal lived 19.5 years,and passed on after my parents. I think it was 2001, but I had kids and a couple of cats of our own.

My daughter thought it only fair to name my new (1.5 years old now) cat "Tinkerbell" after my favourite silver tabby, and I can honestly say there wasn't a cat in that litter who has been mean, or hard to handle. I just found it hard to call her by her predecessor's name!

As with my parental family, this cat looks for me when I am away from the home, often follows me around like our "Tinker" did with my father, and is great at hearing sounds in the hallway before I do. Once, she even wiped a tear from my eye.

Her siblings and mother cat follow the kids across the street to school! Crazy, but true.

Pets are so remarkable.

As I mentioned, this cat like "Cindy In The Wind" and "Let's Pretend". She dislikes talk radio, loves car races, and ads, and is quite different than the so-called "Morris" on TV. Never grumpy, worried I'd wash myself down the drain when she found out I was taking showers, and always runs into my right arm as soon as my eyes open in the morning.

Her theme song would be "Precious and Few" as even just over 19 years wasn't long enough for my last nuclear family cat to have been around. She was sweet, too.

They bring out the nurturing that we should all be giving each other, too. It may sound "churchy", but when we're down and feeling badly, we need that care. Counselors aren't always around to give the companionship and unlimited loyalty that pets will. However, I don't write off the human race yet!

[JuliaD]

Oh, I know how hard this is, I had to put two down, my beloved Mr. Paws in 1992,and my beautiful Nikita in 2003. You did what was best for your cat, knowing the heartbreak you'd face, if that's not love, I dunno what is. This is NEVER easy.

[Raspbernie]

~ Nikki ~

[Leff'tHome]

What a sweet and beautiful kitty. We are sorry for your loss.

[Kirk]

Thanks for sharing that picture of Nikki. Was she part Maine Coon? I see some Tabby and either Calico or Torty in there. Pretty kitty.

[julesberry]

Very pretty. My Rory was a Maine Coon and very handsome. I was going to ask the same thing Kirk.

[chris hess]

beautiful cat..pat,i'm also sorry to hear your loss..it is painful,but in time,the pain will be replaced by smiles and wonderful memories..nobody can take those away from you,it's forever in your heart..hope the healing process is going well for all that have lost..lol,chris

[Guest]

I recall having heard that my maiden aunts'/Grandmother's pure Persian had died at age 22! That is unusual.

The best thing I remember is seeing her after church on a Sunday morning and letting her sit on my knee. The funniest thing is when I heard my cousin, after he had baby sat her while the family went to Ireland, say, "Now THERE'S something that needs fattening up for Christmas!" (She ran upstairs at Grandma's house and looked at him in disdain.)

We have known so many cats in our lives, they've comforted the ill, and I cannot understand why some people hate them. Maybe it's because they can see right through some people!

Yes, Maine Coons are pretty! I no less love my "Whatever-she-is", though. My kids have said, "Isn't she adorable?"

But I have to pull a Cartmill on this one: "IS she adorable, or were they in a hurry to get get rid of her?" Can't be that bad if she likes EC's music! The whole litter is like their mother: Caring, affectionate, and concerned.

Dreams are something you never forget, and your cat sounds like a real dream.

[AnneG]

What a beauty! She looks very wise.

[Margaret]

Oh Bernie you are a sweetheart! How could you have known how much I needed to see this today?

I have been missing Nikki so, so badly. We did go and adopt another pound kitty, and he's trying awfully hard to worm his way into my heart, but he's not Nikki...

Nikki was a pound kitty too - she was about 9 months old when we got her. She was definitely part Maine Coon. She had the lynx tips, toe tufts and full mane. At her prime she was 16 pounds and not overweight! And yes, AnneG, she was very, very wise. I'm sure that some of it came from age - she was 18 after all.

My heartfelt thanks again to Bernie and all of the wonderful animal lovers here. Bless you all.

-Margaret