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Date Posted: 15:12:18 08/30/10 Mon
Author: CM>^.,.^<
Subject: Very sad time at the Casa Gatos++++

Some of you know that our youngest feline son, Guy, has been fighting cancer (Vaccine Associated Sarcoma) for over two years. This why I haven't been around as much.

We decided to do everything we could, which required many 200 mile round trips to the oncologist, radiation, chemo, surgery. Well, on Saturday his 802 day fight ended. He was getting weaker and sicker by the hour, and we could not ask him to stick around any longer just to spare us pain. We had promised ourselves if he was suffering we would end it. All we would have done by waiting was prolong his death.


We're very sad but coping.  Guy's funeral/cremation was today. Having a small ceremony and seeing him was very healing. If you have the opportunity to see your pet one last time a day or so after PTS, I urge you to do so. It was not at all 'creepy' or macabre.


His holistic vet, the one who PTS was kind enough to keep him over the weekend.  We could have had him kept at the crematory but he would have been frozen.  The vet agreed to keep him in the fridge for us--we had brought him home to groom him and "make him pretty."  CD positioned him in sort of the "Sphinx" position, but his head flopped down between his paws.  

Well, sometime over the weekend, someone had repositioned him just slightly, and he looked as though he were peacefully asleep.  His head was just tilted a little over his paws, and his muscles had stiffened so it no long flopped.  Someone, I assume the vet, closed his eyes--we had been unable to get them to stay closed.  He was wrapped in a white sheet, folded so it was about baby blanket size.  We drove him up to the crematory. I held him in my arms while "Dad" drove. 


Yes, he had a funeral, a very tiny one with CD, myself and a Unitarian Universalist minister.  CD and I each gave him a eulogy, and the minister (who lost a kitty two months ago) said a prayer and a few words about how companion animals enrich our lives.  He will normally come when you bury your pet, but we are not doing that.  We'll keep his ashes (and those of any other pets) and the first one of us to pass gets buried with them.

This crematory is very, very special.  They do individual cremations and you may be present.  After a small service in a tiny chapel, we carried him to the crematory.  The lady who runs it clipped some of his fur, and then took him from us after one final kiss goodbye each.

A few hours later, his remains were put in a wooden box and returned to us.
Through all this, he was treated with the utmost respect and dignity.  We were treated with nothing but kindness and compassion.  Yes, it helped.

The only regret we have is that VAS continues to haunt our furry kids. Perhaps if we all pitch in we can do something to at least require vets to give everyone an informed consent form before they vaccinate.

RIP, Guy Domesticus. Spring, 1999-28 August 2010

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Replies:

[> I'm so sorry about this, CM. My heart goes out to you and CD. It amazes me how much a part of our lives our pet is. We love her, and really would do anything for the care and comfort of her. I'll keep you both in my prayers. -- mkim, 15:27:23 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> So sorry to hear about the loss of one of your furry children. I have had many cat funerals over the years, though none quite that elaborate. How is your other cat taking it? Does it he understand what has happened? I have heard that you should allow the remaining pets to look at and smell the one who is gone so they will understand. Don't know how much of a difference it makes, but that's what we've always done. I'll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. -- JAG Junkie (Ronda), 16:20:23 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> [> Rhonda, that's one of the reasons we brought him home after he was PTS. We felt Mac "needed" to see him one last time to understand. He seems to. He looks over at Guy's "side" of the food area, and is a little clingier. He's eating and is social, so we're not too worried. Thanks for asking. -- CM>^.,.^<, 09:55:45 09/03/10 Fri [1]


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[> Oh CM, that sounds lovely and I'm sure having a funeral helped you a little. Our many kitties and bunnies have always been very special, and it helped me so much, bringing them home and burying them in our back yard, which is a little like a forest in parts. I used to hate leaving them at the vet. I know how much Guy meant to you, and I'll give Goliath an extra hug in Guy's honour. -- Cece, 16:39:19 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> I'm very sorry to read your news, CM. Yes,our four-legged family members are treasured parts of our lives, and it's very sad when they go. People who haven't had pets may think, "Oh, it's just a cat!" but we who have owned--or been owned by--these wonderful creatures know how firmly attached they are to our lives and hearts. -- Deemus, 16:59:38 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> Oh CM, I am so sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose a member of your family, even if it is a pet. They sometimes can be just as hard since they have become a trusted and loving member of your family. We had our 10 year old lab euthanized in March due to pancreatic cancer. It was one of the hardest things to do. We had a wonderful vet also who treated our family and Trainer with so much diginity. -- Martian Barb...who has our own little lpet cemetery in our back yard., 17:16:59 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> [> Oh, CM, I'm so sorry to hear of this! I know how much you and CD loved him! Rest assured, you did everything you could have done, and he was one lucky cat to have you & CD as parents. Email me if you'd like to "talk" anytime. I had my first experience with pet cremation last October with my beloved Beau. I sometimes wonder how I managed to get through it- especially when only 7 months earlier I was being handed my Mom's ashes. A very difficult time. So, know that others are thinking of you at this time, and please take care. -- Matou/Carol, 18:15:27 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> I'm so sorry for your loss CM. I lost my beautiful Katie (15 yrs old) and 2 months later my little man Quill (16 1/2 yrs) I think he missed Katie so much that he went downhill almost overnight. They had been together 13 years. I still miss them so and it has been nearly 4 years. Unfortunately with my severe allergies I can no longer have kitties. Have to make do with visiting my best friend & her 3 darlings. My thoughts are with you & your family. -- kleigh, 19:45:18 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> [> I was watching Cats 101 on Animal Planet the other day and there was a certain breed that they said was safe for allergy sufferers. Funny thing was that it was a long haired cat. Apparently it lacks the gene that does whatever it is that bothers people's allergies. It might have been the Siberian, but don't quote me on that. -- JAG Junkie (Ronda)--they interviewed a family that had one, the dad said this was the first cat he had ever been able to keep., 20:42:10 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> Just looked online and it is the Siberian that is referred to as "hypoallergenic". It is also said that female cats produce lower levels of the primary allergen than male cats do, and that's across all breeds. -- JJ (Ronda), 20:46:08 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> [> Thanks JJ - I'll look into this. Katie was a Oriental Shorthair -chocolate Siamese & Quill was on orphan I got when he was 4 months - he was longhaired, beautifully Siamese marked but a mix. -- kleigh, 19:11:09 08/31/10 Tue [1]


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[> CM I'm so sorry for your lose. I just lose my Katie Cat July 12 along with my dog Abby same day. I feel your pain. Your in my prayers. -- Cathy F., 21:54:10 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> CM- I'm sending big hugs. Your kitty was well loved and that's all any of us can hope for in this world! -- manette, 23:34:43 08/30/10 Mon [1]


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[> I'm so sorry CM to hear this ! Be sure that you're in my prayers and thoughts . -- Laurence, 00:57:28 08/31/10 Tue [1]


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[> Oh CM, I am so sorry to hear that Guy lost his long battle with cancer. I know that you, CD & Mac are missing him so. All of you fought that demon valiantly, and although it is little comfort, at least Guy is resting peacefully now. Once he's had a short nap to recover, I can imagine him & Maddie having a good time bounding & rolling about the green pastures, as they wait at the Rainbow Bridge. Give Mac an extra hug from Lizzie, Frances & I. I'm sure he's lost & doesn't quite understand the absence of his brother & best friend. -- doc, Lizzie & Frances send out along our condolences & love., 06:48:05 08/31/10 Tue [1]


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[> I'm sending LOTS of hugs your way for your loss and sorrow. I know how badly you hurt, being a true animal lover and having lost my oldest four over the last two years. The ashes are all in their littlecans and will go with me at my time. I have beautiful memories and lots of laughs while remembering each. You all fought a good fight and now he will rest in peace and health across the Rainbow Bridge. -- jenks, 07:37:05 08/31/10 Tue [1]


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[> CM, I am deeply sorry for your loss. As a cat and dog lover, it is heartbreaking to say good-bye. Best wishes to you. -- Araninda, 22:31:44 08/31/10 Tue [1]


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[> That sounds wonderful Gato mami. He was a lucky little guy. Everyone I know tells me we were crazy to have our old man of almost 17 years cremated. We had a nice service and we keep his ashes in a box on our entertainment center. You had your little Guy for a long time and he was a great aprt of your family. It is only fitting he have a send off fit for a human family member. -- TF, 16:21:45 09/01/10 Wed [1]


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[> [> CM you are in my thoughts and prayers. Losing a pet is so sad and hard to deal with. Guy sounds so special. -- NGH, 19:12:32 09/02/10 Thu [1]


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[> Oh CatMom, I know how much you love your CatBabes. I am so sorry for your loss. I'm sending warm thoughts and cyber hugs your way, dear friend. -- Carrotts, 10:50:46 09/03/10 Fri [1]


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[> I am very sorry for your loss. I know he was greated over the rainbow bridge by the other JAG furkids. -- Spud and the Spud-pups (both here and over the Rainbow Bridge), 10:57:03 09/05/10 Sun [1]


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[> My thoughts are with you. Sorry for your lose. -- Hope, 14:03:56 09/05/10 Sun [1]


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[> Oh CM, I'm so sorry to hear this. I have lost very dear pets before and know how deep the grief can go. I'm praying for you and CD. It's very difficult and takes a lot of time. Hugs to both of you, sweetie. -- sj, 08:37:09 09/30/10 Thu [1]


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