R.I.P Blackie....

I'm so sorry, Z. It is always difficult to lose a beloved pet. Your testament to Blackie's life and the love he received is beautiful. He was one lucky kitty.

Z. I sometimes call my current pets by the names of pets I've had in the past. I mean waaaay in the past. I can't tell you the times I've called Molly "Sarah", for instance.

I still mourn over the loss of my dog, Sarah, who died nearly 14 years ago. She was my forever buddy - back when I was doing the traveling gig in the early '90s, she went along every time. If a contract wouldn't allow a pet, I wouldn't accept a contract.

In all the years we were together, I only disciplined her harshly one time. I still feel guilty about it, but by golly, she deserved a great, big yell for what she did.

Sarah and I were living on a large sailboat in Tarpon Springs. A pleasant, young Jamaican man moored his own boat next to ours for a brief time. The young man had long, long dreads and a heavy accent. And he was petrified of dogs. He was never anything but kind to Sarah, but she learned early on that she could bully him, and bully him she did. Sarah only weighed twenty pounds, mind you.

One morning, he was walking on the pier in front of our boat. I heard him call, "Saaaarahhh, I have something for you!"

He threw her a large dog bone, then tried to scurry past our boat. I came up from below in time to see Sarah calmly take the bone, place it in the center of a pile of coiled line, then take off after the poor man. She chased him all the way up to the shore. His dreads were flying as he ran, poor guy.

I retrieved Sarah, and gave her a peace of my mind. I wish I could say she never chased the man again, but alas, she did. Good thing she was never a biter. All she did was run round and round the man and bark (Sarah was a herding dog), but that was enough to do him in.

Yep.....I still miss my girl, and I do understand your grief. I hope you don't let your grief get in the way of giving a great life to another kitty, though it may be too soon for that.

Sarah lived to be nearly fifteen years old. Like Blackie, she had a morning full of fun and frolic the day she died. I remember being amazed that she had that much energy.

We had a new pup, a poodle named Ginger. Sarah was not a jealous dog, so she took Ginger on right way as a project of sorts. I remember laughing that morning because it appeared Sarah was trying to teach Ginger how to herd, and Ginger didn't want to do anything but dig.

That afternoon, during a thunderstorm, Sarah suffered what must have been a pulmonary embolus or a severe myocardial infarction. I loaded her up and took her to vet immediately, but there was nothing she could do. I held my Sarah while the vet gently put her to sleep, then took her home and buried her myself in my back yard.

It's so hard, Z, to love an animal then lose him or her. I remember feeling I would never be able to give Ginger the same amount of love I gave to Sarah. I was wrong. I just loved Ginger in a different way. Ginger passed away less than a year ago, while sleeping in her favorite spot by our front door. Ginger, too, had at least two weeks of extra energy and playfulness before she, too, passed. She was 15 years old.

So sad for you, Z.

We had a mixed breed pup that looked like a sheltie. Her name was Lassie. She was with us for at least 15 years. Houdini dog, we called her. She could get out of any yard. Shock collars, electric fence and the like would not deter her. She ate through a solid core door one day when it was storming.

When it came time to put her down, the vet was too busy, he said. We never went back to that damn vet again. We put Lassie down with rags soaked in ether. Lassie didn't struggle but it was really hard on us.

Eric wrote:

So sad for you, Z.

We had a mixed breed pup that looked like a sheltie. Her name was Lassie. She was with us for at least 15 years. Houdini dog, we called her. She could get out of any yard. Shock collars, electric fence and the like would not deter her. She ate through a solid core door one day when it was storming.

When it came time to put her down, the vet was too busy, he said. We never went back to that damn vet again. We put Lassie down with rags soaked in ether. Lassie didn't struggle but it was really hard on us.

Oh, my God. What a sorry excuse for a vet, and how hard that must have been for you! I can't imagine.

I really miss our old vet at the animal hospital in our neighborhood. When it came time to put our Chrissy to sleep two years ago, that vet - Dr. McDaniel - was just wonderful. He was kind but very firm with both my husband and me.

We were crying over having to make that decision, but Dr. McDaniel told us, clearly, that the decision was not about us, or our feelings, but about our little four pound Chrissy (she was 14.) His firmness made our decision easier. He took the focus off our feelings and put it right back on the welfare of our dog, which is right were the focus belonged.

ZVUGKTUBM wrote:

Cool stories about your pets, PB. Thanks for sharing them with me.... Like your Sarah, Blackie was a ball of energy. Tuxedo cats are ornery. Laura talks about getting another cat one day, but I hope she can let it rest for a period. My daughter pointed out that all three of our cats (all now deceased) walked into our lives, more or less. We did not seek to get any of them. That is the best way to acquire a pet. We will keep feeding the neighborhood strays, and caring for them, for now.

I'm glad you didn't mind my stories, Z. Isn't it wonderful that those stories will always stay with us?

Your next pet will find you. Sometimes I think they have a sixth sense that tells them just where to go.

PBulldog2 wrote:

ZVUGKTUBM wrote:

Cool stories about your pets, PB. Thanks for sharing them with me.... Like your Sarah, Blackie was a ball of energy. Tuxedo cats are ornery. Laura talks about getting another cat one day, but I hope she can let it rest for a period. My daughter pointed out that all three of our cats (all now deceased) walked into our lives, more or less. We did not seek to get any of them. That is the best way to acquire a pet. We will keep feeding the neighborhood strays, and caring for them, for now.

I'm glad you didn't mind my stories, Z. Isn't it wonderful that those stories will always stay with us?

Your next pet will find you. Sometimes I think they have a sixth sense that tells them just where to go.

Yesterday, my wife went over to the Humane Society to look at kittys and saw a 5-month old fixed female looking for a home. I didn't even know she was going there. Enter "Taffy" as my wife named this cat, who is now with us. I didn't try to discourage her when she called me from the shelter and said she wanted the cat. Taffy has really taken to my daughter already. I think she won't be as rough-edged as Blackie was, who we will always remember.....

Well then, let me amend my prior statement: "Your wife will find your next pet. Sometimes I think wives have a sixth sense that tell them JUST where to go, and JUST when to call their husbands."

Yaaaaaay for Taffy! You guys have done a wonderful thing. I hope Taffy will be with you for many, many years.

Thanks for providing some cheer first thing in the morning.