Conference misery::feline

    Just wanted to send my sincere sympathies to your family over the
    loss of your baby.   I can just imagine the wonderful memories
    you must have for the 21 years she was part of your family.  Hold
    those memories close to your heart and she will always be part
    of it.     
    
    Good luck in finding a new family member.   This new furry person
    will never replace your kitty, but will help alleviate the
    empty feeling in the house.
    
    Sandy
      

    It's hard losing a friend, especially when it's a fur-person.  The
    awful thing about giving your heart to an animal-companion is that they
    don't live as long as we do.  The up-side of that, if there is one, is
    that you have the opportunity to love many kitties during your lifetime.
    
    All we can do is treasure the memories of the love and joy of sharing 
    our lives with these bundles of outrageous fun.  

    My sincere sympathies also.  We lost our siamese last year after 19
    wonderful years.  It is so difficult to give them that final gift of
    peace.  
    
    My best wishes to you and your family.
    
    Pat Beaudet

    Thank you for your kind words, they really mean alot.
    
    What I find very difficult now is the expectation of seeing her in the
    house.  I now come home and I see her food dish, her brush, the place
    in front of the slider where she used to sun herself.  I miss her
    sleeping on my chest when I take a nap, and sleeping on the bed at
    night.  
    
    I was watching TV on channel 5 the other day -- I'm sure nothing on TV
    would remind me of Chinka -- and they were running a focus report on
    the issue facing parents of sick pets.  Of course, the segment I
    happened to be watching was about a woman saying goodbye to her 23 year
    old cat at the Vet -- argggggh!  I just can't get over this empty
    feeling.  I hope it gets better.
    
    Thanks again for your support.
    
    
    David
      
    

    
    David...some people have to wait many months before adding a new
    furry member to the family...but it is my belief that a new
    kitty will atleast help you over the empty feeling.  Seeing a
    new kitty run and play...will atleast put a smile on your
    face and believe it or not it will help you with the memories
    of your other kitty.   
    
    I know my furry family (9 of them) helped me through my
    grieving process when I lost my beloved Tamba at a very
    young age.
    
    You will miss her forver...but the hurt feeling does eventually
    go away.  I lost Tamba over 2 years ago...and I still think
    of him everyday but it doesn't hurt as bad.
    
    Good luck...
    
    Sandy

    Sorry to hear of your loss.
    
    
    For a small list of Siamese beeders see note 474.0.
    
    Jan
    Moderator, FELINE

    Dave, I have added Chinka's name to the Silver Lining Memorial. If you
    have any questions or concerns about htis, please contact me at:
    
    STUDIO::COLAIANNI
    
    I just feel a kitty that gave so much pleasure for so many years
    deserves to be remembered. Hope you don't mind.
    
    Yonee

David,

I had to put my TD (almost 16 years old) down a year and a half ago, and I had 
divorced not too many months before that.  That first night, back at my
apartment alone, was unbearable.  I had noone to keep me company when my
daughter wasn't with me.  The next day she and I went out and adopted two
kittens.  For me, it was a mistake.  It seriously interfered with my grieving
for TD.  I also felt terribly guilty, like I had betrayed his memory and all
that he had meant to me over those years.

I've since properly grieved for him, and have come to terms with my feelings
of guilt. I still miss him, but the last hard year of his life is not the
overwhelming image I have of him.  I do have a picture of him hanging in my
cube, his shiny black self enjoying the morning sun.  Sandy's right, you'll
miss her forever.  But the hurt does get better. My two guys (Chester and
Farley, both under two years old) are really terrific companions and so is the
newest addition (Jeremiah, four years old, acquired about four or five weeks
ago).  In retrospect, I'm glad I got Chester and Farley.  At the time, though,
they made things rougher on me.  You may want to ask yourself whether you're
likely to feel guilty by replacing Chinka.

I understand what you're going through.  It was really hard, taking up his
litter box and food bowls.  I feel for you.

-Patrick

    Dave,
    
    Just want to say that I too lost my 18 year old Sealpoint Siamese,
    named Phoebe, in 1987, but I know I gave her a good and long life, and
    cherished every day I had with her.  I too got a new Lilac point
    Siamese, named Chelsea, one month later, because my other male Choc.
    point Siamese was lost with out her......and so was I !  I am also 
    looking for a third Siamese kitten, female right now, but want to make
    sure the litter is from a good background pertaining to temperament and
    leukemia negative. 
    
    Thinking of your lost, and best wishes ! 
    Nancy

    David,
    
    Although my Channel wasn't with me very long (just two months shy of
    two years) I can empathize with the feelings of loss you are feeling.
    Channel was a Himalayan and I was with her when she was born.  She
    would sit above my head with her paws resting on my head in "our"
    living room chair.  She slept in one of the shelves in the headboard
    of my waterbed.  When she died, I was devistated.  I would wake up
    and swear I could hear her purring above my head on her shelf.  Then
    I'ld realize that no, it couldn't be her cuz she's buried out back.
    I was very hard coming home at night and not having her to greet me
    at the door.  And those first couple of times I vacuumed I'ld burst
    into tears when I would come across a clump of her long white hair.
    
    But as they say, time heals..  I waited about 4 months before I got
    Kelsey.  Who is another himalayan.  I just love their personalities.
    She is of different coloring than Channel was.  I thought it would
    be better not to have one that looked just like Channel.  I still
    miss my sweet Channel, but Kelsey has brought the laughter back into
    my heart.  What a goof-ball my Kelsey is!  She is only 5 months old
    now and she keeps me in stiches!
    
    Sharon
    

    My sincere condolences.  I have lost a kitty here and there and you
    never forget them, but the pain will seem to dwindle as time goes by. 
    A few good cries help along with pictures.
    paw pats,
    Karen

    
    David, boy do I know what your feeling right now (see note #390).
    
    I lost my baby, Ebony, back on September 18th and to this day I'm not 
    over it.  I constantly think and dream about him and still feel the 
    loneliness of not having him under my feet and in my bed.  Luckly, I'm
    able to visit Eb anytime I choose since he's buried right in my back
    yard.  It's comforting to know, though, that he's out of pain, and had
    the best life (albeit only 10 years) a cat could ask for.  I do have 
    another cat, Ivory, who's comforting, but nothing, I mean nothing, will 
    ever replace the relationship I had with my Ebony.
    
    My deepest condolenses to you for your loss......hang in there, the
    pain will subside, but you'll never forget.
    
    Barbara
    
     

    David,
    
    I lost my Sausha in Nov '92, she was 17-1/2 years old.  In these last
    months she had lost a lot of weight and was not very interested in
    eating...one of her favorite things.  Having to put her to sleep was
    probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I know
    in my heart is was the kindest gift of love I could give to her in
    the end.
    
    The pain does settle down over time, but it's never going to be like
    it was, so I'm grateful the memories stay very very fresh.  I kept
    her bowl, blanky and other stuff, I treasure these special things
    that were a part of her life and mine.  I have pic's everywhere of 
    her and they make me smile and shed a tear at the same time.
    
    She was my first and will always have a special place in my heart.
    
    Keep the memories close to you and give yourself time to work thru
    the pain, it will get better in time.
    
    My two other fur faces are 6 & 7, they are not my Sausha, but they
    are very special in their own unique loving way.
    
    Take care,
    
    Lori

    
    It's nice to hear that I'm not the only one who has had such a strong
    feelings and emotions about losing a feline member of the family.  I
    don't know what it is that evokes such a strong bond with these loving
    creatures.
    
    I never noticed when Chinka was alive, how many things there are in
    every day life that can remind you of your loss.   I was grocery
    shopping the other day, and without thinking I picked up some more
    kitty litter.  I never realized how many family pictures and videos
    that Chinka was in.   She was such a part of our life that at times we
    forget that she is gone. 
    
    One day at a time.
    
    
    David