Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

The Quality of Life Scale: Your Guide to Knowing When to Say Goodbye to Your Pet

Even though my time with my Teacher's Pet Sitting Service friends is far less than they have with their families their loss stabs me in the heart in more ways than you can imagine. Knowing in advance that a pet is suffering from a serious illness, knowing the due date for his or her euthanasia, having the chance to say goodbye days before THE appointment, and having a wonderful time with the pet prior to a sudden loss doesn't ease the pain of no longer being able to see a dear friend on the next walk and/or cuddle. Whether these clients/friends have been with me for a few months or numerous years, there were memories that will not soon be forgotten.

As soon as my pet sitting friends were diagnosed with a serious illness I've been asked how long they should wait until they let their pet go. My first response was to ask if their pet has quality of life; in other words, I want to know if that pet has been showing an interest in eating, drinking, playing, having treats, and going for walks. If the interest is not as it should be I suggest that they keep a log of his or her activity or lack thereof and consult their veterinarian for further counsel.

I've always said that every pet, every family, and every situation is different with unique considerations for those involved but ultimately I've found that every pet gives certain cues that they are ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. 

Henry in his better days acting as my co-pilot!

In my situation with my dear tabby cat, Henry, (whose box holding his fur is pictured above) he let me know that he wanted to go on a car ride to see the vet but within minutes of the drive he reached up to take a final look out the window (a favorite activity of his since he was a kitten) and then made a strange noise and passed away. I still shudder when I think of that moment but I am comforted knowing he passed away doing what he loved: riding in my lap in the car.

If you're reading this you are in deep distress while trying to determine if it is time to say goodbye to your beloved pet so I did some research and found a test that will help you reach your decision called the Quality of Life Scale.

Please feel free to reach out with words of wisdom or to share your story of loss.

I hope this post is of some comfort to you.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

How Do You Know When It Is Time to Say Goodbye to Your Beloved Pet?

Even though my time with my Teacher's Pet Sitting Service friends is far less than they have with their families their loss stabs me in the heart in more ways than you can imagine. Knowing in advance that a pet is suffering from a serious illness, knowing the due date for his or her euthanasia, having the chance to say goodbye days before THE appointment, and having a wonderful time with the pet prior to a sudden loss doesn't ease the pain of no longer being able to see a dear friend on the next walk and/or cuddle. Whether these clients/friends have been with me for a few months or numerous years, there were memories that will not soon be forgotten.

As soon as my pet sitting friends were diagnosed with a serious illness I've been asked how long they should wait until they let their pet go. My first response was to ask if their pet has quality of life; in other words, I want to know if that pet has been showing an interest in eating, drinking, playing, having treats, and going for walks. If the interest is not as it should be I suggest that they keep a log of his or her activity or lack thereof and consult their veterinarian for further counsel.

I've always said that every pet, every family, and every situation is different with unique considerations for those involved but ultimately I've found that every pet gives certain cues that they are ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. 

Henry in his better days acting as my co-pilot!

In my situation with my dear tabby cat, Henry, (whose box holding his fur is pictured above) he let me know that he wanted to go on a car ride to see the vet but within minutes of the drive he reached up to take a final look out the window (a favorite activity of his since he was a kitten) and then made a strange noise and passed away. I still shudder when I think of that moment but I am comforted knowing he passed away doing what he loved: riding in my lap in the car.

If you're reading this you are in deep distress while trying to determine if it is time to say goodbye to your beloved pet so I did some research and found a test that will help you reach your decision called the Quality of Life Scale.

Please feel free to reach out with words of wisdom or to share your story of loss.

I hope this post is of some comfort to you.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

I've Finally Adopted Another Cat!

Yes, I know that my blog is supposed to feature either my Teacher's Pet Sitting Service clients or my own pets but I'm bending the rules a bit by telling you that my next-door-neighbor friend, Noel, is technically mine so I'm giving myself pawmission to write about her! Isn't she cute? 

For nearly two years at any time of day imaginable Noel has been showing up at my doorstep for a kind word, a few pets, and, of course, a meal

from this folksy bowl I bought with her tastes (get it?) in mind because I figured she must love chicken! 

When I'm not with her she lounges on my lawn dreaming of the moment when she can see her other favorite visitor, 

Daisy, when she comes back from her many walks! 

Believe it or not, the two seem to understand each other! Daisy knows that if she doesn't bark or attempt to chase Noel (she rarely tries because she doesn't like to be hissed at) I will  

take Daisy on a trek upstairs (it's a trek because she doesn't want to leave Noel behind as you can see) to grab some treats for them to share! These buddies know that it is a literal treat to get snacks during the day because the usual routine is for me to carry a can of treats which I shake while I walk Daisy and then Noel comes running to my doorstep for more quality time! 

If you're wondering if I would adopt her if she wasn't already owned by the lady next door the answer is YES! She has reminded me that I still have room in my heart to adopt another cat after losing my dear Henry a little over two years ago! 

Do you have a neighborhood cat, dog, squirrel, etc, who visits you on a regular basis? If so, what has that experience been like? Please leave a comment below! I'd love to hear about it!

6 Quick and Simple Tips to Help You Find Your Lost Dog

Over the past few years I have been writing L-O-N-G blog posts on how to find your lost pets and they've helped countless people reunite with their best friends BUT I've come to realize that some pet owners want Q-U-I-C-K advice (especially when they are on the run) so I've composed the following SIX simple tips for you to refer to in your time of need! I hope this helps ease your mind and reunites you with your furry friend soon!

1. Since most lost dogs are scared they will not come to their owners when found so the best way to get them to come to you is to crouch down to their level. The lower you are to the ground, the less threatening you are!

2. Make no eye contact with them because dogs see a stare-down as a challenge from you and they will become intimidated.

3. Place your hand out as low to the ground as you can with a treat or food and wait while making no noise or sudden movements.

4. Keep trying to build their trust by sitting nearby for a long period of time to let them get used to you.

5. Besides placing a lost pet alert on Craigslist and Facebook, fliers are the #1 way to help owners reunite with their missing pets. If you are too overwhelmed to create a flier, Pet Bond will create one for you in a matter of minutes! 

6. Leave something that smells like home (such as a dog bed, an item of your clothing, and/or a favorite toy) as well as food and water on your front steps as soon as your dog goes missing.

When my tabby cat, Henry, got away for six days I was so frantic that I lost sleep and skipped meals so please do the opposite of what I did and take care of yourself while you search for your dog so that you will be refreshed and ready to take care of your him or her when you are reunited!
 

It Has Been a Year Today Since My Beloved Companion, Henry, Passed Away

I like to keep my blog on a happy note but reality is reality and I loved my tabby, Henry, so much that I felt it appropriate to honor him with the following one-year-old post. Ironically, he rode in my car (which soon became one of his favorite past times) like this on the day of his adoption, May 4, 1999, and then on the day of his passing, January 2, 2015. He represented unconditional love for 15 years and 8 months. It is poetic, really, that he chose to pass away where he was most comfortable but my heart is broken even to this day.
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Perhaps the reason why I took this lifeless picture of Henry in my lap was because I couldn't believe it really happened and perhaps I thought that the reality would sink in if I looked back on this picture several times later to make me realize that he was indeed gone. 

Fifteen years of unconditional love was snuffed from my life in a matter of minutes and the pain has been unbearable ever since!

The scenario was that I made a 1:00 appointment on Friday to find out why he was so listless and unwilling to snuggle with me before I went to bed the night before. 

On the last morning of Henry's life it was alarming to watch Henry lay motionless instead of pester Daisy while she stood in his space but I still hoped for the best. I was hopeful that all the vet needed to do was increase his dosage of hyperthyroid medicine or run a few tests and then he'd be fine. 

Besides having been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism two years ago he had a heart murmur at birth and it was suspected that he had kidney issues and I believe that all of those health issues caused his body to shut down and I also believe he chose to die on my lap and in the car where he most loved to be rather than on the exam table.

If you've been following my posts for awhile you would know that ever since he was a kitten he loved car rides such as this one which was taken in October but I was unprepared that this ride would be his last but I refused to believe that the signs were there. 

As we prepared to leave the house he faced the back of the carrier rather than peek inquisitively out of the "window". Also, as I walked him towards the car he had a different protest meow than ever before and once in the car he didn't "ask" to get out of the carrier but I opened the door anyway. He then walked across my lap and used my arm as a "ladder" so he could look out the window and he was successful and even pressed the passenger side window "button" and as it rolled down he collapsed so I hoisted him up but then he made another odd meow and that was the last sound I would ever hear but I didn't realize it at the time. Right after that I put my hand on his side and he appeared to not be breathing and then he grew cold and but I didn't want to believe he passed away even then.

As soon as I parked in the vet parking lot I nonsensically called the vet while in tears to ask someone to come out to check his pulse and to get help bringing him inside. I don't understand why I didn't think I could carry him into the building even to this day. Within seconds a vet came out with a stethoscope and told me he wasn't breathing. Of course, I was in hysterics and she carried him to the exam room where I had to make arrangements.

While I stood by him at the exam table the vet imprinted his paw on the clay and was told to bake the clay for 15 minutes but I have yet to find the energy to do it.

When I finally had the wherewithal to drive  to Pet Passages, a pet after-care service  located in Lee, New Hampshire, I asked the funeral director to snip some of Henry's fur so I could have a keepsake.

Henry will be forever in my heart! 

I am finally writing about this because it is very therapeutic and because I know that you, dear readers, would be able to relate to my loss. 

In the next few days I will write several remembrance posts so that you can better how much Henry meant to me and I will also post about my experience at the funeral home. In a few days I will be picking up his urn and ashes. 

There is such a deep void in my life as well as in Buster and Daisy's life that cannot be filled. 

May he rest in peace.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

A Long-Lost Tribute to Henry

It's been one year and six days since Henry passed away in my lap while traveling to his veterinary appointment and it is still a shock that he's gone. 

While randomly visiting my Animoto page I just so happened to find this video that I created just days after his passing and I can't get through it without feeling a lump in my throat. Poor little man! I miss him desperately and I don't know when that feeling will ever go away!

Looking Back on Memories About Henry's Fancy Feast

 

On the fourth of May, 2010, something seemed a bit out of the ordinary in Henry's world

 

because he only saw his personalized plate on special occasions

and he only eats a half can of Fancy Feast on Saturday nights (which just so happened to be the same night his humans ordered pizza)

and he rarely sees a second can of Fancy Feast on his plate and even if he did he certainly wouldn't share it with his brother, Buster 

in such a gracious manner.

 

But as soon as his mom dressed him in a smart-looking bow tie he  saw some unfamiliar lights appear above his favorite meal

and then he heard his mom say, "Happy 11th birthday, Henry!", and then it all made sense! He felt like he was the luckiest cat in whole world that day and I still believe he was!

Since the fateful day of Henry's passing is coming up on January 2nd I have been looking for memories to help me through the grieving process and it was wonderful to be reminded of the details of his 11th birthday.