Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened
December 25, 2017 8:38 PM Subscribe
Officer Edith: I almost forgot one of my favouritest thing: please send me picture of your animals in, on and under your christmas trees and make my heart soar
[later…]
Y'all have done me proud. What a magical thread of glorious seasonal beasties. Thank you so much.
[later…]
Y'all have done me proud. What a magical thread of glorious seasonal beasties. Thank you so much.
Imani Gandy collected a thread of adorable rescues; she's worth a twitter follow even beyond adorable doggos.
posted by missmary6 at 10:09 PM on December 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by missmary6 at 10:09 PM on December 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
Never mind all the cute, adorable animals. What I want to know is, where did the demonic Costra spend his Christmas? Even his loving owners admit he's "the GG Allin of cats" - but they'd like him back all the same.
posted by Paul Slade at 4:48 AM on December 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Paul Slade at 4:48 AM on December 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
It is my old dog’s last Christmas, so some of these cut a little close to the bone, alas. Though someone got him a cheese platter for Christmas, so he was pretty excited when that was unwrapped. (Obviously he is not getting ALL the cheese, despite his enthusiasm for the gift.)
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:37 AM on December 26, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:37 AM on December 26, 2017 [7 favorites]
Yeah, I just had my sweet old gal put down the weekend after Thanksgiving and this is my first Christmas without her since 2005, so this definitely hits close to home.
My mom put a nice framed picture of her under a Christmas Tree from several years ago next to this year's tree so she could "be with us", which was super-sweet but holy crap, I thought I was done crying *that* hard. I was wrong.
posted by Ufez Jones at 3:50 PM on December 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
My mom put a nice framed picture of her under a Christmas Tree from several years ago next to this year's tree so she could "be with us", which was super-sweet but holy crap, I thought I was done crying *that* hard. I was wrong.
posted by Ufez Jones at 3:50 PM on December 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
I made the appointment to put my dog down today, it's next Tuesday. He gets a week to live like a king. This thread, and the few comments have made me sob a few times.
posted by DigDoug at 5:14 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by DigDoug at 5:14 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
My good thoughts to the folks on the Blue that have lost or are losing their puppers or kitts. Our lives would be so much less without four-footers, but dang, it's hard when we have to let them go.
Lesbiassparrow, I never thought of critter cheese platters! Next Christmas I'll present them to the ruling furry one(s), not the nekked people in the house.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:40 PM on December 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Lesbiassparrow, I never thought of critter cheese platters! Next Christmas I'll present them to the ruling furry one(s), not the nekked people in the house.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:40 PM on December 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
My cat went into kidney failure in February. Faced with the prospect of dragging it out or letting her go, I let her go. It opened up a dimension of sorrow I had not thought could exist. A few years previously I sat by dad’s bed as he took his last breaths and I was a model of stoicism. I didn’t cry then or at any time after.
But, when I told the vet of my decision to not prolong puss’ old life any longer I broke down mid-sentence. I was overcome in a moment, with no warning. I sobbed like a child.
And to hell with all the people who asked me afterward if I was going to get another cat. She was part of me. She wasn’t a piece of fucking furniture.
posted by um at 7:51 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
But, when I told the vet of my decision to not prolong puss’ old life any longer I broke down mid-sentence. I was overcome in a moment, with no warning. I sobbed like a child.
And to hell with all the people who asked me afterward if I was going to get another cat. She was part of me. She wasn’t a piece of fucking furniture.
posted by um at 7:51 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
Well, hell, this post took an unexpected turn. Hugs to everyone who needs them.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:51 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:51 PM on December 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
Um, I'm so sorry you had to make the hardest, and yet the most honest and kindest decision for your moggie.
Please don't assume that all of those of us that ask if you are going to get another cat think that your puss was replaceable in your heart.
None of my critters was replaceable, and there were several that made me feel as if there were not ever going to be another dog or cat after that Special Critter. But eventually an empty space was revealed--never the same space, but a space that opened demanding to be filled. Our capacity to love our fur friends is an immense gift, one that we know will eventually come with the pain of loss, but one that most of us are willing to look at head on and accept for the love and companionship is worth so much to us. Every animal that I have loved, and was loved by in return, has given me the gift of expanding my heart to eventually include another animal. What we're asking in a horribly clumsy way is if you were lucky enough to be given that particular gift. What we are saying is that your puss will never be replaced, but that if you are lucky enough, there will be another space in your heart that can be filled.
.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:45 PM on December 27, 2017 [6 favorites]
Please don't assume that all of those of us that ask if you are going to get another cat think that your puss was replaceable in your heart.
None of my critters was replaceable, and there were several that made me feel as if there were not ever going to be another dog or cat after that Special Critter. But eventually an empty space was revealed--never the same space, but a space that opened demanding to be filled. Our capacity to love our fur friends is an immense gift, one that we know will eventually come with the pain of loss, but one that most of us are willing to look at head on and accept for the love and companionship is worth so much to us. Every animal that I have loved, and was loved by in return, has given me the gift of expanding my heart to eventually include another animal. What we're asking in a horribly clumsy way is if you were lucky enough to be given that particular gift. What we are saying is that your puss will never be replaced, but that if you are lucky enough, there will be another space in your heart that can be filled.
.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:45 PM on December 27, 2017 [6 favorites]
KansasHumaneSociety: Show us the [most recent] photo you took of your pet
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 4:25 PM on December 28, 2017
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 4:25 PM on December 28, 2017
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No actual tree in evidence but they look pretty festive.
posted by Artw at 9:34 PM on December 25, 2017 [5 favorites]