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73 million Americans have pets. All of us will at one point have to deal with the loss of these companion animals. This site is dedicated to those memories, caring for them while they’re with us and the book, “Living With Them”.

This site is dedicated to all pet owners who have lost their pets and want to get most enjoyable times from them while they’re with us. It’s the most difficult of all the websites that I have created over the years because it means reliving the pain of loss. This site is also dedicated with love to the pets that I have lost that have been so special, Bon-bon, Mr. Kitty, Oliver North, Sweetie Pie, Maddigan Lucy and Queen Theodora.

Living through the pain of the loss of a loved one is a difficult but normal part of living. That sounds trite and nothing more than a platitude but it’s true. Every single one of us will be touched by the pain of bereavement. But there is hope through faith, prayer and other people who understand what you are going through.

Ted Bird at 21 years old.

I’ve lost many pets, friends and relatives during my life but none has been more difficult than losing our 22 year old cat, Ted Bird, aka Queen Theodora. I had prepared for her death years in advance through prayer and caring for her. Once a pet gets above their expected lifespan, things change. Like elderly humans, one illness or injury could quickly become a life or death situation.

It was fortunate that Ted Bird was able to get through her final years without illness or injury. As she passed her 22nd birthday, it was obvious that she didn’t have long. Her kidneys and other organs were shutting down and there was no way to extend her life.

She died in my arms, on the deck that she spent here summers on, looking into the forest that she had spent so much time in.

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Controversy. Disagreement. Belief. Bible. If you don’t believe that, look at the controversy the Pope Francis stirred up footnote[note]Google search – Pope Francis[/note]. When I think of the spirit which is present in every creature, which I would submit is no different than the soul that you and I have, I think of God. When I need answers, I do not turn to my fellow Christians, I go right to the source. The Bible.

Job 12:9-10
“Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”

This passage from Job seems pretty clear that animals, our pets, our companions have not only the spirit of life but also a soul.

In my book, Living With Them, I write that as each one of the pets that I have been with as they passed on, I have told them to wait for their mom and myself because we will be there soon just as I would with a human. Do they understand? I’d like to think that God would grant them and myself that.

Sweetie Pie who died in my arms.

I have no doubt whatsoever that this is true, that we will be reunited with everyone that we have known that has preceded us in death. In conversations with ministers, the ones that think the same as I do outnumber those that say no.

When examining whether or not we will be reunited with our pets once we die and enter to heaven, I decipher my questions through the word of God. The reasoning is simple. We are flawed creatures thanks to sin. We were created perfect and used our free will to go against God and allowed sin into this world. Thus anything that any of us says has to be assumed to be flawed in some way.

The Bible says many things about creation as a whole and animals as a subset of that creation. We know that the Jews were ordered to have their animals also observe the Sabbath footnote[note]Animals in old Testament[/note]. We know from the Bible that God breathes the spirit of life into all creatures. Should it not be surprising that the animal members of our families not be presumed to have a spirit that “goes somewhere” when they die?

One aspect of this is the Catholic Saint assigned to the protection of animals – Saint Francis of Assisi footnote[note]St. Francis[/note]. What’s important about St. Francis is that he took the Bible literally which would probably brand him a religious nutcase in our time.

The Bible itself is rife with mentions, instructions and veneration of animals. Here are some passages from the Bible about animals:

Genesis : 9, 13-17
I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between Me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between Me and all life on the earth.”

We see that after the flood and Noah, God now has a covenant with all living creatures. A covenant is an agreement, a guarantee, a commitment.

In Revelation, we read that indeed there are creatures in Heaven.

Revelation 5:13
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, hear I saying, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever.”

Does any of this end the controversy? I wouldn’t give myself the credit if it did and I doubt that it would end the discussion.

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When Ted Bird passed away, I buried her right under the deck where she used to lay all summer. I built her a casket, put her favorite things in it with her and buried her. I visited her grave and talked to her for weeks after her death.

Some owners would like a way to memorialize their companion animal. The following are some ways that others have found helpful:
■ Conduct a memorial service
■ Keep your pet’s tags, toys, collars, bedding, etc.
■ Keep a lock of your pet’s hair.
■ Save condolence cards or e-mails from friends and family
■ Create a picture collage, scrapbook, story, or poem about your pet
■ If you chose cremation, you may keep the ashes in an urn or locket, or you may choose to scatter them in a place that was special to your pet
■ Journal your pet’s story; how, when, and where you met, unique personality traits, nicknames, what you love the most, and what you’ll miss the most
■ Donate time, money, or talent in your pet’s honor (to a rescue organization, humane society, or veterinary medical center)

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The strength of the attachment of pet owners to their pets, the nature of the grief experienced when the human-animal bond is broken and the need for a pet loss counselling service has been studied in a New Zealand sample of 58 self-selected pet owners who experienced loss within the 6 months prior to the study and who felt that they were still grieving.

In this pilot study 33 pet owners took part in a structured interview and 25 responded to a postal questionnaire. The subjects were asked about their attachment to their pet, their experience of loss, the reaction of others, their reflections and demographic details.

A new quantitative attachment scale that compared the attachment to the pet to the attachment to significant
humans was trialled. The results generally found that the results of overseas studies applied to the New Zealand situation and confirmed that the grief reactions to pet loss are similar to those for human loss.

The new attachment scales found that 50-60% of the subjects were as attached to their pets as they were to humans or more so, and for the first time provided statistically significant evidence that dog owners may be more attached to their pets than cat owners.

Few differences were found between the responses of the interviewed respondents and the postal respondents. It was concluded that there is a need for a pet loss counselling service in Christchurch and that the study of the human animal bond may aid the further development of attachment theory. The implications of the study for social work are presented

Download the PDF of the study   

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Grief is a healthy and normal response to loss. Attempting to suppress feelings of grief can actually prolong the grieving process. Grief can feel like being lost.

The familiar things we relied on to live each day are gone. We must find new anchors or stabilizers along the way and learn a new way of relating to the world and people around us. It is also common to replay the last moments of your pet’s life repeatedly in your mind, like a videotape that keeps playing the same scene over and over.

No one can hurry the process or provide a magic cure for grief. When grief is new, it is common to feel exhausted: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Changes in appetite, sleeping patterns, or health are frequently reported. Those who are grieving often describe feelings of being out of control, isolation, and loneliness.

Things that seemed so important before may now seem trivial. Others may experience a sense of “life isn’t fair” or being in a tunnel or fog while everyday life swirls around them. All of these feelings are normal and part of the grieving process, which follows no organized plan, rules, timetable, formula, or schedule. Don’t be surprised if you start to feel better, and then feel as if a wave has hit you. There will be ups and downs in the process of grieving

• From Ohio State Coping With Loss

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It’s the magical time of year when all hopes of an early spring have been dashed by the polar vortex and constant snow so we have more time for the ultimate episode in our kitten’s life. Harness training footnote[note]Wikihow article[/note]so she can out on the deck in the summer. Why? She’s a leaper and really hates Squirrels.

When teaching your cat to go outside with a leash, it’s important for you to remember that the outdoors can initially seem overwhelming to a cat used to the indoors. Be sympathetic and patient if your cat at first seems alarmed or panicked. It will take time for your cat to feel comfortable with wearing a harness and going outside, so take things slowly and reward your cat with ample praise and lots of treats. Read on to learn how to get your cat safely out and exploring.

Take your cat’s measurements.
In order to go walking outdoors with you, your cat will need a well-fitted harness–never use a leash and collar. If you’re walking your cat with a collar and the cat bolts–which cats are very likely to do–the collar can damage the cat’s windpipe, voice box, and ability to swallow.

Choose a harness.
Most cat harnesses are made with adjustable straps designed to fit either kittens or adult cats and are made of either nylon or neoprene. Some harnesses may come in sub-sizes based on your cat’s specific measurements.

Choose a leash.
Cats have different leash needs than dogs, so choose an appropriate leash carefully. Generally, lighter is better.

Put your cat in its harness for short periods of time.
Before you’ll be able to take your cat outside, you’ll first need to get it accustomed to wearing its harness. Helpful tip: wear thick gloves so when the cat hauls off and punches you there’ll be less damage.  

Practice walking with the harness and leash.
Once your cat has become comfortable having the leash trail behind it, pick up the leash and again encourage your cat to walk around–this time with you holding the leash. It’s always best to humiliate your cat in private.

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The world famous Ambrose Butterbutt who has thyroid issues.

Hyperthyroid disease in cats is at an epidemic level. My mother has lost 2 cats to it, she has another right now and I have one with it as well so this topic hits close to home.

Hyperthyroidism has been researched heavily and some conclusions have been reached. As it turns out, the safety of you and your family can cost you your cat. Here’s some of an article from the healthy pets website footnote[note]Healthypets.com[/note] footnote via The National Library of Medicine. footnote[note]National Library of Medicine[/note]

More research has recently come to light linking flame retardants to hyperthyroidism in cats. The latest study was published this past March in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

The researchers analyzed the blood from 60 pet cats for the presence of flame retardant chemicals, specifically decabromodiphenyl (BB-209), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), and 2,4,6-TBP. The research team wanted to study the differences in the levels of these chemicals in healthy and sick cats diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Of the 60 cats, 23 had normal thyroid function and 37 were hyperthyroid. The study results showed that the hyperthyroid cats had higher blood levels of PBDEs on a fat weight basis.

The study finds that older cats are at higher risk which is a logical leap of deduction – the older the animal is, the more of the poison it will injest over time and thus causing the Hyperthyroidism.

But there’s another theory that is making the rounds and that is fish based cat food. Again, my mother never feeds her cats fish based food yet has had cats with Hyperthyroidism. Yet, I have a cat that loves fish based cat food and also has Hyperthyroidism, so one is left to wonder if there are multiple causes for this condition footnote[note]Petmed article[/note].

First some background. Hyperthyroidism is a usually caused by a benign tumor within the thyroid gland that secretes large amounts of thyroid hormone. One of the primary functions of this hormone is to regulate an animal’s metabolism. Cats under the influence of too much thyroid hormone have a greatly increased metabolic rate, leading to the classic symptom of weight loss despite a ravenous appetite. Elevated thyroid hormone levels can also lead to high blood pressure, a type of heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst and urination.

In most cases, hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed when a cat has high circulating levels of thyroid hormone (total T4 or TT4) in conjunction with typical clinical signs. Additional forms of thyroid testing may be necessary in complicated cases. Treatment varies depending on the cat’s overall health and owner finances, but options include radioactive iodine therapy, daily medication, a low-iodine diet, and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.

So, the only thing to do is once they get to a certain age, talk to your vet about getting a blood screen done once a year, especially if the cat begins to lose weight and still eats like a wolf.

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