My friend Deborah told us about how her cats Andre and Charles reacted to the death of their half sister Serena. The passage of time has helped, as have efforts Deborah’s made to help the kitties adjust to their missing half sister.
Even though Charles no longer meows for Serena, I am sure he still misses her. Both boys have been eating a lot more of late, even demanding to be fed three times two days ago. As long as Charles does not get too big, I guess it is OK. Everyone seems to be more hungry on winter days.
We’ve had a lot more chases and playtime of late and they both demand more affection. I hope they are not feeling I might disappear them too and they better stay on my good side.
I decided to give them a little excitement so I cut down a small fir in the yard that I would have pruned next spring anyway, stuck it in a pot of geranium that has somehow survived the frosts to date, bought a few ornaments and voilà! We have a Christmas tree for the first time in years if not decades. It helps that the tree is free and would have been sacrificed anyway come spring and that I had a few ornaments in storage already. André has already started batting at them from the arm of the sofa, but having lined the pot with pine cones I hope they will stay out of it. Yeah, right.
Well they do like it when I change things up so they were pretty excited.
I don’t know how you feel about dressing cats up. I remember Louie wears a cape. I have been an offender since I was a young girl on that score. Not every day or anything. I found this Santa outfit in a thrift store earlier this year and took it out today. Boy did I underestimate how big Charles is! Maybe it will fit the squirrel who lives under the porch!
Now that our Christmas decorations are finished, we can relax and enjoy the rest of the month.
Except…Deborah got two telephone calls that changed things a bit!
Don’t know how I missed this one. I was wondering how Charles was doing because it took Milk a while to get over Tony. Thanks for sharing the follow up and I’m sorry about your sister and her cat, having been there with my Mosby.
My friend Deborah was concerned she was taking over my blog, but I reassured her her stories are interesting or offer thoughts on how to deal with things like a mourning pet. I appreciate her allowing me to post what are e-mails to me, personal communications. Her story about how she took her three cats to Paris was a classic!
I am glad she let you share, you are right that the posts are helpful Very well written too.
She will be pleased to read this! Thanks for the comment, Angela!
Sending best wishes for your sister and Sox.
Glad to hear that Deborah and her kitties are doing well. I am sure they still miss Serena.
I’m sure my sister and Deborah will appreciate your concern and thoughts. It is rough dealing with the illnesses and loss of a pet, and I agree with my sister when she notes people who keep kitties, dogs, animals tend to be more compassionate.
Thanks, Doug, for your birthday wishes for my wife Janine .
I replied to your comment to say I spoke of you , Andy and Dougy on this afternoon.
I am sorry to have missed wordpress for a month but there has been a lot of events in November and I needed a rest .
Michel
I can appreciate that, Michel. Sometimes I need to take a bit of time away myself!
You are right , Doug , the sad experience of Deborah is a lesson of life n an answer to adapt as much as possible , to the death of a beloved being
In friendsghip
Michel
I just learned this morning that my Seattle sister’s cat Sox (the tuxedo cat that was lost for ten months) has cancer. She is very sad about that, and I am as well. I hope that Deborah’s experience will help my sister, who has another tuxedo cat, Molly, whose response to the ultimate outcome for Sox is yet to be known.
A cozy feeling type of post. It sounds like Deb and her kitties are really trying to get past the loss of Serena.
Jean
Time passes. I know Deborah will have Serena in her heart forever. Perhaps it is the same with Serena’s half brothers, too. We don’t know.
Maybe Deborah could donate the trees to some public space that doesn’t have money for a tree of their own, something like a library or a social center or so?
She hasn’t said, but she is donating them some place, perhaps to friends.
That was a lovely post. Thank you for sharing it.
Deborah’s expressed concern that I post too many things about her cats, but I think there is value in learning how she dealt with the loss of Serena, and how the remaining kitty boys have adjusted. We all will deal with loss at some point. Those of us with two or more cats, dogs, or combinations of animals will have to deal with their reactions to the losses as well. This post and the earlier one certainly give some sense of how it might go.