We all deal with this eventually. By coincidence, I just learned this morning that Pepe the tuxedo cat, one of my neighbor’s kitties, died. She had him from two weeks old (his mother was run over by a car), and I believe she said he was 19 years old art death. He was a beautiful kitty, a sweet-natured and well-behaved kitty. He made a little appearance in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hQB-fYEIM
I’ve been there many a time over my life, wrestling with the right time. All my deepest sympathy to your neighbor and her tuxedo kitty Pepe. 19 is a ripe old age, and Pepe feels no constraints or aches and pains of age now. I can slip more flowers into Elbert’s garden for him.
That would be a nice gesture, and Pepe’s human would be very touched and appreciative. She misses him a lot. My late brother and I used to call him “spy cat” because every time we came or went some place, he’d be in the window our outside on the patio watching us. It was our little in joke. (That said, I immediately thought, “I should call Dick and tell him about Pepe….” I miss my brother a lot for moments like this.)
Pepe will get flowers. I am glad you have so many wonderful memories of your brother!
Me, too. Those five week long stays each summer were a blessing in that they gave us a relaxed time to just enjoy each other’s company.
Pepe was a sweet kitty, and I’m sure the lady who had him will appreciate knowing about the floral memorial.
This is so hard and so heart breaking. My heart goes out to her. This is Ruth and Tim and we finally got a blog up and running again here on word press.
Glad to see you on WordPress again Ruth!I’ve followed you.
Yes, this is a post I could have used in past, and I thought it was worth posting since most people following this blog will have to deal with this in time, including me.
So hard to say goodbye.
Yes, and I hope this article helps.
guys…..we are truly sorry to learn about your friend and neighbor Pepe; please express our sincerest sympathies; we understand how difficult this time is ~~ ♥♥
Pepe was a beautiful tuxedo cat. My neighbor is a widow who benefited greatly from having Pepe.
Perhaps Pepe and Louis can be friends at the rainbow bridge. I really enjoyed the video/slide show.
One hopes. They definitely didn’t get along in life.
Pepe looks a lot like Mr. M, so I automatically assume he was a wonderful tom.
Hitting ‘like’ on a post like this doesn’t exactly convey the correct sentiment, but (to the best of my knowledge) that is the only sentiment allowed. SO, I clicked ‘like’, but I only liked that Pepe was being acknowledged.
Hope you and the boys have a great day.
He was a very sweet-natured kitty, even if Louie didn’t like him.
I could say something similar about Professor Gunner (bunny) and Mr. M 😉
One hopes. These things are unknown, of course. When I had Louie, I thought he would be around for much longer than the short 22 months I had him before he died of lymphoma. Persians come with their own list of life-threatening conditions compared with other breeds of cats. All I can do is continue the regular checkups at their veterinarian’s and make sure I act of any symptoms that appear.
Years ago, our daughter’s ‘first kitten’ (the one she chose) died very young – Toby was an adorable Maine Coon, but somehow contracted feline leukemia.
They are amazingly fragile creatures in many ways. Once they are past kittenhood, they seem to toughen up, yet they still are prey to lots of health issues.
Guess that’s true of all sorts of babies. When we lived in Central America, the indigenous people didn’t name their baby until its first birthday… Does that tell you how high the infant mortality rate was?
That is tragic. I can’t imagine having that reality to deal with.
It took us a while to figure out (basically a year) but when a local worker’s wife had a baby, but he wouldn’t answer questions about gender, name, etc. – for a year, THEN was all thrilled to present the little one a year later. After that, we didn’t bother to ask… Makes me wonder how many places on earth are like that because I strongly doubt that tribe was unique.
In Mexico it was – perhaps still is in some places – the custom to dress babies that died as little angels. Here’s brief description and explanation of the custom: https://mexicoretold.com/2012/11/01/dia-de-los-angelitos-day-of-the-little-angels/
Great link! Thanks for sharing!
So sad.
For all the joy they bring, they are with us for only a short time.
Sorry to hear about Pepe. No matter how old they live to be, it is never long enough.
For sure.
I have been there twice. I will live that three more times.
After, I will have to say no more.
I feel the same about Andy and Dougy.
It’s very hard. Like loosing a family member. Still grieving the lost.
I understand. I still miss Louie and Freckles, among other pets.
Have a nice day.
You, too, Pierre! Even on sad days, basically positive attitude toward life helps me get through life’s vicissitudes. It’s a blessing that came out of surviving a potentially killing illness.
Every time I have to go through it never gets easy so sorry to hear
As sheldon always
No, it doesn’t.
The right time… that’s always a tough call and never gets any easier. Consultation with my vet helps but doesn’t make it any easier… but when you get “the look” you know in your heart it is the right thing to do. R.I.P. Pepe.
I dread going through it with Andy and Dougy.
The boys will have many more years to come with the five plus star hotel and care you give them.
We had only one pet , a dog, in the years 60-70. When she died, put on sleep ” in extremis ” I had so much pain I never wanted to have another pet . I posted about a few times on Xanga between 2002 and 2015..
So I understand what your neighbor feels .
BTW , Doug , I would like to have your opinion about the picture of the cart drawn by a horse near a village of France ! 😉 I was waiting for it.
In friendship
Michel
I hope this post helped others deal with the deaths of pets or with the inevitability of having to deal with those losses. I know I dread Andy and Dougy dying, but the joy they give us in life comes with the sad realization one will have to make decisions at the ends of their lives that are uncomfortable or just unbearably sad.
I saw it and thought it was a charming scene, one that probably is a rarity these days. I don’t think I commented on it on Facebook or WordPress, but it was a scene that brought a smile to my face. It reminded me of Hunawihr in Alsace, which still had scenes like that in the 1970s.