When Pets go to Heaven

I just found out recently a very good friend of mine cats' passed away. She was 19- nice,long life and a beautiful cat. Even though the cat lived a long life, it doesn't make the loss any less sad. It affects everyone who knew the cat and her whole family- she has a son and I know how sad it is to lose a pet especially as a child.

I remember we grew up having a family dog- he lived to be almost 14 and was loved by us so much but he was more the family dog. I remember yrs later, at 33 I finally got my first pet. A beautiful orange tabby named Bowie. He was not nice to others but was always sweet and loving to me. I got him a kitten about 2 yrs later, Amanda- She loved him so much too and vice-versa- Well, she looked like him also and they got along splendidly but then she got fixed and never woke up from the anesthesia. I remember telling the vet she seemed like she had a cold- she was sickly when i adopted her- rubnt of the litter they said- and I had to feed her with a little syringe, felt so badly she died. My cat Bowie slept with me that night- He knew I was so sad. I sometimes would come home after drinking and play fist fight with him- He hated alcohol and did not like this behavior. Another cat was adopted, Roxie- a beautiful calico- she adored Bowie- it was never quite the same relationship he had with Amanda but he was always very nice to her and they quickly became buddies. Bowie was 7 and got very sick while I was living in NYC, He would not eat and was yellow. I took him to Animal- Medical Center and they fixed him up. They thought he had a mass in his body but I did not want to open him up. He got better as everday I went home from my job at lunchtime and fed him with a syringe. Pretty soon he was eating on his own but the syringe caused a scab in his cheek and he had to wear a halo hat- it scabbed up, came off and finally cleared up and fresh fur grew there.
When I got married, the cats moved up here. Bowie was not happy about the nmove but he adjusted nicely and was with us for a few yrs in Westchester when he succumbed to lung cancer. It was the worst as he died in the apartment and I cancelled putting him to sleep that morning as he was eating- that day I kissed him and tasted death. That night he was having such a hard time- my husband and I were like- It's OK Bowie- you can go- He died in a far corner of the apartment- I picked him up and he was already gone- I did not know it until his tail would not go into the cat carrier. He probably had a heart attack while I picked him up on the way to the carrier. Poor thing- At least he got to die at home. I am crying now so have to stop. My husband took him to the vet the next morning and I have his ashes and pictures surrounding him- My other cat was so upset she just ate and sat on a box upstairs for a week straight- so sad. 2 weeks later my husand found an adorable grey tabby at Petsmart- Elvis- we really did it for Roxie- He was not fixed and was quite a handful until he was but now, I realize it was therapeutic for me as well. I will never forget Bowie- I felt like he was my sole responsibility and we took care of each other and I will always miss him. Pets are the greatest gift and should be treated as such. You never know what the next day may bring. TBC- Nina