Goodbye to Lily

10 years ago

Some of you may remember my cat Lily from the many times I posted pictures of her in my gardens. It is with a broken heart and tears in my eyes that I had to bid her farewell today. My husband just took her to the vet to be put down. It had to be done but I didn't have the heart to go with him. She went downhill over the winter and became very emaciated and sick and I knew it had to be done but I couldn't bring myself to do it. She was such good company for my mom and would sit with her for hours.

We are burying her in one of her favorite spots to sit.....
the Cat Memorial Garden which we put in for another dear cat we lost years ago.

Just sharing this heartache with you all brings me some comfort because so many of you have lost your precious kitties not long ago and you know how I am feeling today.

Celeste

LILY in the cat memorial garden last summer

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Comments (18)

newyorkrita
10 years ago
OH Celeste. I am so sorry. I remember Lily well from your garden pictures. She was always such a sweet cat. It is always so hard to loose a pet, they really do become members of our families.
Nancy Barginear
10 years ago
Celeste, I'm so sorry to hear Lily had reached the point of no return. While it hurts badly to lose them, it is worse to watch them suffer.

We recently sadly lost the sweetest, most timid cat named Trouble at over 20 years of age. I know how your heart must be breaking. What a lovely place to lay her to rest. You have my deepest animal-loving sympathy.

Nancy
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I have never been to this forum before, I usually hang out in the garden areas but I needed to get some relief this morning. This post has helped me just to break down and let all that 'strength' and pain go. I do not wish to take away from the purpose of this thread but I would like to share my story with someone. It has been about a month or a little more since we lost Fred; Fred was a beagle that we adopted from a couple who left him in a crate almost 24/7; he was about 2 years old when he was sent to us.... that was 15 years ago. In that time , I have lost my two shepherd mix girls at 15 and 14 years old.... I have taken in three more pups as they passed my way in need... but Fred was special. Independent, never needing attention and so appreciative when he got it. About 6 months ago , he went blind and my husband thought it was best to help him cross over, I disagreed. I told him that if that were the case, I would know but Fred seemed to be adjusting well and he did...... most times, you could not tell he was blind to watch him. Physically , he was still pretty active, his teeth were getting pretty bad but the vet said none were in need of removal YET.... Long story short, I made the decision that the time had truly come about a month ago because it seemed that everything that moved began to startle him and he seemed to be in constant fear and that was not the purpose of adopting him; it was to give him love, freedom and a carefree life......he had that. That morning, I told him how much I loved him and we spent an hour or more just cuddling...I explained that I was ready to let him go and I knew he was ready ..... I had contacted my vet and we were to be there at 3 pm; at 1 pm, I went to get him and spend just a few more special moments and I found him in his bed; he had taken the journey on his own after receiving my permission to give up..... he now sleeps under a newly planted magnolia (in his honor) with a beautiful marble head stone that has his picture on it....and I spend some very nice quiet times there just as we did together for so many years..... Thank you all for letting me share this here and please know that your thread has helped me get through yet another day without Fred...
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Lily, in 2015, he developed hyper-thyroid. He was losing weight, yet ate all the time, and also drank more water. I suspected the thyroid or diabetes. He was on medication and strict blood-work monitoring to check his T levels. Did you know that cats hoarking fur-balls isn't normal? I thought it was. That can be attributed to IBD (irritable bowel disease). He got that as well. Prednisone helped with that. I also gave him slippery elm bark that I mixed into a syrup which soothes their intestines. A lot of animals use this to help with digestive issues. The past few weeks, he drank too much water and peed it all out. Nothing I gave him, he had any desire to eat. He'd eat just morsels of food. I was giving him food several times/day and it was very inconvenient, but just to get him to eat enough. Everything from raw, $3 tins of cat food to kitty-crack (Fancy Feast). I didn't care what he ate, as long as he ate something. Often he'd turn his nose up at it, and I had several opened tins of food in the frig. He developed Stage 2 kidney disease a couple of months ago. Age is a bitch, for pets and humans alike.
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It's 48° out there right now. I just cut down my okra, I couldn't pull it out of the ground, they were like little trees. I also pulled up all the pepper, tomato and squash plants. My snow peas are doing fine but don't think they'll produce any peas. I planted them in the Fall but had to replant them so they were really late. Still have a cabbage that was a volunteer this past year, got a small cabbage from it but decided to leave it and now it looks like it is trying to form another head. Not only that but there is a baby cabbage near it. Swiss chard is still doing okay as are the onions. I did bring in two tomato plant cuttings, 2 eggplants and the one bell pepper I had out in the garden. They are doing great under my grow lights but are really leafing out again after I cut them way back. I may have to cut them back several times this winter.
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shive
10 years ago
So sorry to hear about Lily. She was a beautiful cat, and I enjoyed seeing your photos of her the past few years. I know you and your family will miss her. Hugs to you. I know how hard it was for you to let her go.

Debra
anna_in_quebec
10 years ago
So many times I have been thought this - it never ever gets easier. And I too have not been able to go through with it, my BF is always the one...we lost our Bandito last August. My sympathies to you. My thoughts are with you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bandito
Julia WV (6b)
10 years ago
Sorry to hear that Celeste. Take heart in knowing she is off to be with her fellow felines.

Julia
organic_kitten
10 years ago
I am so sorry, Celeste. Lily was a beautiful cat. It never gets any easier. Pick up Zeus and cry in his fur. It helps a bit.
kay
jean_ar
10 years ago
oH Celeste. am so sorry, I know so well how it hurts to lose our loving pets. This has brought tears to myeyes along with yours. She was such a pretty kitty and a beloved garden helper.my Miss Blackie has been gone a year and I still miss her terribly. Like kay said, pick upZEUS and love him and cry in his beautiful fur.I think it will helpl, too.She will have a beautiful spot to rest her weary body..

jean
FarawayFarmer
10 years ago
I'm not a cat person, but I've taken two much loved Irish Setters on their final trips to the vet over the past 25 years, so I understand what you're feeling. The first time I did it (circa 1992) I went by myself and managed to hold it together until I was once again home. Then the damn broke and the floods came. I drank a full bottle of Pinot Grigio that evening.
mantis__oh
10 years ago
"Death leaves a heartache difficult to heal;
Love leaves sweet memories no one can steal."
avedon_gw
10 years ago
Celeste, deepest sympathy on the loss of Lily. She was a beautiful cat and will be missed by all of you. It's always so sad when a beloved pet is gone. You have made a beautiful garden for her to be laid to rest, may it bring some comfort to you. Avedon
polymerous
10 years ago
I'm so sorry for your loss.
nat4b
10 years ago
Oh, I'm so sorry, Celeste. She was a beautiful cat. It is so hard and so so sad. About 2 Christmases ago we lost our Kitty the same way, my first pet since childhood, I was devastated. Hugs )
abbydales
10 years ago
I'm very sorry to hear about your beloved kitty. Hope you can find some comfort in knowing you gave her the best home, love and happiness.
Sharon
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
10 years ago
You have my deepest sympathies. No matter how long they are with us, it's never long enough. You two will meet again on the other side of the rainbow bridge. She will be waiting for you.....Maryl
houstmag
10 years ago
Celeste it never is easy to say goodbye but I agree with Maryl she will be waiting for you over the Rainbow Bridge.
I lost in addition to Little Boy my old girl Lucy about a month ago and Jessica all in less than a year so I understand what you are going through. Just think Lily is probably running and playing with Little Boy, Lucy and Jessica and all the other fur children that members of the forum have lost over the years. WOW what a party that must be.
Linda
celeste/NH
Original Author
10 years ago
THANK YOU SO MUCH, all of you. I read and then re-read each and every word you shared, and you all brought me great comfort. I knew you would all understand the grief I was feeling. Lily was part of our family for 14 years and patrolled my gardens, brought companionship to my 90-yr. old mother who is blind and has advanced Alzheimers, and always made us laugh because she loved Cabot extra-sharp cheddar cheese more than anything on the earth. She would whine and claw up our legs to get at it and even when we put it back in the fridge she would sit staring at the refrigerator and howling for it. And guess what? Today, the ffo on 'Cheddar Cheese' opened up and was my first daylily of the season! How I smiled to see it, and then I cried. And I'm crying now because I miss her so much, but happy that she is at peace now and no more pain. Her kidneys had failed and there was no saving her.
I felt so lost when I went out in my garden today and she wasn't there to greet me. Thank you for reaching out to me and helping me come to terms with losing her. My mom doesn't realize Lily is gone. I bring Zeus and Nemo in her room and have her pet them and that seems to satisfy her. She can't see or comprehend the differences in the cats, and calls them all 'Sweetie Pie' which is what she always called Lily since she could never remember her name.

Here's Cheddar Cheese, for Lily.....

Celeste

{{!gwi}}
celeste/NH
Original Author
10 years ago
The photo was there when I previewed everything, then when I posted it, I don't know where it went. I'll try that again.
nat4b
10 years ago
What a touching story about Lily and Cabot cheese.
Cheddar Cheese had a perfect FFO for Lily.

Goodbye to Lily

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Goodbye to Lily

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