Beloved Feline Friends

I did not post about this previously because it hurt too much, but we had to euthanize our best buddy Ogden two weeks ago.
We adopted him in 2010 from a local rescue, and he was 2-3 years old at the time. He was the most affectionate cat we've ever had; he would only "speak" when he wanted to be picked up and hugged or to get into our laps.
We never did figure out exactly what was wrong with him despite ultrasound, bloodwork, expanded bloodwork, etc.. We were giving him prednisone, appetite stimulant, b-12 injections, and anti-nausea meds, but at the end he just wouldn't eat, and he really hated getting medicated. We tried baby food, tuna. I spent a lot of time following him around the house with bowls of food beseeching him to eat.
The vet said he might have a lymphoma that did not show on ultrasound, and next steps were invasive procedures such as endoscopy or biopsy. We opted not to subject him to those. On 2/11, we had a wonderful vet come to the house and send him off very peacefully. I was grateful we could give him that final gift, as painful as it was.
So today we have an appointment to meet Louie at a shelter in Providence, RI. Yes, there are lots of homeless cats closer to us, but this guy checks all the boxes: playful and friendly with other cats (a buddy for Raymond), not-too-old adult (about 4), friendly with people, and bonus, he is orange and white like Oggie. I feel a little weird about that last one, but I realize Oggie had convinced me of the oft-heard sentiment that orange cats are the friendliest. Oggie was almost magically wonderful, not that I'm biased or anything.
Oggie is irreplaceable in our hearts, but the fact is that we now have a vacancy and can give some other cat a very good life. Plus, Raymond is a bit standoffish, and is currently being subjected to about as much attention and affection as he can stand from the two of us. He would probably be pleased to share this burden. Here is a last look at Oggie, and if all goes well, you will soon be seeing pictures of Louie.
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Sorry ofnthe loss of your cat. I still miss mine 5 years later.

So very sorry, rosa. There is something about losing our furry friends that hurts so darn much.

I am glad you are offering another cat a place in your home and in your heart. I hope all goes well.

That was a great gift you gave Oggie, no invasive procedures. He was a wonderful cat. They are all so different!
I agree that you need one affectionate cat if you have one who is not about the cuddling.

Rosa, my heart goes out to you. And getting another kitty is a wonderful idea and I'm sure Oggie put it in your head.

I know how hard it is to lose a cat buddy so I send my condolences. I have two old Siamese cats and I know I will have to deal with this coming up. I have decided not to pursue expensive treatments to diagnose or prolong their already long lives. Now that vets make house calls for euthanasia, that is what we will do when the day comes.

I'm so sorry, rosa. It is never easy saying good-bye to the pet members of our family. I'm glad you and Oggie had each other. Good luck with adding the newest member to your family.

Okay---Sorry to hear the badd news about Ogden. I am dreading the inevitable loss of any of my catts. Thatts onne reason I have several at any given time. Hope thatt helpps you some. Thatt beinng saidd, I prefer the cases---off the street in dire need, or the really shy ones who need confidence-building to bee a pett. That doesn't make me virtuous, it means I enjoy a challenge. Plus, traffic is Murder--I don't know how you kids do it.

Sorry about Oggie. Sounds like he was very special.

But happy your hearts are open and lucky Louie will have a loving home.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. I am fortunate to have so many good people in my life.
LBB: Louie was at a city animal shelter, and apparently he was a stray before they got him. So he was reasonably needy.
The shelter is run by Providence Animal Control, and we were really impressed by how nice it was. Every cat had an individual 3 story cage with blankets, toys, and cardboard scratchers in addition to the usual necessities. The employees were all very nice, and it looked like they spent time visiting and socializing with the cats on a regular basis.
Poor Louis got car sick and also pooped in his cat carrier, and of course there was an accident on I-93 north so traffic totally sucked (even worse than the usual suckiness), and it reeked inside the car, and the poor little guy was frantic to get out of the disgusting cat carrier and crying all the way home and trying to bust out. It felt like the longest road trip ever! But once we got home, he has shown himself to be very friendly and inquisitive despite such a trying day. I think he's going to be a wonderful boy.
He looks just like Ogden in pictures, but in person you can see that they are really different. He and Raymond are very curious about each other, but we are giving it a bit of time before giving them full access to each other. Given the layout and space constraints in our house, we can't give it too much time though. It is a major pain for us to keep them separated.
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Oh poor Louie! (Car ride)
He will be happy with you.

Sorry for your loss. It was less then 30 days from when I had to put down Mattie (the most affectionate cat I had ever dealt with), to when I adopted this bonded pair. Now, I have another cat coming around, that I am 85% sure was the Maine coon, the neighbor's business lost in 2019. One of my cats attacks the windows every time it comes around, now. It is the only cat I have known, that seemed to like car rides and if I could contact it's old owner, I would take it for one to his house.

Okay----RR, I like that catt. He's nice!

My brown cat is floating through the house as he does daily, just walking around, sometimes yakking, sometimes not. HIs movement is so elegant as he glides around, speaking his truth to the world.

My little munchkin cat on the other hand clomps around in a hump like a bear. She is a typical Persian cat with an illusion of a humpback and heavy bone structure even tho she weighs just 5 lbs.

They are all so different from each other!

Welcome, Louie! Wishing you all the best with your new addition, rr!

I was hesitant to read this because I feared it might be sad--and it was--but the arrival of Louie made up for it. May you have many happy years together!

So sorry for you loss. Losing a pet is always tough. We lost two cats within months of each other. One wasn't a surprise but the other was. Lost boy cat Feb 2020 and girl cat May 2020.

Such a cutie!! Louie is a lucky guy!

BTW, did you rename/name him? I love how your cats have people names!

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Originally Posted by catherine

Such a cutie!! Louie is a lucky guy!

BTW, did you rename/name him? I love how your cats have people names!

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We didn't rename him because we like "Louie" just fine. If we had adopted "Oreo," there definitely would have been a name change!

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Originally Posted by Klunick

So sorry for you loss. Losing a pet is always tough. We lost two cats within months of each other. One wasn't a surprise but the other was. Lost boy cat Feb 2020 and girl cat May 2020.

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Wow, I'm so sorry, that must have been tough, and it was a bad year in so many other ways as well.

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Originally Posted by ToomuchStuff

Sorry for your loss. It was less then 30 days from when I had to put down Mattie (the most affectionate cat I had ever dealt with), to when I adopted this bonded pair. Now, I have another cat coming around, that I am 85% sure was the Maine coon, the neighbor's business lost in 2019. One of my cats attacks the windows every time it comes around, now. It is the only cat I have known, that seemed to like car rides and if I could contact it's old owner, I would take it for one to his house.

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So you think the old owner moved and left it behind? I don't understand how anyone could ever do that.

So the door is open and the two boys seem to be doing just fine. Ray is a bit wary, but no scuffling or fighting. This is such a relief!

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

So the door is open and the two boys seem to be doing just fine. Ray is a bit wary, but no scuffling or fighting. This is such a relief!

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I have seen several unrelated boy cats pair up in midlife as lifelong buddies. It’s so funny what they will do.

Okay---I figure this would be as good a time as any to announce the location of the next annual HBCC Annual International Catt Show. Yup. It will be held in Deadhorse(Prudhoe Bay) Alaska, the northern terminus of the Dalton Highway. As yet, the planning committee hasn't leased a suitable building to house the event. So anyway--it may be held in one a them huge milsurp tents, if nothing else is available. So yeah-- I'll let you kids know, ASAP. Yup. Attachment 5225

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

Wow, I'm so sorry, that must have been tough, and it was a bad year in so many other ways as well.

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Two weeks after our girl passed, we found two 8 week old kittens and took them home. They definitely healed our hearts.

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

So you think the old owner moved and left it behind? I don't understand how anyone could ever do that.

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No, business owner took cat with him to work daily, cat seemed to think it was a dog.

Customer came in and left the door open and the cat got out. For the next 3 weeks, the owner would drive around before and after work, hollering for it and we are pretty sure someone picked it up.
However when the cat was out and saw me last year, it came running over to me like it knew me and I had met it twice, but don't remember the name.
The business closed when the owner was diagnosed with some kind of medical issue, so I haven't been able to get back in touch with him.

I am so sorry Rosa. Like you I always adopt a new baby quickly to honor the one that has passed. I believe it’s what the past baby wants. I also loved cats but unfortunately developed a severe allergy to them in my 30’s that sent me to ER. That was the end of my cat life. Now my dog allergies have escalated but thankfully I can still have a few breeds such as poodles, Maltese, etc. Honestly if I ever get to a point that I can’t have a pet I am done with life.

So sorry rosa, on losing your beloved fur-baby. And glad that the new guy is doing well! Our neighbors are moving and leaving "their" cats behind, which is good because the cats have always been at our place more than theirs and I would really miss them. We discussed it with them - the neighbors, not the cats-. and they agreed it was the best thing to do. Outside/barn cats seem attached to home as a place, and moving them just causes more danger to them as they try to find their way "home" again. We've had several neighbors move, or try to rehome their cats, only to have said beasties show up here again within days. One cat we took back to the owners' new place SIX TIMES before we just gave up and kept her here for the rest of her life. (She's the mamma to our current two inside cats.) So I think when someone moves and the cat is still around, it's not always abandonment, but coming home on the part of the cats. Inside cats - that's totally different, and abandoning an indoor cat ANYWHERE is a terrible thing.

So sorry to hear about Ogden. It sounds like he certainly had a great life. And as hard as I know it was for you I'm sure he's also glad that you were able to let him go when it was time.

As for orange cats I can agree with the idea that they are the friendliest. Our previous boys were orange tabby brothers and they loved everyone. When the doorbell rang they ran to the door to see who had come to visit them. When a handyman or repair person was doing something in our apartment one, or both, of them would be there to "assist". When we had people over for dinner or whatever they would both be climbing up in random people's laps to hang out with them (and by the end of the evening they had usually worked the entire room. No one was spared their affections). Both were just bundles of love that wanted to share that love with every person they could.

We once had a very mellow orange cat named Pinky for his pink toes. Back when we used to let cats outside, he got into some antifreeze and died shortly thereafter:(

Okay---I let the outdoor catts out, this morning. One wanted back in immediately, and when there was some thunder, another one wanted in. I'm still anxiously waiting for #3. She is the most hardcore outdoor cat I have. She can find shelter. But I check to see if she wants in, every few minutes. Yup.

You are a good cat dad, Bobby.

Louie has settled into the household so well and so quickly, and Raymond seems to have completely accepted him. When the shelter took him in last October, they had a vet examine, treat, and neuter him. The report of his condition at that time makes me want to cry. I'm so glad we can give this little guy the good life he deserves.

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Originally Posted by pinkytoe

We once had a very mellow orange cat named Pinky for his pink toes. Back when we used to let cats outside, he got into some antifreeze and died shortly thereafter:(

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Oh no, that is so sad! Is that where your screen name came from? I always wondered, since it's an unusual one.

Okay----Catts are tragic little creatures. Thatt's I guess why catts tend to have litters; to insure the survival of the species. But yeah---one o' my upcoming projects is a dedicated cat yard; a fenced area well inside the (fenced) boundaries of my lot. Plans are for it to be about 1600 s.f., with a vinyl-coated wire mesh overhang to prevent them from climbing out. My experience with building Huskee containment gives me the know-how to build this. Yup. But yeah---they can be outdoors and safe at the same time. See? So anyway--my torbie Puma seems to be the most negatively affected by this sickness that's making the rounds, and yes she was vaccinated. But, she's eating, and thatt's a good sign. She was an outdoor catt when I picked her up in a sandwich shop parking lot on a very busy street, where she'd been hanging out for weeks. But guess what? She's never shown any inclination to want outside! Hopefully, Puma will recover VERY soon. She's a wonderful catt. Also, I'm inquiring into there are any good restaurant up in Deadhorse, when you kids attend the annual HBCC International Catt Clubb Conference. If there aren't, you may hafta bring your own grub, to chow down on. Yup. Hope thatt helps you some. Thankk Mee.

“Catios” are a thing now for people who have a lot of money to blow on cat enclosures.

I don’t want to give my cats the opportunity to get fleas and ticks, so I’m not interested in a catio, but it is certainly too bad that they will never feel grass on their feet and the wind in their hair. I could open all windows in our sunroom though on a breezy day, they. they might like that.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

“Catios” are a thing now for people who have a lot of money to blow on cat enclosures.

I don’t want to give my cats the opportunity to get fleas and ticks, so I’m not interested in a catio, but it is certainly too bad that they will never feel grass on their feet and the wind in their hair. I could open all windows in our sunroom though on a breezy day, they. they might like that.

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Okay---this is not a "catio", nor will it make much of a difference in whether they have fleas. I have fleas on the housecatts, if I don't keep them treated with flea repellent, during all but the winter months. My out door kitty run will allow them to safely keep fit & happy and sun themselves in fresh air. The three outdoor-indoor cats really are pretty healthy, considering that they are over 10 years old, and lay out in the road, at times.. Ha. So there. But yeah---building my kitty run, where everyone benefits 24-7-365, is a MUCH better investment(x44444) than a tripp to see Draculas' Castle or whatever. Yup. Hope thatt helpps you some. Thankk Mee.

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

You are a good cat dad, Bobby.

Louie has settled into the household so well and so quickly, and Raymond seems to have completely accepted him. When the shelter took him in last October, they had a vet examine, treat, and neuter him. The report of his condition at that time makes me want to cry. I'm so glad we can give this little guy the good life he deserves.

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TYVM, RR. But, I will try harder, anyway. But no---I did not realize Louie had been in a shelter for almost half a year and was in need when he came in. I'll just betcha he's VERY happy to have a good home, now. Yup.

Look at Louie now, living the life he so richly deserves. Yes, that is my pillow and my side of the bed, lol.

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

Look at Louie now, living the life he so richly deserves. Yes, that is my pillow and my side of the bed, lol.

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it didn’t take him long to take over, did it? Totally self-centered they are and I love them for it.

Handsome cat, handsome bedding. In my experience cats position themselves in the exact center of the bed whenever possible.