Rest in Peace, Nick.

[godofthunder]

Thanks, man!

Good eye, Scott. It is a Seth Thomas. I got it next door after the resident abandoned the house and it was sold at auction. Got it for $60. Found another one in the trash that isn't as nice but runs like a top! As a side note, I have an Eli Terry clock that's been in our family since the early 1800s. Eli Terry taught Seth Thomas a lot of what he knew  about clock building.

Very, very cool!

[gweimer]

My condolences.

[Grog]

Sorry for your loss also. We had to put our dog down last April, it's still tough. First time in over 32 years without a dog. We were hoping to do some traveling before we got another, but we're starting to weaken......................

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Words can't convey it... I feel you bro. Nick is up there with quite a few friends now.

[Highlander]

Condolences...

As I said, not a cat person, but...

Give it a little while and pay a visit to your local rescue and give a new home for the needy...

[Rob]

Sorry Denis

[Lightyear]

Sorry for your loss - I know first hand how hard this can be.

The catnip is deep and green in kitty heaven.

16 years ago my five year daughter begged for a cat, actually, she begged for a cat for about two years   Against her doctors advice, asthma/allergies, we let let her have a cat.  A small mom and pop pet store had a litter of kittens on hand we were in business!  My daughter had to have a "girl" cat because she was determined to name her after her favorite character from an old set of British books - so we had a girl cat named Tessa Catchamouse and the princess was happy.  Fast forward and the princess is a 21 year old college junior and Tessa is slightly arthritic, kind of hard of hearing and has a major thyroid problems - the old girl's fading fast.  We've probably dropped a grand on her in the last four months but she's been with the princess through thick and thin and pretty much is attached to her 24/7.  So we give her her pills and feed her the expensive, stinky wet food put up with the kitty dementia.  I can remember the smile on daughter's face the day she picked the cat out just like it was yesterday.

[Denis]

Lightyear, best mojo for Tessa Catchamous! There are treatments for thyroid problems in cats and some of them are not terribly invasive. We thought perhaps Nick was suffering from Hyper thyroidism but lo and behold, nothing.

The hell of all this for me is that I was supposed to be out of town at a business meeting for the entire friggin' week and I tried my best to get out of it. Tried for weeks. Hell, I had my passport made, had plane tickets, hotel reservations, etc. I knew I'd regret going and leaving Nick. So, bad luck at work saved me. Due to a series of product registration problems I had to stay in Raleigh and work on resolutions which allowed me to be there for Nick in his last week of need, which is where I wanted to be in the first place.

I'm glad I could help speed him on his way. It makes me sad but I'm so glad I could help my buddy. 
Yesterday I took him over to Faithful Friends for cremation. The people there are really great and let me put Nick in and push the "start" button. Now his ashes are back at home in the cool glass cabinet where rests the ashes of his brother, Finway, is and Gideon, my other departed cat.

It's so damn quiet around the house with only one cat left. Magnolia is a sweetheart though, but kind of a wildcard since she's a calico. 
In a couple of weeks Sarah is moving in with her two cats, Satan and Gertie. Hopefully they will all get along!

[rahock]

  I can remember the smile on daughter's face the day she picked the cat out just like it was yesterday.

You guys are killing me. Ya know, I was once a tough guy......at least I passed myself off as one .
Everytime I read this thread my eyes get wet.
Rick

[Denis]

Haha, no crime in being not tough when it comes to your critters.

Here's the only pic I have of Nick and his brother Finway as kittens around November, 1992. Their mother abandoned them one at a time under a tree across the street from my old house and my downstairs neighbor found the. It was a happy day for me!


Here are all four of my cats (clockwise from bottom): Magnolia as a kitten, Nick, Gideon and Finway. I love this photograph!


Gideon with yours truly in the background. He was tailless and REALLY was a wild card! He always went his own way on everything.


Magnolia has a cardboard box fetish. She also goes nuts when I clean the bathroom with Ajax. She acts like it's crack.


Finway in watch mode. He weighed 20 pounds and was gigantic but was a real sweetheart!

[Lightyear]

Thanks Denis!  Our options for the Thyroid thing are surgery - $2K and it's iffy that it would not do her in, radiation also $2k and the side issues are worse than the problem and pills, which we opted for and seem to be working - she's gained some weight and has pretty much stopped puking - the dementia we just deal with .  We've prepared the Princess and steeled ourselves that Tessa is winding down on her 9 lives but I know the girls are going to be crushed when her time is finally up.

If I can ask, sorry to be intrusive and brash, but how much was it to cremate Nick? 

We left another cat behind, buried under an antique rose bush, at our last house.  For a brief second the girls asked about moving him with us!   But quickly came to their senses.   

[Denis]

You are most welcome. 
I truly wish the best for the old girl. The oldest cat I knew lived to be 21. Her name was Holly and sometimes she'd walk across the driveway, intent on something but stop because the sun's warmth felt good so she'd just sit down. A few minutes later she'd "wake up", turn around and go back to the house.

Nick's cremation cost me $190. It was a little much, but they charge extra if the person waits. I didn't care because Nick had rarely been out of my presence and I wanted him back home. However, this also included a nice little box in which they put the ashes. Asking me is absolutely not intrusive so no worries on my part.

That's interesting your girls asked about moving your cat with them. It really shows how much the loved and thought of that cat.

[Highlander]

We have a "pet cemetery" down the back of the garden - 2 squirrels, 2 hedgehogs, several birds, three guineapigs and a hamster - the family dog (a sheltie) dies a couple of weeks before our daughter was born in '93 - mum (who's dog she was - we only had her as dad was hospitalised for some time) died in '92 - Callie was cremated and her ashes buried on my mum's plot on the Island - all the family are buried in plots that overlook the sea...

[Lightyear]

Funny you should mention the Ajax thing - our cat goes nuts after we've scrubbed the tubs and such with Comet.  Even though our hands have been washed the cat goes nuts she nuzzles and will lick your hand raw if you let her - wierd.

She also has a thing for plastic grocery bags - if she somehow gets ahold of one it is tunred into plastic confetti in about 5 minutes.