# Adieu, my dear kitty **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639 "2013-08-07T22:33:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/1 "2013-08-07T22:33:29Z")
After 13 years with me, my cat Clawdia died today. It was quick and rather shocking. A couple of weeks ago she began losing weight alarmingly, didn’t want to eat or drink, threw up, lost all her zest and playfulness… She even stopped grooming… I took her to the vet, and after quite a few tests they gave me the bad news: it was cancer. Must have been developing for quite a while without external signs, because before this sudden and catastrophic deterioration she was a perfectly normal (if old) cat, playful, loving, always wanting a petting, and jumping on my bed to curl up next to me while I slept, so that I would find her next morning sleeping there. The vet gave me a medicine to try for a week, as a last-ditch thing. If after one week she wasn’t getting better… That was it. Today, in the morning, she came to me. I picked her up to give her her medicine. Then she sort of choked, convulsed a bit and died in my arms. Just like that. Oh, how I remember when she was barely 5 months old and managed to hid herself behind a drawer in a table, and drove everybody at home crazy because they could hear her miaow and couldn’t find her anywhere. How I remember the time when she had her kittens… and she tried to give birth to them curled up on my stomach as I slept. She woke me up when she broke her water all over me. How I remember her playfulness, the way she would greet me when I was back, the way in which she would very clearly express her disdain when I tried some fancy new “senior” food as she grew old – she liked her cheap food, and all this “nutritionally balanced” and “especially formulated” stuff could go … well, it could go stuff itself. How all these memories came back to me in a flood, mingled with a flood of tears, as her pathetic little body lay on the floor where I placed it after it became clear that she was dead. How hard it was to take her to the place where they deal with your dead pets, knowing that “that was it”. That I was not going to see her again, that she wouldn’t greet me at the door any more, that I was not going to again hear her imperious demands for attention. How amazing it is that a cat, such a little thing, can occupy such a big place in your heart. How painful it is to feel that void there, how surprising it is to realize that that pain is so cruelly piercing. How sad it is that they live such short lives, lives which are however long enough to place themselves so deeply in your heart. How crazy it is that, right now, late at night, writing this I am crying again. Farewell Clawdia. You were a great friend for 13 years, and also a champion mouser – title which no other friend of mine can claim. ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/2 "2013-08-07T22:54:09Z")
My condolences on your loss. And I LOVE that spelling of her name. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/3 "2013-08-07T23:00:58Z")
May you meet in Paradise. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/4 "2013-08-07T23:02:47Z")
So sad to hear when a pet dies, but so happy to hear how good their lives were. My condolences, **JoseB**. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/5 "2013-08-07T23:15:40Z")
What a beautiful eulogy for your furry friend. _HUGS_ Will give the kitties here a skritch in Clawdia’s honor. ---
**Author:** ![tadtooornamental](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/6 "2013-08-07T23:42:11Z")
Belly rubs and treats for my fur babies in loving memory of your dear Clawdia. So, so sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/7 "2013-08-08T00:00:37Z")
Shit, man, that’s rough. We went through it a couple of years ago. Same diagnosis, too. You never forget them, and it takes a goodly while to smile when you think of them, instead of just being so sad. Don’t go out and get another cat right away; it’s a mistake and it’s likely you’d regret it. Our present kitty found us, not the other way around. While she’s not our beloved pet, she’s a joy to have around. I wish the same for you. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/8 "2013-08-08T00:25:28Z")
My sympathies. It sounds she was a sweet cat. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/9 "2013-08-08T00:33:55Z")
I’m sorry for your loss. My girls are about the same age. I just gave them both a hug in Clawdia’s name. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/10 "2013-08-08T01:01:45Z")
So sorry for your loss. I have refrained from scolding my big old boy Odin for walking on my healing knee, in Clawdia’s memory. They drive us crazy and steal our hearts. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/11 "2013-08-08T02:22:03Z")
I’m so sorry. I send you my most sincere condolences. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/12 "2013-08-08T02:25:33Z")
JoseB, so sorry for your loss. Your words about Clawdia were very moving, you were lucky to have found each other. Great name for a cat, too. I’ll pet my two moody masters in memory of Clawdia. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/13 "2013-08-08T02:27:38Z")
When we get pets we set ourselves up for the pain of a short life. But we do it anyway, and the love they give is worth it. Count me in with loving the spelling of “Clawdia” I’m so sorry for your loss, i’ll give my pets extra scritches tonight. And I hope she and my own loved ones who’ve gone can meet. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/14 "2013-08-08T02:28:19Z")
A lovely tribute to Clawdia. You gave her a good life and she came to you and was with you at the end. We should all be so lucky in our life and death. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/15 "2013-08-08T02:33:48Z")
I’m so sorry. She sounds like wonderful cat. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/16 "2013-08-08T03:12:52Z")
Aw, it’s hell, so sorry ---
**Author:** ![bubba\_jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@bubba\_jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba_jr)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/17 "2013-08-08T05:04:36Z")
F’n critters, always makes you sad… But they don’t seem to take it like we do. No fear of death, no big deal, I’m going to drop dead in 2 minutes… Whatever? She came to you to say. “Hey dude, been a good ride, but I have to check out now, I’ll see you on the other side, and don’t mess with that girl down in apartment 3B, I only liked her because she smelled like cat food… It wasn’t cat food, and I wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t either”. On another message board when I was talking about my dog with some malignant lymphoma, feeling pretty crappy about my record of dog longevity. Somebody told me this… down there. Made me feel quite a bit better. > [@](#): > > Your luck with dogs seems like crap to you. I bet from their point of view, your dogs lucked out having you as their best friend. Obviously change dog to cat. Still sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/18 "2013-08-08T12:27:08Z")
My sympathies to you–I lost a cat this summer, too. You think it maybe won’t be so bad, it’s just a _cat_, after all … and then you’re completely blindsided when they’re no longer there. I’m so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/19 "2013-08-08T12:51:39Z")
They move into our hearts and take up space. Our love grows around them. Then, when they leave, there’s this awful cat-shaped hole with nothing to fill it, and it hurts like hell. I’m so sorry, **JoseB**. If it’s any consolation, you sound like a good kitty dad, and Clawdia sounds like she was very lucky to be with you. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639/20 "2013-08-08T14:09:18Z")
It’s an amazing thing to be loved by an animal, that must be why it hurts so when they have to leave us. I am so sorry your lovely girl has gone ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adieu-my-dear-kitty/665639.md?page=2)