I know the feeling. I lost two of my cats that I had for over eight years this past June, and I still haven't gotten over it. I could feel your pain from your other post, and from this one. As for the image, the dog looks very large compared to the woman. This may be your intention, but nonetheless it has impact and the point comes across. To me, my cats were my children, and most people who aren't animal people don't understand this. My brother has a dog he doesn't much care for and can't wait for him to pass on, and I feel sorry for him for having such an attitude. I don't care much for people who don't care about animals.

Ok here's my critique: The background is great. And the floor texture is stunning! ;-) That is just too darned sad Sharen. So I figured I try to make you laugh. :-) I've had a lot of dogs myself. But the one I currently own now is definately a very special guy. I don't even want to think about the day he moves on. ScottA

Sad to lose a companion. I gave my Lab last week to a family who lives in the country. He's very happy. Learning to hunt and, well, retreive...:) Take care, Q

I share your sense of loss. I lost my two cats in June and August. Be well. --lb

I lost my 'angel' spike last october, who I had for 16 fabulous years, unfortunately as of yesterday one of my cats has gone awol, a gentleman fixing up the house let out my indoor cat (five years old and first time out of doors) out unitentionally, I had two outdoor kitties down there, but only Tree ventured outside!

fingers cross'd that he makes it back home safe and sound...needless to say I haven't slept.

I'm a bit blessed. Kitty has been home and in the house every night since I got her (a year ago). She's not spent one single night out yet. I let her out in the morning when I go to work and she's either on the porch when I get home or comes in shortly thereafter. Never had a cat that was so loyal before. She's a good one.

One of my cats died four years ago, aged sixteen. I missed him, but I wasn't completely heartbroken because he'd had a good happy life, and he died peacefully, and with all his feline dignity intact. I do miss the little guy, though. He was my best friend.

i hate to love, and lose....especially to death. my last husband died of a brain tumor. i loved him well, but left him, because, undiagnosed and dying by inches...he became violent. i did not understand, why he had changed. i only understood that my children, and myself were in danger from this "new person". on to pets....well, our dogs and cats died. some lived longer than others. some played on this earth for a very short while. i don't do the pet/death...thing well. so, 15 years ago, i bought a parrot. i vowed...my kids could take in whatever pets they fancied, love them, and lose them in the manner of pets. we put down our rottweiler, and our griffon, 2 years back. both big dogs, they died of cancer. i was sad. sad, for my kids, and, sad for the pets. but, i have my poppibird, who, with a minimum of care will live 60 to 120 years. i will not love another "critter" with a short lifespan. monday, i went to work... our building is going through a complete renovation. they are making it exactly as it was when it was first built. i hate this. it scares away pretty much any potential clients that come calling. well, my partner just made me go out into the hall to see something amid the construction. there was a tiny 2 week..approx. kitten, shivering terrified behind a pile of sheetrock. omg...heart renching. i told the construction workers to try and catch it...no, not try...CATCH it. ummmm....can i just say that i am the new, not so proud owner of a "baby meow", as my parrot says. this little critter does not even know how to clean itself. and it is filthy from living in a 3 story construction zone. it still has blue eyes. it's a tabby cat, and, soooo, cute. my bird is jealous. he screams "bye, bye" all night to it. i can't keep it, as my condo association does not allow pets. (they made an exception with poppi the parrot, 'cause, he's expensive, talks, and doesn't break the rules.) i really like this little kitty. he's watching t.v., now. he is so underpriviledged in the cat food chain that t.v. fascinates him. i might let myself love him. i haven't called the humane society, even though i really meant to on monday. sharon...wow...there was a pet out there who needed ME to save its life. and, i don't care for cats. please, don't take too long to love again. i think your old good buddy would want you to.

Yes it is and I feel your loss, as I've felt the loss of several of my dear sweet ones. Peace to you and may your heart fill with joy again.

Poppi: Don't get too attached to the kitty as it'll be harder to give away. Winter is not breeding time for cats, so it might be easier for the shelters (or Petco/Petsmart) to find a home for them. My only surviving cat of nine years (as of tomorrow, Halloween) was purchased for $100 on New Years Eve because cats are out of season during the Winter, and extremely hard to find. So you might have good luck. P.S. I never told any of my landlords I had three cats. I also temporarily sheltered two additional ones at the same time until homes could be found (my three weren't pleased with the additions during that time). I told them I had one, and some I never told them I had any. Two were always good at hiding for hours when a stranger came into my apartment so they never knew how many I had.

Winter is not breeding time for cats, so it might be easier for the shelters (or Petco/Petsmart) to find a home for them. i live in south florida. things breed all the time, here. however, the tourists are supposed to come, beginning of november. i just do like that little cat, though. he's a pretty good cat, for a baby.

As an animal lover and plain old lover of life, I felt your pain Sharen. Animals become members of our family; each with their own distinct personality. There is nothing worse than losing your soulmate, but losing a treasured family pet is pretty close. When I had to put my little spaniel, Lady, to sleep, I said I didn't want another dog but a month later, my Daughter took me to a pet store and I found Tizzy, my baby now and my closest friend.

Hey, that's an idea. I don't have enough room on the monitor stand for her, maybe I'll change that. She sits on the scanner or printer or jumps from the monitor to the top of a 6' bookcase nearby (she's a real leaper... she can go from my bed to overhead storage which is almost 5 feet strait up).

A couple of years ago my youngest Cocker Spaniel developed breast cancer. After surgery, we discovered it had spread to her lungs. Her last night, her pain increased to the point where we knew it was time. I took her to the 24 hour vet hospital, and held her as she was freed. I held her mother as she was born, and cleaned her when her mother wouldn't. I bottle fed her, and cuddled her from puppy through sickness. I was the first to touch her, and the last. It was the one of the greatest gifts a merciful god ever gave me. Now her mother is old and tired, but still holding on. Her father has developed tumors, and sleeps most of the time. Every day I hold them, pet them, and play with them as much as they're able. The love and joy they give me every day helps me carry on.

Two of our 3 beloved kitties are over 10 years old and beginning to show it--arthritis, especially--and I dread the day when we'll be without them. No matter how many times I've been through it, it gets no easier. My mantra has become that my old cat Pyewackett lived to 17 and so may these two, with luck and care. And then I look into the huge blue eyes of our third, youngest cat, Widdershins (whose exact age we'll never know because he was picked up by the police in a neighboring town, filthy, starving and missing a left front leg) and I realize that there are so many others like him out there that desperately need homes.... It's a small but profound comfort to me to at least know that each loss will lead to a new commitment and new love. And I believe we'll be reunited with them in The Summerland, too, which helps tremendously.

As I sit here are read all of these posts, I see such kind people here, it is something we all do go through whether we loose a pet or a loved one. It is a pain that does make us stop and think about our own mortality. We are here for such a short period of time, must make the best of it. About the picture, this is one of the mil kids and I did scale the dog down, I guess it is hard to see that this little girl is really small and her dog was not only her world, but really large. Scott, LOL you did make me laugh....smile at least. Just so not to misguide you, I lost my pet 2 years ago. I decided to finish this picture because I thought of him today as I was discussing as you all did above the same loss with friend of mine today. Thank you for your lovely stories, it is nice to share this. Sharen :-)

Sorry to hear of your loss, we share the same as many here do, yes, when they have long lives we are thankful, but we do still miss them so....Thanks, and your cat is cute.....funny animals chase the darnest things...LOL...Sharen

LOL, poor little thing, of course he does have a nice try house now.....(right) Sharen

Deepest condolences. If there's such a thing as a Heaven, dogs are 100% certain to go there; I'm not so sure that humans should be there.

LOL, I totally agree....Sharen

it is true dry and that hideous wallpaper poof. :) Posted some signs this morning. I have to agree about dogs and cats in heaven....and some people hmm, certainly a lot wouldn't/shouldn't make the cut. :)

Yep, I know what you mean. I have a pillow permanently stationed just to the right of my trackball, where my 2 "supervisors" park whenever I'm working on the 'puter. They're starting to get older, now both around 13. A friend in my building has a 24 year old cat. Sure hope I can keep mine around for that long. Hell, whenever I think a bit about my last pair of cats, who died within 6 months of each other back in '89 at just over age 14, I still mist up like a school kid. Whether people or pets, losing a loved one is THE hardest thing in life. I definitely agree about the heaven thing. I've known far too many people in life for whom hell would be waaaay too good. Can't say that about a single animal. Dogs & cats give you absolutely unconditional, unjudgemental love. THey don't want you to be anything but yourself. That, unfortunately, does not describe most people.

Dogs & cats give you absolutely unconditional, unjudgemental love. birds are a little different. i actually think they reason well enough to hold grudges. but, would heaven be heaven without them? not to me. it's nice to have some"one" to come home to. it's nice to hear "hi" when i open the door. it's nice to have some"one" make a few demands, when i come home tired. some"one" who knows my routine, and, abides by it. and, here is where my bird really has the drop on people... i don't have to hand him money to shut him up. i don't have to drive him anywhere to shut him up. i don't have to have sex with him to shut him up. AND...he's a great listener. he even comments along the way when i am venting.

2 years... 20 years... when you lose them, the pain never goes away...