Pets (and RIP my dear Pepper) and your favorite pet stories

[Travelman6]

My wife and I lost our rescue cat today, his name was Pepper. He was our king but also our baby boy. He was so curious, so brave, so smart, a tuna lover, a companion while I watched Uconn games or played videogames, a companion to Pam when she did her nails, watched netflix or when one of us cooked or washed the dishes. He never let my wife and I out of his sight (we would joke he was more like a dog, obsessed with us). He was a house cat but he was incredibly clever. In the attached picture, you can see the bottom pic is a few days after we got him, the top pic is just a few months later.

Sadly when we took in another little black rescue cat I think he got jealous or he felt replaced (despite our best efforts to show him all the love we could) and he managed to escape up the chimney and out. All of the other exits in the house were escape proof/cat proof but we missed the chimney. My wife and her dad, her friend and myself were looking for him around the neighborhood for hours. Her family property is very large/hills with tons of trees + The neighborhood is also heavily forested and this is a mountainous area so it was not easy, plus the rain and mud did not help. My father in law ended up finding him in the jaws of our guard dog and yelled at the top of his lungs. My wife who was near sprinted around the corner, I was further away but followed. He was dirty, you could not even see his white fur, we could see the bite marks, he was gasping/struggling to breath. As she held him in her arms he was struggling to hold on to life, could barely meow. Her friend is a vet, her father is a doctor but we couldn't do enough to help him.

The little black rescue cat has come to greet us, somehow I think she knows and is trying her best to comfort us.

Well, I want to make this thread to celebrate not just Pepper, but everyone elses pets. Please share your favorite stories. I have had quite a few memorable pets throughout the years: Calvin, Hobbes, Boinker and Buster. I am always amazed of the role pets play in our life and always cherish every last one of them.

I think my favorite story of Pepper is a simple one. As I said, he loves tuna. He quickly learned that the tuna was in the fridge and had a special meow and would scratch the fridge whenever he wanted it. But he would do it with my wife when I was asleep (she is an early raiser) and when I got up, he waited for her to leave (smoke or something) and would do the same with me. He knew he was only supposed to get it once per day but was clever and would try to play us.

 

[ctchamps]

Sorry to hear about your loss. A real tragedy.

 

[CL82]

My wife and I lost our rescue cat today, his name was Pepper. He was our king but also our baby boy. He was so curious, so brave, so smart, a tuna lover, a companion while I watched Uconn games or played videogames, a companion to Pam when she did her nails, watched netflix or when one of us cooked or washed the dishes. He never let my wife and I out of his sight (we would joke he was more like a dog, obsessed with us). He was a house cat but he was incredibly clever. In the attached picture, you can see the bottom pic is a few days after we got him, the top pic is just a few months later.

Sadly when we took in another little black rescue cat I think he got jealous or he felt replaced (despite our best efforts to show him all the love we could) and he managed to escape up the chimney and out. All of the other exits in the house were escape proof/cat proof but we missed the chimney. My wife and her dad, her friend and myself were looking for him around the neighborhood for hours. Her family property is very large/hills with tons of trees + The neighborhood is also heavily forested and this is a mountainous area so it was not easy, plus the rain and mud did not help. My father in law ended up finding him in the jaws of our guard dog and yelled at the top of his lungs. My wife who was near sprinted around the corner, I was further away but followed. He was dirty, you could not even see his white fur, we could see the bite marks, he was gasping/struggling to breath. As she held him in her arms he was struggling to hold on to life, could barely meow. Her friend is a vet, her father is a doctor but we couldn't do enough to help him.

The little black rescue cat has come to greet us, somehow I think she knows and is trying her best to comfort us.

Well, I want to make this thread to celebrate not just Pepper, but everyone elses pets. Please share your favorite stories. I have had quite a few memorable pets throughout the years: Calvin, Hobbes, Boinker and Buster. I am always amazed of the role pets play in our life and always cherish every last one of them.

I think my favorite story of Pepper is a simple one. As I said, he loves tuna. He quickly learned that the tuna was in the fridge and had a special meow and would scratch the fridge whenever he wanted it. But he would do it with my wife when I was asleep (she is an early raiser) and when I got up, he waited for her to leave (smoke or something) and would do the same with me. He knew he was only supposed to get it once per day but was clever and would try to play us.

Good looking cat. Sorry for your loss. You have to be a pet owner to appreciate how much they mean to us.

 

[Guapo]

My wife and I lost our rescue cat today, his name was Pepper. He was our king but also our baby boy. He was so curious, so brave, so smart, a tuna lover, a companion while I watched Uconn games or played videogames, a companion to Pam when she did her nails, watched netflix or when one of us cooked or washed the dishes. He never let my wife and I out of his sight (we would joke he was more like a dog, obsessed with us). He was a house cat but he was incredibly clever. In the attached picture, you can see the bottom pic is a few days after we got him, the top pic is just a few months later.

Sadly when we took in another little black rescue cat I think he got jealous or he felt replaced (despite our best efforts to show him all the love we could) and he managed to escape up the chimney and out. All of the other exits in the house were escape proof/cat proof but we missed the chimney. My wife and her dad, her friend and myself were looking for him around the neighborhood for hours. Her family property is very large/hills with tons of trees + The neighborhood is also heavily forested and this is a mountainous area so it was not easy, plus the rain and mud did not help. My father in law ended up finding him in the jaws of our guard dog and yelled at the top of his lungs. My wife who was near sprinted around the corner, I was further away but followed. He was dirty, you could not even see his white fur, we could see the bite marks, he was gasping/struggling to breath. As she held him in her arms he was struggling to hold on to life, could barely meow. Her friend is a vet, her father is a doctor but we couldn't do enough to help him.

The little black rescue cat has come to greet us, somehow I think she knows and is trying her best to comfort us.

Well, I want to make this thread to celebrate not just Pepper, but everyone elses pets. Please share your favorite stories. I have had quite a few memorable pets throughout the years: Calvin, Hobbes, Boinker and Buster. I am always amazed of the role pets play in our life and always cherish every last one of them.

I think my favorite story of Pepper is a simple one. As I said, he loves tuna. He quickly learned that the tuna was in the fridge and had a special meow and would scratch the fridge whenever he wanted it. But he would do it with my wife when I was asleep (she is an early raiser) and when I got up, he waited for her to leave (smoke or something) and would do the same with me. He knew he was only supposed to get it once per day but was clever and would try to play us.

Although this is about a dog, I send this article to anyone when they lose a pet that means a lot to them - any species.

NOTABLE DOGS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND ELSEWHERE

GEORGE TIREBITER USC's original mascot, George Tirebiter walked up to a group of students at an ice cream parlor and had the good fortune to look like someone they knew named George. The last...

www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com

 

[Spaceman213J]

I'm sorry for your loss.
We have lost two cats in the last 3 1/2 weeks. Zoe, who passed on July 10, died in her sleep. She was 19 years old and looked like she was smiling when she was found on our pool deck. The weeks before she passed she acted like a kitten again. For years she hadn't done much but eat, walk and sleep. The weeks before her death she was extremely playful and would spring up and down our house or chase butterflies.
Silvie was put to sleep just over a week ago. We came home from church and she was struggling in our driveway. First, we though she had heat exhaustion because it was during the really hot spell. It turns out she had cancer of her gum or thyroid or both. I always remember when I had my old job and would come home. She'd be laying on the sofa. I would walk in, set down my briefcase, and she would run and jump into my arms. She was 13 almost 14.
They become family. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[storrsroars]

Pets are better than people. Sorry for your loss.

I'd write about our dogs, but I could go on for pages. I'll only say that one of ours, Aldo, had blood cancer. We spent a small fortune for an operation to remove his spleen and part of his liver. Was supposed to live another six months, but decided to check out in six weeks instead on a Sunday night where there was no place to take him for euthanasia, so he died at home in my arms. I do not recommend that experience, as the vision of those last minutes keeps popping up at the most inopportune times...

Still, there was the time we got a strange call from security at a nearby mall. Turns out Aldo was window shopping there. He escaped our fenced back yard, walked about 3/4 mile, crossed a heavily trafficked road, navigated a busy parking lot, and somehow found a couple of open doors so he could go check out Macy's.

 

[UC313]

Travel well pepper.

 

[Vancat]

sorry for your loss!!

 

[Deepster]

My daughter had a guinea pig named Mary. On Dec 24th, I saw her limp in her pen. Picked her up and tried to see if she was breathing and I didn’t see any signs of life.

Put her in a newspaper then a garbage bag in the garage freezer so we could bury her after spring thaw.

Explained that she died to my daughter on Christmas Eve. She was probably 7 at the time.

Fast forward to 3 am. I wake up with this thought that maybe she wasn’t dead? Maybe she was just passed out and, come spring, I was gonna open that freezer and see a Mary that chewed through the bag and froze to death in the freezer.

The Deepster then got out of bed, walked out into the cold garage and opened the freezer. Opened up the bag and.......nope. Mary was dead as a door nail. Mary Christmas, everybody!

 

[storrsroars]

Couple of years ago my next door neighbors went away for a 5-day long weekend. Normally they ask us to look after their pets, but they sent their dog to daycare and their cat to a relative. They figured they left enough food and water for their guinea pig that it wouldn't be a concern, so they didn't ask us to check on it.

The pig didn't make it. Didn't smell too good either.

 

[jleves]

This is something someone sent me a long time ago that I like to pass on for situations like this: The Rainbow Bridge Poem

 

[Matrim55]

So sorry to hear about Pepper, Zoe & Silvie. RIP to them all.

I still don't have the words to describe my heartbreak when Wonton passed four-and-a-half years ago.

Cancer. Stupid cancer.

 

[Dove]

So sorry to hear about Pepper, Zoe & Silvie. RIP to them all.

I still don't have the words to describe my heartbreak when Wonton passed four-and-a-half years ago.

Cancer. Stupid cancer.

What about Aldo and Mary? Don't forget about Aldo and Mary.

 

[Matrim55]

What about Aldo and Mary? Don't forget about Aldo and Mary.

I missed the Aldo story! RIP to him.

Screw that dumb guinea pig tho

 

[Spaceman213J]

So sorry to hear about Pepper, Zoe & Silvie. RIP to them all.

I still don't have the words to describe my heartbreak when Wonton passed four-and-a-half years ago.

Cancer. Stupid cancer.

Sorry for your loss to. Cancer can be as insidious in a cat or dog as it can be in a person. 2 years ago we lost a cat named Harry to jaw cancer and that was after another of our cats died from a copperhead bite.
Everybody loved Harry. He as just cool. If you talked to him he would have a converation with you and just meow and meow back, but then stop until you said something else. He was black and white, but had short little legs and was quite large in the belly. The first time our friend came over he ran buy and she swore he was a pot bellied pig.
He died in the middle of the night in my arms less than a week after he was diagnosed. It's tough when the pass. 4 in 2 1/2 years, and we still have 4 cats who are getting older.

 

[joober jones]

My wife and I lost our rescue cat today, his name was Pepper. He was our king but also our baby boy. He was so curious, so brave, so smart, a tuna lover, a companion while I watched Uconn games or played videogames, a companion to Pam when she did her nails, watched netflix or when one of us cooked or washed the dishes. He never let my wife and I out of his sight (we would joke he was more like a dog, obsessed with us). He was a house cat but he was incredibly clever. In the attached picture, you can see the bottom pic is a few days after we got him, the top pic is just a few months later.

Sadly when we took in another little black rescue cat I think he got jealous or he felt replaced (despite our best efforts to show him all the love we could) and he managed to escape up the chimney and out. All of the other exits in the house were escape proof/cat proof but we missed the chimney. My wife and her dad, her friend and myself were looking for him around the neighborhood for hours. Her family property is very large/hills with tons of trees + The neighborhood is also heavily forested and this is a mountainous area so it was not easy, plus the rain and mud did not help. My father in law ended up finding him in the jaws of our guard dog and yelled at the top of his lungs. My wife who was near sprinted around the corner, I was further away but followed. He was dirty, you could not even see his white fur, we could see the bite marks, he was gasping/struggling to breath. As she held him in her arms he was struggling to hold on to life, could barely meow. Her friend is a vet, her father is a doctor but we couldn't do enough to help him.

The little black rescue cat has come to greet us, somehow I think she knows and is trying her best to comfort us.

Well, I want to make this thread to celebrate not just Pepper, but everyone elses pets. Please share your favorite stories. I have had quite a few memorable pets throughout the years: Calvin, Hobbes, Boinker and Buster. I am always amazed of the role pets play in our life and always cherish every last one of them.

I think my favorite story of Pepper is a simple one. As I said, he loves tuna. He quickly learned that the tuna was in the fridge and had a special meow and would scratch the fridge whenever he wanted it. But he would do it with my wife when I was asleep (she is an early raiser) and when I got up, he waited for her to leave (smoke or something) and would do the same with me. He knew he was only supposed to get it once per day but was clever and would try to play us.

That is absolutely heartbreaking and you have my deepest and most sincere condolences. I've always had a special relationship with the animals in my life, cats in particular. I've volunteered in a lot of shelters over the years and always bonded with the cats who everyone else gave up on. One of the happiest days of my life after my wedding day and the births of my children was the day when I was able to bring home a little orange and white cat who had been at one shelter for 14 years. She had radial hypoplasia, torticollis, lymphoma, and inflammatory bowel disease. Even the other cats avoided her like the plague. She ended up being the most loving, kind, and amazing pet you could ever imagine when she finally had a home to call her own. She died earlier this year and I don't believe that a day will go by for the rest of my life where I don't think of her.

 

[Dove]

I missed the Aldo story! RIP to him.

Screw that dumb guinea pig tho

But Mary was the dear pet of a 7 year old kid.

 

[Hankster]

I shared mine a couple years ago. Honestly I feel your pain. I won't share my story again. It would be a tough type. I had my best friend cremated. He sits in the shelf on our room divider, His ashes and picture. Sounds corny if you wish, not a day goes by that I don't stare at it.

 

[Greathusky]

So sorry for your loss. It sucks losing a loved pet. I am convinced that when we die, all our pets will be there to meet us at the gates.

Here is my bro Pumpkin chilling on my lap during a Mets game. Of course early in the season, the Mets were a boring team to watch as evidenced by Pumpkin's lights out attitude. My things have changed!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Sorry for your loss. This is my best pet story...

OT: perspective

The game was terrible but my puppy Kemba who I posted a thread about a couple days ago got away tonight. She should be in the Manchester, Bolton, Vernon area. 10 month old medium size black and gray cattle dog. She's chipped so hopefully someone finds her. I wish I had the luxury of feeling...

the-boneyard.com

 

[mauconnfan]

I am so sorry travel man very sad and I know it hurts like we can’t imagine when it happens. All the others who have lost pets too hate hearing about it.

The pic above is my Amber who will be 16 next month. I got that from my wife and son on father’s day, they know it was better than the golf balls and shoes I got and it says it all it’s so perfect. I’m afraid of the day I will be on here for this reason because I will be an absolute mess. I cherish every second we have left as they bring so much joy to our lives that others can’t.

Sorry again and prayers to all who have lost their best friends!

 

[Bliss]

This is something someone sent me a long time ago that I like to pass on for situations like this: The Rainbow Bridge Poem

We just lost our 17-year-old shih-tzu, Poncho, (see insert at left) and will miss him forever. There's no replacement for him so we'll never have another. Damn, this is difficult........

 

[Waquoit]

I'm sorry for your loss. My cat is sitting right here with me and I know I'll be crushed when the time comes.

 

[NJHusky]

View attachment 45409


I am so sorry travel man very sad and I know it hurts like we can’t imagine when it happens. All the others who have lost pets too hate hearing about it.

The pic above is my Amber who will be 16 next month. I got that from my wife and son on father’s day, they know it was better than the golf balls and shoes I got and it says it all it’s so perfect. I’m afraid of the day I will be on here for this reason because I will be an absolute mess. I cherish every second we have left as they bring so much joy to our lives that others can’t.

Sorry again and prayers to all who have lost their best friends!

16...that is awesome!! those are some might clean teeth for a 16 yr old dog....what's your secret?

 

[mauconnfan]

16...that is awesome!! those are some might clean teeth for a 16 yr old dog....what's your secret?

No secret really at all. We make sure the treats and chew bones we have purchased were always USA and focused on healthy strong teeth but overall, she's eaten whatever we eat with her dog food.

 

[storrsroars]

We just lost our 17-year-old shih-tzu, Poncho, (see insert at left) and will miss him forever. There's no replacement for him so we'll never have another. Damn, this is difficult...

That's what my wife said when we lost Aldo. Two months later a neighbor had to find a home for their 12-year-old Aussie Shepherd due to a pending divorce. If we didn't take him in, he would've been sheltered & likely put to sleep pretty quickly as nobody wants a 12 year old dog. Had him for two years before he passed, then it was only another couple months to our current boy, Cisco, who was being fostered. We were ambivalent about him until he hopped in our car and wouldn't leave. Now my wife can't imagine life w/o a dog.

It's not like we forgot Aldo. He's got a small shrine with ashes on our mantle. But the other dogs have also brought joy. So I guess I'm saying that while losing a dog is difficult, having another lessens the pain. At least in our experience.

 

[Guapo]

As some of you know, the pug that is my avatar here is my actual dog.

We adopted him from the DC Humane Society when he was 9. He’s blind and has a chronic skin condition - and all that was listed on his little write up on their website. Nonetheless, I still remember exactly where I was when my (now) wife sent me the text that he was there and we rushed to the shelter as fast as we could thinking there would be a horde of people racing to adopt this old blind pug with expensive health issues (lol).

He’s had quite the life. He was rescued from a Puppy Mill where he was a stud in his younger days. His name at the time was “Twiddle Dee.” He was then adopted out and renamed “Balla”; however his new owners eventually abandoned him - which is what brought him into our lives.

He’s 13 now and I tell ya what, he is something else. He has so much personality and attitude but loves us (mostly) unconditionally.

We renamed him Ray Charles (Ray, for short) and while we haven’t bought the vet a new BMW, we’ve bought her a solid Buick. He’s been worth every last penny.

Here’s Ray - er “Guapo” - looking mighty comfy:

 

[Guapo]

As some of you know, the pug that is my avatar here is my actual dog.

We adopted him from the DC Humane Society when he was 9. He’s blind and has a chronic skin condition - and all that was listed on his little write up on their website. Nonetheless, I still remember exactly where I was when my (now) wife sent me the text that he was there and we rushed to the shelter as fast as we could thinking there would be a horde of people racing to adopt this old blind pug with expensive health issues (lol).

He’s had quite the life. He was rescued from a Puppy Mill where he was a stud in his younger days. His name at the time was “Twiddle Dee.” He was then adopted out and renamed “Balla”; however his new owners eventually abandoned him - which is what brought him into our lives.

I tell ya what, he is something else. He has so much personality and attitude but loves us (mostly) unconditionally.

We renamed him Ray Charles (Ray, for short) and while we haven’t bought the vet a new BMW, we’ve bought her a solid Buick. He’s been worth every last penny.

Here’s Ray - er “Guapo” - looking mighty comfy:


View attachment 45417

(Apologies for the screen shot...but the original pic was “too large” for the Boneyard, apparently)

 

[Dove]

16...that is awesome!! those are some might clean teeth for a 16 yr old dog....what's your secret?

Captain and Coke in the bowl.

 

[Sky ball]

Our 12 year, nine month and 1 week old Wire Fox Terrier passed away 2 years ago. Below is a story I wrote after a hike sometime in 2005. Asta was the bomb! RIP my boy.

Subject: An Asta Story – Circa 2005

A True Story:

Once Upon a Time Long Long Ago (Last Monday). I took Asta, my feisty young Wire Fox Terrier out for a hike to a desolated area of the Blue Ridge (Shenandoah National Park). He loves to run free so on a Monday when I thought there would not be anyone out there for him to bother on the trail we went for a hike. I was sorely mistaken.

The day started with a 1 hour and 10 min. ride from Annandale, VA to the trail head (Little Devils Stairs). Asta tends to get car sick, that's barf not bark, so I put towels down in back seat and he was great until I got slightly bewildered (Lost). The trail-head is down a 3-4 mile dirt road and I took the wrong one so he barfed before he barked just upon arrival. Poor boy. I hope he grows out of that.

We finally arrive at trail-head parking and of course SNP maintenance was there grading and expanding the parking area so I had to find another parking option which wasn't very hard. I did, however, have to keep Asta on a leash until well into the woods as he was trying to hump backhoes and
bite dump trucks. Ah the wilderness - a great getaway from hectic city life!

Well we finally hit the trail and I get Asta off leash and boy does he have a ball. He runs 10-30 yards ahead of me and then comes back and runs 10-30 yards behind me. This trail gets very steep as it runs through a gorge, with many waterfalls, while crossing a good-sized stream over and over. Asta has not been in water before but has no fear. He jumped right in, well up to his neck; he was a little scared to go over his head. I can't wait to get him in the water and for him to learn to swim. Anyway, we are plodding and climbing for about 1 mile, Asta probably did 2-2.5 miles with his back and forth routine. All this as I am pondering and dissecting the important things in life such as "Do I want to stop at Wendy’s or Burger King on the way back".

We finally reach the top of the gorge near the ridge top. Asta is about 20 yards ahead of me and all of a sudden there is a loud crashing sound coming down the hill. Asta gets in his stiff Terrier Stance and does his Huff Huff pregrowl sound. Suddenly onto the trail about 10 yards in front of Asta (30 in front of me) a Large Black Bear comes crashing out of the bushes, stops and looks at Asta, who is barking loudly now, and then runs up the trail (away) followed by ASTA - THE GREAT WHITE BEAR HUNTER. Anyway, Asta is running up the hill chasing/hunting the Bear and I am running up the hill chasing/wanting to strangle Asta so he doesn't become a bear burger. And I thought Burger King sounded good? Well I wasn't going to catch either of them and my only recourse was to RUN THE OTHER WAY hoping Asta would not want to get too far from me. Well that worked. As I was running away from the dueling duo yelling Asta Asta he finally saw me and hightailed it in my direction. I got him on leash again and we continued up the mountain. After about a 1/2 mile I took him off leash again and we had no more wild incidents.

He slept like a baby on the way home dreaming of all you can eat bear buffets and I never did get to Burger King!