Last Will and Testament of a Cat

[Booktigger]

This was in my local CP's newsletter, and thought I would share for people who think they are betraying their cat's memory by adopting another cat - you might want to get a tissue though.
I too, would make a will
if I could write.
To some poor, wistful, lonely
stray I leave my happy home.
My dish, my cosy bed
my cushioned chair, my toy.
The well-loved lap
The gently stroking hand
The loving voice
The place I made in someone's heart.
The love, that at the last,
Could help me to a peaceful, painless end
Held in loving arms
If I should die
Oh, do not say:
'No more a pet I'll have
To grieve me by its loss'
Seek out a lonely, unloved cat
And give my place to him.
This is my legacy
The love I leave behind
Tis all I have to give
Margaret Trowton

[Fran]

Very very moving :cry: but lovely. Thank you for sharing x

[Moli]

So Sad!! But so nice as well!

[Mags]

So touching and so nice!

[yola]

That's beautiful. Thanks for posting that, I may lift that for publication in my local CP newsletter with your permission . . .

[Julie84]

That is beautiful.

[Donna]

That is very moving.

[dandysmom]

That made me cry...so beautiful; thank you for sharing it. I have always gotten another cat after I lost one; no disrespect to the one who was gone; I just had enough love to share with someone else...the new cat isn't or never can be, a replacement, it's a new friend to love, and to love me...and I cannot imagine coming home to an empty house without a cat...

[Booktigger]

Yola - feel free, it was lifted off my local CP newsletter.
DM - I am the same, my friend tried to tell me I couldn't have loved my first cat if I could get another the day after, but I live on my own, and I hated coming home to an empty house - agreeing to see a cat a couple of hours after coming back from having one pts was hard though, but I was told that Snowy wouldn't have minded. I find it helps with grieving if I have a new cat to focus on, they are never replacements, but if I have the love to give, then it is better used on a cat that truly needs it, and I don't think any of mine would mind.

[dandysmom]

Exactly the way I feel, Booktigger!. I had the same sort of friend (?) who said that to me after my Aby, Sultan, had to be PTS, and the next day I got my Patches, the tortie...she needed a home...I needed someone to help take the edges off my sorrow...she's been with me for years, she's 20 now & aging terribly...but when she does go, there will be another one out there who needs a loving home...another friend, whose Persian died of cancer said he'd never put himself through that pain again...I find thast hard tp understand...well, toeach his own... :cry: :roll:

[Booktigger]

I know people who say they wont have any more pets, and I think they are the ones missing out. I can sort of understand it in my neighbours case though, he is 80 this year, so his is also partly in case the animal outlives him (but he does have neighbours cats that go in, so when his remaining cat goes, he should still have company).

[Rosie]

I understand that people feel that they never want to put themselves through that pain again but if you forget about yourself and think about all those poor little cats desperate for a new home. I know a lady who lost her boxer dog and swore that she could never go through the pain again. Within a few weeks she signed up with Boxer Rescue to take on oldies that only had a few weeks/months! She said although she knew that they were going to die soon she took great comfort from the fact that at least she gave them love in their last remaining weeks rather than them having to be pts or dying in kennels.

[Hreow]

What's a few years of understandable, honest grief, to fifteen-twenty of joy and sharing? Fair trade. Not saying it is easy letting go, especially if the loss is sudden and harsh. Not saying that the thought of past and future happiness is going to help at the time. Just that I'd rather live life to the full, helping where I can, being happy when I can even if the price is a long time of sorrow.