Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Lost an old friend today

Had to put down our old tom cat this morning. I know, i know, "It just a fuggin' cat!" ...and a hearty "GFY!" if that is your feelings. Go read something else.

We got him when he was four days old. A little gal who worked at the drive-in where our daughter worked was crying about a litter of kittens they found and their dog was killing them. Our girl put her in the car and went and found the one survivor. He was in terrible shape with just about everything possible wrong with him. Took him to the vet and she said that there was zero chance of him surviving and we should just kill him. Daughter said nope and brought him home and cared for him for a couple of weeks. Our girl was starting college and had to give him up as no pets were allowed in her dorm. Dad inherited the little bastard and I wound up carrying him around in my shirt pocket for weeks. (On a side note: if you want to attract attention from a lot of cute gals, walk into the post office when all the secretaries are getting the morning mail , with a kitten in your shirt pocket.) He was an American Shorthair which is a large breed - he generally weighted in about 22 lbs. For over 15 years he sat in my office window and watched over daily happenings. If someone new came in he would walk around them and evaluate them for suitability as clients - at least that is what I told people. Some customers would stop just to see him...they'd play with him for a while and leave...theses were business men, cops and pastors and attorneys and judges. Kids loved him and some told me they could remember when I carried him in my shirt pocket. The last year he became so stiff he walked like a big wind-up toy. He would still beg to curl up in our laps and be petted and loved to play with a string. Yesterday he tried to come downstairs to my office and he fell down 10 steps from the landing. He laid in my arms and cried like a baby for an hour after. He would have been 20 years old on the first of October.

I'm gonna' miss the old bastard!

Sorry to hear, my friend.

Mom had one that lived to be 21. She always said it was just like losing a family member when she lost her cat.

Mom passed last year and so I “inherited” her last cat. 😬
She’s a 10 year old Calico that weighs nearly 15 lbs.
Mom found her abandoned when she was probably 4 weeks old. She’s never lived outside since then and has been fixed and declawed. She sleeps a lot and begs to have her belly rubbed 4 or 5 times a day. Purrs almost as loud as a Harley Davidson and loves to sleep in my lap while I’m watching TV or when I’m on the computer. She’s no trouble and keeps me company since I live alone here at the Ranch. 🤠

Sorry for your loss Buddy! I know it’s not easy. Hope mine lives as long as yours did.

Sorry for your loss. All pets become special and are members of the family. Hasbeen

I tell people I feel about cats like I do humans; I don't like them as a species, but there are some individuals...

Sounds like yours would have been one of those individuals.

Sorry for your loss.

Twenty years old, he had a good life. Condolences.

I had an old cat die a couple of years ago. I still miss the SOB. I know how you are feeling.

Friendly cats are great. Yours had a great life. I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm not a cat lover in general, but a long time pet is a good friend. You feel empty when they are gone.

Very sad. I know how attached you can get to a cat. Our last cat we had for 19 years, she was a real badass, she was afraid of no dog and was known to whip the ass of many a 60 pound dog.

I had a cat, Bob, for fifteen years who was my best friend. He slept next to my right side every night of his life with me, from tiny kitten to old tomcat. He was the smartest animal I ever encountered and guarded his cat and dog companions here all his adult life.

They're not "just a cat" to those who understand them.

I am sincerely sorry to hear of your loss.

Pets can be family. 20 is a helluva run.

^^^This^^^

Sorry to hear.

Both of my wife's two cats died at between 10 - 12 years old. One died last year and the other a week ago.

Some cats I like, some not so much, but I never have intentionally physically harmed or mistreated any.

I generally try to catch stray cats that I know don't belong to neighbors and take them to a no-kill rescue for care and adoption.

So far I've taken three mamma cats with litters, plus a few singles to no-kill or county humane organizations over the past 5 years or so. I also donate food and/or cash when I do. I even donated a couple of animal carriers I took cats there in once.

Problem is, finding a place that isn't already maxed out on cats/kittens, though.

Seems like they all stay pretty much maxed with cats most all of the time

Gentlemen,
My sincere thanks for all of your kind thoughts! This has effected me more than I ever imagined it would. I must be getting soft in my dotage.

Thank you all again!

I’m the Grinch, but I’m missing mine too.

Sorry!

A good cat is good.

we have a few that grew on me over the years. got one now that i found floating down a bar ditch 5 yrs ago, when it was a kitten, cheetah margarita. she's on the back porch every morning when i go outside to take a piss. my old lady has five, only one inside one, luna.

I like cats
Actually have 4 cats and 3 dogs.
And a grand dog staying till mid october.


Sorry about your cat man

They can be nice pets in their own way of independence.

Johnny Dollar , sorry to hear that folks can get attached to any critter .
My neighbors took in three rescue kittens that had heart worms ++ just scared little furballs in a big mean world . They asked if I'd spend a little time with them when they went out of town - they were scared of me but Wilson finally got up the nerve to come over to me then Budreaux . Alley took a couple of days to believe it was safe . If they hear a noise they run the their screened porch staring over at me and are glad to play and be petted . Nothing wrong with a cat that isn't allowed to roam around and kill any & everything .
Most ''i can't stand no damn cat'' are in the small dick club .