Tip 5- Cats who live outdoors usually live much shorter lives then indoor c
Linda Fortune Author of Regal: An Intimate View of One Magnificent Feline
Childhood Cats
Tip 5: Cats who live outdoors usually live much shorter lives then indoor cats.
Welcome!
Since we lived in the country, all of our cats were outdoor pets for the most part and had the run of the countryside. Each animal, Figaro, Little Lord Lovely, Mamma, and Mamma’s Boy, became very important to me as we spent time together and they always responded to my engaging energy. I remembering training them as kittens to use the flower garden for their business, sharing the responsibility of taking care of them with my brother and sister, calling them to dinner, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty”, and playing for hours on end with them outside. They spent most of the day outside and would come inside sometimes during the evenings.
Sadly to say and, which I thought was normal at the time, our cats’ presence in our lives only lasted for a matter of a few years. You see, living in the country and being independent and free, they were out and about in the fields and crossing the road every day as they went about their adventurous lives. Then at some point, they would not come home. Their disappearances were often unexpected and I was always left with that unanswerable question as to what happened to them. They seemed to come into our lives with much joy but they left in silence and without any warning. I always experienced heartache and tears for a number of days when one did not show up again. On one occasion – I learned much later – my brother did try to protect me by hiding the remains of one of my cats, Little Lord Lovely, who had been hit by a car or logging truck and lay on the side of the road.
As I said those first weeks of disappearance were always very difficult. I would call and call hoping to hear a response and have my animal friend show up for dinner as usual. My heart would ache with the loss of their presence and then a final acceptance would come, and life moved on.
Lucky for us, we usually acquired another feline fairly soon and the whole love journey started all over again.
From there, I grew up and finally went off to college. During that time I had no pets but resumed my animal connection as an adult when I bought my first home.
Next: Tip 6 and Adult and in the City.
Blessings, Linda
Tip 4- Children learn invaluable lessons by taking care of and being with a
Linda Fortune Author of Regal: An Intimate View of One Magnificent Feline
Spot
Tip 4: Children learn invaluable lessons by taking care of and being with animals.
Welcome!
After spending one year in Michigan, we returned to live in the country in Washington. Lucky for us we inherited our second dog from the people who were moving out of our newly rented house. He was a white and brown cocker spaniel named Spot and we quickly became friends. His previous owners were quite amazed at how fast Spot responded to me. Evidently, Spot had not liked being around children in the past but, when they saw that I had won him over in just a few minutes, that arrested their concerns and Spot became our new family member. I’m touched to remember how Spot responded to my love and positive energy. That alone is a powerful lesson of life.
We enjoyed Spot for many, many years. He followed us everywhere, chased after balls, and was involved in many of our adventures outside. We had such freedom to play in the orchard, in the adjacent field, or at the swamp.
On one particular day, Spot had been playing outside and, for some reason, had gotten quite wet and muddy, which was very unusual for him. Since then, I have often thought that he must have felt very poorly and had somehow fallen into a mud puddle. Anyway, we children cleaned him up when he came home and then he went to snooze at his favorite spot behind the warm kitchen woodstove. Much to our surprise, Spot passed as he slept snuggled behind the warm stove that night. When mom discovered him in the morning, she removed his body and buried him in the back yard before we kids woke up in the morning. I’m sure she had hoped to spare us some pain. When she gave us the news, we were shocked and cried. But with time, our emotional response gave way to a quiet acceptance. As I reflect on it now and having had more experiences with the passing of animal friends, I think letting children participate in the passage of an animal friend may be a better way to go. There can be a sharing, an honoring of the pet’s life, and a special burial spot.
I don’t remember having any cats while we had Spot but they did come soon after. Figaro, Little Lord Lovely, Mamma, and Mamma’s Boy entered our lives over a span of years.
Next Entry: Tip 5 and Childhood Cats.
With blessings, Linda
Tip 3 - Children are very aware and have strong feelings about their animal
Linda Fortune Author of Regal: An Intimate View of One Magnificent Feline
Flicka, Our First Dog
Tip 3: Children are very aware and have strong feelings about their animals.
Welcome!
We had two dogs in our family when I was growing up. Flicka came into our lives when I was five years old and Spot at eight. Flicka was a small dog, a little mutt with an engaging heart. I wish all children could have the experience of having such a being. She was a wonderful companion. She followed us everywhere, was great fun to play with, and traveled across the country with us when we moved from Washington State to Michigan for a year. For me as a child, she was a wonderful introduction into the world and care of animals.
We had the pleasure of Flicka in our lives for only a couple of years. When I was in first grade, she disappeared one day during an intense Michigan snow storm. At first we didn’t know what had happened to her. We called and called and, with each passing day, our sense of alarm and distress increased. As, I am sure you know, it is particularly difficult when you don’t know what has happened to your animal, especially when you are a small child, so feeling and open. We were left with this unanswered question until the snow melted. It was then that we discovered her little body. It seems that with the blinding storm, a delivery truck driver was not able to see Flicka behind his truck and, with the snow piled high, she was not able to escape the impact of his vehicle.
This was my first loss of a pet. I remember clearly the strain of not knowing what had happened to her and feeling a sense of relief in finally knowing even though it was very sad news. I don’t remember much else at this point about how I expressed my sadness. Some of it may have been left unspoken—being only five years and all. But, I would assume there were tears. Although I am still aware of the strain of not knowing where she was, what seems to be in my awareness at this point is the joy of her in my life and how aware little people are and how much they feel about things that are happening in their lives. Flicka was my introduction into the beautiful world of animals and was my first teacher of responsibility toward these wonderful creatures.
Thankfully, we had our next dog Spot for many years.
Next Entry: Tip 4 and Spot.
With blessings, Linda
Tip 2- Time allows us to treasure the good of what we have received
Linda Fortune Author of Regal: An Intimate View of One Magnificent Feline
The love of our animal friends can fill our hearts once again. Tip 2: Time allows us to treasure the good of what we have received.
Welcome!
As I started writing these first blogs and thinking about my all of my past animal friends, I found myself wanting to share the many things that I have learned about grief and loss through my experiences. My animal friends have provided the ground for me to grow. They have been incredible teachers.
You would think that contemplating and talking about the passing of my animals would have been a heavy topic. But, as I reflect on these passages during childhood, funny to say, I find myself feeling tremendous joy rather then sadness. I remember the fun of throwing the ball and playing fetch with our dogs, tickling our cat’s bellies, and having them play fight with my hand. I learned a lot about being responsible as I put out food and water at meal times. Sensitivity and tenderness of heart blossomed within me. So now, I’m finding that any sense of discomfort over the loss of my friends is now gone. It seems the gifts of time and acceptance have helped.
Even as I contemplate the passages of Revel and Regal, the animals that I have had as an adult, I again find myself filled with joy and love with the memories of these two dynamic beings. I am filled with gratitude for all the priceless gifts of love, laughter, and connection that they gave me. I’ve learned about acceptance and going with what is. So, time has again been kind and I am at peace.
Next Entry: Tip 3 and Flicka, Our First Dog
With blessings, Linda
Filed under Understanding Pet Loss & Grief | Comment (0)Tip 1: Although intense at the beginning, grief does eventually subside.
Linda Fortune
Regal: An Intimate View of One Magnificent Feline
Welcome and Purpose
Welcome!
Having experienced the loss of my Regalita Cat in 2006 and having learned a great deal through my process of grief and through writing her story, I found myself wanting to share the things I have learned. Since most of us go through the experience of losing an animal companion at some point in our lives, I would like to offer this blog as an avenue for the exploration of grief and loss. I will share my experience of losing animal friends, what I have learned, and explore other topics in this area as they unfold.
I will also look forward to hearing from those of you who care to share your stories of how you handled the passage of your animal friends and have coped with your loss. I’m sure that we could learn much from one another.
Next Entry: Tip 2 and The Love of Our Animal Friends can fill Our Hearts Once Again.
With blessings, Linda