Oh, Donna! I know how you feel and my heart and prayers are for you!!!! I pray that you will realize
that you are showing your dear Smokey the greatest of love in relieving her misery! We are not given
that privilege with people, but nothing is stated that prevents us from exercising such mercy with
our beloved pets!

God bless you in your mercy and comfort you in your pain!! :o(

Janice

I'm really sad for you. I look at my two 17 year olds and realize that every day is precious. Myrle

I'm so sorry to hear that, Donna. My daughter and son-in-law had to do the same when their 'Kitty' developed kidney stones. Surgery didn't make the symptoms go away and my daughter called me at work that day and was crying... Next to losing a child, it's one of the hardest things a pet owner (and pet lover) can go through. My thoughts are with you tonight.

Playinmud,
Been there, done that, as they say. We had a family of cats, mom and the 3 boys. 5 years ago I ran over the baby (Sandy)accidently in the driveway, he took to laying there and I was busy looking at where I had some landscaping done (where my hostas are today), when I turned the corner of the house, in the blind spot I didn'st see him. That was heart wrenching, he was 12.

A month later I had to take his brother George to the Vet, he had an open sore (cancer) above his L eye, they said it could go to his brain. I took him home for a few days because I could not bring myself to have it done but realized it was probably better for him and not healthy for us. That was a hard decision. He was perfect otherwise, beautiful huge orange tiger 12 years old.
He taught himself to scratch on the steel front door when he wanted to come in and I do not really want to replace or paint it, I call it Georgie's door.

And then the next month the mother (Patches) was down to just a ball of fur, no weight to her, she was 14. The Vet said she was full of tumors, so........

Two years later the other one,Jake black and white tiger lived to be 14, went across the road one night and got hit.

We had so much fun with them over the years, they were like childen instead of pets. I made a special place to bury them because I knew it would come someday, so it was ready for them. There are evergreens, ivy, clematis, holly, weeping cypress, roses, lilies, rhodo, St. Francis statue, a bench and a solar light. Haven't put any hostas there yet. They would have to be special ones.

Still have pictures of them around the house and think of them often. We even signed birthday cards for family with their names added with ours.

Maybe if you plan on taking them home you could make a special place for them, we know gardening is comforting and this would be extra special.

You will remember them always, they are a part of your life.

My sincere thoughts are with you.

Betty

I am so sorry to hear...I only have a lab but I know exactly how you feel. Had to put ours down almost 2 years ago and man.....anyway, I hope and pray for the best for you.

wild

My thought are with you in your time of sorrow. Our pets are truelly members of our families and probably loved more at times.

After having a dog for 17+ years and wanting to get another pet for my Hubby I brought home a black cat that belonged to a teacher in our building who was getting married and his and her cats couldn't get along so Nick entered our lives.I got him on a trial bases, meaning if my husband didn't like him he would go back. We had never had cats before so getting Nick was new to us. It was LOVE at first sight! What a wonderful cat he turned out to be. My oldest son called him a dog in cats clothing!
He was about one and a half years old when we got him and lived with us for 13 + years before he just went to sleep one day, at this time of year, and never woke up.

We have a memorial to him in one of my flower beds with a a cat statue and a RIP marker. We still have Maxwell cat 5 + and hopefully he will be with us a long time.

Connie

Hi PIM,
I am so sorry to hear about your loved Smokey,i had a cat that was with us for 18 years,he,like Connies,just went to sleep and never woke up,but having to put your love down is so different,what a sad day for you,my heart goes out to you.
Will smokey be coming back to your garden?Do you have a picture of smokey we can see?Is he a gray cat,i ask, because we had a cat named smokey,he was a long,soft,gray cat,and a real love.
Carol

I understand the same day came for our old girl of 18, been ten years and I miss her to this day.

We work with our local no-kill shelter and have 3 dogs and 3 cats, all foundlings as was our Bridget.

PIM go here http://www.bloomingtononline.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2388

There will be sports off this plant that will be unique so I can take one which, you can name and plant with your baby calling it H.'Smokey' or some form of "smokey" that is available. You can even register it if you like.

BIG BUTT you must remind me, I will sleep before spring and am not responsible for my OLD memory.

OR, do the same with a seedling that you have.

You're all so kind. Its impossible to think of Smokey without tears. She was the gentlest creature that God has ever created.

My sister and I brought her home and although you may think this is gross, I rolled out porcelain, cut circles out and impressed her paw into the clay. When they dry I'll have them glazed and fired. We'll always have her paw print. We buried her on Saturday morning in the pouring rain, between two Japanese red maple trees at the top of one of the hosta beds. We thanked God for bringing her into our lives and gave her back to Him as we said our last tearful goodbyes.

Amazing how small furry creatures can affect our lives. She wandered into the yard one day while we were grilling hot dogs and although we looked for her owner, no one ever came forward and so she stayed with us for all these years.

Again, thank you all for giving me your kind supportive notes. I have to look for a digital pic of her and will post that (she was a typical brown tabby). And Butch, you are very kind to offer one of your sports. That would mean a lot to my sister and me. She had asked if there was one named Smokey, it would be a tribute to her and comforting to us if there were one .

Kindest regards,

Donna/PIM

And Butch, you are very kind to offer one of your sports. That would mean a lot to my sister and me. She had asked if there was one named Smokey, it would be a tribute to her and comforting to us if there were one."
PIM

Interesting our "Cat Baby" wandered up as a kitten at a family gathering meowing his head off and is still here after 10 years. The big border collie wanted to eat it, I took them into the garage and made it clear to the dog that she couldn't kill the kitty, it was not a mole. Funny scene, Maggie shook all over, growled, whimpered so we talked to the kitty, then I kissed the kitty and kissed the dog and petted them both and rubbed the cat on me and the dog. After the setu in the garage Maggie adopted "Cat Baby", they slept together and are still fast friends.

It will be unique therefore it can be named if only for your purposes.

Here is a photo of Maggie, the larger on in front with Enya and Kirby.

Then Cat Baby in PatsyÂs arms, he likes her to hold him sort of tight and secure.

Donna so very sorry about your Smokey. Animals have a very special place in my heart. Putting a pet down is the saddest, toughest thing I have ever done.