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 For
your cat pet to enjoy time with you, she must always be in good health. Like
you, if the pets are feeling pain they are unable to feel the mood of having
fun!
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Dealing
with the Loss of a Pet
The death of a beloved
pet can be very distressing. Our pets are not only members of
the family, they are our faithful friends, our children’s devoted
playmates and reliable, affectionate companions for the elderly
or disabled. They enrich our day-to-day lives and their passing
makes for a deeply felt loss.
There
are many reasons why we may have to face a pet's death: 
- Terminal illness
- Old age or senility
- Fatal accident or unexpected occurrence
- Behavioral problems
- Long-term or chronic illness entailing heavy burdens in
terms of care and/or finances
Most of these factors
may place you in the heartbreaking position of having to contemplate
euthanasia. As an owner, you are responsible for your pet’s overall
health and welfare. When his or her quality of life deteriorates,
determining to do the humane thing and end the pet’s needless
suffering may be one of the hardest decisions you will ever have
to make. That is why bereavement often begins before the actual
death of a pet.
Points
to consider when assessing your pet's quality of life:
- Pain or serious discomfort when walking or moving
- Drastic loss of appetite
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea following eating or drinking
- Difficulty in breathing
- Incontinence or other serious problems with urination or
defecation
- Capacity to see and hear properly
- Unresponsive, unmanageable or dangerous behavior
Gain Support
Talk to your veterinarian.
He or she can give you a complete assessment of your pet’s health
and level of suffering, as well as assist you in evaluating your
options. This will go a long way in helping you make your decision.
You should also speak about your concerns with family and friends
in order to enlist their support during this difficult time.
Adult Grief
Losing a friend,
and that is what your pet is, is always very painful. Facing such
a loss is not easy, and may evoke feelings of denial, anger, guilt
or depression before acceptance is reached. These reactions are
entirely natural and should be expressed. Everyone grieves in
his or her own way. You may experience some or all of these feelings,
in varying degrees and for different lengths of time. Acknowledging
them is an important step in the mourning process, one that will
help you understand why you may have withdrawn from, or lashed
out at, people who care about you. You should realize that it
is perfectly natural to need comforting. It will not only help
you cope with your emotions and adjust to life without your pet,
but may allow you, in the future, to provide welcome support to
others around you who are experiencing the same loss.
Children’s
Grief
 Behonest.
Children are very intuitive and know when something is wrong.
In wanting to safeguard them from a painful experience, you may
feel it’s wiser to exclude them from the decision-making process.
Once the decision is made, talk openly about what has happened.
Provide your children with honest, simple answers that are appropriate
for their age group, using terms they know and understand. Not
only will they respect you for your honesty, but they will also
be better prepared to deal with the situation.
Avoid euphemisms.
Younger children can be confused by phrases like “went to sleep.”
Indeed, employing such terms may lead to fear and cause some children
to become anxious about actually going to sleep.
Encourage children
to speak freely about their pet’s death and give them the opportunity
to vent their grief and sadness. Share some of your own feelings
and involve them in the pet’s funeral preparations, if any. This
will help them deal with their concerns and give them the chance
to say goodbye in their own way.
Make sure that children
understand that no one is to blame for the pet’s death. Such an
occurrence may arouse their curiosity about death and its consequences
in general. A factual, straightforward approach, using answers
or illustrations that are appropriate for their age group, will
help guide children through the grieving process and lead to their
acceptance of the pet’s death, without pangs of unnecessary guilt.
The Healing
Process
Even though we may
not believe it at the time, the old adage “time heals” does hold
true when we are faced with the loss of a beloved pet. Recognize
that loss and give yourself the emotional time and space to grieve.
Getting over the sorrow, guilt and pain varies from person to
person. Seek help. Many hotlines, chat rooms, message boards and
support groups are available on the Internet, and books on adult
and child bereavement may help you better understand what you
are experiencing. And, if you need to, don’t hesitate to reach
out for others’ personal and professional assistance. Talk to
your veterinarian, trusted friends, or a therapist. Make a donation
or volunteer your services to a pet shelter or Humane Society.
With time, the pain will lessen and you and your family will be
able to fully cherish happy memories of your special friend.
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