Old pets

[aeme]

I'm feeling all emo today about my pets. Yesterday, Sarah and Cari's sweet dog, Georgie, passed away. Georgie was a little mixed mutt like Charis, and they were around the same age. Before Charis got so overly aggro toward other dogs, she and Georgie even played together a little bit. That is, Dan tried to play ball with them, and Georgie went and rolled around in a rotten dead fish while Charis ignored her :) Georgie was kind of awesome because she was "co-owned" by friends who lived in different households, so she was comfortable with different people and well-mannered, except for her compulsion to roll around in stinky stuff.

Sooooo... my two remaining pets are kinda reaching that point too. Charis (age 12?) has gone mostly white, and we're noticing just recently that she's getting stiff and sore-looking, especially in the morning, kind of hobbling around. She can't play ball like she used to, and seems to be so tired all the time. Leolo (15) is becoming a little bag o' bones kitty, although he still wants to play with yarn and go outside. I think both are getting to the end of life, but not with any obvious illness, just... old age, I guess. I can't bear to think of losing them. When I do, like right now, I well up with tears. I wouldn't give up the joy and love I get from having pets but it's sure hard to go through the endings.

Comments

[raqsindira.livejournal.com]

*Hugs*

I'm having similar emotions about my two old kitties who are 13 and 16. Both seem relatively ok for their ages, but are definitely winding down. They've been by my side through so many things it's difficult to imagine life without them. *Extra hugs!*

[mongrelheart.livejournal.com]

Aww *hugs* It's not easy to think of losing our animal buddies. Seems like cats & dogs live just long enough for us to get really, really attached to them. Think of it from the pet's side though: they live their whole life being treated with kindness, and knowing they are cared for and loved.