Our lovely Giggsy

[CIHALL]

Hi there

I've never used this sort of thing of before and was overwhelmed with the great support and kind people that are out there.

We said goodbye to our beautiful cat Giggsy (named after my wife's favourite footballer) 4 weeks ago. He had inoperable Lymphoma and we had to have him put to sleep.

I'd like to talk about him if I may. He picked us as a kitten at the Cat Protection shelter, strutting out as a 7 week old kitten and using his litter tray to show us he was house trained. From that point on he was the centre of our world. It was always the 3 of us against the world. We'd eat together, play in the garden together, share the same bed; Giggsy would lie in between us each night and had the cutest little snore. Our life revolved him and we loved that little ball of fur more than anything in the world.

And now he's gone, it's really sad. I really can't believe this has happened. He'd lost a bit of weight but was eating fine, playing fine and doing all the things he'd always done. I took him to the vets and they said he had a large lump. An x-ray and biopsy confirmed 2 malignant sites and within a week he had deteriorated. His last week was so sad, my wife or I up with him in the night making sure he was ok, which he was, or seemed to be. He had his usual 'catitude' as I called it if one of moved in the bed and disturbed his slumber. Apart from some weight loss, no one would ever have known.

Then on his last day, he started the morning fine, eating and going to the toilet. But by the late afternoon, his breathing had gotten bad and he was hiding away barley able to look up. The horrible lumps were pressing on his lungs and was struggling. Our little fella was slipping away from us. So we took him in and I could tell from the vet's look, the time had come. So we made the decision to let him go, so hard it was.

I know we did right by him, but it still hurts so much. I can't think of any of the great times over his 10 and half years of having him at the minute. All I remember is that last week of his life. How sad he looked with a cone on after his biopsy. The morning of his x-ray he'd had no food/water since late the night before as advised by the vet. I'm haunted by his attempts to drink from the taps around the house and hope he understood that I wasn't being cruel by not letting him get his own way, which he usually got.

I take comfort from knowing that we did right by him, we were with him right until the end and he will forever remain in our hearts. He's not suffering any more. But I'm just so upset. Our lives were geared to him being the centre of what we did. Everything is a reminder of him. From having to be careful about the way we walked down the stairs as he liked to walk alongside us, to hoovering downstairs when he was upstairs and vice versa because he didn't like the noise.

Worst of all is that he's been in my dreams loads since he went to sleep and then I wake up and realise he's not there and it was a dream. This is so hard.

I hope by sharing this it will help my grieving process.

Thanks you for reading x

[Crewella]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I found it did help me to write about it on the forum when I lost my Peaches last year, I hope it helps you. And I hope you can take a little comfort from the fact that you gave him such a lovely life and did your best for him at the end.

It does get easier to live with, I promise ...... it just takes time. You need to go through the process of grieving, and then you will be able to remember him as he was and the good times.

(((hugs)))

[Walesgang]

Hi there

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

We lost our girl Luna to lymphoma three years ago. It is a truly awful condition. We had a little bit of notice and were able to try chemo, but it gave us a few weeks extra with her.

These little furry beings make such a big part of our lives don't they?? Which means their loss is enormous. It is totally natural to feel this loss. They are part of our families after all. Allow time to grieve. It does get easier.

RIP Giggsy. Play well and free of your illness.

[Mrs Kane]

So sorry to hear that Giggsy isn't with you anymore Cihall. I remember losing my first pet (a rabbit) when I was a teenager and to be fair having that lovely little body press up against you to show it loves you... Nothing quite replaces that loss.

You obviously have lovely memories of Giggsy in your heart and close to the surface of your mind at the moment. I am telling you those won't quite fade, but they will get a little easier in time. Sometimes you'll think you're okay and sometimes not. A little thing like, as you mentioned, the vacuum cleaner, or turning on a tap a certain way, or waking up expecting to be meowed at because you stretched and moved them in the night, those are all hard memories that you'll probably feel as time goes on.

This isn't a bad thing. It shows you loved Giggsy, and Giggsy loved you as well. In his own little silly way everyday he told you that, and also that he will always love you no matter what time may pass.

It is a sad fact that we outlive our furry companions. But we don't have to outlive their joy of being with you. Your friend is gone, but all those little moments I mentioned before? You'll always have them next to you.

[CIHALL]

Hi again

Thank you to those that have read my first post and to those that have taken the time to respond. It proves my theory right; that cat people are the best.

I'm getting there with the grieving. Giggsy was the first pet I ever had, he was a special little guy. We were lucky to have him in our lives, and we know he felt the same. Waking up is the hardest and I think that will take time. Dreams with him are still fairly constant, but he's fit and well in them, just as he is now playing with all the other lovely animals looking down on us.

I wanted to mention something that has definitely helped me. Just before Giggsy left us I made him a promise that he would always live with us and that in a few years when we move to Australia he would be on that flight with us.

We got him cremated, which was at a lovely little place with a very caring team who were amazing. Our choice for his ashes was for them to put in a box that attaches to the back of a specially made picture frame. All we had to do was put a picture of our special little man in the front and he will always be with us. See picture below. The cutest picture of our best little friend with him all safe and warm behind the frame.

He currently sits upstairs on my wife's dressing table looking towards the TV in our bedroom. He's the first thing we see and the last before we go to bed. And on the weekends he comes downstairs and watches the football with me.

It helps to know he is being so well looked after following his eternal rest and that we can take him with us. And with a letter from the place that cremated him, he's safe to travel on flights, so my promise will be kept.

Love you always little man xxxxx

Thanks again for the support.

Chris x

[nannymcfee]

What a beautiful cat he was , love his white whiskers.

Even though they are no longer with us in body i think their spirit lives on..so bringing him to watch footy ...even if your team loose !

And that was a lovely messege you have left, also what a tribute to your Giggsy.

Hope you have a safe and wonderful life in Australia,

[bobbys girl]

That's lovely, Chris. Thank you for sharing that with us. I think your boy is telling you he is OK.

May I join with Nanny in wishing you all the best in your new home in Australia.

Sue

[JulieandBarney]

Chris

This story touched my heart, what a truly moving tribute to Giggsy and what a beautiful boy he was, always in your hearts, what a lovely life you gave him, bless you.

Wishing you a lovely new life in Australia.....xx

[CIHALL]

Morning

Me again.

Just wanted to say another huge thanks to those that have read and responded to my posts. It makes me smile that you enjoyed looking at pictures of our handsome little fella.

And you kind words and support have really helped at this horrible time. We felt a little better after reading the comments and sharing thoughts of Giggsy with fellow cat people. It's still hard but the better memories are slowly starting to dominate, so thank you for that.

I only hope that I'll be as strong as you guys one day soon to help others who come to this site for support.

Love ya Giggsyx

Chris