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Cooperhawk · 04-18-2015, 02:12 PM

For years we traveled with our Black Lab April and her little friend, a calico cat named Bitzy. We had to put April down three years ago as she could no longer get up and walk. (She was a big dog at ninety plus pounds). We still miss her.

Three weeks ago while in Arizona our little cat suddenly became very ill. We got her to a local vet as quickly as we could, but nothing could be done. We had to have her euthanized. She had been traveling with us for thirteen years.

My Wife, and I as well, were very distraught. It felt very strange to drive away without her. It was a really really bad day.

I thoughtfully was removing all the cat stuff from our house once we got home, when my Wife told me not to. I thought the trauma of losing another pet would prevent her from ever wanting another. I was wrong.

A week ago she adopted another rescue cat. This one is just as sweet and only a year old. The tips of her ears were frozen off before she was picked up, but it's hardly noticeable. She had never had a home of her own and she is really enjoying this one. Since she is black on both ends and white in the middle we named her Oreo, or Ori for short.

Still have to introduce her to the motorhome.

CampingCajun · 04-18-2015, 02:43 PM

Sorry for your loss. Thanks for adopting the rescue.

Dasmoeturhead · 04-18-2015, 03:26 PM

Dang! Sorry for your loss. I have had to deal with a few of those situations myself. Very very hard. I hope Oreo will have a long life on the road.

mc4fun · 04-18-2015, 04:30 PM

It's always though to let go of a best friend.
Great if you Gus to be there at the end with them to comfort them !!!

Your new little guy sounds like he will be s blast !!!! Enjoy !!

MSHappyCampers · 04-18-2015, 04:45 PM

Sorry for your loss, but glad you found another companion to fill the empty space!

KarenS144 · 04-18-2015, 05:00 PM

I know too well how losing a furkid hurts. My sympathies for your loss.

There is no better way to honor a furry kid than sharing your home and love with another furkid. Ori (love that name!) is a lucky girl as was Bitzy.

VanSully · 04-18-2015, 05:53 PM

So sorry for your loss. May your Ori give you many happy days .

TurboLQ9 · 04-18-2015, 06:02 PM

Very sorry to hear of your loss. It will be a tough day for the both of us when one of our 3 furrkids crosses the rainbow bridge. Congratulations to you and to Oreo for finding each other

Many great adventures ahead for all!

Cooperhawk · 04-18-2015, 06:08 PM

At first she wasn't sure about canned cat food, but now she loves it. She is now giving herself a bath after a nice dinner. I think she loves being indoors and warn and comfy.

Knightab · 04-18-2015, 06:14 PM

Also sorry for the loss, we went 3-1/2 years after the last furkid. We also adopted a rescue this last November. I had forgotten how much joy they bring to our lives and enrich them. Thanks for being a rescuer! Enjoy your new family member!

jondrew55 · 04-18-2015, 07:05 PM

If there's a bright side it's that there will always be another rescue animal to be adopted. When we put our 12 year old stray cat down due to cancer I swear no more pets. A couple of months later I ended up finding our new buddy Rufus at a rescue.

Penster · 04-19-2015, 06:15 AM

So sorry for your loss. Fourteen years with your cat-how wonderful to have all those years and memories.
I hope Oreo enjoys traveling with you. I also adopted a rescue this past winter. He is estimated to be 3 years old. He was quite ill when they found him. He only weighed 7 pounds. Now he is 11 pounds. We call him Oliver. We are hoping he will adapt to the motorhome, as I do not want to leave him home when we go off for vacation or weekends. He has very quickly become a member of the family and we are both crazy about him.

Do you have some words of wisdom to a fellow rv'r for traveling with a cat?

baraff · 04-19-2015, 06:53 AM

So sorry for your loss. It's never easy when you lose a furry family member.
Last year our 11 year cat Annie developed anemia on a trip to Tucson and despite all efforts to save her the end result was we had to end her life shortly after we returned home. Annie loved to travel with us; had been up and down the east coast several times and out to AZ twice. She never gave us any trouble.
We adopted Daisy, a 9 month "kitten" about a month after losing Annie, and she has been on a few trips so far. She doesn't care so much for the traveling part but loves the camping part. She sleeps in my wife's lap while I'm driving and we stop every few hours for food, water and littler box break.
You will find that your new adopted friend will help ease the hurt, I'm sure.

Cooperhawk · 04-19-2015, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penster

Do you have some words of wisdom to a fellow rv'r for traveling with a cat?

At first Bitzy was terrified whenever the rig moved. The vet gave us some kitty tranquilizers for her and she settled down, however she became uninhibited under their influence. Until they wore off a day or two later she did all kinds of thing that she knew were naughty. Eventually all we had to do was put her in her carry crate and she slept happily.

Each time we stopped for food or fuel we let her out and fed her. She became a happy traveler.

The crate became like a den for her and when she got sick she holed up in there.