2002 sux

[Michelle]

So far this year sux big time. I know this should be in the flame forum, but I don't care.
Sitting here just minding my own business, a knock at the door. One of the neighbours witnessed one of my cats being killed by a ****ing dog. I like dogs, but not when they roam & kill & bite. I think I know which dog it is, and next time I see a staffordshire terrier roaming the streets (we've got about 4 nearby that do so), a rope is going on it, the pound being called. Let the bloody owners sort it out, I don't care.
Blackhawk, don't think I'm putting you in the same category, I know the difference (how is your girl going btw). I wish there was some way of keeping the cats on our property (he was my wanderer and always had me worried, but absolutely nothing I could do).
If anyone is thinking of getting a Turkish Van (swimming cat), be warned, they do wander but believe me, they're worth the worry - way cool cats, I'm glad we had our boy for as long as we did. It just hasn't really sunk in yet.
On another note, I just hope when I go to two specialists next month that at least one of them will give me good news.
I hate 2002 already, I'd been hoping for a good year, just don't think it's going to happen.
Upset Michelle

 

[KiwiBird]

I'm so sorry to hear about your *****cat Michelle, I know what a pet means to you. I hope the Dr gives some good news. You've got lots of friends here, you're not alone.

Hugs
Kiwi

 

[Okiewan]

sorry about that Michelle.

 

[oldguy]

Michelle really sorry about your cat. Pets are sometimes just like kids and their loss is always hard.
Onto yourself now - we are praying that the specialists (both) will give you the good news you need.
Dave

 

[Girlrider]

Michelle,

I am not sure what I would personally do if someone or something killed my cat or one of my 3 cats.:( But I do know that I would want to try and be positive because that is usually the best solution. I just spent the last 30 minutes looking for some positive sayings that I can share with you. The year has just begun so you have a lot to look forward to. Try to find as many blessing as you can and focuss on those. "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows." for "You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore." and remember "Do not fear the winds of adversity for a kite rises against the wind rather than with it."

On my first day of the ISDE I was only at mile 30 and thinking this would be the worst and hardest race ever. I wondered how I would ever make it all six days. Then I would think back on how hard I worked to just get there and I pressed on. Each day got easier and my confidence got stronger. By day 5 I knew that I would make it. Today I sit back and share my experience with others and realize that had I given up on day 1 I would really have regreted it. Don't give up. Before you know it things will be going your way and you won't even remember how hard these times are.

Sincerely,
Nicole

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Michelle, let me start off by saying I hate cats. I have always been a dog lover, that is until Hailey found a kitten in our back yard 2 1/2 years ago. I told her in no uncertain terms "the cat's gotta go."
Well it's still here and I don't like to admit it but I've grown attatched to her. She stays in the house most of the time and gets excited when we come home each day. It is Hailey's cat but I would be deeply saddened if anything happened to her. By the way, her name is Cat.

As I said,I'm a dog lover. I had two dogs drown in my swimming pool, it was a hard thing to get over but I did. I also had a dog that was attacked and killed by another dog on my property. The people were there and they were not invited. I hope that never forget what sorry they brought.

Good luck at the Doc. I know everything is going to be fine, I have a good feeling.

 

[Michelle]

Thanks everyone. I am still very upset (my animals are my babies), but I've gone into shock a bit. I've been outside working on the bike (cleaning, pottering) and kept expecting Kaspa to jump over the fence and start meowing at me - it will take time to get over the loss, I've been through it often enough before. He decided long ago that 4 was the number of cats we needed, and if one died, he brought another home - I'm wondering if Dude will find someone else to bring home now - I'd told Kaspa that he had to bring a female home, as we've got more than enough males here already (Henk & the four boys).

We've got an old cat living a couple of doors up from us, so I went to tell her owners/keepers to make sure their gates are shut when she's outside (she's 21, blind & virtually deaf). The neighbour came over later to give us a bag of plums & say hi (we've only lived here 7 or so years and I know pretty much all the animals, not the people lol). I'm also grateful that the neighbours whose house Kaspa was killed outside tracked us down to let us know.

So there have been good things to come out of it already, it's just the loss that will take time to heal. If I'd been ready to kill myself I'd have done it years ago.

Nicole, I've been showing your story to friends over here & they're way impressed with you, both for the article & the fact that you've done it. When Bruce found out CJRider was coming over, he was instantly "is that the one who wrote the article". ;) Henk's now trying to change tyres in time for his attempt at the 2006 ISDE, believe me, he needs the practice hahaha

Sorry for rambling, I'm just feeling lost, not really knowing what to do with myself, and the other three cats are following me around like little lost lambs. Jeff, I had to wait till I was 8 before my parents would allow me a cat - which I thought was unfair as my sister had her dog when she was born (actually he was the family dog, border-collie cross, lovely beast - would even eat raw onions if you gave them to him). (my parents are dog people, I was adopted into the wrong house, I wanted a cat, even though I loved Mittens too).

Okay, enough reminiscing girl, get out there & read about bikes & go for a ride tomorrow ;)
Anyone in Auckland keen for the bike park tomorrow morning? Henk will have no one to ride with & I'll just be going around the convict trail.
Michelle

 

[CJ Rider]

Oh no; So sorry to hear about your family cat! Wish there was something we could do to help, but can’t think of anything other than to roll time backwards are replay a different path. ‘Haven’t figured out how to do that yet or I’d be rolling it back constantly. ‘Hope you cleared it up with Bruce. He might be disappointed if I show up and can’t ride and can’t write such positive and comforting words as Nicole! I do know that when I’m bummed, riding around the track for what seems like a couple hundred laps always makes me feel better… and sore too, but that’s a good thing. 'Hope ya have a good day at the bike park tommorow. What's a convict trail?

 

[bbbom]

Sorry to hear about your cat Michelle.

Good luck at the doc's too - you have all of us pulling for you!

 

[BunduBasher]

I had a border collie called Mackie "Mackie Boy". He was the greatest dog ever, was like my first born, one day he was roaming in the front of the house, I did not see him when leaving to go to the shop and he chased the car out of the property, managed to beat the closing gate and chased us for a couple of miles, never did see him again. Next day we searched everywhere for him, stopped at the local vet, and he gave me the collar, said the poor boy had been run over. Mackie was like a naughty child, lovable, funny and full of life - definitely broke my heart that day. Silly things do happen Michelle, can't blame the dog, nor yourself, such is life. We can only remember the good times and treasure the special moments. Take your anger and pain out on the poor dog, and the same anguish you feel now will be inflicted on its owner, definitely a no win situation. The same day Mackie died we got another border collie pup, Chappie, turned out he had a totally different personality, was tougher, rougher, and also loads of fun, dogs, cats, gotta love them (hate them !), they sure have some great personalities ! - you will fell better in a day/week or two, go get another kitty and take it from there.

Regards.

Alan
BB

 

[LoriKTM]

Michelle,

Sorry to hear about Kaspa. What a heck of a way to find out. I think if it was me, that I'd be out there knocking on doors to go chew out the owners of the dammed dog.

Give your other cats some extra hugs and attention. They're just as confused as you are, and you'll both appreciate the company.

 

[gospeedracer]

Oh boy, am I glad you live in NZ and not AU. My sister and her boyfriend have 2 Staffies. She's here visiting now and was telling me about how Molly will sneak away and wander when they're not looking! :eek:

Sorry to hear about your kitty. :( We only had one cat most of my life. He lived to be 20 and we had to put him to sleep the day after Christmas last year. :( It was horrible.

Best of luck to you at the Docs. I'm sure things will start to look up for you soon. You've got 358 more days to overcome! ;)

 

[Michelle]

Thanks for all the notes, I do appreciate it, it's really hard to talk about (actually, it's a bit easier to type about, talking I can't do at the moment).

Just to clarify, I do NOT hate dogs, nor do I blame them. I solely blame the owners. I realise that dogs will wander if they can figure out a way to do so. But when I see people "walking" their dogs, by hopping in the car, driving along the road so the dog has to run next to it or walking their dogs without a lead hoping that it won't spot a cat (why else would they say "oh ****, a cat"), those people have no right to have any sort of animal, and then you get the dogs in bad condition forever roaming the streets. As for the owners, it could be any of about 1000 houses and how could we prove it? The sighting of the dog was incomplete, the evidence buried.
Aimee, one of my favourite dogs is the staffy and if we ever get a dog, that will be on the short list, treated right they are cool beasts plus it'll be a puppy that grows up around cats.

I cry over the loss of any of my animals (except the fish, somehow I couldn't get attached to them ;))
As for our other cats, they're getting lots of cuddles but are a bit confused as to why Kaspa won't come home or why I'm over-protective of them at the moment.

Alan, my mother-in-law hates ALL animals, so we love going over & getting her neighbour's cat to come say hello ;) (we don't know any of the dogs around there, or we'd do the same with them hehehe).

The shock's slowly going, and am keeping busy which is helping. For once I'm sort of looking forward to going back to work next week. Have found a new hobby which we can do after work - geocaching. I'm trying to work out how we could incorporate that into the rides we organise without the need of a GPS, but have some months before the next one in any case.
I'll probably let you all know what happens next month (because I'm bad like that), but if I do need either op, I'm refusing to have it until at least April so I can go riding with CJ. ;)
Michelle

 

[bwalker]

Michelle, If you decide to get another animal, consider purchasing a invisible fence. A friend uses one for his dogs and it works great. After a short period of time the collars are not even used.

 

[Yamaholley]

Michelle,
I've been meaning to give you my condolences...and I guess I just haven't yet...bad me.
I hope you are doing ok...the grieving period lasts for a while, but it will lessen eventually. Unfortunately, I've had the same kinds of experiences, with both animals and people..so I can fully empathize.
My 2002 hasn't started so well either...I posted about my accident in the Ride Reports forum.
Looks like I'll be out of commssion for a bit myself.
Hugs to you,
Holley