Universal Chat Thread

[Frank]

This was 6 years ago and it still brings a tear to my eye thinking about it. I still can't help thinking "was there something else we could have done?"

How old was that cat if you don't mind me asking?
As for whether you could have done something else, I would look at it that the more time spent trying to find a solution means more time the cats quality of life potentially suffers. As you said, it had already dropped down to 12lbs, and while it still exhibited normal behaviours on the flip side it was also showing abnormal and potentially unpleasant ones too. You could have kept looking for a solution but then regret that approach instead if it had gone badly, so there's no saying which choice would be better without taking the risk both carry. You did what you felt was best at the time, and regardless of "what if", I'm sure your pet appreciated the compassion you gave that put their well being first.
It almost reminds me of the lesser of two evils choice pet owners face when their pet is really old and gets a cancer diagnosis; you could treat them, but at that age putting them through the stress and rigors of chemo is a lot and so some feel the better choice is to just let the animal have as peaceful and enjoyable of a time in its old age without being subjected to that instead. Both choices suck, but both are fueled by a place of compassion. I think the best thing to do is just view it that either way you're trying to help, and putting an animal down if it comes to that can be a mercy that we as humans don't get to have due to laws against euthanasia.

Rascal was only 13 years old. 

[quote="Mr EliteL" pid='24319' dateline='1664994648']

Yeah she was 20 and a half years old, her sister almost 16 years and before that about 3 years into having the two sisters we had the male.


Wow 20! You got a long time with her. That's awesome. I'm hoping my buddy lasts that long.

[ShiraNoMai]

There is just something nasty going on around me cuz I am attracting death like nobody's business. Two of my friends kittens had to be put down cuz they caught FIP, my coworker just ran out of the office yesterday cuz his sugar gliders needed to be put down, your cat EL just had to be put down, then I got news tonight that my grandmother is being put into hospice cuz she's fucked now. I can't even watch YouTube for escape; I just put this video on and learned Shabu makes her last appearance in this and I'm just so exhausted right now

[Mr EliteL]

What she let out was a very tiny amount which was also lucky for us in less the lean up, and the fact she could even stand up properly, even the day before she had visible struggle of walking. 20+ was good for her, though she'd go a bit sooner possibly after her sister lasted just under 16 years but she was out more than her. So indoor cats do last well, although her sister more like half and half or more to indoor, our male cat was definitely an outdoor cat. Didn't know his exact age as he adopted himself into our family. He also had a problem with his eye that never really recovered but wasn't blind.

Ah it was Glen who said that, forgot which one it was because I remember you telling me that. Frick him and that opinion. I was lucky my Wednesday shift moved over to Thursday in time or I would've missed my cat passing/visit to the vet again, like I missed my late cat's sister, and was too young and chose not to for our first cat. Would've felt really bitter if I was at work instead of with her for the morning yesterday.

[Moonface]

Dude if you had gone into work just because you were scheduled to while your cat was like that I'd call you a buffoon. Work can suck a fat one when it comes to stuff like that; just because the cat/person/whatever isn't dead yet doesn't mean it isn't a family emergency you need to deal with. Hell even just say it's a family emergency and don't give any specifics beyond that and they can't even have a chance to criticize the choice to call off because for all they know it's involving a person and not a pet. Not that I personally see a distinction between them but as my example earlier showed, some people do (a little too much in that particular example).

I do wonder what it is that lets pets last longer than they're normally expected to. I know for my cats we never switched their food to that senior stuff but I don't know if that actually helped at all or not. I do wonder about it though.

As for Shira's post on being surrounded by death, yeah, it's almost comical at this point after she put that YouTube video on that also mentioned a passing. XD

[Mr EliteL]

Oh snap, missed the two posts above mine, didn't notice new page opened up in here.

@Frank : Aye we sure did, hope yours lasts long too.

@ShiraNoMai: Wow, no way. So many...I hope coincidences happening all at once. Yeesh.

As I knew the time of the appointment we made for yesterday, I would've probably worked for 4 hours or not at all. My sister went out TWICE before the appointment to I have no idea where, she keeps wanting to do things in her days off and didn't bother to cancel (perhaps to distract herself from feeling down), but got back just before we were due to go. Although knowing how my luck can go, if my shift hadn't moved, my cat probably would've started acting up while I was at work before I noticed any bad signs, they make an emergency visit to the vets and poof she's gone when I'm not there.

We did change to senior foods briefly, some time after they did turn that age, then they started going off that. We just tried experimenting with other brands we didn't try before that weren't classed as senior but seemed easy for them to eat, so we eventually moved to Sheba products, then eventually my cat (after the sister passed) just started wanting a variety, then it got mad when we went onto the specific food for her where she disliked it so even more experimenting and variety.  Never really settled on a type, but knew she wasn't going to last long if she wasn't enjoying her food.

[Moonface]

Oh shit so did I, although I only missed Frank's post. XD
@Frank: Hmm, at 13 it likely could've had more years if not for what they had. Again though, try not to kick yourself too hard over the "what if" because it might drive you crazy.

@Mr EliteL: Ah. My two stayed on Felix their entire lives if memory serves right, although they would always get picky on flavours every so often so we'd have to switch what ones we got. XD

[Maniakkid25]

Well, I have power, internet, and my computer is working, so I'm basically back to 100%, yay!

[Moonface]

Well, I have power, internet, and my computer is working, so I'm basically back to 100%, yay!

Congrats! What was the first activity you did that you couldn't wait to do once power came back?

[ShiraNoMai]

Well, I have power, internet, and my computer is working, so I'm basically back to 100%, yay!

Ayyy, GG my friend, glad to have you back. How's it like in your area right now? Getting better?

Yeahhh, thanks @Mr EliteL , it's certainly been a rough time for me lately. Possibly just saw my grandmother in as much coherence as she could muster for the last time yesterday. I suppose I'm not as downdraught about it as I thought I'd be because I'd been expecting this outcome for some time now. We'll see how I am when she finally goes, though.
Knock on wood, nothing new seems to be desisting in life at this point in time, so the curse may have lifted. That was scary, though. I may have caught a minor cold as a result of being mentally vulnerable (the stress leaves my immune system wild).

[Maniakkid25]

It's slowly getting better, though that speed is very slow. It's definitely gonna be months before we get back to something resembling normal for me, and some of my co-workers aren't even that lucky.

[Frank]

It's slowly getting better, though that speed is very slow. It's definitely gonna be months before we get back to something resembling normal for me, and some of my co-workers aren't even that lucky.

Ey well just glad you're okay, and back to somewhat normal!

[Mr EliteL]

@ShiraNoMai : Ah well thank goodness you got the chance to see her one last time, and sounds like she could respond to you albeit limited. Sucks about the cold, hope that doesn't last long.

My bro has got the recording for his wedding, we got a taste of it Friday night, and we will be watching more when we go to see my step grandad who couldn't attend. I'll cringe every time I make an appearance in it though.

[Moonface]

@Mr EliteL: Eh, depends what you're doing in your appearances. If you just appeared in the background at your table just chilling it wouldn't be too bad.
I don't even know if there's any videos of my wedding. We never asked anyone to do any, so any that were taken would just be down to if anyone shot one for themselves.

Got my digital paintings done, and my papier-mâché project got pushed back to the 13th so I get two extra days to work on it. No idea why my teacher pushed it back again, since she originally moved it from the 6th to the 11th because of the hurricane closing the campus for a few days. I'll take it though!

---

@Dragon Lord: I just saw this on Twitter. You want one?

[Mr EliteL]

My brother mentioned how we (me and his immediate side of the family) kept looking at the camera whenever we noticed, so if we're in the background we'll be looking awkwardly at the camera, dang it. Wish I had my mind on something else than where the camera was, although don't think it was all the time. There was one shot I know of of me adjusting my wristwatch but he made me look in the lens, plus another when he got me and my sister to do a little speech. I've already seen those but ugh, especially the latter. The watch thing was OK.

Nice you got them digital paintings done and another extension for your papier-mâché.

Ah, a giant chibi Miku. Such a size.

[Moonface]

Was the camera one of those big noticeable old school ones, or did the person filming just really stand out? XD

Yeah, today is basically going to be me doing this paper-mache project since it's due tomorrow. I just went out to get supplies though and found out that "boob masks" are a thing (like exfoliating face masks but for boobs) because they had them in the queueing area and I noticed them. I didn't think people exfoliated their boobs (there was a butt one too and my stance on that is the same) but apparently enough people do for a market to exist for it.