I loved my dreams last night.

Sandi, the cat that I lost almost 2 weeks ago, walked into the room and I said to my Dad, "Do you see her?!" He said, "No," but he bent down and picked her up and could feel her in his arms.

Then she came walking over to me and I scooped her up and cuddled her. I could feel her soft fur, and I put my head down on her side, to listen to her purring, like I always loved to do. I miss the sound of her purring beside my head at night.

Then she walked over to the spiral cat staircase that I built for her, went up the stairs, and then went right through the ceiling. I waved and said, "Bye!"

I looked out the front window and saw her stalking some kid who was walking down the sidewalk. She pounced on him and he could feel something happening, but couldn't see anything, so he was wondering what the heck was going on. I was laughing, watching the spectacle.

Then she came back into the room again, and I said, "Oh, you're back," and I picked her up again.

I woke up and let out a sad, "Oh," realizing that it wasn't real. But then I started smiling, because I felt as though I'd really been with her again, and I'd been saying how much I just wanted to cuddle her again and listen to her purr, and I felt like I had the chance to do that.

I think the brain is an amazing thing. I guess it gets tired of us being so sad and it has the ability to give us what we really need, in order to help us to heal and feel better again.

Beautiful Greyfort. I lost my best buddy Draggy three months ago so your post makes me kinda sad but makes me smile as well. Life goes on but it isn't quite the same without that ol' orange striped knucklehead...

Thankfully, he is not just in my memory, but in my senses as well. I remember his scent, the softness of his fur, his breath, his voice, his purr. They become part of us.

and show you everything's OK. Say goodbye. Cats will do that.

Ok, now I'm really going cry wcg! Yes, I remember all of that and yes they do.

Awww, I'm sorry for your losses. I can relate.

I'm still smiling at work, so it did the trick. I really needed that. I haven't smiled much since she died on March 18th.

I'm just marveling at the brain's ability to heal itself.

I'm sure I'll get sad again, the farther away from my dream that I get, but it means to me that things aren't quite as raw as they have been lately. Maybe I'm beginning to heal, just a little bit.

And yes, our brain is to marvel at. Will you be getting a new kitty?

No, I live with my parents. They're elderly and having me live there gives them help financially and physically. My mother has declared that I cannot have another pet. I can understand not being allowed to have another cat, because she's now allergic. But she never said anything about not having a pet at all. I'm pretty annoyed about that.

How easy for her to say, when she's got her dog. He's her shadow. For me, she doesn't get what the problem is. "Hey, we have a dog. What's the problem?"

Yeah, Mom. He's your dog. Not anyone else's, as far as the dog is concerned.

I'm glad you found some comfort.

I've put together some pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=11681&id=100000497765947



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/2011 12:28PM by Heidi GWOTR.

A real experience. I tripped over my then fiancee's mother's dog. Then I realised the dog was on her bed, shaking, looking at the dog that wasn't there!

You'll be with your cat again. Unless you already are?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2011 08:12AM by matt.

My cats generally leave enough hair around so when they die, they will never be completely gone.

Awww....Greyfort - I'm so sorry for your loss. Non-pet owners don't realize how much our animals (probably especially dogs and cats) become a part of us and how much we love them. I have two kitties and I can't imagine the thought of losing them, so I'm so sorry you lost yours. Especially since you can't get another. Actually, I'd get a prescription from your mom's doctor for some allergy meds, and then go visit your local shelter. Just bring it home. What's she going to do?? She will end up loving it as much as you. Do it! Do it!

As far as the dream goes - those are so comforting aren't they? I had those kind of dreams for a long time after my little brother died. I still have them once in awhile, but not very often. I think you're right, that as you start to heal, your brain knows that you don't need them as much. But everytime I wake up from one, at first I'm SO sad because it's not real, but then it makes me happy because it's like I got to spend just a few more moments with him.

thats an awesome dream!

young lady, your cat is in "kitty heaven" and when you are w/her again, there will be soooo many cuddles and purrs coming to you. She's probably seeing you and purring as we speak. I know you miss your kitty and you will for quite a while. my 3 kitty cats have/had so much sentimental meaning. They were all birthday, anniversary presents. So i know when my two himalayans passed, i feel as if it were part of myself and my sweet husband(he loved the cats)leaving. Be strong and we're here for you.

Several years ago, I was reading on my bed, utterly engrossed in a murder mystery, when my cat said, "Mrow?"

I burst into tears -- he'd been dead for two months, but it was his voice, and it was exactly what he used to say when he woke from a nap and came looking for me. A skeptic would say it was just an auditory hallucination, but I prefer to think it was my boy. I hope your kitty does come to you again in your dreams!

With one of my cats, a beautiful sleek black one (with the brain of an engineer; he could open doors, turn on water taps, you name it.) Anyway, for several weeks after his death, I would sense his presence, feel him brush my leg in a certain way he had, or see him walk past out of the corner of my eye.

Gradually, these visits became less frequent, and then stopped, but I believe that in his own indomitable way, he was saying his goodbyes.

People who haven't had experiences like this with their animals tend to be cynical, but those of us who have experienced them know the truth.

Snow said: " ... at first I'm SO sad because it's not real, but then it makes me happy because it's like I got to spend just a few more moments with him."

That's exactly it, and I needed that moment so badly. I've felt so much better today.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I was looking forward to her turning 14 in June, and I'd had her since she was 5 1/2 weeks old. I went to see the kittens at my friend's house. She got in my lap and wouldn't get out. I was told, "I think you've just been adopted." So, from day one, she chose me.

Our bond was very strong, so that makes it even more difficult.

I'm glad that you got some comfort from it.

I wish I could have an experience like that while I'm awake. All I feel is the emptiness of my room and I don't feel her presence at all. It's only when I sleep that she comes alive again.

I was dreaming about her again last night. It was pretty much the same sort of thing, with me saying to my family members, "Do you see her? She's right there. LOL She's leaping up and batting at the chandelier."

I pick her up and I hold her, and I listen to her purring. My Dad picks her up and is so happy to see her.

He's been crying and misses her too, even though she was my cat, but he did have a bond with her too. I just miss her so much. My brain just doesn't seem to want to accept that she's really gone.

I love dreaming about her though. Actually, I need it.

It sounds like I should check out this Rainbow Bridge site that has been mentioned.

I personally believe I'll be with my departed pets again in the hereafter and no hand/paw shakes required :)

Greyfort

As a four-time cat widow, I understand your grief and the attachment you have to your cat. One of my cats said goodbye to me one morning. I felt him against my leg and he was kneading the covers by my leg. I was afraid to move and end it and then I fell back to sleep.

With your moms allergies, you might consider a dwarf bunny. My bro in law is allergic to cats and my sister had a dwarf bunny. Bunnys can be litter trained and are very smart. With a dog you would have to keep them separated but some rabbits and dogs bond.

Also cats and rabbits can bond, one of my childhood cats would take a nap every afternoon with the neighbors rabbit which was kept in a dog kennel. My cat would climb up the five foot chain link fence. The first time my neighbor found them sleeping together she though my cat had killed the rabbit but they were just good pals. They used to take walks together with my cat walking outside the fence and the rabbit hopping next to him on the inside.

Originally my sisters dwarf bunny was mine, I found him outside where I worked -he was someones pet and they dumped him. Normally such rabbits become snack food because they have no natural instincts. I was able to walk up and pick up the little guy. He was obviously not wild he had the markings like a Siamese cat, brown with dark brown accents. He was adorable. I could not keep him as my apartment had no pets and he became my sister's. I named him Chance since that was what brought him to me.

He lived in a cage made from one of those flexible puppy corrals. Each side is three feet wide, and there are six sides so it could be a 3 by 6 foot cage or we could set it outside as a circle and he would race around it. He had a litter box with paper pulp in it (made for rabbits).

You could keep the bunny in your room. Chance lived behind the couch in my sister's living room (known as Chanceland). If you remove electrical cords (or put them in plastic tubing or tape them out of the way) bunnies can roam your room like a cat.

I am currently without any pets, but hope to get either a pair of cats or bunnies in the next year. I just sold my house and I am relocating to be closer to my sister and my 7 year old niece who was adopted from China.

Hopefully you will get another dream visit from your furry pal.

A bunny is a really excellent idea, so I asked my family and it turns out that 3 of them are allergic to bunnies. *sigh*

Allergies in an animal-lovin' family are just wrong.

How many people are in your house? Is this a control issue? If you mother dealt with your cat before then why not another cat? How allergic is she? How long has she lived with your cat?

For those claiming rabbit allergies. ...did they have them before? Most people have no idea if they are allergic to rabbits. Can you keep a rabbit in just your bedroom?

I live with my parents. But my sister, her hubby and their two kids live in the same neighbourhood, so they're over a lot. My parents often babysit the kids, or I go over to their place to babysit.

My mother only began exhibiting cat allergies over the past 4 years or so. They tested her and she came out as being really allergic to cats. But she only came to the basement to do laundry, at which time, she was always running for a tissue within a few minutes.

My sister got her dream job, working in a Vet's office, only to also develop a cat allergy. That's also when she discovered that she's allergic to several kinds of animals, including bunnies, which again is just wrong when you love animals so much.

My sister's husband and her mother-in-law, who is a very nice lady and who also comes over to our house, are both very allergic. They take an antihistamine tablet before they come over to our place, but sometimes it's bad enough for my brother-in-law that his asthma will act up and then they always have to leave early from family get-togethers.

So I can understand the "no cats" and "no bunnies" rule, but I can't understand why I can't have a little puppy. Just something small, like a Yorkie, maybe.

I'm a cat person, but I love dogs too. I just love animals. A friend at work suggested an iguana, just to get back at my Mom. LOL

My Mom is indeed controlling. She's a good woman, but she very much has a "this is MY house" attitude and wants to control everything which happens within it. She's definitely the boss around our house.

I can see the problem. I would suggest a Guinea pig but chances are those allergies to cats would also be allergic to them.

What is your mother's reason that you can't have a dog? Do you live with your parents for their benefit or yours? Can you afford your own place?

So you live in the basement? Other than your mother who goes there? If you kept a caged animal like a Guinea pig that would contain the fur and dander.

My parents are 81 and 83. My Dad can barely walk anymore. I'm the one single person in the family who can be there to help them stay in their home. Financially, they can't stay there without my board payments either.

For myself, I don't have to be alone. I hate being alone. So I guess it's mutually a good thing.

The ‘can’t have a dog’ thing is new to me. I was always told that I couldn’t have another cat, which I can understand. But she never said I can’t have a dog.

My Dad gave me the clue the other day, when we talked about it. They are of the impression that if something happens to them, then I would take over the care of their dog. I tried to remind them that legally, my sister actually owns their dog. He just lives in our house. So if something happened to them, my sister would resume ownership of the dog. My sister also owns my dog’s litter-mate, who lives at her house.

My Mom’s dog is really not interested in me either, so I hardly get the companionship that I need from him. I love him, but he’s just really not that interested in me. He’s my Mom’s shadow.

Not withstanding your Mother. Good grief. If you show up with a dog, what is she going to do about it. She'll grump for a while, but eventually shut up about it.

I just had a talk with my Dad. He understands that I want a pet, but he's got this idea in his head that he's on his way out of this world, and he's worried about what would happen if the family went into chaos.

My Dad is an extremely healthy man. It's a stenosis of his spine which is troubling him. It's a narrowing of the spinal column, which is pinching off his spinal cord, making him not be able to walk much, and he loses his balance.

That's a problem with him frame. Not his vital organs.

Anyway, they are old, but they could still live another 10 years. Or one of them could. Or not. No one knows.

The problem is that I can't see dictating one's life on maybe and what if.

Thinking about you, Greyfort. I know this hasn't been easy for you. Give it time. You know he's in "kitty heaven".