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My ...

Posted by Cathy on 6/3/2025, 3:09 pm

son emailed me. Their 17/18 year old min pin passed away last night. It was sudden. He was old but getting around okay and his appetite was good. Then he couldn't use his back legs and he wouldn't eat or drink. My son and DIL brought his ashes home. For many years he was, in a way, their "first-born".

Cathy

Re: My ...

Posted by Diane on 6/3/2025, 6:45 pm, in reply to "My ..."

Sorry for their loss. They do become our children.

Re: My ...

Posted by Seesthru, TC advisor on 6/3/2025, 9:06 pm, in reply to "My ..."

Tell them I am so sorry for their loss. It doesn't matter how old they get, it's always too soon.

Re: My ...

Posted by Cindy AZ on 6/4/2025, 4:22 am, in reply to "My ..."

That’s so sad.

Re: My ...

Posted by Gina on 6/4/2025, 8:01 am, in reply to "My ..."

I'm really sorry, Cathy, for your family's loss.

I know you understand (as do I) how pets can be family. Bailey was my world and Snickers before him as well. Charlie years back, also.

So, losing a child, losing a pet can be equally painful. I am reposting "Just a Bird" with images of my flock BUT replace BIRD with DOG and the sentiment is the same.

Re: My ...

Posted by Cathy on 6/5/2025, 12:31 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

Thank you all.

Gina, thank you so much for this. I've never come across it in all these years. Is it all right if I copy it to send to my son and DIL and tell them to substitute "dog" for "bird"? It's very comforting.

Your birds were so handsome. Snickers looks as if he was a mischievous bird.

Cathy

Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Gina on 6/5/2025, 2:04 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

Yes...YES! I have posted this online in response to other pet owners who are grieving and replaced BIRD with DOG or CAT.
I was hoping you would want to do that for your son and his family.

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Gina on 6/5/2025, 4:31 pm, in reply to "Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Oh...and just in case your son and family were wondering, I put this together myself using Canva on a free trial of course.

I am old, so it took me awhile, but they give you a 30 day trial.

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Cathy on 6/9/2025, 2:09 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Thank you so much! Doing it now.

Cathy

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Gina on 6/9/2025, 2:23 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Very welcome...

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Cathy on 6/10/2025, 3:26 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Thank you again. Both my son and DIL are so appreciative. It means a lot to them because so few people "get it". They had a very close connection to their Bailey.

Cathy

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Seesthru, TC advisor on 6/11/2025, 8:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Bailey was family. Our birds, dogs, cats, snakes, bunnies, pigs, hermit crabs, fish, frogs, lizards.... our pets that we share our lives with are our family.

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Cathy on 6/12/2025, 2:26 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

He wrote a eulogy of sorts, picked out some songs and the place that cremated Bailey made a nose and paw print for them and my son and DIL had picked out a beautiful box. The pet place wrote a nice sympathy card and washed Bailey's blankets for them, too. Believe it or not it's helping that Bailey is still around. There have been many manifestations. All told, it's comforting. He's looking at Min Pin sites and my DIL wants to get 2 this time. They also plan on getting matching tattoos of Bailey's paw print.

Cathy

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Seesthru, TC advisor on 6/12/2025, 6:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

That is so beautiful, so sweet.

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Lori on 6/13/2025, 6:37 am, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

agree

Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake...

Posted by Dy (& Sebastian)) on 6/15/2025, 8:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Just a Bird...Just a Dog...Just a Cat...Just a Chicken...Just a Snake..."

Sorry to hear of the loss.

Ciao for now

Re: My ...

Posted by Diane on 6/16/2025, 6:55 am, in reply to "My ..."

People think I'm crazy adjusting my schedule to Max's because he is just a bird and not a cat or dogs

Re: My ...

Posted by Gina on 6/16/2025, 5:06 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

I do not agree! My whole identity was enmeshed in Bailey...my last flock member. He was nothing close to "Just" a bird and for me he was so much more than any dog or cat could be. We fit each other. I am honored to have changed my schedule over and over to help him in repayment for all he has given me. If I could do it again...Sigh. Don't let whomever these folks are get into your head, Diane! It shows just how much you love and appreciate Max. *And FYI...in grieving still, I am leaning on a Facebook group for those who have lost pets. I am the only bird owner in that group and no dog or cat owner has ever failed to acknowledge my feelings of loss. They have been very supportive and I make it known that Bailey was a cockatiel.

Re: My ...

Posted by Diane on 6/17/2025, 1:33 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

I'm still grieving Dorian. I'm grieving Dorian for both me and for Max and knowing he's the last bird that I have that truly loved me.

Re: My ...

Posted by Gina on 6/17/2025, 4:31 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

Same, Diane.
I am still grieving Snickers. Bailey was grieving him for 4 years and we grieved together. No more birds for me and now I grieve alone...for my flock and my identity after having birds in my life for 50 years. Gina

Re: My ...

Posted by Cecilia on 6/16/2025, 7:00 pm, in reply to "My ..."

Cathy, I have read the responses to your post since the first day. I am sorry for their loss. Many times I had to leave this thread because it was so sad. It is not Just a bird, cat dog, etc. For all of us, our pets are family. Their loss deeply affects us.

This is the first time I have seen this poem. It makes me think of another. I am sure all of us have come across it at some time. "I will lend to you a bird"

I love that one too, Cecilia.

Posted by Gina on 6/16/2025, 8:51 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

I need to reread it.
Thanks for the reminder!

Re: I love that one too, Cecilia.

Posted by Cathy on 6/17/2025, 2:09 pm, in reply to "I love that one too, Cecilia."

Thank you all for helping me be there, REALLY be there for my son and my DIL through this time of deep grief that they are going through.

I will have to read "I will lend to you a bird." I've never come across it before. It will probably resonate with me because my identity was so wrapped up in Shiloh also. I've had people in the past who looked at me as if I had 2 heads, too, when talking about something I had done for Shiloh's welfare.

Cathy

I Will Lend to You a Bird

Posted by Gina on 6/21/2025, 12:01 pm, in reply to "Re: My ..."

Re: I Will Lend to You a Bird

Posted by Cecilia on 6/23/2025, 7:18 pm, in reply to "I Will Lend to You a Bird"

Thanks for posting that. It still makes me cry. I still think of Lily when I read it.

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