Beyond the Bridge

Hi everyone. This community has been pretty quiet (is that the Understatement Fairy I just summoned?), but the addition of a new member has got me thinking I'd like to try and make this place a little bit more active.

This is the time of year when a lot of people think about their departed friends and loved ones, including our animal companions. I created this community in memory of my furry soulmate Sinéad O'Kitty, who died in August of 2006. I made a photo montage video to celebrate her life (I didn't have any movie-type video, so this had to do).



Have you made any artistic tributes to the animal companions you've lost? Whether it's a video, an art work, a poem, a song, a craft project, or anything else I didn't think of, please feel free to share it.

Allen and Linda Anderson, founders of the Angel Animals Network, have written a book called Saying Goodbye to Your Angel Animals, which contains stories about pet loss and ideas for memorial services you can conduct for your animal companion. One of these memorials is in the Judeo-Christian tradition, with readings from Scripture and the like; one is more oriented toward nature-based religions and focused on the circle of life; and one is based on a belief in reincarnation and that your animal companion may return to you in another body in the future. It also has information for friends of people who have lost pets and information about what you can do if the grief has gone on so long that it has become a clinical depression. Below is a video where the Andersons discuss the book:



Another book I have found helpful in assisting other pets in coping with grief and loss is The Heart That Is Loved Never Forgets by veterinary homeopath Kaetheryn Walker. The book contains stories that address the grieving process of humans and animals who have lost their companions and that give advice on how best to help yourself and others recover. It also gives practical advice on recovery, including self-care, support systems, and homeopathic recipes, and also discusses the painful topic of euthanasia. It is the first book to address the topic of animal grief at the loss of a companion, explaining how to recognize grief in animals and how to help them heal

Anyone who has lost a treasured animal companion knows that this can be as devastating as losing a human loved one. Unfortunately, our society's sympathy with this loss is not commensurate with the actual grief people feel. Kaetheryn Walker fills this void by presenting true stories of the grief process she and others went through after the death of their animal companions. She gives practical advice on recovery, including daily self-care, support systems, and homeopathic remedies, and discusses the painful topic of euthanasia as well. Her book is also the first to address the important topic of animal grief at the loss of a companion. She explains how to recognize grief in animals and how to help them heal. You can find this book through the publisher, Inner Traditions, or at amazon.com.

Hi everyone. Thanks for joining the group. I thought it might be a good idea to get things started with some introductions. If you'd like to take a minute to say something about yourself and what brought you here, I'd be delighted.

For me, personally, I started this group for a couple of reasons. First of all, I've been writing a weekly cat advice column for almost five years now. In that time I've gotten letters from a number of people whose cat companions recently died or people whose cats are terminally ill, all of whom have been struggling with the emotions around this time. I wanted to create this community as a place where people could come and share their feelings, get some emotional support, and hopefully gain from the experience of others who have experienced the same grief.

It's never easy to lose a friend. And it's even harder when you have to make the choice to let your cat friend go because he or she is suffering and you know in your heart that they're not going to get better. The loss is especially poignant if you know there are treatment options available but you simply can't afford the $10,000 kidney transplant or the ongoing expense of chemotherapy -- and maybe your cat wouldn't enjoy any kind of quality of life after the treatment, anyhow.

I've lived with cats since I was a child and in the course of that time I've dealt with the loss of several good cat friends. Two of them were euthanized due to terminal illness, and with one of them I actually had to make that final decision. I lost a couple from being hit by cars, two died of old age, and my sweet feline soulmate, Sinéad O'Kitty, went outside one night and became prey for coyotes in the forest at the age of 10. I've grieved for all these beautiful animals, and I know the guilt and sorrow that comes with having made these choices.

If you want to tell the story of the death of a cat companion and how you coped, you're welcome to do that. At another time, I'll share a couple of my own stories. Please feel free to make your own introductory post or comment to others' posts.

Thank you, and welcome again to beyondthebridge.

Welcome to beyondthebridge, a community dedicated to providing emotional support to people who have lost or are facing the loss of a feline friend. This is a moderated community and is intended to be a safe space for people to discuss the emotional and spiritual aspects of losing a cat companion.

Please read the community rules, and if you are willing to abide by them, send a request to join.