The Pets We Love

My mom & dad just had to put their favorite cat Chloe to sleep on New Years Eve. She was a sweet cat & the softest I've ever know. It was really hard for my mom and it made me think about Oreo. Some may remember our Oreo so I thought I would do a post about him. We got Oreo in 94-95 when Bill & I were living together in Philly. Bill's brother John was working at a home for boys with no families and wasn't able to keep him since it was not a good place for a pet. So John drove him to our appartment and it was not an easy beginning. He was cute and fluffy and quite loveable...until we realized he was not trained and began pooping & peeing all over the house. Eventually he improved and we moved into another apartment where we introduced Oreo to our new kitten Pina. Oreo loved her, helped her up the stairs, let her play with his tail & bite his ears. He was so patient towards her, they soon became best buddies. Bill and I moved a couple more times, got married, and found our current house.

Soon babies arrived and Oreo was not a priority for us. He still remained loyal and loving to the kids. He would check on them in their crib if they cried and sit right by my side when I nursed. He really loved Bill and was a great pet. It was not easy though. At times I yelled at him for barking at the mailman everyday & waking up the kids at naptime. Oreo's life was not without trouble. During one trip home from Atlanta Georgia where Bill worked for a year, Oreo got out of his crate and ran across the tarmat at the Philadelphia airport and was hiding in the long grass where Bill had to retrieve him. He was also sent to Pittsburg by accident during another trip....poor guy. He certainly had an exciting life.

In the spring of 2007 we knew it was time for Oreo. He started "denning" or hiding behind our shed. He stopped eating and drinking and began losing bladder function. Tests showed his kidneys were failing. We took some pictures, hugged and kissed him alot, talked to the kids, and handed him off to Bill. Bill had him sit on his lap, Oreo's favorite place to sit while in the car, Bill rolled the window down and Oreo stuck his head out one last time. Bill said it was like he was enjoying this last gush of wind in his face. Bill held him and whispered in his ear what a "good boy" he was and what a good dog he was. He kissed him goodbye & cried. He came home & told me what happened, and the days that followed surprised us both so much. We cried and cried and cried! This was so hard! We never thought we would feel these emotions of deep saddness. We thought the burden of having a pet would be gone, it would be a relief. In some sense it was but the saddness we felt is still felt...even now as I type I am crying. Now I completely understand how it feels and can relate to those who are sad from losing a pet. They become a part of your family. Here's a tribute to Oreo...miss you buddy!