Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Goodbye to my Gizmo, 1998-2011

This is topic Goodbye to my Gizmo, 1998-2011 in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 06-09-2011, 07:09 PM:

I am deeply saddened to tell you guys that my cat, Gizmo, will be put to sleep tomorrow Fri Jun 10.

After 13 years he has been more than just a pet, he has literally saved my life more than once and has been a great companion. Even now, as he has been in a bad way with a severe leg problem and congestive heart failure, he has been more concerned about me as I am dealing with a bout of severe bronchitis.

Way back in May of 1998, when I went to see about getting a cat from a neighbor's friend, he was one of the last three of the litter. As I looked into the box, he looked up at me and meowed. As I was reaching into the box to pick up one of his litter mates, he climbed up my arm and laid down on my shoulder. On the way home he refused to stay in the box and rode on my shoulder all the way home.

I will not be online for sometime as I try to deal with this so if I am not here for a while you'll know why.

Thanks for letting me vent here.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 06-09-2011, 07:11 PM:

Sorry to hear that Tony.

RIP little one.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 06-09-2011, 08:03 PM:

Sending you good wishes, Tony.

People who don't have pets simply do not understand how emotionally attached we can get to them or how exquisit a real friendship with them can become.

Loosing our golden Labrador Retriever of 12 years traumatized everyone in the family for weeks -- all from the youngest to the oldest, crying like babies.

And when you hear someone dismiss such an emotional response with stuff like, "What are you getting so upset about -- it's just a pet." You want to respond, "Any you're just a flying ______ (fill in any appropriately derogatory noun). Or better yet, turn into Maxwell, swinging a really hefty silver hammer. Hey....clang clang!

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-09-2011, 08:22 PM:

The cat that picks you is the best cat. You are blessed. R.I.P. Gizmo Louis

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2011, 09:02 PM:

We have a 14yr old cat, named by my daughter by the name of "Tigger" (a golden tabby) when we brought him home in early 1997 as a three week old kitten, whom now we just call "The Old Man"

...and the wife and I wonder how we are gonna feel when it's time for him to go...since he's been part (and acts like) of the family for so long.

I never had good luck with cats - either they get run over or run away to go wild, thus this will be a first for me but do undertand Tony on losing someone so close as your favorite pet...for it does hurt for awhile..

Good luck - Monte

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-09-2011, 09:57 PM:

We had to put our Chocolate Lab down two weeks ago. Very hard to do but his hind legs gave out. He was 12 years old... very old for a Lab. His mind was still at about 6 years though. Hang in there Tony.

Mark

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 06-09-2011, 10:15 PM:

So very to hear that, Tony. Those of us who love our animal friends know what you're going through, and like the others I wish you the strength to get through this.

Good cat. Good friend.

Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 06-09-2011, 10:22 PM:

So Sorry to hear this Tony. I still get misty eyed when I think about My Cat Chuck that I had to put down close to 20 years ago. That's what a great cat will do to you, Stay in your Heart & Mind forever. Hang in there & by all means get another one asap. So many are desperately in need of Good, loving Homes.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-09-2011, 10:37 PM:

I had a cat ("Whitefoot") when I was a kid and he was my best buddy. Later on we got a Saint Bernard dog, but the house belonged to the cat and the dog knew it.

Good thoughts, Tony.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 06-09-2011, 10:43 PM:

Tony, As a lifetime cat servant, my heart goes out to you. I could go into detail about all of my fuzzy kitties(kids) i've had over the years but your Gizmo is first and foremost on my mind at this moment. May he go in complete peace and leave you with the best memories. Take care.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2011, 11:00 PM:

Dang, Mark - sorry to hear that you had to put down "Dakota" - he was a great dog to have .... my condolences.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 06-10-2011, 12:28 AM:

Gizmo sounds like an amazing cat. Sorry for the loss Tony...hang in there.

AJG

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 06-10-2011, 12:53 AM:

There's nothing I can say that will ease your loss.
I'm sure Gizmo was a great companion to you, and you will
miss him. But be assured that another great cat or some
other pet will some day find its' way into your life &
your heart. RIP Gizmo!

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 06-10-2011, 02:22 AM:

My condolences to you Tony. RIP Gizmo.

FWIW I continue to both mourn the loss of, and celebrate the memories I have of the kitties that have been a part of my life over the years - Baka, Spike, Zipper, Timber, Run, Tripod (a.k.a. Stumpy), and Jiji. The present master Streak (a.k.a. Chobi) does a lot to take the edge off of those times when I'm really missing those little guys.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 06-10-2011, 02:42 AM:

[Frown]

Sorry to hear. Sad day for you, Tony. Hang in there.

Posted by Jim Henk (Member # 3628) on 06-10-2011, 03:38 AM:

He'll be waiting patiently on the other side for you. There'll be Gizmo purrs again.

Oh, by the way, have you ever noticed that as they travel out, if there was a lot of love in the house, that they like to point you out to another great cat, often (though not always) just coming in? Be ready...

Be well, Tony.

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 06-10-2011, 08:05 AM:

One of the saddest parts of life with a pet is that you only get them as companions for so long; dogs from 10-15 years and cats for 15-20. I count the dogs of my youth and the cats of my adulthood as some of the best friends I've ever had. I'm sure Gizmo was as great a friend for you as were Duke, Duchess, Janie, Hoss, Kolterman (named for a friend who hated cats), Tripod, Thumbs, Norman and Chinese for me. No animal other than human ones keeps pets and the bonds we have for each other are unlike any in the animal kingdom.

My heart goes out to you Tony. Take care and remember how many other potential furry pals there are out there who need you as much as you need them. There may never be exactly a Gizmo II, but it doesn't take long to grow a new bond with one of these amazing creatures (or more — as two kittens are 100 times as interesting than one!)

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-10-2011, 09:34 AM:

Remember, you don't become the "cat lady" or "cat man" until you reach 7 cats. Louis

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 06-10-2011, 09:59 PM:

I am so so sorry Tony. I was never a cat person until my fiance went out and got us a cat behind my back. I grew to love this cat and laid with her all night when she had kittens. After we moved the mother ran away one night after she knocked the screen out of the window and we had to give away 2 of the kittens. One of the ones we were able to keep is a male we named Teddy. He is the friendliest most well tempered and loving cat I have ever seen. He is truly one of my best friends. I cannot imagine what I would do if anything ever happened to him. I truly feel sorry for your loss.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 06-12-2011, 05:47 PM:

RIP Gizmo.

I lost my cat, Billy, last year. He was 20 years old. Billy was the most even-tempered cat I have ever had the pleasure to meet. His favorite toy was the ring around the lid of a gallon milk jug. I found them in my shoes almost every morning. Not having them in the shoes makes me think of him every day.

People that dont have a cat dont have a clue about them. They all have different personalities. I have a pair of 13 year old twin sisters, and they are as different as night and day.

Remember, Tony, that we're thinking of you at this bad time.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 06-28-2011, 02:39 PM:

I want to thank everyone here for their kind words and thoughts. I am having a very hard time dealing with this on top of all the other things going wrong lately and it is comforting to know that there are people who care out there. [Smile]

Here is the last picture I took of him, this was the night before I put him to sleep. He only weighed 11 lbs, down form his normal weight of 15-16.

I was with him at the end, I got a lot of kisses from him when they brought him into the room after getting the I.V. put in his leg (which he didn't like one bit.) He knew what was going to happen and he passed away in my arms with his eyes open and a smile on his face. It was all over in a matter of a few minutes which made it a bit easier on both of us.

I am really torn up writing this but hope that you all understand.

And thanks again for allowing me to vent here.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 06-28-2011, 02:49 PM:

What an adorable kitty! I'm sorry about your loss, Tony. [Frown]

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 06-28-2011, 04:35 PM:

Thank you for sharing that, Tony, as difficult as I know it was. We've said good-bye to a few guinea pigs the same way, and it never gets easier (although I wouldn't have it any other way). It's difficult because the amount of grief we experience in those good-byes is directly proportional to the joy our friends give us in life.

I hope and pray your pain subsides as you remember that joy.