GG,
thanks for the comments. Yes, we lost our oldest Rottie girl, Annie, a couple of months ago and she, too, took the decision out of our hands. She collapsed and passed away as I was lifting her into the van to take her for an ultrasound.

That, too, was swift and relatively painless. We've had some of our kids hang on for months. We've had to say goodbye to them when they could still understand what was happening. I'll take the way Annie and OJ went any time. It doesn't hurt us any less but it certainly is more humane for them.

And, yes, life goes on. You miss them but you have to be sure to refocus your love on the living.

Jim

I don't know how I missed this Jim, he was a beautiful cat and I am so sorry for your loss.

Julie,
thank you. I miss him every morning when I start making coffee. He used to yell at me to turn on the water so he could drink from the faucet. He was a very cool guy.

Jim

Preston,
the plan is to stay cat-less for a while at least. This is a tough home for kittens/cats that don't have a lot of tolerance for curious dogs. Beyond my own herd, I do a lot of Rottie Rescue and some of those dogs can be pretty cat-aggressive. It always puts additional strain on the household.

So we'll stick with the 6 dogs for a while. That will keep us busy enough. Thanks for your good wishes.

Jim

I am sorry to hear of your loss, my heart goes out to you. Pets take a much larger chunk of our heart than we first realize. When they are gone those tiny moments, ones we barely noticed that became routine, scream a huge void.

It is still hard for me to open a container of yogurt because I dont have my three dogs to share it with. (very long sad story)