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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe loss of a beloved pet and kids...
Last night at this time, our precious Kiwi was here and happily singing If Youre Happy And You Know It from my shoulder while I made dinner for our family. Kiwi was a 2 1/2 year old Canary Winged Bee Bee parrot that belonged to my 14 year old son. Kiwi has a flight cage and was in it sometimes and out of it more than he was in. He was happiest on a shoulder and spent the majority of his time on my sons, mine and sometimes my husbands. When my son was in school, Kiwi came to work with me...I have a cage in my office for him. Last night after dinner, my son went out to the street to run with the neighborhood kiddos like any other summer evening. Kiwi was on top of his cage munching on some seeds and tossing his sparkle ball around. I finished dishes and walked out front to talk to a neighbor...my husband followed shortly after. Kiwi did what he has done so many times the last three years...he jumped off his cage and went to look for his people. He always finds one of us but this time he didnt. We have been nursing our 16 year old cat at the end of his life...Louis has renal failure and we honesty thought he would not live through this week. He isnt eating and he is drinking very little. Last night, however, Louis came to life and killed our special, wonderful little bird...the bird who loved to tell us what a pretty bird he was, what a good boy he was...the bird who sung the Addams Family theme and was learning the Andy Griffith song. He was supposed to live 20 years but he live 2 1/2. Its not Louis fault. He was being a cat. He had never shown the slightest interest in Kiwi before but...last night. Today he is back in his warming hut and not interacting at all. Its a tragic, horrible mystery...what happened last night.
I took the day off to be with my son. He is grieving the first loss of a pet of his own. His tears come in waves as do mine. Were a mess today. We miss Kiwi desperately...the little green hand full who occupied so much of each of our days. We buried Kiwi behind our apple tree. We carefully wrapped him up with a meal of his favorite treats...a pecan, a grape and a little piece of cheese. I am devastated by the events of last night and as bad as I feel I would take 100 times more if I could take my sons pain away. Watching him hurt is almost unbearable.
Tomorrow I will call our vet regarding dear Louis...weve had him since he was a feral kitten abandoned with his siblings in a shed at our shop. The vet told me a week ago that we were close to having to make a decision. I dont know what comes next. I didnt plan on losing two precious pets so close together. It is just awful.
I know the news is busy tonight and there is a lot going on. I know Kiwi was just a little green bird but he was a Condor in our hearts. This has been a really hard day.
spanone
(135,816 posts)LakeArenal
(28,813 posts)and its for pets only.
RIHeaven.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,580 posts)You've lost a treasured member of your family and oh yes it hurts.
Time will help.
Niagara
(7,595 posts)I know how difficult it is to lose family pets.
Louis is not in his correct state of mind. I had a cat that was diagnosed with carcinoma. The vet explained that her quality of life would be poor and the cancer was basically eating her insides. We scheduled the appointment for her to be euthanized and in waiting for that appointment, she had moments of complete terror towards me and other moments of her usual loving self. I never knew who I was coming home to in her final days. It was heartbreaking. When the day her appointment came, a piece of me died that day as well.
I wish you and your family the strength to get through this difficult time.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Its devastating to lose your beloved pets. They fill spaces you dont even know about until theyre not there anymore.
Now Im thinking about my lost loved one and crying.
MustLoveBeagles
(11,587 posts)I'm so sorry MontanaMama
RIP Kiwi
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)We also had a canary winged Bee bee parrot. Our parrot was only caged at night, and loved to "steal" food from our plates. Scrambled eggs and cheese were favorites.
Karadeniz
(22,492 posts)we are not always in control, bad things will happen to those we love and all you can do is be happy to have had the good times you had. Tons of sympathy for everyone. Kiwi is still in good hands, happy and waiting.
malaise
(268,885 posts)onecaliberal
(32,814 posts)The Wizard
(12,541 posts)made me a better human, and when the time comes you realize how important they are in our lives. The bring joy in our lives and grief when they leave. Yes I miss all of them.
irisblue
(32,961 posts)I am so so sorry
3catwoman3
(23,970 posts)A cyber hug from afar ((( ))).
cry baby
(6,682 posts)sinkingfeeling
(51,444 posts)Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)Kiwi sounds like a little sweetheart. So sorry his life was tragically cut short. Maybe the cat was feeling especially bad and Kiwi annoyed him? Sad to lose both so close together. You gave both pets a special life with your family. They were loved. Not all animals and birds have families like yours. They were blessed.
herding cats
(19,558 posts)I cannot imagine being in your shoes, and I'm so deeply sorry you're enduring this right now. I've been fortunate enough to at least have a few months between the passing of my beloved fur babies... I'm so sorry for all of you right now.
😢
Bettie
(16,086 posts)Both of them so close together. That hurts.
yardwork
(61,588 posts)Texin
(2,594 posts)zeusdogmom
(990 posts)Our animal family members fill such a special place in our hearts and when they leave, the emptiness and pain is so deep. The grief is intense. My deepest sympathies.
pnwmom
(108,973 posts)especially hard to bear.
Thinking positive thoughts for your son and all of you.
MLAA
(17,274 posts)LuckyCharms
(17,425 posts)peacebuzzard
(5,165 posts)no words can express this heartbreak.
I had a dog I loved so much that killed a sweet abandoned kitty which came up to the farmhouse in the middle of a snowstorm.
I knew my dog was capable of this and had placed the kitty "snowflake" in a shed. Somehow she escaped and it was over before her life had started.
there are no words. I am so very sorry. I have always loved birds but have always feared a tragedy as such with my critters. (sigh)
I also have a 17-year-old kitty with renal failure and every day is a reminder of the fragility and preciousness of life.
bluestarone
(16,900 posts)3Hotdogs
(12,366 posts)But it responded to him by coming up to him when he got off the school bus. Unlike the other chickens in the coop, din't mind being held.
It was killed by a Coopers Hawk. Broke his heart.
MontanaMama
(23,302 posts)We have one named Pot Pie that likes to sit on your shoulder...like Kiwi. She jumps off the roost in the morning and wants to be carried while we gather grain and meal worms for the flock.
3Hotdogs
(12,366 posts)Daughter's are named, General Tso, Nugget, Tender, and Buffalo.
General Tso was reduced in rank to major when she got to attacking Tender. Summarily reduced in rank without so much as a courts martial.
I've seen people with parrots on their shoulders, walking around towns. Probably not the best idea.
You may be familiar with Pale Male, N.Y.C.'s Central Park hawk. He made lunch off of someone's escaped parrot. That was about 15 years ago. If you are not familiar with the Pale Male story, Netflix has the P.B.S. documentary. (I am in it for about 1 and 1/2 second.)
MontanaMama
(23,302 posts)Im on the board of Raptors of the Rockies. Were birdy to say the least. Kiwi went from home to work and even to the store in between occasionally but he had a little carrier with a perch in it. He loved going places.
Chicagogrl1
(418 posts)How tragic! I am so sorry! Most especially for your son. As you know, it never gets easier. Time does help. Sending you ❤️ & hugs!
renate
(13,776 posts)Kiwi sounds like such a beautiful bright light in your lives. The shock and heartbreak must feel unbearable. Im so sorry for what your family is going through. Remember that any pain he experienced was brief and that his years with you, though cut short, were full of joy and love.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)Eventually day by day things will get easier, but you will never forget.
radical noodle
(8,000 posts)I'm so sorry for your family.
calimary
(81,194 posts)Im still all chopped up since Goldie, our 16-year-old shepherd-something headed off to the Rainbow Bridge. Last Friday. So it hasnt even been a whole week yet. Im like you in that I find myself thinking - gee, a week ago she was still here... and last week at this time we were about to take her out for her evening constitutional.
Im still a mess, pretty much. Ive lost other cats and dogs but this one - this one hit me hard. Melancholy as hell. Its good that you posted about Kiwi, and eventually Louis too. They really are our beloveds, too. Visiting angels for sure. Thanks so much for sharing their stories with us. And lots of DUers will read your post and know about YOUR visiting angels and how much these little critters mean to you.
Many soft but strong pairs of shoulders get shared at these times. Youll find comfort and sympathy, and empathy. You may even find youre turning around and helping somebody else here when its his or her turn to grieve.
You do not mourn alone. DU will buoy you up. Sure worked for me (again) last weekend. This is a wonderful community. And its here for you right this minute.
MontanaMama
(23,302 posts)I appreciate your kind words and am very sorry to hear of the loss of dear Goldie. What a heartbreak!
I hesitated to post anything about Kiwi. Im pretty private. But, I kept picking up my iPad and looking in on the news here on DU and couldnt focus on the mayhem going on around us. I thought I might write an OP to get my thoughts out and then delete it. I posted it because, like you said, so many others share about their lost loved ones both human and critter and folks seem to be very supportive. People who love animals are people I want near me during times like these.
🦜❤️
Ligyron
(7,624 posts)To see what one looked like and lo and behold - there's Kiwi immortalized in the first image!
So, so sad. Wish I could absorb some of you guy's pain.
Mickju
(1,800 posts)I'm particularly touched by your son's grief. It must be so hard for him.
redstateblues
(10,565 posts)mahina
(17,640 posts)MFM008
(19,804 posts)Is amazingly strong.
So sorry.
Duppers
(28,117 posts)I can imagine your and your son's pain. Poor little Kiwi, the little Condor in your hearts. So much personality and memories in a little pkg.
Respect for Kiwi.
nuxvomica
(12,419 posts)When he is so much of somebody's world. My condolences to you and yours.
MontanaMama
(23,302 posts)My son told me he felt like part of him was missing. They were inseparable. Thank you.
Rhiannon12866
(205,132 posts)My heart aches for you - and certainly for your son. The loss of a beloved pet can devastate the entire family, but the pain of losing both, and so unexpectedly, has to be unbearable. Your post brought me to tears, too.
MontanaMama
(23,302 posts)Im comforted to see you here. I know that you know.
My husband wanted to give Kiwis flight cage and toys to a coworker who is getting a bird soon for their family. Owen (my son) and I were horrified at the thought. Last night, Owen said Mama, I see myself with another bird...not now because I miss Kiwi so much but sometime. I dont want to give his stuff away. I promised him we would keep all of Kiwis things. I started to wonder why we continue to sign up for what inevitably ends in heart break? When a pet leaves us, it seems another always finds its way to our home and the cycle starts again. While I will never have another bird/cat combination again...I will support Owen pursuing a bird if he wants to. Seems lots of folks here on DU do the same thing. Are we all crazy people?
Tracer
(2,769 posts)What a sad day for you and your son.
It hurts so much to lose a little pet --- and I've lost several.
cilla4progress
(24,725 posts)so sorry! Tragic! Kiwi sounds like a lovely, lovely pet. I miss him, too, even though I never met him!