Clients' pets who die

I work in pet sitting, and all of my clients love their animals so much. I find that I tend to love the animals just as much as my own dog.

Two clients this month have written me to say one of their pets has died. In each case, the client has emailed me to get me to sit for them, and I ask if anything has changed (both have been clients with 2 cats each). Each one has written back that one of their cats has died so I'll be taking care of only one cat.

One cat of one client was about 17 and a diabetic. The other cat of the other client was about 11 and had heart failure caused by another kitty disease (and the onset of diabetes).

It makes me so sad. I get so attached to the animals I sit for, and I know it's a part of life and something I'l have to go through. I just hate it. Some clients' animals are up there in age, and I know it's going to happen again with other clients sooner rather than later too.

I wish I knew what to say to them. I tell them I'm very sorry to hear about it and that I really loved the cats (which is very true) and ask how they and the other pets are holding up. I never know if that's enough.

I dunno. It's depressing. It's part of the job I know. Another lady I know in pet sitting wnet to a client's house once to walk the dog while the client was out of town and found the dog dead (he was an older one too). i hope that never happens to me. I'd be heartbroken.

Just needed to gt that out.

Ohh I'm sorry to hear that. That happened to me with a friend's cat who I cat sit for. I got so attached to him! He died three months later of a tumor. I then remembered that the cat wasn't as energetic as usual (I had cat sit for him over a year earlier).

It sure shows how much care you put into your work and I am sure that is obvious to your clients and their pets.

The one cat with diabetes who died last month--I'd have togo over twice a day to give him his shots.He was such a sweet cat and never struggled or anything about the shots. The client called me a couple weeks ago to ask me to sit for them, and I said "Is Phantom still getting his shots twice a day then?" and he said "No, Phantom died. You'l just be taking care of Zoe" and told me what happened. I was so sad. And when I went to take care of Zoe, it was weird being there without Phantom. So sad.

I wish I knew what to say to them. I tell them I'm very sorry to hear about it and that I really loved the cats (which is very true) and ask how they and the other pets are holding up. I never know if that's enough.

When I had to put down my previous dog I took him to the veterinarian I always use. A week later I got a very nice doggy sympathy card in the mail from the vet's office. I was very touched. If you feel like you are not saying enough, perhaps you can say it in a little card. Have a supply of doggy and cat blank cards and then you can write a little something in it expressing your condolences. Chances are your clients would be really touched.

That's a good idea.

One of my client's dogs is a boxer like mine, and I love him to death. I see him M-F every week, and they're out of town this upcoming week and taking the dog with them, and it's the first time in a year that I'm going to have to go a week without seeing him. I actually got sad when I said goodbye to him on Friday.

I have the best job in the world, but I may be too attached to the pets I take care of!

That's a good idea.

 

One of my client's dogs is a boxer like mine, and I love him to death. I see him M-F every week, and they're out of town this upcoming week and taking the dog with them, and it's the first time in a year that I'm going to have to go a week without seeing him. I actually got sad when I said goodbye to him on Friday.

 

I have the best job in the world, but I may be too attached to the pets I take care of!

I wonder how doctors are trained to not get too attached to their patients so that they get down when a patient dies. Maybe there are strategies they are taught...might be worth investigating.

A friend of mine has worked in vet offices for years, and she said the first few times she had to see pets be put down, she'd go into the storage closet and just cry.

Another friend of mine just started working in a vet office and saw a pet be put down for the first time. She said she'll never be the same again.

That's why I never pursued working in a vet office. I don't think I could do it.

Yeah, there is no way I could do it either. I would be a sobbing mess.

My dog is 6 years old now. Boxers' life expectancy is only about 12 usually at the most (on average). I sometimes catch myself thinking her life is already half over and I nearly start sobbing.

Once, she had to have surgery for an outer tumor, and they thought it was cancerous. I cried for 3 days straight till I got the results that she was fine. I still think about it though and wonder "What if it were? Or what if she gets another where she's not so lucky?"

Oh too depressing for a Saturday night.

Enjoy the time you have with your dog and don't think about the time left...your dog doesn't want you to cry!

I know it. She is the best.

A friend of mine has worked in vet offices for years, and she said the first few times she had to see pets be put down, she'd go into the storage closet and just cry.

 

Another friend of mine just started working in a vet office and saw a pet be put down for the first time. She said she'll never be the same again.

 

That's why I never pursued working in a vet office. I don't think I could do it.

I've been working in a vets office for 4 years, i'm a licensed vet tech.

With euthanasia, sometimes I can keep my composure and realize that it is best for the animal, and I don't cry. But sometimes, it just gets to me and I am a sobbbing mess. Especially when the animal looks in my eyes, or when the cats are purring as I'm placing the IV. I have to just suck it up and get back to work. It sucks. They didn't teach us much in school on how to handle it. Either you can or you can't I guess.

There are many patients that I am attached to, mostly cats as I am a cat lover, and it is so hard when they die. It helps to go home and hug my own cats. It also helps bc i know I can and have helped so many other pets in the hospital.

We always send out sympathy cards to our clients that have lost their pets. Maybe you could do that, I am sure they would appreciate it.

I shuld send a sympathy card.

The first client who called me about it was about 3 weeks ago that I found out. Is it too late to send one?

I don't think it's too late... I love the sympathy card idea.

Better late than never.

I never really thought about that with your line of work.. That's so true though. Gahh, I Would be heartbroken.

I never thought it'd be part of my job either. I have another client whose cat is 18 years old, and she has a lot of health problems. I only sit for them about 3 times a year, and sometimes I email back and forth with the client just to see how she's doing and stuff (we've become friends), but I haven't heard from her in a while. I want to write and ask how she and her pets are doing but I'm scared I'm going to get an email back saying KoKo passed away...

how sad... my cat will be 17 in February (not Cairo but one at my parents' house)... I'm just waiting...

who am i kidding, that cat will outlive us all. She's the meanest, most miserable animal alive. My mom calls her Misery. Her name is Minka.

That picture of the shelves I sent you--the cat in the picture is named Cat. I think that's the cutest name ever for a cat. Not original at all but cute. I call my dog "Dog" sometimes and I guess that's why I like it that much. Anyway, this cat is the sweetest ever. The owner asked me to come by 2 times a day just to keep the cat company b/c he gets lonely. And I don't think he stopped purring the whole time I was there. He was such a sweetie and I can't wait to sit for him again.

I love that name for a cat too. I think it's too funny.

Aww, I love friendly cats that actually WANT attention. That's how Cairo is. People are amazed by her assertiveness when they come over. She won't leave people alone.

oh I am sorry. Yes ,a sympathy card is a kind gesture.

I was at Target earlier looking at sympathy cards, and I nearly started crying. I didn't realize how hard this is hitting me. I went to my Al-Anon meting tonight and shared about how I'm having trouble accepting the loss of these animals and how I think it's symbolic for something else that I'm not letting myself see and accept. I nearly started crying in the meeting as well. I wish I could accept it more instead of letting the pain of it trickle in slowly.

I remember losing my fav cat almost 11 years ago now. I got him when I was 16 and he died when I was 31. He died a few months after I had my son. I swear he died of a broken heart because he was not my "baby" anymore. Eventually I had to have him put down because he stop eating completely. I even make him specific meals and hand fed him and all. I was sad for ages. Animals are very special.