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GoddessKitty

When I was about five we got a black cat named Mickey. I hated him, he was evil. At night when I'd walk to the bathroom he'd jump out of no where and attacked my feet almost every night. Then I got in trouble for crying. When I was playing with my dollhouse, he'd get inside it and attack me. I'd then have to find something else to do. Oh and when I would be playing my Gameboy, he made it his mission to attack my head. This cat literally terrorized me 24/7. On year in January a friend's dad forgot to cover their pool and he fell in and froze. I felt bad that he had died, but I didn't cry.

Two weeks later we went to an animal shelter. It was one of those big wig ones in Milwaukee, where they had their own organization. We went back to look at the cats and there he was. The fluffiest orange kitten you had ever seen. His green eyes watched as each person passed. No one wanted him and as a child I couldn't understand it was because he looked sickly.

There was no telling a child that. I wanted him, he had to be mine and though my grandmother said no after some begging, crying and a short temper tantrum, we walked out with the Orange fluffy butt named Murphy.

He slept with me, woke up with me, ate with me and even went to the bathroom with me. He even got in the bath with me and played in the water. One day, a boy was picking on me and what did Murphy do? He jumped on the kid and maimed his face! Regardless to say we got in trouble but -I- though it was hilarious.

When I cried he'd always find me and lick my head until I fell asleep. His purr was loud and although he wouldn't let anyone pick him up, he'd let me.

He was there to greet me every day after school and even when we moved from Wisconsin to Michigan he was with me in the back seat.

I remember we had to have him shaved once, when he woke up he attacked every one that tried to get him out of the cage to bring him to us. Eventually I had to go back and get him so he knew everything would be okay. The vet threatened to euthanize him if we ever brought him back.

Eventually Murphy developed Kidney and Liver disease. It was heart breaking, we were told he only had a year at most before he needed to be put down.

He live 11 more years, 11 years of everything wonderful about him. 11 more years of having my best friend. 11 happy years.

Then one day it got bad. He started having these mini seizures and spasms while he was awake. He'd start twitching at random and I thought maybe it would go away. Maybe he just has fur in his eyes, or maybe he's just falling asleep standing up like I do.

Turns out his nervous system was shutting down and upon hearing that news, it felt like the air had been knocked out of me. Like the world had come to a sudden halt. (At this point I must sound stupid, but its true.) I wanted to be selfish, I wanted to keep him alive. I knew that he was suffering but I couldn't bring myself to.

For a month I watched these spasms happen more and more frequently. One night I sat down after everyone was asleep and I held him close. He was having trouble keeping a steady purr, but it was still as loud as ever. I think I must have cried for an hour straight, telling him how sorry I was over and over again. He continuously licked my face over and over as if to say he understood.

I finally realized that I had to let go. We took him to the vet the following day and I sat outside, holding him while the vet gave him the shots. First the one to take away the pain and then the one that would make him sleep. Forever.

I cried, not just silent sobbing but cried like an eight year old. The half grunting half screaming sort of crying. As he fell into the sleep he purred. I fell asleep like that. They woke me about a half an hour later and I started crying again.

We paid to have him cremated by himself. When we picked up the ashed they gave us the picture frame and there was some of his fur in it. I felt sick when we picked it up, I just wanted my cat back.

The following July I married my best friend since childhood. I moved away from home and came over seas for my husband's work in the Army. Needless to say the last bits of Murphy came with me.

Over in Korea where my husband served before he came here, they have an pet cloning facility. My husband had been planning to request station there again eventually.

Tonight my aunt posted a poem about a pets spirit letting it's owner know that it was still with them. I cried, I missed my cat. I had to stop half way through just to dry my eyes so I could see.

About five minutes after I finished reading it I get a text from my husband. It was about Valentines day. He was going to be working but wanted to let me know what my gift was going to be.

The last bits of Murphy's DNA are going to be sent to South Korea. He is going to be cloned and hopefully we'll end up with six fluffy orange attack cats. That's what he told me.

That's why I'm posting this. I'm so excited I feel sick. I know they won't be the same cat, but all I can think is that I get my baby back. I did research and many have claimed that their cloned pets act exactly like the late pet.

I wanted to get this out there and ask (If you have made it this far), what are your takes on pet cloning? Have you ever had a pet you loved so much that given the chance you'd clone them?
You made me cry!!! D: That was a sweet story. I've never had luck with cats, but then I believe that the cat has to pick you for the relationship to be successful/friendly.

As for cloning...this is a fascinating subject for me. I love biology and am in fact a Bio major. However, as an aside, this is just my view/thoughts on the matter--not exactly backed up by research so far as I can tell.

I apologize in advance if I sound crass--I only mean to look at this biologically. Cloning means reusing the same DNA, which means you'll get a cat that looks like Murphy but may not act exactly like him. Whatever the conditions that had caused Murphy to attach himself so completely to you, you should probably realize that you may not be getting the same from the kittens that will be his "offspring". In a sense, just as twins have separate personalities--even if they are identical and thus share the same DNA--the kittens will likely have differing personalities as well.

I might also point out that if Murphy's kidney/liver problems were genetic, the kittens will probably inherit that trait. That's speculation though--assuming that it's a genetic condition.

If you're really interested in cloning, look up Dolly, the sheep that was cloned years ago. I'm sure there's lots of information there that might explain better than I can.

For myself, I'm not sure I would ever clone an animal. For one thing, it would never be able to replace the original, as much as it would look the same, and for another, personally I'd much rather 'move on'. I had a bird named "Flynn Rider" who lived only 7 days--but we did everything together. The bird should have lived 40 years but for whatever reason, it couldn't. As much as it might be nice to have another bird like Flynn Rider, I'm not sure emotionally I could handle it. The memories are great, if still painful, but I'd be constantly comparing the new bird to the old one. I don't think that'll be the case for you, however, since it sounds like time has elapsed between now and then.

I think it is amazing that you're going to have the cat cloned--science has come a long ways towards doing this--and I'd love to see pictures when you get the kittens. You should start a blog (if you haven't already) to detail how things turn out with the cloning. I bet you'd get some interest from the scientific community as well as people curious in cloning their own pets. And if you do start a blog--link me to it! *says the ever-a-science-major* :)

Good luck and let us know what happens!
That was a very sad/sweet story =(


I think the whole cloning thing is incredibly fascinating actually. Things like that have always intrigued me. I've had a lot of animals that were my best friend over the years though, I suppose the one i was the very closest too was my dog Kadybelle.

I got her when I was ten, and we were inseparable, she was a fiest... which i guess is like a medium sixed hunting dog. She was white and had these big black splotches on them. She was a very very smart dog, and while I know everyone says that and XD of course I'll think mine was special. I had her for 13 years, she was getting slower and slower, and eventually she went. I was holding her at the time and I can't really go any further without breaking down over this keyboard... but would I ever clone her?

It is tempting, I won't lie it is. But I don't think I could ever, Kady lived her life out and I got so many happy memories with her. As tempting as a clone of her would be even if it looks like her.. it won't be her, and it will probably just make me miss the original Kady even more. I don't know if I will ever love a dog as much as I loved Kady, but I do not think I would clone her.

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