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Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Saying good-bye to Bickett

Bickett passed away some time during the night last night after being sick since April 17th. 


You may remember my post recently about Bickett getting a rabies shot and how the vet felt it necessary to sedate him before examining, and giving him the vaccine. Well, Bickett never recovered. My heart is broken.



I have loved this kitty since that October morning in 2005 when I stopped my car in the middle of an intersection in downtown Louisburg and picked him up out of the street. 


Just a tiny baby he was, and way too young to be on his own.



Bringing this kitty home made me very happy. Bickett grew into a big beautiful cat and daily kept us entertained with his antics.




Bickett enjoyed being underfoot, and honestly, I believe he deliberately would plop down right in Poppy's way.   Many times Poppy has said, Bickett, can't you find somewhere else to lay"? 


I'm going to miss my buddy at night in the sewing room. Bickett seemed to like my Bluegrass music. We listened together while I sewed.

Guess we will never know what happened or what caused Bickett to not recover from his visit to the vet. I carried a big healthy cat to get a rabies shot, and three days later he is dying...wasting away to nothing. Poppy and I both are very disappointed in these folks at the animal hospital who supposedly cared for our Bickett.

Bickett was buried this morning in our little pet cemetery in a shady spot near the goat lot. 


Love,
Henny

87 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry for the loss of your gorgeous Bickett.

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  2. That is so strange. I'm so sorry. Had Bickett had the rabies vaccination before?

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    1. Thank you Rian. Yes, he has had the rabies shot before, but was way past due for another. Bickett was not an easy cat to handle and would bite. That's why the vet sedated him. Bickett had grown into a very happy kitty and grown more gentle over the years. He was enjoying walks outside, so I felt the rabies shot was important now. What I don't understand is why the vet sedated him now, after all these years. This same vet has seen Bickett since he was a baby and given him numerous injections...without sedating. After reading the dangers of anesthetizing, if I could go back, I would say absolutely not!

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    2. We have had cats like that over the years... usually the Vet and assistant can handle them without sedation if warned. And we have had cats that were very overdue to get the rabies vaccination with no problem. But you never know I guess. More than likely it was a reaction to the anesthetic - although I always thought that happened rather quickly. Whatever the reason, I am so very sorry.

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  3. I am so very sorry to hear the sad news of Bicket. I know how much you loved him as you do all your animals.

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  4. Dear Henny,
    I am sorry for your loss. My mom had cat named Bickett too, and he looked a lot your dear Bickett.
    I love reading your blog.
    Kaye Park City, UT

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    1. Thank you, and thank you for reading my blog.

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  5. Oh, so sad. It has been a year and a half since we lost our kitty and I still miss her. Our pets are important to us and their passing leaves a big hole.

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  6. My heart is breaking for you and your Bickett. Sending you hugs!

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  7. I'm so sorry to hear about your Bickett. I know you will miss him dearly.

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  8. My heart is saddened with the passing of your beautiful Bickett. Sending you many hugs wrapped in much love to your sweet heart.

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  9. Oh no I am so sorry to hear about your sweet kitty Bickett. He is not suffering any more but I know it is so sad. Love and hugs to you.

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    1. Thank you Vicki. He did suffer and it's breaks my heart.

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  10. I'm sorry to hear that you lost your buddy. They have a way of working themselves into our lives even if it's getting under your feet.

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  11. Aww, so sorry Henny, he was such a beautiful boy and knew he was loved.
    My heart breaks for you both :(
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

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  12. I am so sorry for your loss! Bless his wee little heart. I don't understand why he was sedated to get a vaccine! I wouldn't let the vet rest until I had answers. Praying for you and your little animal family.

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    1. Thank you Pam. Yes, we are very angry, and plan to change vets but not before first letting them know why. I have spoken with them three or four times during all this, and got very little response or sympathy to Bickett's dying.

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  13. Oh Henny, I am so very sorry for your loss. It breaks my heart to hear of the passing of such a sweet pet. Sending you love and hugs.

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  14. I'm sorry to hear that your sweet Bickett has died. How very strange that, as you say, he went into the vet's office a healthy cat and afterwards was not the same. You surely will miss him.

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    1. Thank you Granny Marigold. We are still not believing what has happened. If you check back, you can read my reply to Rian's comment.

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  15. I am so sorry for your loss, Henny. Heart aching with sadness, head filled with questions - but I do know this, Bickett could not have had any more love than you gave him, and he knew it. That love shone out with every word you wrote about him. xxx

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    1. Thank you Elaine. I appreciate your kind words.

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  16. I am so so sorry to hear this sad news. I am still mourning the loss of my Gypsy and know how hard it is to say good-bye to our deeply loved pets. I pray your sweet memories of your Bickett will give you comfort.

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    1. Thank you Debbie. It is so hard to lose a pet that has been a part of the family. I sure understand about your Gypsy, even more so now.

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  17. So sad, the loss of a beloved pet is devastating. I am sure that your other pets will be trying to console you. xx

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    1. Thank you Pam. That is so true. I can tell a difference in the other pets.

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  18. How awful. I'm so sorry, Henny. I've loved and lost several beautiful cats and I know how hard it is to let them go. Treasure your memories. xo

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  19. I am so sorry for your loss. He was such a beautiful boy. My heart is breaking for you. Leanne

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  20. How heartbreaking. So sorry for your loss.

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  21. Oh, HP, I'm so so sorry :( What a handsome, playful kitty he was! And you rescued him and loved him so much, and gave him a good home for all those years. That's something to be happy for. But still -- I totally understand how you feel about his illness. There is no excuse nor explanation for it, and it should not happen :(

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    1. Thank you MK. We simply can't believe that this has happened.

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  22. I am so sorry that you lost your precious Bickett, especially under circumstances like these. Our fur babies surely leave a huge hole in our hearts and homes when they pass away. There is no doubt that you gave this sweet kitty a wonderful life after rescuing him all those years ago. Sending hugs & prayers.

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    1. Thank you Debby. It really does leave a big hole in our hearts.

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  23. I am so, so sorry that this happened. It's always sad to lose a pet, but when we've done something to supposedly help them and the consequences are terrible, it makes it so much worse. We had a much beloved dog, 16 years old, when our vet said that she needed to have her teeth cleaned. Sedation was given then, too. That was the beginning of the end for our dog. Now I know that old dogs and sedation are a dangerous mix. We loved our vet and trusted him to do what was best. He knew you loved him and that's what counts most. I hope your memories give you comfort.

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    1. Thank you Peg. Thinking I was doing the right thing, but instead caused Bickett's death. It's a terrible feeling. That is so sad about your dog. It's heartbreaking. I just know that it was the sedation that killed Bickett too. I was reading on line about the dangers of sedating an older cat. If I had known, there's no way I would have agreed.

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  24. My heart breaks for you and there are just no words. You sure did give him a beautiful life.

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  25. I'm so sorry for the loss of your special friend, Bickett. I enjoy your blog. Hugs!

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  26. My condolences for your loss. Poor little Bicket!

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  27. Oh my God, I am so sorry to hear of Bickett's passing. And such unfortunate circumstances. My heart is broken for you.
    My holistic vet gives a rabies shot only every three years. She believes our pets are over-vaccinated. Perhaps you could talk to your vet about that for the other cats. Bickett lived twelve love-filled years with you and that should give you some comfort. You gave him a wonderful home. Sending a hug to you and Poppy. Deb

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    1. Oh Deb, thank you. I have thought about you several times today, you and Audrey. It is heartbreaking for sure. We feel sure Bickett died from being sedated. If I had only know the danger involved, I would have said NO. This vet has given Bickett many shots over the years without being sedated. I just don't understand.

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  28. What a sad story. I am so sorry! He was a real beauty, obviously well loved and cared for.

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  29. Oh, I'm saddened to hear of your Bickett's passing. May God comfort you. Hug!
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottag

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  30. Oh Henny, I'm so sorry! That is just devastating, and I can only imagine the anger you feel. I'm glad you are going to change vets and let them know why. I hope this wasn't your Dr. Davis. I would say it was the combo of the sedative and the rabies at the same time, but what do I know. My vet always has me hold the animal being examined or treated, and tells me specifically exactly where to put my hands, arms etc. I am going to google cats/rabies/sedation, because if nothing else comes out of this sad situation, to learn and be more informed is something good. Yes please look into the three year vaccination for rabies, as Deb mentioned above. Thankfully rabies is not an issue here, so none of our animals are vaccinated for it, although the dogs were in the past..
    Rest in peace, dear Bickett, and know you were well loved!

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    1. Thank you Karen. Oh, I put a lot of faith in your knowledge of animals. I feel like it was the sedative too, and have read on line now how dangerous it can be. Poor Bickett could not handle it. Yes, it was our Dr. Davis. I just can't talk to any of those folks at the clinic right now. It's a little to late for them to be concerned now. Thank you Karen.

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  31. Hi Henny,
    I am so sorry. I am sending hugs.
    I will also say, I agree with you and Poppy. We had a poor experience with a Veterinarian in our area as well. I think they over do the meds on our pets.

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    1. Carla, thank you. I appreciate that, and I agree about the meds.

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  32. I am soo sorry for your loss . If you told your vet that your kitty got sick after the shot they should of known it was an allergic reaction and got blood tests to see why and what can be done to help kitty get better . If a cat has an allergy to the rabies shot they can be exempted by their vet with the animal bylaws of the area . Again I am soo sorry for your loss.

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    1. Thank you, and I agree with what you've said. I called the clinic three times worried about Bickett and no one seemed that concerned. We have loved this vet and always trusted him completely. I feel like it was the sedative and the rabies shot that killed Bickett.

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  33. I am so sorry. It is very sad to lose one of our loved pets. Does that vet have a good reputation? Nancy

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    1. Thank you Nancy. Yes, this vet has a wonderful reputation. We have used him since the late 1980's and he has always taken good care of our animals. I just don't understand what happened and why they didn't take it seriously when I called, worried about Bickett. I feel like they should have said, bring him in immediately and we will do what we can.

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  34. Just posting as a test to see if it will actually post.

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  35. diane in northern wisJune 15, 2018 at 4:33 PM

    So sorry to hear about your kitty. He was a beauty. I had such a hard time getting over our last kitty that I vowed to never have another one. I hope you do better than I did. Do you still have Smoky? Pets are certainly a gift to us, for however long we have them. You gave that kitty a great home for years..... Bless your hearts as you heal from your loss.

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    1. Thank you Diane. We still have Smokey and Dumperoo and love them both. All three of our cats were rescues. There was just something special about Bickett. Dan did not want a cat, but I immediately got attached to Bickett because of finding him in the middle of the road. He was sickly, had ringworm, and grew up with a strange personality, probably because of being mistreated and thrown out. Later on Dan found Dumperoo at the trash dump, and Smokey was dropped out on our dirt path when he was a kitten. Poor animals. It does hurt to see them sick and dying. Thanks Diane.

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  36. so sorry for your loss,
    why do you have them given rabies shots? that seems to me what caused him to be ill in my opinion; i think sometimes Drs & Vets just go too far with all these vaccines.

    so sad, he was a beautiful kitty
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thank you Salina. It is a law here. All dogs and cats have to have the rabies vaccine. There have been several cases of rabid raccoons and foxes here in NC. I just wish I had said no to being sedated.

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  37. Oh dear. I've been so consumed with my own two tragedies I've not been around. So sorry to hear of your loss. He kept us all entertained on the blog too. My heart breaks for you.

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    1. Thank you Sharon. Oh, and I am very sorry for your and Bill's loss.

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  38. So sorry to hear about Bickett - I know that feeling of overwhelming loss - I had a wonderful dog (Muffie) years ago - took her to the vet for a check up and he found a lump (could have been a fatty tumor) But anyhow he suggested surgery and I trusted him and my happy - healthy ten year old Muffie died - It took me years to forgive myself for allowing them to do that surgery without another opinion - such guilt and heartbreak - Change vets - that's all you can do .. they are too aggressive these days - I got a rescue dog a few years ago and would never let Buddy get sedated unless it was an emergency - saying a prayer for you. We'll all miss Bickett - such a beautiful cat... Mary Ellen

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    1. Thank you Mary Ellen.That is so sad about your little Muffie. Like me, you were doing what you thought was best. It sure does leave you feeling guilty and heartbroken. If only the vet had told me the danger of sedation. I wish now I had never carried Bickett, for any reason. Thank you for your comment.

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  39. I am so sorry Henny, my heartfelt sympathy to you. :(

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  40. Oh my goodness, Hennie,my heart breaks for you! He must have been allergic to the anesthetic agent, that happens so many times! Oh Hennie, my love and heart goes out to you, I hope you are okay and God bless you and your family. It is so hard to lose any one of our animal family, but especially a big old healthy boy like Bickett. I am so sorry for you, Hennie, I am praying for you. Bickett had a wonderful mama in you! Terry

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    1. Thank you Terry. I appreciate your ranting. :) Seriously, when Dr. Davis said they would need to sedate Bickett, I didn't give it a second thought. Dr. Davis had always looked after Bickett, even in 2005 when I found Bickett. He was a tiny kitten and had ringworm. For the first few years of his life, Bickett was sickly and had problems. At one point Dr. Davis was giving him a steroid shot once a month, for about six months. But over the years Bickett had outgrown all his problems and was the healthiest and happiest he had ever been. Bickett would bite if you petted him and then lingered too long, he was funny. But Dr. Davis and the assistants there always gave Bickett his shots without sedating him. One other thing, Bickett had matted hair and dandruff on his back that I asked Dr. Davis to look at, but even that shouldn't have required sedating. I though he could tell me something to use on Bickett for the dandruff. I just wish I had carried Bickett somewhere to get his rabies shot...through the cage...nothing else. Thank you Terry.

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  41. Again, I have never heard of sedating a cat for a rabies vaccine. If they were afraid of him, they could have vaccinated him through the carrier or a pet cage, but never heard of sedating any animal for a rabies shot or any other shots for that matter. Hennie, I would go and talk to that vet in person and let them know how you feel! They literally killed Bickett. They should have explained to you why they wanted him sedated! I am angry for you! But, Bickett is in Heaven now and will look over you and yours! Love you Hennie - Terry Sorry for the rant

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  42. Wow. That is unbelievable. I'm so, so sorry this happened. What a great rescue story he had. I love your images of him. Blessings to you with his loss.

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  43. new to your blog....I'm very sorry for your loss. It's so rough losing our fur babies.

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  44. Thank you Silver Willow. It is very rough to lose them. Thank you too for following my blog. I will be back to visit your's.

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