MY TAKE; doses of Wild YAM : Menosukhi Moments

After Jade passed I began to understand that I had also 'lost' Jasper. I didn't see him at all until about four days after her passing. When he came inside he was like a shadow. He sniffed at the area where she had last lain and looked at me in such a manner that I could not see anything but accusation in it.

'You killed my sister.'

If anyone ever says to me that animals don't 'feel' I have visual record and witness to the contrary. Jasper went into total mourning and he would not be consoled.

"Where did you put her then?"

No more Jade to cuddle up to or jostle for right of place.

For a long time he couldn't be found for meals. He lots a lot of weight. I think he thought I had poisoned Jade!

I put drops for grief in his milk and gradually, over about 18 months, he came back. Never totally, but there was a softening. A detente. If I couldn't find him, a safe bet was that he was lying outside by the memorial rose which a valued client had given in Jade's honour.

Did he miss the dog? You betchya.

7 comments:

Joanne Noragon3 February 2014 at 00:47
I know this is true. No-Toe mourned the loss of his litter mate Toe-Toe every year he lived without him. I would write of it, but few would believe. Poor Jasper.
Kay L. Davies3 February 2014 at 07:41
I believe it, completely. When my little dog (the dreaded Ninja Puppy) died, my cat Herman went looking for her every day.
Even though Mom and Dad had given Niña to me because she wore them out (she was a real handful) Hermie loved her. He'd known her since she was eight weeks old, and she was his dog as far as he was concerned.
Mom and Dad and Niña lived with me and the cats the winter I was very sick with ulcerative colitis, and Hermie loved having her to play with. My other cat, Ava, wasn't a lot of fun...she was very grumpy.
Once Hermie accidentally nicked Niña with a claw, and she was horrified. He never hurt her on purpose in her life. He played a lot rougher with me, however, and I still have the scars to prove it.
K
WFT Nobby3 February 2014 at 13:26
I too totally believe that an animal can 'feel' like this. Although the reaction to losing a 'friend' is not always what one might predict, and I know of one case where a dog (a friend's Westie) developed a much more agreeable personality after her lifelong Westie companion was run over by a car. Maybe it was because she needed her human more and made an effort to please him?
Cheers, Gail.
Stewart M3 February 2014 at 16:51
Animals have an emotional life - it's just that I'm not sure we can equate our emotions to theirs. And I think the fact that we can't know adds to the mystery of pet ownership!

I really am trying to move forward on a book publication - but it's not an easy journey! Your support helps!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Yamini MacLean3 February 2014 at 17:38
Hari Om
It's fascinating - and Stewart, one cannot equate one's feelings even to another human being's experience in truth, so please don't think this is about anthropomorphism. It does, though, demonstrate the limitation of language for describing the indescribable...

Lovely comments dear blogpals, thanks!!
Geoauntie4 February 2014 at 02:19
I did notice when our first Henry died Vicki was unset, she did not eat and hated going outside on her own, she didn't settle very well either. It was the first time in her life she had not been with another dog so that may have been something to do with it. I had never seen a dog act like that before I think she was really missing him.

When we got the the second Henry she loved him as much as the first but when he died she did not mourn him in the same way, she was a lot older by that time and was much more MY dog by then too.

Hilary xx
Jenn Jilks4 February 2014 at 19:29
Isn't it true. They suffer. Buster, when his twin died, was morose. He bounced back. The kittens gave him some fun, too.
Poor things.