Hi fellow pet lovers
.


I would really appreciate hearing from those with cat families on how you have overcome the fear of losing a pet.

Old timers here will know the saga of our Shadow, the upper kitty in my siggie.
He has neurological problems, impaired vision, as well as suspected celiac disease, and came close to death once and was also lost for two days, and that nightmare night.

well
the story of Shadow's disappearance ended well, when he was found in a storm drain by neighbors who had seen the flyers I plastered over the area.
.


and during his absence, I rescued 2 lil SpiceGirl kittens
.
, Catsby & Twisp, while searching for Shadow at our Humane Society shelter

soooooooo
we have our 2 older cats, Snowball and Gravy, who are free to go out whenever they choose.
We have Twilight, Shadow's brother,(also in my siggie pic ) who is now a very regal and large yearling, and we allow out freely by day, but keep in at night, as we have some mean toms around here, especially with the stream and woods behind our house.

I have had many cats over the past 30 years since my first ever black kitty, Nelson,
.
and have never hesitated to introduce them to the outdoors once they were thru their vaccinations and neuter/spay stuff. I have lived thru old age and illness and injury taking pets lives
.

.

.


But since Shadow got lost, me and family, and *especially* my son who has OCD, + hubby are simply put terrified of Shadow going out, even with the supervision we always used to give him till that day when he left the garden without us noticing
.
and dint come home, and again had some tremor/seizures for a few days after being rescued....
and
where by now I would have introduced Twisp and Catsby to supervised and then Twilight's "hours", I am concerned, and my son again really nervous about it too

with Shadow....hmmmm...I am suggesting we try the supervised short periods with Shadow in the yard, hoping he wont bound off too fast to catch, or into the road, or all the other things that seem to loom when we think of him out....silly I know but I am sure understandable too

I am ready to start letting Twisp and Catsby out but I also have to balance my son's fears on this, and approach this very gently.

so
tell me some stories please and help me and my son work thru this
.


thanks
Cheri
.