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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 18, 2004, at 16:05:23
There seems like a common repeating pattern in my life. I will find an animal that is seriously ill. I mean it seems like I keep trying to save the unsavable. I will find a dog that is starving next door or a cat seriously injured walks up to me. I try to get it help, but the dog has been starved too long and the cat has feline leukemia. Recently (Friday), someone threw a kitten out of their SUV in front of my car and took off. Of course, I stopped, because I will not hit the little helpless animal. I put it in a cage for a day and noticed it appeared sick, so I brought it to a vet today. Doc said it has upper respiratory problem, urinary infection, mites, and possibly a heart condition. Kitten should be checked for feline leukemia too. But the doc said he would give the kitten some antibotics over the weekend and that I didn't have to make any decisions until Monday. I already have two cats and recently a dog that was given to me. I have this feeling that I will have to put this little angel down like the others in my life that were too sick to be saved or adopted by others. I am sick of this. If life is trying to teach me something, what is it? This is getting to be a pattern.
Posted by jay on September 18, 2004, at 21:22:53
In reply to Trying to save the unsavable (my life mission?), posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 18, 2004, at 16:05:23
Ya..it's damn sad. People also seem to do this to each other, and I really wonder if most people give a s*it. Homeless people/homeless cats. Where were all of the promises of help for homeless people..for the poor...for the sick...at the Republican Convention? Nowhere. The story tells itself.
Jay :-(
Posted by PhoenixGirl on September 18, 2004, at 22:41:46
In reply to Trying to save the unsavable (my life mission?), posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 18, 2004, at 16:05:23
Shadowplayer, I have some thoughts for you, and this is coming from someone who just spend $600 in vet bills on a cat I just adopted. (Money I needed for college). I believe that I was not taken care of by the people I needed, and saving other people and animals is a deep-rooted way of saving myself. That is certainly a large part of the reason we do these things, I believe. People with the "saving" complex needed to be saved, but were not, which led to lasting emotional pain.
This may sound like a "selfish" motive, but like I was saying, I think it is a big part of the explanation, but not the entire explanation. I think it's beautiful what we do. It's empathy and love! It's like a gift that suffering gave to us. Life can be pretty ironic.
Here is an example: Brigitte Bardot, the famous French actress, was terribly mistreated by her parents. They were very distant and unloving, and told her that they didn't consider her their daughter. She was very lonely as a teen, and adopted a cat. She said that the cat saved her at that time, giving her emotional connection and love. When in her prime, she gave up fame and fortune to become an animal rights activist, which she has been doing passionately for decades now. She lives on a farm with dozens of animals. What do you think led to her passion to help the animals? I think I know the answer....
> There seems like a common repeating pattern in my life. I will find an animal that is seriously ill. I mean it seems like I keep trying to save the unsavable. I will find a dog that is starving next door or a cat seriously injured walks up to me. I try to get it help, but the dog has been starved too long and the cat has feline leukemia. Recently (Friday), someone threw a kitten out of their SUV in front of my car and took off. Of course, I stopped, because I will not hit the little helpless animal. I put it in a cage for a day and noticed it appeared sick, so I brought it to a vet today. Doc said it has upper respiratory problem, urinary infection, mites, and possibly a heart condition. Kitten should be checked for feline leukemia too. But the doc said he would give the kitten some antibotics over the weekend and that I didn't have to make any decisions until Monday. I already have two cats and recently a dog that was given to me. I have this feeling that I will have to put this little angel down like the others in my life that were too sick to be saved or adopted by others. I am sick of this. If life is trying to teach me something, what is it? This is getting to be a pattern.
Posted by Racer on September 20, 2004, at 12:37:09
In reply to Trying to save the unsavable (my life mission?), posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 18, 2004, at 16:05:23
Maybe you're trying to save them as a way of "saving" yourself? Sort of like a form of Projective Identification -- if you can step in and save these critters, somehow someone or something will step in and save you?
Not, you understand, that the impulse is a bad thing, since it does show you to have a good heart, a capacity for empathy, and a high level of humanity and kindness. Just that it may also have a more personal side, relating to whatever brings you here.
For what it's worth, I have a similar pattern. I don't think it's all that uncommon amongst those of us who recognize and admit to our difficulties. Those people whom I've known who could do such things as abandon animals have all been the sort of determinedly unreflective people who do not admit to any psychological weaknesses or moral ambiguities in their own lives. Someone once said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Whether or not that's true, anyone who could abandon an animal -- let alone toss a kitten from a car window -- is not someone who would voluntarily examine his or her life, psyche, or impulses. Perhaps we can describe it as a sub-clinical sociopathy -- since it does require, as a major part of its foundation, an inability to empathize with others.
I send best wishes to that kitten. Let us know what the vet has to say.
Posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 20, 2004, at 18:08:56
In reply to Sounds to me like... » Shadowplayers721, posted by Racer on September 20, 2004, at 12:37:09
I had the vet treat the kitty (angel) with antibotics and he is doing much better with his respiratory infection. I had him tested for feline leukemia. He is negative, so I am having him neutered and getting his vaccinations. Now, I just have to find an owner who wants a very unusual looking cat who is very to himself. He needs a lot of love and a good home. I wish that I could keep him, but mom says, "No way, Shadows. Two cats and a large dog are enough." I
Posted by Dinah on September 20, 2004, at 19:37:11
In reply to Update on the kitty, posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 20, 2004, at 18:08:56
Posted by partlycloudy on September 21, 2004, at 7:00:22
In reply to Update on the kitty, posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 20, 2004, at 18:08:56
Posted by AuntieMel on September 21, 2004, at 12:18:26
In reply to Update on the kitty, posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 20, 2004, at 18:08:56
I know what you mean. My hubby has a hard and fast three cat limit.
We have 4:)
Posted by Shadowplayers721 on September 21, 2004, at 19:59:49
In reply to Re: Update on the kitty » Shadowplayers721, posted by AuntieMel on September 21, 2004, at 12:18:26
in the front bed room. He is recovering from his neutering surgery yesterday. My cats have smelled him through the cage and he doesn't care. He is sleeping a lot. He is very quite for now. He gave me Hell putting him in the cage, but now that he is in there he dosen't try to get out. He still has stitches that will be taken out in 7-10 days. His ear mites were treated too and he got all his vaccinations. He doesn't mind petting, but he doesn't go after it. He is unsual looking and acting. He is very distant. My boys, the 2 persians, are studing him constantly. I hope that with petting and time he will become more tame and adoptable. I renamed him, "Chance", because the vet and I gave him a 2nd chance. Hopefully, this abused animal will come around an be a sweety. Who knows? I still wonder why was I chosen to have this cat thrown out in front of my care. Was it just a chance encounter, or was it meant to be?
This is the end of the thread.
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