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My soul cat Percy, by Joan Saliskas

Percy is my soul cat.

Percy was loving, sweet, gentle, innocent, and unassuming. He was born in a barn in Wisconsin, and a vet tech brought him and his brothers to the animal hospital in Illinois where my vet worked. My vet knew I wanted an orange cat because I had heard they have the best personalities, and so she gave me Percy in September 2007. Percy was orange and white like a dreamsicle – orange at his head and tail and mostly white in between – with stunning sea-green eyes. In his purity and goodness, Percy was like his namesake, Sir Percival, one of the most pure and holy knights of King Arthur’s Round Table.

As a kitten, Percy loved scrambling under the bed covers and attacking my feet at four in the morning.  Until his last month or so, he used to jump from my sofa to my desk and land on my laptop keyboard.   Sometimes he startled me so much – and interrupted my work – that I yelled at him. But I came to realize he just wanted to be close to me, and that I worked too much and needed to be calm and content like he was.

My handsome boy loved food, and at one time he was very plump. He would paw my face in the middle of the night to let me know he wanted treats. When he was dying of cancer, Percy got thinner and weaker and ate less and less, and he had no appetite for treats. The week before he died, he scratched at my bed, and when I brought him up to me, he pawed at my face but didn’t really eat any treats. But he gave me love.

Percy was euthanized at home on December 12, 2020.

Sometimes I feel enveloped by his huge, pure spirit – loving, protecting, and healing me.

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Exclusive APLB Webinar: The Benefits of Hospice Veterinary Care

Ensuring Comfort and Dignity for Pets in Their Final Days

Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
Time: 7:00-8:00 PM, ET
Location: via Zoom (registration required)

We are excited to invite you to an exclusive members-only live webinar exploring the experience and benefits of hospice veterinary care—a compassionate approach to supporting pets and their families through end-of-life care.

APLB Video Support Groups

We are now offering Online Video Support Groups every Saturday from 7 pm - 9 pm EST/USA.

Beginning March 23rd we will be offering Video Support Groups every 2nd and 4th Sunday from 7 pm - 9 pm EST/USA.

Our Video Support Groups are available to all Silver and Platinum members.

If you want to learn more about our Video Support Groups, please click or tap the button below.

Webinar: A Conversation on Pet Loss with Author E.B. Bartels

Join us for this exciting event

Rainbow Bridge
Memorial Celebration

In honor of Rainbow Bridge Memorial Day (August 28), we are offering a 20% discount on Silver and Platinum memberships throughout the entire month of August.

By joining us, you will have the unique opportunity to create a lasting online memorial for your pet, complete with photos and stories you can cherish.

Live Webinar

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief

Thursday, June 6th, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern

Sponsored by:

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief, hosted by Moose’s
March, this webinar is designed to support pet
owners through the difficult journey and depth of
pet loss, anticipatory grief and understanding
guilt. This webinar will also provide 3 key
takeaways for the management of grief,
Featuring insights from renowned experts
Colleen Rolland, Association of Pet Loss and
Bereavement and Dr. Nancy Curotto, Pet Loss &
Bereavement Specialist. Attendees will have an
opportunity to ask questions of the experts.

Special Holiday Schedule

We understand that the holidays can be a difficult time for pet parents missing their fur babies. APLB will be extending our hours this year to help you – we’ll get through this together.

Chat Room

Sun Dec 24: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun Dec 24: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Dec 25: 8 – 10 pm EST
Tues Dec 26: 8 – 10 pm EST
Wed Dec 27: 8 – 10 pm EST
Fri Dec 29: 8 – 10 pm EST
Sun Dec. 31: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun. Dec 31: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Jan 1: 8 – 10 pm EST

Video Support Group

Sat Dec 9: 7- 9 pm EST
Sun Dec 10: 7- 8:30 EST
Sat Dec. 23: 7 – 9 pm EST

This year the Association of Pet Loss & Bereavement (APLB) is participating in Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. 

Please give generously. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those grieving the loss of their cherished pets.

This year the Association of Pet Loss & Bereavement (APLB) is participating in Giving Tuesday, on December 3rd. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. 

Please give generously. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those grieving the loss of their cherished pets.