Is this normal??

[caseysmom]

The passing of Lucas has got me thinking about my situation with my rb gigi.

Its been nearly a year and a half and my 15 year old daughter dreams about her nearly every night. Has anyone else every had this happen? I was very attached to several animals that passed but never had this happen.

We had gigi all my daughters life since she was a baby but still it seems odd to me that she has all these dreams. I bring up getting another cat to help her with this and she says she wouldn't feel right about it, she feels like this would be disloyal to gigi. I explain about how many cats are in need and gigi would be proud of us.

I have my own reasons for not getting another kitty yet, ironically its mostly because of this daughters behavior issues, she is one handfull. But when it comes to things like this she has a heart of gold.

[Lizzie]

I dreamed about Seshat for months after her death. Her loss was the hardest I have ever had to endure, and that is saying something. For the first 24 hours after her death, I thought I was losing my mind - the fact that I had been up for 3 days straight, working by day and treating her at night wouldn't have helped. Several months after her death, I again dreamed that she was sitting in her chair looking at me as though waiting for me to come and pick her up, but this time, all the time looking at me, she slowly dissolved as a body would over time. In my dream, she was saying that she was no longer there for me to touch, she was urging me to let her go, and when I woke up I knew I had to leave that past behind. I never dreamed of her again. I was about 50 when I had those dreams and so my mind was mature enough to heal itself.

At fifteen, as you know, your daughter is both facing the harsh realities of adult life and escaping into her own world, both at the same time. If she is truly having these dreams so often, she is clinging to an old life, a more child-like life, that is no longer hers.

How do you know she is having these dreams? Can you be sure she is not telling you that she is having them because she knows that it worries you? I only ask that because you said she had some behavior issues.

How much time has she spent at shelters? Can you suggest that you both volunteer at one? Or volunteer to foster? She may need to come face-to-face on a frequent basis with cats who are desperate to live, let alone find a home, before she realizes that she is not replacing Gigi but simply giving her heart and home to a cat in need.

[caseysmom]

Lizzie, I am pretty sure she is telling the truth about the dreams. She dreams a lot. I know she isn't always truthful about everything but this I think she is. When she tells me I don't react to much just say oh that means you miss her thats all. She thinks gigi is trying to communicate with her somehow. I can sort of relate because after my mother died I dreamt about her a lot and WANTED her to communicate with me.

My other daughter wants to become a veterinarian so we are trying to find a shelter that will let her volunteer. Maybe both daughters can try it. Its funny you say she is trying to hold onto a more childlife life. On so many levels I feel like she is trying so hard to grow up too fast. Maybe this is how her subconscies is reacting to that.

[Laura's Babies]

Could be that gigi isn't ready to cross to the bridge and is visiting your daughter because she is not ready to let go of this world. In gig's mind, maybe she felt closer to your daughter is coming to her in her dreams. If these dreams upset your daughter, tell her the next time she dreams to ask gig to go on and cross over to the other world where she belongs now.

I believe in the dream visits and have had them myself and so has my sister.

[catmandu]

I see my Cat Angels, The Porch Angels and Pet Talkers Angels in my dreams all the time.
And when I dine out, they come with me so I am not lonely.
Its good to see that Our Cats are not temporary that they will always be with us.
Forever.

[Karen]

Explain to her that Gigi is her heart cat, and will always be with her, always be part of her. The dreams prove that. And getting a new kitty would in no way be disloyal to Gigi, but would honor Gigi. And maybe that's why she's visiting her dreams, to say "Save another kitty!"

[moosmom]

My RB cat, Casey "Bubba Dude" comes to me in my dreams alot. He's been gone for 4 years now. Every once in a while I feel his presence in my room. It feels like a cat walking on my bed. I look to see which one it is, and there's no one there.

[caseysmom]

Glad others have experienced the same thing. I think I am just not one of those people that remembers my dreams. The other morning I woke up and knew I had dreamt about someone on pettalk but then I couldn't remember who it was about.

They are always pleasant dreams for her, except for the fact that she wakes up missing her.

[DallasRechelle]

You may want to consider, if you want another cat, taking her to a shelter and letting her sit in the cat rooms. If Gigi isn't ready to pass over RB yet, she may lead your daughter to another companion. Gigi may not want to pass because she knows your daughter is still clinging to her. I had a cat do that, frequently appeared in my dreams for years, until I got my Shadow. Since then, the dreams are memory dreams & I know she's gone on.