I lost my best furry friend

[Wren]

My condolences on your loss. I haven't yet been fortunate enough to have a furry companion for as long as 19 years, but as upsetting as it's been to lose the two I've known shorter amounts of time, I can only imagine how hard it is for you. She sounds like she was quite a character and like she loved you as much as you loved her.

[mattmcl]

I'm sorry to hear about that. I've been through it a few times, and it's rough. After we put ours down, we were going to wait a while to get a new cat. But after a couple of weeks we stopped into the Humane Society and found two kittens, brother and sister, and picked them up. I know you can't just replace a lifetime friend, but a lot of what we missed was the cat-ness, and you fall in love pretty quick with kittens. We still missed the other one, but it sure helped to fill that hole.

[Flit]

sorry about your kitty

i have two mature kitties myself - the oldest is 18- and lost another one last summer. a lot of what you wrote sounds really familar to me.

[Heisler]

We had two cats that made it to 18 and I refused to have anymore for about 5 years. Not that I don't like cats but I am a dog person at heart as evidence by a willingness to have not one but two Great Pyreness. The main reason was the way we our last cat died. I came downstairs late one night to let a desperate dog out and I found Rommel in his usual spot on the couch. I could tell he was not feeling well and I resolved to take him to the vet in the morning, they would be open in about 5 hours. I went back to bed and got up a little earlier to get ready since I would be dropping him off. He wasn't on the couch so I was going down into the basement, there was a spot right next to the furnace that he liked, and I almost tripped over his body at the top of the stairs. I was totally hearbroken but I couldn't let anyone else in the family see him like that (at least that's the way I felt), all stretched out and stiff as a board. I had to slide him into a plastic bag and get him to the vet so they could cremate him. I was so broken up I couldn't even tell the story about how I found him. The family was very upset that they didn't get to say good bye but I just couldn't let them see him that way. It took about 5 years before I could tell them the story.

 

So I definitely feel your pain on this when but at least you were right there at the end.

[Prophet_of_Menoth]

My condolences. I recently had to put down my second cat (as in second cat I ever owned). It always curse to lose a close animal companion.

[wyrmgear]

I have had dozens of pets, cats and dogs, over the years but was never very close to any of them.

Through a bit of a rough childhood, moving a lot in my younger years, then 10 years in the Army, I never had close friends for very long.

I don't even associate with my family (and don't even know half of them except by first name).

 

So I would be lying if I said I feel your pain or understand your loss - I don't.

 

But I can say this: I envy you for the relationship and companionship you shared, that is a hell of a treasure that even though your friend is gone, you will never lose.

[rgtriplec]

I haven't had a cat for probably twenty years, but I had to put down two of my three dogs last year. They were both 15 years old. So, I know how you feel. Its always sad to lose a pet, but losing a long term pet is almost like a person dying. It's been about 12 months and 18 months since I had to put them down. I can't say I feel them in bed or think I see them, but some time I forget and call them in the morning to go for our walk, but then I remember they're gone. Kind of ruins the walk, but I am fortunate to have another 10 year old dog, and we had our first baby about 6 months before the first one died. So, they filled a huge gap.

[Brushmaster]

I know what you mean , just a few months ago I had to have my cat of 16 years put down also . I can feel your pain and I know what it's like to look out the back door and expect to see him there , meowing to come in . On a brighter note , my son got me a new kitten who has turned out to be quite a mouser .