Loss of A Beloved Cat

Have you experienced the loss of your beloved cat? If you have, you know that it is not easy. It was a year ago today that we had to make the most difficult decision ever with one of your cats. Cuddles was only five and a half years old but she was very sick. Her liver had quit working and we found out that she was also diabetic. She had also quit eating and was drinking very little water. We made the difficult decision to let her go. That was a year ago and it was the hardest day that we have had to go through. It is still hard today as there are so many reminders of her all around, I still find myself tearing at times just thinking about her. It is very difficult to even write this, but I wanted to share as I know that there are many others out there who have gone through the same experience.

Nothing prepares you for the loss of a pet, it does not matter how young or how old your cat is when it dies, it does not make it easier to cope with. As a cat lover, I have formed a loving bond with all of my cats and I see them as my babies not as another animal. Many pet lovers have the same feelings and will understand the pain that one goes through when there is a loss.

I miss Cuddles and I always will. We had a routine that was disrupted and adjusted a year ago. Every morning when I woke up she would be on the bathroom sink ready for me to brush my teeth so that she could play in the water. She was always there in the afternoon too when I would clean up for bed. But the one thing that I miss the most about her is bedtime. She would lie in bed next to me, and I would put my thumb out for her and she would suckle on it for awhile before she would go to sleep. I always thought that it was so silly, but it is the one thing that I miss the most. She loved to cuddle on either my lap or my husband's. Her favorite spot was next to her sister, Tiggy, lying on the couch sleeping the day away.

I did find that it made it easier to know that she was no longer in pain, but it still does not eliminate the pain. But what if your cat lived a long life and did not have a sickness that required you to let them go. I have not gone through the experience of losing a cat to old age. I am sure that I will still feel the same and will miss them just as much, and every person is going to react differently to the death of their cat and will have their own grieving process.

I was even told by some that I should go right out and get another cat to replace Cuddles. But no cat will ever replace Cuddles and I found it hard to just start looking for another cat. I knew that Tiggy also needed time to cope with the loss of her sister and bringing a new cat in right away would not only change mine and my husband's life but Tiggy's too and I had to consider that. I did start looking for another cat, but I started looking when I was ready. And I found not one but two to bring home. I was only able to do it when my heart was ready to give again. You will know when you are ready to get another cat after the loss of your dear beloved kitty. For some they may not get another one for a very long time, but it will be up to you.

The loss of a cat does not mean that you will never be able to move on, but you will never forget the love that they gave you and the special things you did together. They are dear to our hearts and will remain their forever.

Sharon Cowherd maintains Caring for Your Cat, a blog about her experiences and knowledge of caring for her cats. You can read more about Sharon and her cats at [http://www.caringforyourcat.com]