The Rainbow Bridge

A few weeks ago he started behaving weirdly like not eating an other things I don’t really want to get into it, but it turns out he had problems with his kidneys. this morning we found out we have to put in down in 2 days, he just recently turned 10 so he could of had a couple more years. Does anyone have advice on how to grieve. I feel hurt on the inside but I’m not so hurt to be crying I don’t understand I do love him after all I have had him for 10 years I’m 14 so that’s most of my life. I have never really lost someone that close to me, maybe the feeling just has not hit me, my mom had been bawling crying all morning but I just haven’t felt that much? Is that normal I feel like a bad person I do really love my dog and it will be hard without him, so why don’t I feel much sadness? Sorry for any weird spelling English isn’t my first language

I lost my dog a little over 6 months ago. May 22, 2024 at 8:07am to be exact. I miss her everyday and I have no one to talk to about the way I feel. She got sick, we took her to the veterinarian, they said it was a bladder infection or a bladder disease, they gave her antibiotics, we took her back to the vet, they said it was likely bladder cancer and suggest we put her down, I refused, I took her home and she was more energetic then I had seen her the past few weeks, then she got worse and worse until one day my mom called me while I was at work to tell me that she doesn’t think my dog will last it through the night. I went home and comforted her. According to my parents, she had been crying and whimpering for hours and didn’t stop once until I got there. My parents gave me the choice to let her pass naturally or to put her down. However, I didn’t want to make that decision. I couldn’t make that decision. So, I put it off. I stayed up late but eventually got exhausted from sobbing. When I woke up there were puddles of blood everywhere. It was her blood and that’s when I really realized that I was losing her. Around 6am, my parents woke up and I told them about the blood and they told me that it was still my choice but they thought we should put her down because she was in pain and losing a lot of blood. A part of me agreed with them but I couldn’t say it because a part of me didn’t want to lose her. So, I let them decide. My mom brought my brother to school and my dad to my dog to the vet. I went with my mom because I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle seeing her go. However, I regret not being there. I feel like it was selfish to not be with her. When she got sick I asked her a huge favor. I asked her to stay for my prom and graduation. I also asked her to wait until I was around. I didn’t want her to die without saying goodbye. I didn’t want her to die alone. Yet, I didn’t go when she got put down. I had always expected her to pass in her sleep. I never expected that I would have to make the choice to be with her when she died. To this day, I don’t think I could’ve handled it mentally but I still regret not being there. My dad told me she smiled when she passed. I choose to believe him. I choose to believe that she was ready. Grief is so weird because I didn’t cry the day of her death. I didn’t cry until like a week or two later. I felt really guilty for not crying at first. She gave me 10 great years and I could only shed a day’s worth of tears? Now I realize it doesn’t matter. She loved me all of her life and I’ll love her for the rest of mine. Now I realize the amount of crying won’t change that. I have regrets. I regret that I didn’t go with her when she was put down. I regret all of the times I got mad at her for chewing up things. I regret that I didn’t give her a better life. I regret that I couldn’t save her. The list could go on and on. I also have fears. My biggest fear is that I’ll forget her. I fear that there will be a day that I’m not in pain. I fear that there will be a day I forget what she looks like or all of the memories we share. I’m actually quite literally terrified of that happening but realistically I know there’s nothing I can really do to stop it from happening.

Anyways, that’s my rant. I could probably go on more but I figure this is long enough. I’m sorry for anyone that’s felt grief whether it’s from a pet, a friend, a family member, or a stranger.

At age 12, she died suddenly while chasing a ball. We ran and hiked thousands of miles together over the years. I loved this girl and remain 💔. Long may you run sweet girl.

My beautiful girl was diagnosed with lung cancer this week. She's only 11. We noticed she didn't seem to be eating for the last 2 days or so and seemed a bit skinnier. I showed the vet a video I had of her coughing (thinking it was just a hair ball) and was told she would immediately reccomend xrays. Within in an hour it was confirmed.

She's currently at home on prednisone and due for another check up in a week. I was told if she can get her weight back up she might go another few months or so (6 to 12). But today is day 5 on the prednisone and honestly... I don't think she will see Christmas. She is barely eating (and ive gotten all sorts of treats to tempt her, she hasnt touched her dry food at all). She doesn't appear to have any trouble breathing (and no fluid on lungs) but I dunno... I just have a feeling it's not going to "get better" (or a honey moon period as rhe vet called it).

I'm heart broken and devastated. She's my soul Cat and I feel so cheated she is going to be leaving me so early. She should have had another 5 years easy.

I don't think she is in pain. The vet didn't seem to think so. But the very last thing I want is to be selfish and for her to suffer. Looking back, there were several signs. Like her occasional snore (which the vet didn't think much of at the time). It's too late for any surgery or chemo (also had a second opinion). Im just so unprepared for this. It's too early.

Two weeks ago I took home some kittens from a farm, I took them to the vets the next day and they all got diagnosed with cat flu, we were told there was nothing we could do them except antibiotics which they didn’t think they needed as we were told it should pass. my friend was gonna take two of the three kittens and the vet advised the smallest would do better on her own so I took the runt of the litter a little girl.

She ended up being the cudliest and would always fall asleep on my chest as I am home for most of the day, she followed me around everywhere and learned her name so quickly. I loved waking her up in the mornings as she slept in our spare bathroom and she would follow me everywhere around the house. A few days ago I noted her breathing got worse and there were two days where I kept thinking I should take her to the vet but thought she just had the hiccups but when I put her to bed one night I just knew she needed the vets as she hasn’t eaten much that day. I took her to the vets the next day and had a different vet who told me that when we split her up with her siblings we essentially cooked her energy supplies since she was having to keep herself warm and while we were there my poor girls breathing worsened from the stress of being handled by the vet and she was given oxygen for a couple minutes. when she came back she was definitely stressed but so tired so we left with her medication but when we got into the car I looked in her crate and I just had this overwhelming sense that she was suffering too much and wouldn’t make it, she was lying on her side looking so weak, I started breaking down in the car and told my boyfriend we had to go back in immediately and get her euthanised. When we were talking to the vet just before this she brought up that despite treatment the kitten might still die but had not directly brought up euthanasia in the moment. We went back in and a different vet came in and immediately agreed it was the kindest thing we could do for her. She was given sedation to keep her calm before the euthanasia however she was so weak the sedation was all it took.

I’m absolutely devastated, I feel like I should have taken her to the vets sooner and that I let her excert herself too much, that I didn’t cuddle her enough to keep her warm and I’m beating myself up for not taking her breathing struggles more serious. I honestly can’t say she would have survived if I had taken her in when I first noticed it had gotten worse as she was malnourished when I got her but it’s the what if that kills me, I feel gutted and like I didn’t do right by her and I miss her so much and I haven’t stopped crying from the moment she passed. I’ve had pets die of old age health problems and at least felt like they had a good long life and that it was their time but I just feel her life was cut so short and she deserved so much more.

Anyways thanks to anyone that’s read this far I really appreciate it, I’m not sure if many other people have been in this boat but I’m sure I can’t be the only one

Her name was Piper, a Sharpei/Beagle mix. She was a gift from Santa in 2010. I was 9 years old, 23 now. She grew up with my siblings & I. My older brother scooping her up from her spot on the carpet to take her to the car… the confusion on our two other dogs’ faces… my mom trying to keep it together… me unable to… it all replays in my head. The 3 minute car ride to the vet felt like an hour. Sitting in the room waiting felt like eternity. My siblings and I just petting her and telling her how much we love her… how grateful we are… how we will always remember her. She was blind and deaf at the end of her life, but I like to think she heard us. She left so peacefully. She didn’t yelp, or let out a grunt. She just looked like she was sleeping. She was such a beautiful little angel baby. When the nurse gave us that sad nod that she no longer could detect a heartbeat… I was in shambles. I still am. The fact that we had to leave her there… I am heartbroken. I miss Piper so damn much.

My hamster Pomme is disabled. He has a suspected neurological condition that two different vets said was the most likely reason for his clumsiness. Around the halfway point of ownership, he developed mites and an eye infection. One doctor said he might have cancer but his quality of life was reasonable for the time being. The mites went away but the eye infection didn’t go away after 3 types of antibiotics over many months and about 5 trials. His eye has started to get worse again recently and his scent gland looks infected. I cleaned it last week and thought maybe it was clogged. I did another health check today and it is still infected. In addition i see an abcess or a tumor of some sort around his neck.

I feel like this is too much for a little hamster to endure. He is still eating and running on his wheel but he has not been grooming as much. He can still walk around the cage but if there is infection on multiple sites of his body I know he can’t pull out much longer. I feel like I can’t keep putting him on hour long car rides and giving him medicine that doesn’t work and if I take him back to the vet it has to be to euthanize him. I don’t know if I should let him live in peace until he gets a little bit worse or take him to the vet to be euthanized.

No vets are open right now, and they might not even be open on the weekend, so my plan is to email my favorite vet tomorrow and see if they can do a virtual quality of life visit. I just would just like some outside perspective and support.

My cat was 3wks old when I met her at an animal shelter I was compelled to visit that day. I was walking by a few cages that I had thought were empty but a small stripy arm with a white paw shot out between the bars of one cage and snagged my shoulder. Oh, it was love at first sight/pawing! She hadn't grown into her paws and tufted ears yet and they were far too large for her little body. I took her out and she happily played and crawled all over me. She could be so bossy about affection. I used to playfully call her a love bully. That first day after treating me like a jungle gym to her hearts content, she fell asleep in my arms like a baby!

I adopted her right away and she was with me, safe in our home, for the next 18 years. Until 3 weeks ago today.

The grief has been an evolving journey. I'm especially sad every Friday evening.

I'm trying to remember the good things and the good stuff. I really love it when people post wonderful memories about their soul cat or soul dog or soul *fill in the blank *. It makes me realize that although I had a very special connection with my cat, SO MANY of you had found similar connections. I think we must have a lot of lovely stories to share.

If you will, please share a funny or cute story about your cat or dog et cetera that makes your heart so happy to have known them. Maybe the first time you met or something that highlights their unique personality.

My husband and I had to put Bo, our 14 year old baby, down today, and the two of us are just so devastated. He truly felt more like our son than a cat. He was the sweetest boy and loved literally everyone he ever met. Bo brought us so much joy and always made me smile. His personality was just so warm and infectious.

He slowed down on eating the past few months. He had a somewhat serious heart murmur, so we could never get his teeth cleaned. I figured it was related to this. But in Sunday, he stopped eating altogether, including all of the foods I could usually get him to eat when his teeth hurt. He showed interest but wouldn't touch it. The vet found that his liver was the problem, and he was jaundiced. They kept him a few days to see if they could find out what the issue was in his liver. An ultrasound showed a mass in his intestines that she believed was most likely cancer. We brought him home for a good last day, but he was clearly suffering. Waiting just to give us more time felt selfish. And there was no way he could handle what they would need to do to even begin treating one of these issues. We lost him this evening.

I just don't know how to navigate this grief. I go from practically screaming and sobbing to dissociating and just staring off into space. We had two other cats who passed before Bo. They were similar situations where each was diagnosed with a fatal illness, and we had to make the decision to let them go. But this time feels so different, and this grief is so much more overwhelming. We lost Korra, our first, in early 2019 after having her for a little over three years. We lost Gracie in 2020 after a little under two years. We have had Bo for eight years, and he was around to comfort us when we lost both girls. He was our only one for the last four years.

I feel so lost. Seeing his toys and the food in his bowl sends me down a spiral. I want to distract myself or move them somewhere else, but I feel like that would be disrespectful to him and his memory. He has been so special. He deserves to be mourned. I know it's early and these feelings are complicated. I just miss him so much. It hurts so badly. I don't know how I can move past this.

For many, maybe this would be normal, but not for me. I'm currently working on my doctorate in voice performance. Singing is like air or water; I need it to live.

I'm doing one of my required recitals next semester and one of my song sets is Samuel Barber's hermit songs. One of the pieces is based off of a text by an Irish monk, written sometime between the 8th and 13th centuries. He writes about the quiet, domestic pleasure of his life with his cat, Pangur. I haven't learned it yet. I don't know how I can now. I only remember a few lines. "Pangur, white Pangur," "how happy we are," "alone together, scholar and cat."

When I would study in my den, she was always with me - sitting under the desk asking for scratches, resting on the futon, bedding down in an empty box. Maybe that's why I can't bear to study anymore. All I had to do was turn around, and she was there, always with me.

Scholar and cat. How happy we were.

My childhood dog passed away early this morning from kidney disease. It was severe and combined with his heart murmur, the vet told us there would be a slim chance of him getting better with the treatments we were doing. He was 14 years old and towards the end of his life he wouldn’t get up from his bed, peed himself, just lethargic overall. We tried more IV treatments at home over the week and saw no improvement. I’m just glad he could be at home with my other dog before he was put to sleep. He got lots of cuddles, kisses, and pets. He was the best dog I ever had. I haven’t felt a pain like this in a very long time. We adopted him when I was 6, I turned 20 this year. I grew up with him and he was there when I went through my depression. It’s hard to imagine that I won’t ever hold him again. He’s been in my life more than I’ve been without him. I’m grateful that I took his paw prints years ago and I have a lot of good memories/photos. I just have love that has no where to go and it hurts immensely. This experience has made me feel nervous about my other dogs when their time comes. This hasn’t been my first pet loss but this is my first childhood pet that has passed. If everyone would like to share their experience with loss with a childhood pet, feel free to share.

It’s been 3 years since my dogs died and I still feel so broken up about it. Sometimes I start thinking about them and I just degenerate into ugly crying for hours because of it.

When I was 9 years old our family adopted a puppy from a shelter. Technically I suppose she was a birthday present, but we had been planning to get a dog for a long time by then, so it wasn’t spontaneous. She was so sweet and rambunctious. The first night she jumped out of her puppy pen despite her stitches from being fixed and ended up sleeping in my parents’ bed. We called her Cami and for a long time she was our only dog. She became a staple of the family; after a while being with her was like second nature, and when we talked about family we included her without question. She was a lot like me and my dad - kind of introverted, which is a bit weird for a dog but it was just the way she was. She loved to cuddle and go on long walks.

About 5 years later my mom was on her way to work when she had to stop the car because there was a dog in the street running towards her. He didn’t have a collar or anything, so she assumed he was lost or stray. He was so friendly, though, and was a toy Pomeranian which is definitely odd for a stray dog. She put him in our yard with Cami, because she still had to go to work, but decided we would take him to the shelter later to see if he was lost or something. The shelter told us that he had a chip and was actually a senior dog at 10 years old, which I never would have guessed with how active and playful he was. They called the number on the chip, but even after 2 to 3 weeks, whoever had chipped him never came for him. We decided to adopt him and named him Crow after the character from MST3K (no real reason, we just liked the name). We knew he was old and already had a bit of a breathing problem so we did have to contend with the knowledge that he may not be around much longer, but we did not love him any less for it.

For about 4 years it was the four of us and those two dogs and it was wonderful. Crow was the silly ditzy one and Cami was the quiet, wise one.

One day while we were watching tv with the dogs, Crow’s breathing became very wheezy. He did sometimes have wheezing fits on account of his breathing problems, but this time it was much more severe and didn’t let up after a while. After a long discussion, we decided that it might be his time and scheduled a vet visit the next day. It had to be in the afternoon, though, because everyone had work or school that day - everyone except me. I couldn’t drive, so for hours, while everyone else was away, I stayed with Crow and watched as he deteriorated. I have a video from that day where he is sitting on the floor and wheezing, looking very tired, but when I call his name he perks up and starts wagging his little curly tail while still wheezing. By the time my mom and brother finally got home, he was barely alive and I had to hold him up. He died while we watched over him and pet him in his last moments. Not long after, we took the body to the vet’s. My dad came home much later and I was still sobbing. I knew Crow was old, but I just wish it had been easier for him. Worse, we were just about to leave on a planned vacation, and having to call the dog sitter and tell him that he would only be looking after one dog instead of two was so surreal. On the vacation I felt guilty for having fun, but I ultimately knew that it had been Crow’s time.

3 months later, Cami got very sick. She had been dealing with digestive problems for a couple years and we had been working on it with help from the vet, but eventually at some point it just got so much worse. She had terrible diarrhea and eventually wouldn’t eat. Initially my parents said she was probably fine (this was before she stopped eating), but I insisted that we take her to a pet hospital to get checked out. I was still thinking about Crow and I was worried we would lose her too. Soon after my parents finally decided we needed to take her to an emergency clinic. We spent an entire day calling and driving between many, many clinics. Most of them were too busy to take her. Eventually we found one that could take her in and by that time she was in rough shape. She was panting a lot and couldn’t stand up. I still clung to hope and my parents’ earlier words that she was probably going to be fine (though by that point I’m sure they had realized something was very wrong) and felt so relieved that we had finally gotten her somewhere we could get her medical treatment. The veterinarians told us to go home and said they would call later to update us on what was wrong. Hours later, my parents walked in on me and my brother nervously watching TV. They told us that the clinic had called, and it turned out that Cami had a severe tumor on her liver that had done extensive damage to the rest of her body. There was nothing they could do for her except the obvious. It was like being punched in the gut over and over again as it really set in what was happening. My dad hugged me and cried. It was one of the very few times I have EVER seen him cry. We drove to the clinic to see her one last time. I remember she was lying there on the table, no longer panting because I assumed they had given her some pain medication, but she was very tired and skinny. Our goodbyes were painfully rushed because another family with a sick dog was waiting for the room after us. When they were about to put her down, I decided not to be in the room, because I didn’t think I could handle watching my dog die again. I regret it so, so much and, wish I had been there for her now. My mom was there for her, though. She walked back out of the clinic holding Cami’s collar and we all hugged each other and cried. A complete stranger told us she was so sorry for our loss. I didn’t get any sleep that night and I was sure I would never be happy again. Cami was only 9 years old when she died and we had her since she was just 2 months.

3 years have passed since that day. We now have two new dogs: a bonded pair of (supposed) siblings who we adopted after they were surrendered to the shelter. Their names are Kandi and Kip. Kip looks eerily similar to Cami, while Kandi has a personality a lot like Crow’s. I love them so much and I know the rest of my family feels the same. Since then I have, in fact, been happy again, because life does go on even if it seems like it won’t. Most of the time when I think about Cami and Crow, it’s about all the happy memories we had with them. But even now I sometimes still cry when I think about how they’re gone, and especially how horribly painful those last days must have been for poor Cami. I have been thinking about it and, thus, crying a lot more recently, since I am currently in student housing and am not home to see Kandi and Kip as often.

As I write this, I find myself going through it all again. I was sobbing hysterically while writing about Cami’s part. But now that I am at the end of the story I feel, perhaps oddly, a little bit better. I think simply telling the story, even to strangers on the internet, makes me feel a little bit lighter. I still don’t think I’ve fully processed the whole thing, and sometimes I feel embarrassed that I still get so upset over the deaths of my dogs even as an adult (and I was already basically an adult when they died). I just hope that maybe other people understand this feeling. I will probably be able to stop crying a minute or so from now, and, inevitably, when I think about it later, I’ll start crying again. But I like to think this has helped me, at least a little bit.

Sorry for the incredibly long post

Finding Small Steps Forward

This week has been a mix of heartbreak and tiny moments of healing. The raw pain of Week 1 is still very present, and I’m still ugly crying every day but not every minute of every day. The grief feels a little less constant, though it still hits hard when it comes.

Running has become my way of coping. I started the Couch to 5K program, and each run has turned into a grief session. While I run, I’ve been listening to audiobooks about pet grief, which has been surprisingly comforting. It’s helped me feel less alone in what I’m going through. I’ve even accelerated the c25k program in Jerry’s honor, pushing myself physically and emotionally as a way to honor his memory.

I’m also planning a shrine for him, his ashes, paw prints, a photo, and other keepsakes. Having that to focus on has helped me feel connected to him. I’ve also started imagining a future dog to run with me someday...not to replace Jerry, but to keep his spirit alive in a new way.

The grief is still heavy, and the tears still flow freely, but there are small glimpses of light. If you’re going through this too, I hope you can find something, whether it’s running, a book, or a small ritual that helps you carry on. ❤️

It’s been a year now that i lost you. I really miss you like a lot. So much has happened and I wish you were here so i can tell you all about it. It’s still really hard to sleep without you. I think about you every night and not a day goes by where i don’t think about you. I love you with all my heart. it’s really really hard to talk about you out loud( I always cry even when i see pictures of you) I always cry but it helps me to write to you. You are the best gift anyone’s ever given me. I really miss you a lot, the world doesn’t feel the same anymore but I know i’m making you proud. i really wish you were here. I still can’t believe it but i know you tried your best to stay. thank you for being my little baby and best friend.

I rescued a little kitty that I named Dusty Socks from my basement back in April. I noticed him hiding in the rafters a month before them. Oddly enough, I discovered him a day after receiving the ashes of my childhood cat.

I took him in and at first he was very nervous and would not let me touch or pet him, and was even hesitant to eat in front of me. After about 2 months and a lot of treats, he started to be more social and became such a cuddly cat! I noticed in October that he started to drool a lot and eat with the side of his mouth. I could not get a vet appointment until the beginning of December. Right before Thanksgiving, he started having watery eyes and would paw at his mouth.

I took him to the vet yesterday and my little boy was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The vet said the best thing to do is to put him down. I took him home and did more research and I feel completely helpless. As he lies in my lap and purrs I know he is just going to get worse, even if treated. The entire left side of his mouth is like a big mass.

I feel so destroyed. I thought I was helping him and he came a long way. Now I have to put him down so soon. It hurts so bad and I feel like I am doing him wrong. I scheduled a euthanasia appointment and have 1 week left with him.

Our dear 12 year old rescue was killed yesterday after being hit by a car. It was an accident and I don’t want to hold blame, but I feel so deeply conflicted. My wife thought she closed our driveway gate, but it swung back open. Life truly is a game of inches (in this case millimeters)… Our good old boy wandered down the driveway and over to a busier road, where he met his end. He was a rescue. He was so loyal. We had him for 10 years. He was there for every major milestone of our family. He helped our daughters take their first steps. He loved unconditionally. We saved him and it was our job to protect him. And in the end, I only think of how he faced death the same as any other abandoned stray: alone and likely scared… I can’t get this out of my head…

I am balancing the pain of losing him with the circumstances as to how he was killed. I am also harboring feelings of resentment toward my wife for not having been more vigilant. I feel like he was robbed of his golden years and, selfishly, a few more solid years of companionship for me and our family. I am balancing these feelings with those of remorse for my wife - I know that she is bearing a tremendous amount of guilt and she knows how much his loss has destroyed me… has this caused irreparable damage to our marriage? Am I selfish for having feelings of resentment? How do I forgive and love through this?

I’m not sure what I’m looking for by making this post. Perhaps it’s just a way for me to diary this memory, in hopes that I can revisit this post one day from a better place: one of peace, remembrance, and solace. I pray I can get there, because I am so very broken right now. I guess I am also yearning for insight and advice from a community of those with a shared experience.

Any words of encouragement or shared stories that could help would be so appreciated. TIA. ✌🏼

today she was put down. she was sick, ill + it was for the best for her to not be in pain anymore but it's so, so devastating.

I loved her so much. I had her for half of my life (age 10-20)

I can't believe she's gone

how do I cope?

My mom’s boyfriend that is close with the family is out of state to visit his relatives for a few days. He just gave us a call and told us that his whole house burnt down (the day he left) and that both his dogs are dead, as well as his two birds. I have 3 cats and a dog. I could NEVER imagine going through the loss of all my belongings and all my babies… is there anything I can do or offer to help without over stepping? If you can’t help or answer, I completely understand but I just feel at a loss of how to help at this very devastating point :<

I just had to put down my beloved Kirby today. He was a beautiful Siamese mix with gorgeous blue eyes. I am struggling as I feel robbed of the rest of the years I should have had with him. He became extremely anemic and there was nothing more to do. How do I get through this pain?

I posted in here about my perfectly healthy 2 year old cat dying suddenly and that I paid for a necropsy. Some people were curious about the results so I figured I would post for anyone who would like to know, over a month after her passing I finally have the results.

They said it was a heart defect that she was born with. Specifically it had to do with the mitral valve in the heart.

Knowing does make me feel a little better. It was driving me crazy how she was fine and then just flopped over and died in a split second and I had no idea why. I googled a little about mitral valve defects but I had to stop myself because now I'm still blaming myself for not ever having her heart checked even though there were no symptoms, no murmur or anything concerning when they listened to it. Like maybe if I insisted they check her heart they could have discovered the defect and given her medicine, given her even a little bit longer to live... I was always told at vet checkups she's very healthy. Yeah right... but anyway. There it is.

And if anyone wants to know about the kitten, I still have him. Someone I know offered to take him but I have grown attached and I couldn't give him up. I still wish I just never took him in the first place and I'm still firm in my decision to not ever get any more pets after these other two cats are gone. I can't bear this pain and knowing that the other two are guaranteed to be taken from me at any time just like she was... it just destroys me. My therapist had to make a safety plan and I got put on mood stabilizers and yeah. I haven't been doing okay. But there's the results for anyone who wanted to know.

A cat (Setty) I rescued died 7 years ago and I'm still plagued by it. I rescued him while I was living at my parents and when I moved into the city I left him there because I thought he'd be happier in the countryside and I didn't want him to get hit by a car in the city.

I can never forget the last time I saw him was when he ran out the front of my parents house and watched my car drive away with all my stuff in it.

Two months later my step dad called to say he'd died by what was probably snake bite.

We were very bonded but he was my first cat that was solely mine to look after. I'm so scared that he wasn't treated as nicely and he was confused about where I was in those last few months.

I've done more research about cats and had other cats since then. Another one I rescued died last year as she was very old. But at least I was there for her. I wasnt there for Setty though. He might still be with me now if I was around or took him with me and I feel like I totally failed him.

He had a lot of scars and obviously had a very rough life before I found him. He deserved he best. I wish I could forgive myself but I don't know how.

i'll never see her again she's gone forever. i just want to go back in time and give her a hug and never let go. this was my first loss nothing will ever compare and i will never be the same. its been years it still hurts like the first day, is it even possible to say it gets harder with time because the more time goes the farther the memories feel. i hate how time goes on. why does something so innocent have to die??? Its not fair i can't stop crying

I never usually vent about my problems on the internet, I just have been in bed crying for the past 6 hours and don't know what else to do.

My 16 year old cat passed away a year ago and my entire life has gone downhill since. I had her since i was born, I moved so much i never got to make any friends and she was the only constant in my life. I would talk to her everyday, And cuddle until i fall asleep every night. She has saved my life more times than i can count, I cannot live without her, and i don't know what to do. I freaked out when she had to be euthanized and didn't get a chance to sort out her remains, So i don't even have a piece of her with me. The worst part of all, Is that last thing she probably heard, was me screaming and crying while they took her away. I feel so guilty, I had never had to lose someone before, And i didn't know what to do. I ruined everything.

People keep saying it will get better, But I am just becoming more and more desperate to be with her again, I would do anything for her. I don't want to exist without her, i have even been looking into witchcraft and mediums, I don't even believe in spirits or the afterlife, I just refuse to accept that she's gone, And i am willing to die, if that means i can be with her again. My life is a mess and I genuinely just don't know what to do, I wish i died instead of her.

I am trying to get help, I just still feel so lost without her.

this is my boi Rocco: https://imgur.com/a/MTkRsRo

he passed last night and i feel heartbroken. please have a look at him, he was so handsome i think more people should see him. him and his brother are the best cats, he always looked at me as if i were his world and i hope he knew that he was mine

i hope that he is now safe and pain free, i wish i could have done more for him but there wasn't anything more i could do

it feels so surreal, they've both been with me for almost two decades. how are you guys honoring your pets memories? i feel like i have to do something, so far i have donated to a few animal charities in his name and im planning on lighting a candle

he's buried with my other childhood pets in our local church garden under a pear tree

12 days ago everything was normal, we were playing with our 1.5 year old boy like a normal day. Then he was feeling a bit lethargic and not himself so we took him to the vet and they recommended we take him to the ER because his bloodwork wasn’t normal.

He was in the ICU for 10 days where we heard that he wasn’t doing well, then all of a sudden he was doing better, just to be crushed with a diagnosis of an aggressive lymphoma that had reached the liver. He was no longer responding to treatment so the doctors told us to take him home. We spent the his last day giving him the best day we could before we had to say goodbye to our boy yesterday.

Everything right now hurts and seems so horrible, he had so much ahead of him. Everything was normal 12 days ago and today our boy is gone. It feels impossible that life will ever go back to being normal without him.

She was like my child.

She was a year and 10 months.

As a 24-year-old, I decided I didn't want children due to having severe illnesses.

This is hitting me really hard. It's too sudden.

She was hit by a car today, and it happened quickly, so she didn't suffer. But I didn't get to say goodbye.

I'm crushed.

She was so sweet and gentle. She brightened my world.

I’m grieving the loss of my 20 yo kitty who slept with me under the blanket every night. She’s being cremated and I’m looking for a necklace that I can put some of her ashes in to wear around my neck. Has anybody heard of such a thing? If so, please send me recommendations.

With the help of ChatGPT:

TL;DR: I adopted Wiffle, a frail and lonely male cat, on October 25, 2024, knowing he had survived a deadly disease and needed love. Despite initial struggles with my other cats, he started to improve, and we formed a deep bond. During Thanksgiving week, he had a seizure, and I knew his time was short. On December 2, 2024, I had to put him down, holding him and telling him his favor line, “You’re so handsome & I’ll Always Love you forever” as he passed. His loss has left me deeply heartbroken, and I carry his blanket with me everywhere for comfort. Wiffle was more than a pet—he was family.

Full Story:

“I recently adopted a male cat named Wiffle on October 25, 2024. When I met him, he was frail—skin and bones—and had miraculously survived a deadly disease that took the lives of his entire family. He was the sole survivor. Despite his fragile state, there was something about him that drew me in. Sitting in the corner of the shelter, he looked so lonely and sad, as if the world had forgotten him. I saw a reflection of my own struggles growing up and couldn’t leave him behind, so I adopted him on the spot, despite knowing the challenges ahead.

At home, my other three cats were initially unwelcoming, but I worked to show Wiffle that he was safe, loved, and had a place in our family. Over time, he began to improve—his once-visible bones started to build muscle, though he was still delicate. I was proud of his progress and loved him for his courage and resilience.

Then, during Thanksgiving week, Wiffle had a seizure. It was heartbreaking but not entirely unexpected; I’d always known his health was precarious. I held him, comforting him through it, but deep down, I feared this was the beginning of the end. While I was at work, I worried constantly, suspecting he might have other episodes throughout the day.

Thanksgiving week has always been a difficult time for me, as I’ve lost other pets during this season. Yet Wiffle’s loss felt especially devastating. I had adopted him knowing he needed someone to believe in him, to love him despite his fragility. And he gave me so much in return. His quiet, almost mute meows greeted me every time I came home, and I’d always tell him, “You’re so handsome!” Those words became our special bond, and now, the silence without him is unbearable.

On December 2, 2024, I had to make the hardest decision of my life—to let Wiffle go. I held him close in his final moments, thanking him for surviving as long as he did and whispering over and over, ‘You’re so handsome. I love you.’ He passed away in my arms, wrapped in the blanket he always loved.

Since his passing, I’ve been carrying his blanket with me everywhere—leaving it in my car as a comforting reminder of him. His loss has left a deep wound, and I realize I’m likely traumatized. But I can’t let go of the joy he brought me, even in such a short time. Wiffle wasn’t just a pet; he was a symbol of resilience, love, and the bond we can share with those who need us most.

it really doesn't get easier.. it legitimately feels like he passed yesterday...it's getting harder for me. I can't believe he's gone. I keep thinking this is just a nightmare or I'm hallucinating all this and he's actually still alive somehow.. idk... I just can't believe it.. He was a happy, cheerful, playful little fluffy boy just recently and now he's gone.... He's been by my side since I was 12 and now I'm 25... How am I supposed to continue without him man...

I’m extremely upset now. I still have to go to work all day in an hour too, fuck! She’s 16 years old.

She wasn’t eating much for a few months. She stopped eating her dry food months ago.

She barely ate her favorite gravy adter awhile. She ended up going from 19 pounds to 5 pounds quickly.

I got an almost $850 Xray done last month & a bloodtest too. They only found a mild heart with the heart Xray & impacted feces.

The blood test came out remarkable for a cat her age.

So now all we can do is give her fluid and injections & steroids to help her feel better temporarily.

We’ll probably need to put her down before Christmas as the vet only gave her two weeks to live.

Maybe less. We don’t want her to suffer. I can’t take time off work now as my manager is upset with me over having the last client I had talk shit about me despite doing me best to help her.

And no one can take any time off for the holidays either now anyways.

I’m extremely upset & I went through a whole box of tissues at the vets.

How do cars get cancer? Can it be prevented? Maybe if I got her teeth cleaned more & was consistent with flea & other things then she wouldn’t be sick now.

I don’t have much money & my husband is financially abusive too. I did always get her main vaccinations done one time though.

Has anyone else dealt with loosing their baby to cancer too? If so, how long did they live for after the diagnosis?