The Rainbow Bridge

I was adopted by my first cat in 2017. In December of 21, she began to lose weight, & got very weak. Despite me spinning of fortune in tests, she passed away after rallying for about a month in March 2022. I was completely grief stricken, but I called the pet crematorium and as I’m handicapped, they came and picked her up.

A few days later, as an employee of the crematorium lived in my apartment complex, she came and dropped my baby off in a beautiful wood box. She also brought me a plaster cast of her little paw print. I had both on a shelf in my living room.

As I said, I’m handicapped, and unfortunately I had to go to a rehab facility for about a month as I was having problems walking. I came home and found the little mesh bag with the paw print on the floor, smashed. Apparently, my roommate thought that it was a cat toy or something, and stepped on it as it apparently fell off the shelf.

He felt terrible and apologized. I told him it was fine and then I went to my bedroom and sobbed hysterically for about two hours. I have a new cat now, but it doesn’t matter - that wound is still open and I miss her so much that It hurts.

My sweet cat Lily passed away late August, so a little over two months ago now. She was around 14. She was my best friend. Period. I don’t think any creature, human or not, got to know me as well as she did. She influenced me as a person. I’m 22 now, so she’s been in my life longer than she hasn’t. Part of me died along with her.

I graduated college in May and moved out early August. Soon after, my mom was telling me she had bloody and runny stool. She took her to the vet. Suddenly, she called me and put me on FaceTime with the vet. There, I learned that an X-ray showed a massive tumor in her abdominal region. They couldn’t tell what organ was affected, nor did I ever find out. She would’ve had to go to a specialist. Biopsy and treatment was too expensive and I couldn’t afford to take on so much debt just out of college. Not to mention risky—she was anemic and might’ve needed a blood transfusion. It was too much for me.

I bought a ticket home ASAP to see her. The first thing I did when I got home was lay on the floor. The first thing she did when she saw me was lay with me, on my arm. We took her to the vet again a few days later to see if her blood cell count would improve, which might’ve made treatment an option again. It didn’t. My heart shattered right then and there, and I’m not sure I know how to put it back together.

The vet offered steroids to give me steroids to give me more time with her. I declined at the time because I was starting a new job in another state soon and I knew I needed to say goodbye while I was with her. I also didn’t want to prolong her suffering.

I scheduled for an at-home euthanasia. I played bird videos for her. I let her lay on my laptop all she wanted. I let her drink out of my water cup. I let her gorge herself on Temptations catnip flavored treats. I gave her cantaloupe and McDonald’s nuggets and I cooked bacon for her. I bought her thyme sprigs, catnip toys, and cat grass for her to enjoy. She never showed any signs of weakness besides the blood in her stool. Her pain meds made her wobbly and lethargic, but she purred constantly. She even played with her favorite toy from time to time.

The vet was so kind to her. She brought clay paw sets and I now have her little paw on my bedside every night now.

But now and then I get really sad. Obviously, I miss her. So much. That cannot be overstated. But there are a few other things that I know logically I should let go but emotionally I keep getting hung up on them. I sometimes think I should’ve let her go on those steroids. Maybe she could’ve gotten more time to enjoy life pain-free. And sometimes I regret not petting her more during her passing. I was kinda in shock when the vet arrived so I wasn’t at her side until she was beginning to be sedated. And during the sedation, she vomited. I feel terrible that she felt sick during her last moments. I never stopped petting her the entire time she was sedated. And also, the morning of her last day, I couldn’t get her to take her pain meds. I kept trying to hide them in her favorite treats, but she kept managing to eat around it. I really feel so horrible at the thought she might’ve been feeling a lot of pain on her last day.

This really really sucks. She was my best friend. Sometimes I felt like we were truly on the same wavelength. We didn’t need the English language. We had our own bond. I miss you Lily, my sweet angelic puff.

I look up to God and bargain that she better be in heaven having the time of her life. Which I do believe but I miss her like anything regardless.

She was one of 5 cats in the house but now it feels like there’s something missing as I see the other 4.

I’d love for people to give tips on how to go through this griefing journey. I know loss never truly goes away but just eases over time.

Hello,

We said goodbye to our KC three weeks ago. I have been on an intense grief journey and I feel like I'm just such a bummer to be around. I am generally having a much tougher time than my partner, which makes sense because I was with this cat constantly for the five years I had her. We were closely bonded. Of course my partner was her mom, she loved and was a part of her life, but she's not taking this nearly as hard as I am.

I'm on my own journey, seeing a therapist, and going through some painful growth, but I feel myself changing and generally being in a dark place. I'm struggling to take care of myself and dealing with depression. In all of this I'm worried about how my partner is doing, since she's also lost her cat and now she's watched me basically fall apart. I think I'll land on my feet but I'm still reeling and I don't know. Just wondering if anyone has any advice for me

What was that? That moment time froze, my mind was the quietest it's ever been. What was that immense wave of love, and joy and loss hitting me all at once.

It was part of me, the parts of how I walk, lay and love. How I long to explore, jump and run. The way my hand gently clentches a loved one it's holding, the way I never back down from someone who's hurting. The way I only want everyone to be happy and healthy.

That's a planet, that is a god presiding over the realms of earth. That is an energy so large it consumed the world, it shaped the fabric of my reality. It reminded me who I am and who I want to be.

What is that? We would always ask him, as he looked on and humored us. For as great and wise as he was, he knew what everything was. He knew he was quietly teaching us every step of the way.

What was that brief moment in time that all comes rushing together into a symphony of love and joy, always looking up into the stairs with bright wide joyful eyes?

That is my boy Neptune, a Cat transcending life and time.

He was just a scrappy chihuahua mutt that we got from the shelter as kids. We had him ten years, from grade school up. He wasn't particularly cute or well trained, was a bit spoiled and got grumpy and tired easily. Not a remarkable dog to anyone on the outside looking in. But he was everything to my family. When I think about how we acted around each other before we had him versus after, it's night and day. We had so much love for this little dog that it helped us love each other more too. Coming home from school to him waiting at the door, taking silly pictures of him, my dad picking him up and singing random dad rock lyrics to him. I don't know what my family would've been like if we hadn't had him in our lives.

And then one day I'm hanging out on campus and I get the text that he's gone. They found him in the backyard with our other dog sitting beside him so he wouldn't be alone. His health had been declining for years, but I really thought we had more time with him. Sometimes I try to imagine what his last few moments were like. I hope with all my heart that he didn't suffer. I hope he stepped outside and laid down in the sun and fresh air for his last backyard nap, and knew that we'd be home for him soon.

I miss you so much, buddy. I think about you every day.

Today marks two full weeks since my beloved soul cat, Jack-Jack, tragically crossed the rainbow bridge. He was 5 years old and taken far too soon. He was my only pet, my shadow, and my best friend. The mutual love and bond we shared was obvious to everyone who met him. I felt a connection to him the moment I met him, like we were meant to find one another. We loved each other so much and the hole in my heart feels like it is destroying me. I love hard, but unfortunately, I grieve even harder.

While I have an amazingly supportive and loving husband, the quiet and loneliness in my home is a constant reminder of my loss and sadness. I work 100% remotely, so we were together all day every day. In my grief, I’m struggling to maintain any semblance of a routine. I can barely sleep, eat, and I’ve struggled to even leave the house to workout or be social with friends - both things I previously did on a very regular basis. I struggle on and off with feelings of guilt, that I failed my baby, and that I was not worthy of such an amazing creature to the point that I question what my purpose is.

All of that said, I go back and forth on the idea of getting another cat. My husband is supportive of whatever I feel is right. Advice from friends, family, and reading similar Reddit posts provide mixed opinions. I know no cat will ever replace JJ, but sometimes I feel that having a new cat could possibly help to heal my heart and make me feel like I have purpose again.

If and when I do get another cat, I would only get one that I feel an immediate connection with. However, how will I know when the time is right? Does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, on getting a new pet this soon after loss?

My cat died 4 months ago but it feels like four years ago. I'm having ups and downs, and I feel guilty whenever I'm happy. Like how can I be happy if she's gone? Nothing feels right anymore.

Almost everyone who's lost a pet talks about how they cried every day for months or something but for me it's so hard to cry. I feel like I'm still in shock. It feels like time moves really slow and she either died yesterday or like 10 years ago. It feels like I'm super close to her death while very far away from it.

I think I've gotten great at compartmentalizing but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'll go about my day and just not think about it until one of my late cats favorite pillows will fall on the floor and I'll freak out - bc none of her stuff can ever touch the ground. Her favorite toys have lost her smell. I can't smell her on my stuff anymore.

My parents got a new cat. I'm super supportive and I love this new cat but I wasn't ready for it. Im trying too hard to love this new cat even though she's already very lovable. It's just been hard! Sorry for the rant. Thanks for reading if u did!

We lost our baby 01Jul, 4 months ago. I’ve been through grief. It sucks. I dream of an alternative reality that I wish I could jump to. She beat it - we beat it. Her body didn’t fail her.

We’ve since welcomed a puppy and two kittens. While I love them - they’re not her, they could never be, nor should they be her. They bring us their own joy. She should be there WITH them.

Too soon, too sudden. Out of our control. Despite all the love she or we could spare. It sucks.

I guess with recent holidays it hurts just as hard. We finally got her portrait tattooed on us. As my husband put it, it’s like caring for her all over again. What I would give for one more day with her.

For those new or old with this pain, know you’re not alone and that love is forever. The good or the bad, I’d choose her every day even knowing the pain it would bring. 💔

My friends and I planned a Halloween party right before my cat passed away suddenly. I decided to still host the party despite feeling unmoored by her loss because many of my friends are cat lovers who knew and cherished her, too, and I felt that having them around would make processing her loss a little less painful.

Prior to the party, I had to clean and vacuum which was really hard because part of me felt like I was washing her away. Everything was as close to spotless as possible. I didn’t find a single dropped whisker while cleaning either, which I was saddened by.

Fast forward to the party last night, we’re sitting and talking (well, I was mostly listening) and I look down and right by my hand, sitting like it’d been placed gently on top of the rug, was a perfect little whisker. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I think she was with us, letting me know she’s okay. She was a really sweet, social cat who never met a person she didn’t love, and she was fond of one of my friends who was there last night; this friend also found a whisker later in the evening.

She passed away on Monday and it’s been such a horrible horrible week without her. I don’t know how I’m going to get through the rest of the year, let alone the rest of my life, even though I know with time I will. Right now, at least this week, I haven’t been able to sleep and I spend most of each day crying. This little sign from her is bringing me so much comfort. I told her after everyone left, just said it out loud to the empty room, that I am grateful to her for it and that I love her so much. I miss her.

I adopted my void kitty Moira when she was 5mos old in 2018. I found her within a month of my dog passing literally in my arms after 13 years together. She hopped onto my shoulder and screamed at my hair in the kitty room at the shelter, and we were besties ever since. She was super weird, super sweet, and loved me as much as I (still) love her.

About a month ago she was making a slight weird noise when breathing sometimes, but not often. I only heard it a couple of times over the next few weeks, then she started coughing this past Wednesday so I called out of work and took her straight to the vet. She was completely chill there, rubbed all over the vet and tech, was super cooperative and sweet. They said her vitals were perfect and they didn’t really hear anything, even got a third opinion, but the vet tech was able to hear it at one point. They suggested X-rays so we did those, the vet’s initial reaction was that her lower lungs looked “busy” so she was going to send them to the radiologist and get back to me the next day.

Thursday morning I get a call saying the radiologist saw her heart and some veins slightly enlarged and with everything combined they thought it was congestive heart failure. Both the vet and my friend who just got out of school for pet medicine said they didn’t think that was the case, “but they did a residency and I didn’t so I’m going to listen to what they say.” The vet says since she’s completely stable I have a bit more time and she sent me cardiologists in the area so I could look into getting an EKG but we would do a chem panel and start her on diuretics then redo X-rays. She’s hanging out at my feet playing while I’m on the phone, acting normal, eating, drinking, etc. You’d have no idea anything was wrong.

That night I hung out with her when I got home and went to bed around 2am. At about 6:15am Friday morning, my other cat and I woke up to her yowling. She was having a hard time breathing. I immediately ran out the door with her to take her to the emergency vet. I pet her the whole way and told her how much I loved her and to hold on so I could get her some help.

After checking her out, the vet came in and told me it was in fact congestive heart failure, and even if we were able to get her stabilized and remove fluid from her lungs, the prognosis would probably be about six uncomfortable, expensive months. I didn’t want to do that to her so I made the gut wrenching decision to end her suffering. She was only 7. I thought I would have at least five more years with her, minimum. I made sure I was with her, they had to bring me back to where she was because they didn’t want to take her off the oxygen. I made sure she knew I was there, pet her head and let her smell me, and again told her how much I loved her.

I feel so guilty for not getting her checked as soon as I noticed something was off, even though the medical professionals have assured me it wouldn’t have made a difference. I feel guilty because she was so scared over that last hour. I wish there was literally anything I could’ve done but I didn’t want her in pain or scared anymore.

I know she loved me and had a good life and I know she knew I loved her but I am having such a hard time with this. She and my other cat didn’t get along and he realized almost immediately what happened when I came home without her. I’ve just been cuddling him since yesterday morning. Her absence isn’t as jarring with him around because she usually kept her distance when he was with me. But I keep looking for her and finding her hair on things and dreamed about her and I just miss her so much. She was my perfect little baby and I had no idea she had anything wrong with her. She had no history of heart issues but I was also told that, unless I had an EKG done somewhere along the way, I never would’ve known anyway.

I want to forget the sound she made when she was deteriorating. It happened so fast and I don’t understand how she went south so badly in four hours. This hurts so much.

I just lost my 3 year old pet pitbull. Never in a million years I thought that I would lose my baby girl to a simple neutering procedure. The worst part is that i cannot even grieve the loss because of my recently diagnosed clinical anxiety getting triggered. I got her when she was 45 days old right after I lost my father to COVID. I naned her "Hope" because that's what she was for me. My father's death took a major toll on my health, and being the elder son of the family, losing your only parent is something that takes ages to recover from. Right after his death, we ended up losing our house, and then a month later, I lost the girl I was in love with. Among all that turmoil, my younger brother and I had "Hope" whose presence made a major impact on our mental health. She was closer to me since we got to spend more time with one another. Whenever I used to come back home from a tiring day, while fighting depression, stress, and tension from the loss, her welcoming me with her wagging tail and smile just took everything away. She was such a friendly, sweet, and welcoming pitbull who changed other people's perspective on the breed. Being a guy, we are trained not to show pur emotions to the outside world no matter what but whenever I had my breakdowns, my baby girl used to come up to me and just lay down on my lap, making me snap out of my depressed state and get back to reality. The only hard pill I was preparing myself to swallow was that her life expectancy was for only 12-15 years and then the inevitable would happen but I never thought I will be experiencing the loss of something so close to my heart.

I took my baby to the vet in Thursday for the neutering procedure because she got pregnant again by one of her offsprings while I was making rounds of the hospital because his newborn son was on ventilator and I did not wanted her to have any more puppies since that process reduces their lifespan. I got all her bloodwork done. Everything was going as planned. I sat in the waiting lounge while the doctors were doing the surgery, but after 2 hours, I was told that my baby girl had a cardiac arrest while being under anesthesia. At first, I thought the doctor was only joking around, and that was until I saw her body lying on the operating table nonresponsive. My whole world shattered, and everything went just blank. I still cannot believe that she's no more, I had to bury her in some random empty space because the country I live in does not have any pet cemeteries nor do we have any procedures to help animals if they encounter a cardiac arrest.

I still have 3 more dogs in my house, and they are feeling the same depression because me and my family and I are trying to recover from this loss. The things I am feeling are anger, guilt, anxiety, depression and many more. My therapist, who has been helping me out with my anxiety, is also telling me to move on along with everyone in my family. I have shut myself off, disconnected from everyone, and tried to spend as much time in a dark room because even if I look at a slight glimpse of light, it reminds me of her. After my father's death, I used to smoke up a lot, which helped me compress my emotions and bottle it up properly, but it's been more than a month now, I'm clean and sober. My baby girl was helping me out with my recovery, and now she has left me too. People who may have gone through something similar, I'm hoping if someone can tell me that when does it get better?? People telling me to move on, will they ever understand that it is not easy to move on, especially when you have lost a major anchor of your life? If it does get better, would it make me a bad pet parent for moving on? I know life doesn't stop for anyone, but at the same time, losing the lives of your closed ones weighs your progress down. I just want to hold her one more time and tell her that I'm sorry for not being able to protect her and make sure she lives a happy life with me and the family. I cannot sleep without feeling her all snuggled up next to me in bed, making sure I was safe even in my sleep. I see the glimpse of her in the dogs I have at home but it's not the same and it's not even fair to them.

I'm just clueless tbh...

I lost Bear on Nov 13th last year. And I keep thinking about how this time last year I had no idea I was about to lose my baby. I had no idea hemangiosarcoma was stealing him from me. I had no idea he was silently battling something we couldn't cure.

This time last year I was less than 10 days away from taking Bear to the emergency vet... The whole drive there I suspected I was being dramatic. Instead, he never got to come home with us. And 2 days later he was gone.

And I keep thinking about how in just a few weeks Bear won't be in my "this time last year"...

And how the person I was this time last year wouldn't recognize the life I have right now.

I have 2 new dogs..I'm no longer self-employed... Instead I'm an employee..and instead of feeling light and happy, I feel so sad and tired.

Sometimes I think I'll never really be happy again. I know I'm making progress and therapy is helping. But November is just hard right now.

I miss Bear so so so much. This is so hard guys.

She is completely inconsolable and we are all in shock as it was instant, I know this is very dark but she doesn’t want to let go of the body, and we genuinely don’t know how to console her. Any input would be wonderful

I took in 2 feral kittens at about 4-5 months of age back in 2018. They were bonded and my only pets at the time.

Fast forward 7 years and our female has become more friendly to pets, brushing, and ear scritches. Her brother still hates hands and only lets you pet him while he eats treats.

We had to put him down yesterday. I will never forgive myself for having to put him down. I had a suspicion something was wrong in early October because he wouldn’t finish his nightly treat. A few days later he started throwing up foam and wasn’t eating or drinking. We let it go a few days since they both tended to get stressed out easily and would avoid eating, drinking, or going to the litter box for a day or two. When we first moved into our house 3 years ago, they hid for a week and I don’t think they moved at all. We tried Gabapentin but it had zero effect on them.

He suddenly started drinking water and eating again. He was acting normal and as far as we could tell he was using the litter box just fine. We went on vacation for a week, but 10 days after we got home he started showing the same signs. No eating, no drinking, vomiting foam. He would randomly get spurts of energy and run around with our younger cat. We waited a few days to see if he start drinking. When he didn’t we got him into the vet and they came back with the news he was in advanced stage of liver failure. We decided to euthanize him since the chances of him recovering were very slim. The vet basically lectured me about how poor condition he was in. I feel like a worthless human being and wish I had taken him to the vet as soon as I thought something was wrong. I promised myself I will never adopt feral cats again. Not because of how they are, but because I failed him and never want to go through that again. We had tried taking them both to the vet for check ups through the years but it has always been difficult to find a vet who actually handles feral cats in my area and it’s always incredibly stressful on the cats.

I feel like I’m making excuses but I am going to beat myself up for a long time over this. The what if we took him to the vet a month sooner? What if we took them to the vet every year like we’re supposed to? I really hate myself right now.

After nearly 6 years with him by my side, my greatest companion, my soulmate I'd like to think; has passed. It's not a day I thought about because I truly believed we had more years together, he was not even 7 years old yet. We did have more years together, but you were stolen from me and I do not know how to grieve it.

The morning of Oct 30th, my cat Oliver was outside on the farm he was living at and was attacked by two abandoned Dobermans. I don't blame the dogs, they had been dumped in the woods near my home. They were starving, scared and resorted to survival.

I can't help but be angry anyways because in the end, my cat went into shock, his kidneys failed and he lost a lot of blood. My mom went over the speed limit to get me to the hospital to see you, I did make it in time, they were still performing some life saving measures. They said you would not likely survive longer then two weeks if you survived that day.

Your kidneys were too damaged, you could not recieve sedatives or strong pain medication, as it would just bring more harm. I couldn't let your last few days alive be in so much pain like that, it would have been so cruel. They let me see you before I made my decision, it wasn't easy to make but it was obvious, I had to let you go. You were awake when I walked into the room, it was so strange seeing you like that, with IV's in your leg and you looked so tired. You were still loopy, you drifted in and out of consciousness. The bite marks around your neck broke my heart and I couldn't help but feel so angry.

How could this happen? And why you, of all things? You are good, such a calm creature. You never scratched at people and the only time you would ever bite was when I nuzzled your nose so you would gently bite mine back. You craved forehead kisses, often waking me out of my sleep by hitting your forehead against my mouth. My chest and back was your favourite place to sleep, I have countless videos and photos of you cozying up to me. You are a chronic drooler, my clothes getting damp as you dreamed but I could never attempt to wake you.

You went quickly after the injection, you were in pain and you were ready. I hope that me being there helped take away some of that pain, I hope you know I haven't stopped thinking about you. I can't stop wondering if I could have changed anything about that day. I want to wake up from this nightmare. I want to come home to that scrawny little cat that stole pizza from my mouth, to the grumpy old man who liked to sleep in boxes.

Pictures and videos are all I have left of you. I wish cats lived forever.

Hello everyone, I am trying to cope with the loss of my dog, Bubica but unfortunately we lost her at 18.10. due to kidney failure as it seems at so young age of 6. She was most active dog, known all around the neighborhood for her amazing spirit, love for kids and people and making everyone smile. I was most proud and happy when people said we look alike 😁 It is slighly more than two weeks, and I miss her everyday- her striking but gentle eyes, her paws, her sighs, her running around in circles to catch the ball, her bark, our naps and games in the bed, and the softness of her coat and smell that gave me comfort everytime I would kiss her and put her near myself. House is empty, I am empty, and this void is so real and so deep that I feel like my heart is taken out of my chest. This post is a testament to her and what she has meant to me, she is love of my life, my other half, my spirit, my motivation and my reason why. This journey of grief is a marathon, and I would like to send big support for everyone going through the same path- it is a mix of tears, feeling guilty, questioning everything, but mostly missing her and wishing she was here for all of the next things in life. I hope to see her again, and I hope she knows what she meant to me, how much I loved her and that we fought until the very end.

Bubi, my smallest and softest, love you forever and more ❤️

Rosie was the kind of cat that self proclaimed cat haters would call the exception to their rule, she was friendly and gentle. She would often visit our neighbours who all liked her, people would walk through our road on their way to/from work/school to pet her and receive some love from her. I loved to watch all the people she’d make smile, men, women, teens, little boys and girls. How the most macho of men would soften to her, and the rambunctious child would calm down to be gentle with her. She meant a little something to so many people.

She was my childhood cat, I had her in my life since being 8 years old, I’m 26 now and moved out a few months ago. I was visiting home last weekend to be with my family on the 11th anniversary of my father’s death. On that day mother and I hear barking come from our front yard, from the window we see a dog that had been let off the leash being dragged out of our garden and Rosie run under a car. I rush down to her, gently pull her out and she’s all wet from the dogs bites, blood is all in her mouth, I saw her take a laboured breath. After that more blood bubbled from her mouth which she opened wide, as if to scream. I gently cupped her head, put my other hand on her back, to let her know I was here. She stopped breathing.

I was the only one who saw how much pain Rosie was in, to protect my sister I lied. I said she looked frightened and that it was shock or a heart attack due to old age that killed.

Rosie has a sister, at 17 I knew their time would be sooner rather than later. but I wasn’t expecting this to be the reason I had to say goodbye to either of them.

I’m so angry and upset. I cannot believe that she is actually gone.

Just slightly over one month ago, I had to make the horrible choice to put my baby boy down.

He was a nearly four year old orange cat. That little guy had been my best friend for the past four years of my life, which also happened to be my first four “real” years of adulthood. I brought him home to my very first apartment when he was, in all honesty, too young to have been sold to me. From that day forward he became my very best friend. I was so in sync with him as he was to me. A month ago I came home from school and found him paralyzed from the waist down on my bedroom floor. I brought him to the vet immediately, where she diagnosed him with a saddle thrombus. I ultimately made the decision to put him down and end the pain for him.

A few weeks went by and I was a wreck. I wasn’t sleeping. Every time I came home from class I would just break down sobbing. The house was eerily quiet. My girlfriend encouraged me to me to go with her to the animal shelter and just meet some cats.

When we walked in, there was an orange and white kitten, about 5 months old, who was looking at me. I immediately looked away from him and declared out loud that I’m not walking out with a cat, and definitely not the doppelgänger of my dearly departed. Well, we met with some of the kittens and none of them were very interesting to me. They seemed very independent and I enjoy cuddly cats. We pet some more through the little bars of their cages, and right when we were about to leave I decided I wanted to pet the little orange one.

They opened up his cage, I went to pet him, and he started purring so loudly. He was grabbing my hand with both of his paws and licking my fingers. He was very cute, but my mind was made up. Or… so I thought. His name at the shelter was “circumstance” and he was brought in as a starving stray. Honestly, the similarities between them was quite jarring, but given the “circumstances” he seemed like he would make a nice friend for me.

I felt really guilty when I first brought him home. As if my now deceased cat, Mooky, would be upset with me or think I was replacing him. We decided to name him Jack and slowly but surely he has been able to open up my heart. He has helped break the silence and give me something to care for. Nobody could ever replace my Mooky, but Jack would’ve made a good brother for him. Crying less has made me feel guilty for allowing myself to heal. I miss my baby, but my new friend needed a loving home that I am able to provide.

Long story short, don’t feel guilty for allowing yourself to cope. There is never a “right time” to get a new pet, but if you have the space in your heart, a new friend is never the wrong choice. I know Mooky would have wanted me to be happy, and Jack has been able to absolve me of some guilt.

Hi everyone,

I lost my beautiful cat Daisy last Saturday. She was only 1 year old and she fought a hard battle against FIP. Unfortunately she didn’t make it and my husband and I had to make the hard decision to say goodbye.
Although it hurts like hell, I feel like she has already left us some beautiful signs that she is in a better place. Everytime the pain hits me I think of these little signs and it does ease my pain a little bit. I wanted to share some of her beautiful signs and I would love to hear yours too. The first sign was when we return from the animal hospital with her body. We planned to give her a proper burial. As we opened up the trunk where her body was this beautiful white moth flew out. My husband caught it with his hands and he let it go outside. I truly feel like this was a sign of her soul. When I google it a white moth represent the soul going towards enlightenment as well as the passing of a loved family member. A few days later I came home from work and the nanny dressed my toddler with a grey shirt that had a giant white moth in the center. I didn’t even know she owned a shirt like that but right away it reminded me of my daisy girl. The rest of the week I saw beautiful sunsets that reminded me of her, clouds that were the colour of her fur, and a group of dark birds with just one white pigeon in the centre. I also have terrible hip pain from pregnancy and this whole week I have barely felt any pain. I do think these are little gifts that she left behind for us. I love her so much and I miss her. I know she’s with me and I know one day I will meet her beautiful soul again. 🤍

It’s been over a year. A year and 7 months to be more precise. When I look at old photos, or snapchat memories, I tend to think of time like ‘before Cartney’ and ‘after Cartney’. I look at my face in those photos and I can tell I was happier.

Every time I’m alone at home I get so sad. The past week has been especially bad for no reason in particular. I’ve just been crying a lot, thinking about her. I miss her so much. Today I broke down as soon as I got home from work. I think it was because I saw my neighbors walking their dog and their dog had a similar face shape to my girl’s, and also had a pink nose like how she did too. I think it was the pink nose that really got me thinking about her.

I've been really depressed lately. And she used to be my rock. I always had her. Even if I felt the worst I’ve ever felt, she was always right there waiting to love me.

Now when I come home I don't have that same extremely over-exaggerated happy welcome she used to greet me with. Her happy screams, and her happy dance and excessive licks that I’d get from her. Now its my cat casually greeting me with his high tail and a few meows. My new dog is a Shiba and he gives me a happy greeting with airplane ears and a wiggly tail and wiggly bum (as well as his happy growls). I am thankful for those two. But boy it is nothing even close to what my babygirl always had in store for me. Those two don't care for my presence once they’ve greeted me. Cartney was obsessed with me, she was always giving me affection. I crave that affection now. So so so badly.

The fact that I’ll never hold her again… never pet her, never kiss her, never cuddle her or even just be with her again. God it fucking kills me. I wish I could go back in time and just re-live those 14 years with her on repeat, never going past them.

Its especially hard for me going through this because I always feel like so much time has passed at this point that no one around me would care to hear about my grief anymore. I always just say the same things, about how I miss my girl and I wish I could hold her. What else can they really say anyway? I feel like people expect me to be over it now. But I honestly don't think I’ll ever be over it.

Edit: I’m sorry that I can't respond to everyone. I don't have the mental capacity to form a lot of responses, but I do appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for making me feel less alone in this. I wish I could give each of you a hug. I truly love this community, you all have been there for me so many times when I needed it. So thank you<3

My cat was 13 years old, she had CKD for 3 years now. I tried my best to look after her, always give her medication, trying my best to find foods she would eat,, bought a water fountain to help her drink more, give her subcutaneous fluids at home... She always had ups and downs, however after 2 years into CKD, she started getting tired of all of this, stopped giving her subcutaneous fluids at home due to her aggression, eventually started getting tired of taking her pills too, and the last months barely took any medication.. I feel bad to not have been more persistent but it would make me feel awfull to force to gulp down pills... She was losing weight every month, despite my best efforts.. The last 2 months she started meowing more, and wanting more attention. Strangely starting eating so much better, and I was happy about it, until I took her to vet because she was vomiting again and I thought I saw blood in it. She was still losing weight... And vet told me she wasn't absorbing the food well and try some vitamins. As soon as we got home, she started trying to pee, but was peeing drops of blood.. I freak out, this has never happened before. She was more quiet than usual, just wanting to cuddle and sleep. The next day she was still down, still peeing blood and not being able to pee well, again just wanted some cuddles, and I decided then I was enough.. I saw other cats dying from CDK and it was not pretty.. I didn't want to see her suffer like that, I wanted her to go happy...

The next day I told my vet, who agreed immediately, which surprised me.. i guess I was hoping he would tell me she could still get better.. He put her to sleep, she vomited first, I felt terrible... Then I hold her in my arms while she feel asleep and the vet gave her the medicine to put her down... I am heartbroken, I can't stop thinking about it, maybe she could get better? Did I even had the right to decide this.. The amount of guilt is killing me.. was it my fault for not being persistent with her medication, did I make her more sick? What if she got better again and lived some more months?? I hate this. She was my baby, I was her mom, I would wake up every 3 hours to give her a bottle of milk when she was a baby.. this is killing me... Im heartbroken..

I love you baby kitten, please forgive me

I knew it was going to suck and I was going to be sad. But I am honestly scared about just how sad and messed up I feel right now. I can’t do anything without crying. I’m getting rid of some of her stuff today because I look at it and I can’t help but cry. If I don’t keep my mind occupied entirely I will cry. My anxiety is out of control right now. And I don’t know how to end this pain.

I know it always sucks when you lose a pet, but even my partner isn’t having the same tough time as I am. I was everything to this cat, and she was everything to me.

My 17 year old cat, Cobey, has passed away today. After getting diagnosed with cancer in his intestines and lungs, his condition deteriorated quickly. My family and I made the tough decision to put him to sleep and now that it has happened, I feel broken and my heart won't stop hurting. Tears keep coming and going. I feel like a part of me is gone now that he has passed. He was such a fighter and was still trying even though he was in pain. I don't know how to cope with him gone. I miss him already and every time I close my eyes I see his face. My baby boy I miss you.

My heart dog Bruin is 14. He’s an 85 lb pit mix that I’ve had since he was 10 weeks old.

He has bad arthritis in his front legs, neurological degenerative diseases in his spine that makes it harder and harder to control his back legs. This makes walking really difficult for him. Getting up difficult too and he occasionally falls getting up.

He also has a cancerous tumor on his front leg that doesn’t seem painful but we couldn’t remove because of his advanced age and arthritis.

He recently seems to have lost sight in his right eye. And he cannot lay sitting up for very long (probably from a combo of the spinal issues and arthritis) so he spends most of his days on his side.

I don’t really get kisses anymore and his tail rarely wags.

That said, he still loves to eat and get treats. Is drinking water. Mostly pees and poops outside tho he’s had a couple accidents in recent days.

When I lay it all out like that it feels like he’s time to let him go, but I am so grief stricken and it feels impossible to let him go. Does the loving food maybe mean he’s enjoying life still?

This is my first dog ever, I’ve never had to do this before, and I don’t want him to suffer or just “exist” because his mom can’t imagine life without him.

Is it time to let my baby go?

Edit for more context: I have talked to my vet, and he said “he’s not outright suffering, he’s existing, but I think when you’re ready, he is.”

He’s on a bunch of gabapentin and rimadyl for pain as well.

Hi everyone, I’m Mexican and I made an altar for my dog that passed away this past April, he was my childhood dog and he stayed with us for 15 years 🩷

He visited me in my dreams, I couldn’t move but he was doing zoomies all around, he came to me and I hugged him very tight. I know dogs can’t talk but in my dream, I felt like we could communicate. He looked at me and I felt like he was saying “I’m okay. I’m happy”. When I woke up, I cried a little, that dream gave me the closure I needed 🥹

I will miss him for the rest of my life; but now I know he’s okay

It’s been a month since my almost 2 year old cat was hit by a car. I’ve been thinking back to the week before it all happened and I know this sounds so odd but it almost felt like I knew. I have anxiety and my cat was like my soul purpose like everything I did revolves around him but because of my anxiety I’d always have these worrying thoughts and I constantly say things like “I don’t want him to die” or like any pet owner says “I’m scared for when they day because it has too some day”. But particularly the couple days before this happened every time I looked at him sleeping I’d just feel this overwhelming feeling and I’d be upset and id just lay with him and kiss him. I only remembered this today when scrolling through my Snapchat memories but fhe day before he was asleep on my bed in his spot and I’d sent videos to my best friend about being old with my cat and he’ll be 14 when I’m 30 something and I was just so upset at the concept knowing one day I will have to live without him and then the next day it all happened? I just think it’s so weird as it was almost like I was saying goodbye to him without even realising

My best friend’s cat has chronic kidney and heart disease. He is 16 years old, and I am aware that he doesn’t have much time left. He is not eating, not drinking or playing like he used to. I have never lost a pet before, so I’m feeling lost and unsure about what to do. I feel terrible. My friend is about to leave for Erasmus in a different country (in a week), and her cat will be staying here with her mother. I don’t know what to do or what to feel if things take a turn for the worse.

I’ve searched online. We can only expect another 6 months from her. I’ve had her since I was a little girl.

This may be unorthodox especially in this community, but she is the worst dog I’ve ever met. I love her, so much. Shes our family.

Maisy is a schnauzer poodle cross. This means she is anxious all the time. She gets so scared of the world that she will poop all over the house. She is toilet trained because she will do it and have this look on her face that says “I am so sorry I did not mean to do that” and we are like yeah I know Maisy, you were born with life on hard mode.

She is scared of other dogs and people, but is also the biggest attention seeker. Its a funny combo because she wants people to pat her but is scared the whole time.

Now, don’t call me bad dog owner. I trained this girl, we worked on our social anxiety. I encourage her to make friends, and be active.

She is now 15 years old. I suppose cancer isn’t uncommon at this age. She is so agile its insane she loves to run around and play with her little sister.

I’m thinking now I wish I had taken her out more, patted her more, treated her like a baby. I guess I always viewed her as a family member. She lived in this house alongside us and just went about her own daily routine as we did ours.

She and her sister, a big lab who is always on a weight loss program. Its a constant struggle with her. We have to be constantly vigilant because labs are known to get fat. They’re best friends. We have quite a large house and they love to run around it with eachother. Her sister grooms her, almost obsessively.

She has had a good life, lots of food, a comfy bed, attention.

But now I’m feeling guilty. Of all the times I didn’t have time for her. The times I’d get angry because she wouldn’t stop yapping at the ghosts she probably sees. When she peed on my bed I got so angry I didn’t let her sleep on my bed for a few days.

Shes healthy and shes happy but I feel so guilty. I feel like an awful person. I’m going to make her comfy, if I can. Shes already pretty comfy.

I want someone to comfort me and tell me that shes happy. That I’m feeling this way because shes going to die. That shes not mad at me.