My cat went over the Rainbow Bridge ............

Oh Swampy1961, I am so sorry. Having had animal companions all my life, I know the pain only too well and it is beyond words. Sending you love.

I’m so sorry and totally understand as I’ve been there. We love our pets so much and I think our bonds with them deepened during the pandemic. I know I couldn’t have got through it without my furry companion.
Sending you a hug 🤗

I said goodbye to my beautiful girl today - she was a boxer cross aged 12. I will get another dog, but right now I feel so sad and lost - I keep seeing her at home and in the garden and I talk to her just like I always have, but she is not there and I dread going to bed as I always walked her outside at bedtime and then tucked her up with her toys. I feel tears already just thinking about it. Every one has been really kind and helpful and I am grateful to the vets for their help and advice, but there is a huge gap in my life. She was my friend through Covid - someone to walk and talk to and my constant companion during problems at home and beyond - my Sadie girl - I feel I have let her down, but logically it was the right decision. She just kept being sick and nothing could stop it. Blood tests showed her liver and kidneys were ok, but the vets believed there was a blockage, but she was too sick to go for xray and if it proved that there was a tumour nothing could have been done - so it was the right decision, but it hurts and I miss her so much. I am dreading bedtime and laying there thinking about her. I keep pretnding she is still here and that nothing has changed - maybe that is the only way to get through it.

Grannmarie

Swampy, I'm so sorry to hear that you have lost your beloved cat. She was part of your family for 20 years so of course you are bereft. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you, and you did her the final kindness so that she would not suffer. Your memorial album is a nice idea, take comfort from your happy memories.

We've just lost our 12 year old Granddog, his family are just heartbroken, the grandchildren are taking it hard.
When beloved pets depart they leave a whole in your heart.🐕🐈‍⬛ 💔 🌈

Hole....not whole🤣

Oh what a handsome cat!!

We have a very similar looking neighbourhood cat called Kevin - who is well known for peering in peoples' windows and helping himself to any pet food left down for the residents pets if the back door is left open. No one has the heart to be cross with him!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202308/medium-268324-100-9126.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202308/medium-97550-8c4bd182dedfce72adebff39e908821f-0n.jpg

My nephew was devastated when his 22 year old cat had to be PTS. She was having fits and had gone blind. He swore he would never get another.

A few months later one of his mates brought him a kitten in a box that was being ill treated (the kitten not the box). He was a lovely ginger kitten bit not at all affectionate. However he has gradually got more friendly.

These are the pictures of when he first arrived - hiding under the bath and later as a grown up cat. His name is Buddy.

Condolences to you Swampy for the loss of your cat, what a good age she lived to and you had 20 years of having her in your life although as you said in your post you still are waiting for her to saunter in and jump onto the arm of the chair.
The grieving stage takes us all sometime to get through although some people who are not big pet lovers can not understand those sad feelings work through your grief at your own pace and in your own time.

So sorry to hear about your much loved cat swampy. We lost our beautiful Claudia 6 weeks ago so I know how you're feeling. Claudia was 14 with stage 4 CKD but it was still so very hard to make that final decision. Give yourself time to grieve, it's important.

So sad for you. It's the loss of a family member. Sending you hugs x

So sorry to hear this.🌹

I too lost a dear Cat who was just a few weeks from her 20th birthday.

Big permanent paw prints will always be in your heart.

Good idea about the photos. We have pics of all our old cats and often enjoy looking at them and talking about them to the DGSs who love to do that.

Swampy, I'm so sorry to hear that you have lost your beloved cat. She was part of your family for 20 years so of course you are bereft. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you, and you did her the final kindness so that she would not suffer. Your memorial album is a nice idea, take comfort from your happy memories.

We've just lost our 12 year old Granddog, his family are just heartbroken, the grandchildren are taking it hard.
When beloved pets depart they leave a whole in your heart.🐕🐈‍⬛ 💔 🌈

Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to reply.
It is never easy for any of us to lose a pet and although we still miss her and have the odd tearful session, she isn't in pain now.
We have found pictures on our phones and social accounts and put them into an album dedicated to her.
Memories of some of the daft things she got up to - have enlightened a sad time for us with a smile.

It’s heartbreaking. I feel your loss. I’ve not been without a puss since before I was married. Loss is never easy.
hugs

We have all been through this and it is so hard.

Like all grief it has to run its course, and the pain will lessen.

You did what you could and what you ought to - cold comfort now, but comfort all the same.

So very sorry Swampy you must be devastated after having her in your life for so long. You did the last loving thing you could for her.

I recognise all you say only too well, Swampy. Cry your tears, your pet was a special someone in your heart.

It's heartbreaking, so sorry to hear this... she had a lovely long life with you

So very sad Swampy. Our cats give us so much joy and demand so little in return.
Of course you are both missing her dreadfully, but you can know that you gave her the best life and also made sure that you gave her the best end too. Not all cats are so lucky to have such a loving home with such caring humans.
Take care

Oh it's heart breaking isn't it Swampy and it really is losing a member of the family. I'm s sorry you've lost her

So sorry to hear you have lost her. They leave such a hole, it is a genuine bereavement.

I just had a text from DD to say that they have lost one of their two rescue cats, which they had had for 20 years, and obviously the young GC are very upset. At least she was found dead in the morning, so no need for a difficult decision. However DD is going through a mental health crisis, this did not help.

But I didn't mean to take over your thread Swampy and I do want you to know how much I sympathise.

How dreadfully sad. I've had to have 3 cats put to sleep, it was awful every time. It felt like a betrayal even though their lives were getting unbearable. Poor old moggie, and poor you.

So sorry to hear about your lovely cat, Swampy. All pet-lovers can empathise. They leave such a big void when they go and we grieve because they are family members.

Big hug for you.

Very sorry, .

It's so very sad when we lose our furry friend. Our 2 cats were put to sleep recently. They were 19 and were on medication for a while but it was obvious they were not well. I cried buckets - and still 'see' them in their favourite haunt ie under the hall radiator. I feel for you swampy1961