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Sometimes words of comfort come not from experts, but from people who’ve shared a similar experience. Those cat lovers and families who have suffered the loss of their much-loved cat dealt with the issues and felt the pain you may be experiencing right now.

We are very grateful to the caring people who have kindly chosen to share their experiences and advice. We hope you find strength and comfort in their words. If you would like to add your own words of comfort and advice, please click the button below.

The comments expressed are the thoughts and views of the authors only and are not the views of the Charity. The Charity reserves the right to remove anything posted on this page anything which it deems inappropriate or unacceptable. The Charity will not engage in any correspondence should it remove such comments.

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Alfie

Steve Archer

I lost my beautiful 12 year old boy Alfie with liver failure in July 2019 I found him living on the streets 4 years ago he had skin cancer he came through that only for someone to shoot him with pellets he had a hard life but still trusted me I'm still grieving for him but I think about all the fantastic times we shared together I have just adopted a black 3 year old boy from cats protection named Bob, Alfie is living on

So Sad our Gorgeous Fur Friend has passed on

RM Owen

Yesterday 5th January 2020 our gorgeous best tortoiseshell cat of 15 years had to be put to sleep after advice from the vet that that was the kindest thing (we knew deep down). We have cried and sobbed. We miss her so much words cannot describe. She was our gorgeous, lovely, loyal, sweet, affectionate cat and had filled our home with joy, affection and happiness for years and years. Our home as now become a house, an empty, uninviting house because she is not there to greet us, when we come home. She is not there purring last thing at night, she is not there to make us laugh with her daily antics, or wake us up in the morning at the time that suited her. She is not there to sit on top of us on the sofa or bed and play pokey-paws whilst purring and getting all the attention in the world. We did not want to lose her, but more importantly we did not want her in pain or suffering. We hope she is in puddy cat heaven looking down on us and loving us as much as she always did. It is heartwrenching to lose her and right now I have no idea how we are going to get through day to day without her in our lives anymore. I sob as I write this but wanted to not only share it with other cat lovers, as those who love and connect with these amazing animals (as are all animals) will understand the depth of our loss. We love you puddy cat, we miss you so much you have no idea what prints you have left on our hearts. Love you forever and ever xxxxxxxxxxx

We re in shock still after 4 months

Diane Harrison

Our maximus our grey baby,gentlest funniest cat I ve known.. we adored him,only 5 y/o when vet put him to sleep,he had a bad /enlarged heart, could not walk due to paralysis and blood clot in hind legs,he was yowling in agony,.he was gone within hours,such a terrible shock,we miss you our baby boy,always our precious boy,,one day we ll stop crying..we hope ,,.the worst thing ever 😥rip gorgeous boy

LOSS

Helen Clay

I’m trying so hard right now to bring comfort to anyone who has lost a beloved cat. A colleague of mine said goodbye to her baby the other day, her cat was 18 so had lived a long and happy life, but I told her that I was sure when her furbaby went on her last journey she took all the love with her. My friend found comfort in this. What she didn’t know was that in the last 6 months I have had to say goodbye to my 3 boys. All 6 years of age. And my grief is like an open wound, it never leaves me, but I am trying so hard to be positive. I carry on trying to help owners in my neck of the woods to find their pets that have gone missing and my friends and I have been very successful. I hope given time I will find joy again. I have 4 girls left now out of all my rescues and one of those has got lymphoma, but I love her and will be there for her every step of the way. I just pray every day for the strength I know I will need and some how I get it. To all of you suffering, just hang on knowing that as long as you are there to say goodbye and give comfort that’s all your little one needs.❤️❤️❤️

My Love x

Shea Burns

I lost my best friend on the 27th of October 2018. The day before she was acting strange so we took her the vet but they couldnt say what was wrong. The morning of the 27th, I woke up and found her, in the under stair cupboard. I have never cried as much as I did in that very moment. I cried and cried and cried on and off for a few months. I have times where I remember her and cry, and times where I don't. when I don't cry, I feel guilty. I feel cold hearted. I feel like I should cry because I loved her. I still, a year on, look for her. I feel alone without her. But I like to believe she's watching me, everywhere I go. So to my darling Boo, I think of you each day and I will never forget you.

Teddy Eddy

Kelly Byrne

My sweet sweet boy Teddy left my life on 19th December 2019. I saw him take his 1st breath 15yrs ago and I watched him take his last. I cuddled him right up to the end and told him it was OK to go even though my heart broke. Mummy misses you so so much my baby boy and I've cried everyday since you left. Run free my special brave boy. I'll miss you till the end of time until we meet again. Your heartbroken mummy xxxx 💔😢

Goodnight Barry

Dani Pears

When I got home from work on Tuesday my fiancé told me that our cat Barry hadn’t come home. I was instantly worried as Barry always came home within a few hours. He loved being with us. He was like our little shadow. We live in a very rural area and it was dark and raining heavily so looking for him became difficult. Wednesday when we woke & he wasn’t at the door I was sick with worry. Whilst looking for him, a family member found him at the base of an electric pylon. He didn’t have a mark on him. I take comfort in the fact that he won’t have suffered but I feel broken without him. When I got Barry my life was very different to what it is now. He took away the loneliness and life improved more than one little cat could ever know. I owe him so much. But for now, I am just trying to get through the day bit by bit and the grief comes in waves. I miss my beautiful boy so much. The reality of him not coming home doesn’t feel real yet and I don’t want it to. Pet grief is difficult because people don’t understand that the pain hurts just like losing a part of the family. Because that is what has happened. You just have to carry on working as normal and put on a smile but inside you feel a bit broken. 

My beloved Pooka

Una Cassidy

My ginger tabby Pooka was 9.5 years old when I adopted her. She was full of character. She loved the co ops own version of dreamies she would sit and open her mouth and I could pop them straight in. She was so affectionate and comforting, she would nuzzle my face, and would always be in whatever room I was, purring quietly. Pooka got pancreatitis aged 14, it was treated with pain killers and steroids for 4.5 years, my vet told me he'd never known a cat to live so long with the condition. I made sure she was always happy and content. Aged 16.5 she became diabetic, I was warned that initially her appetite would increase but one day she could suddenly stop eating. There were a couple of close calls but Pooka could be very picky with food. In July without warning (aged 18.5) she just stopped eating, I closely monitored her but Pooka had decided she'd had enough. In the following 2.5 days she rapidly deteriorated, the decision had to be made that I was dreading, but I knew in my heart I couldn't watch her continue to deteriorate or suffer. I was so scared of going to the vets as I'd never been in this position before. The vet gave her the injection to sedate her, I picked her up and cradled her, holding her close to me (I didn't let her go till the very end) so she would know how much she was loved and how much she meant to me, I'm so glad I had the strength to do it. Pooka's last memories were of me cradling her close and soothing her. I read that at the end animals just want to be held, I'm so glad I could do it for her.

My Thomas

Amanda Davies

I lost Thomas my 8 year old ginger Tom cat on November 18th 2019 He was my life I had him since 5 weeks old he used to suckle my neck like a baby and loved being cuddled  He loved the outdoors but also loved the indoors, he loved to bring us presents mice and birds and anything that moved  On Monday thomas went out but I couldn't find him after a few hours which was odd, so I started shouting his name and walking around the estate where thomas used to roam but he didn’t go that far, but could not find him but as soon as i got back my neighbor who’s garden joins mine come to tell me thomas was lying on the garden, I went and looked and there he was on his side gone 😥 he must of been there a few hours, he never had no marks on him no blood so I know he not been run over, it’s like it was sudden just died, well I’m devastated heartbroken and don’t know how I’m going to cope, I took thomas to the vets to be cremated and I’m awaiting for his ashes which I picked a lovely beech effect box with his name on  I just hope I can stop crying as I’m like a watering can

Pebbles

Sandra Adams

I didnt get the chance to be with my 23 year old cat when she died, we moved house and in another country. My daughter was caring for our pebbles and when my cat died my daughter phoned me up to tell me. I was heart broken..However, my daughter had pebbles cremated and sent me the ashes in a lovely picture framed box..As soon as I had the ashes I felt some kind of piece , like she was finally home. 4 years later and I still miss her alot ♡

Poor soul on A194 near Washington

Gill Brown

I was driving to work not far from whitemarepool roundabout (20 November 2019 8.40am) I passed a poor soul on the hard shoulder. I took the next slip road off and went back. I was too late. He had passed a few hours ago. He looked like a Male a black and white puss. I couldn't leave him there he deserved a safe respectful place so I placed him in my van and covered him respectfully and took him to vets for pets at cramlington - they were wonderful they wrapped him in a blanket and have promised to let me know if he was chipped. I'm absolutely broken. I cant stop crying. And my heart goes out to whoever knew him or owned him - I came home after work to my own beloved little cat Kitty and hugged her so close. I'm not religious but I have a statue of the Egyptian Cat Goddess Bastet and Ive prayed for the soul of that poor puss that she guides and cares for him and reunites him with his loved ones - human and furry. My love and heart to whoever is missing him - Goodnight dear Puss - I'm so sorry I couldn't save you and I never knew you but you have a special place in my broken heart. XXX

Mindy - so hard to know when to say goodbye

Sue Harris

We adopted Mindy from Cats Protection Harlow, Epping Forest & District Branch in October 2001 when she was 16 months old. She was with us for 18 years until the end of October 2019. Towards the end of her life she had various things wrong with her and was on a lot of medication (which she hated, bless her), and there was a long, slow decline in her condition. Even when she had stopped eating and was very limited in her mobility she still had interest in life and did not appear distressed or in pain or discomfort, but things were not going to get better. It was inevitable that at some point we would have to make the decision to say goodbye, but when? She could have another episode of hospitalisation and a drip to postpone the end, but that’s distressing for her and us. More tests? More interventions? Such a roller-coaster of emotions if she improved a bit, ate something... Cats are good at hiding their suffering. The vet said, and as an “owner” one knows, a couple of days in a long, long life make no difference in the grand scheme of things, and animals have no power of reflection on their fate, they just experience things, but it is awful to have that complete responsibility, that power over life and death. Looking at it rationally I know we did the right thing not to wait until she was obviously in distress, but emotionally it was hard. We miss her so much, our gentle sweet girl.

Our Sadie - some words of comfort

Hannah Joseph

We lost our Sadie 2 months ago today. The hole in our hearts is still very much there and her presence is thoroughly missed. I still expect to walk in to the family home and call her name for her to appear and do her familiar high pitched 'meow'. I just want to write on here to let you all know that things do get better. 2 months ago today I was the most devastated I have ever been (alongside losing family members). I did not stop sobbing for 2 weeks straight (1 before the euthanasia and 1 after). It was the run up to it that hurt most. knowing I'd never see her face again after 16 whole years together. On the day she left us I took the day off work and just held her little paw in my hand. We all sat together in silence and had our final moment with her. It was devastating but bittersweet. She had an amazing life from the minute we rescued her when she was 2. Loosing a cat is one of the toughest things ever, but 2 months on I can look back on her and smile instead of cry. And I also feel at the point where it's time to give a home to a new furry friend - and I feel excited. I will always miss her. I have a print of her paw on my bedside table. But I know she was happy, and I find comfort in giving another cat a happy life and enjoying years of new happy memories with him/her.  We love you Sadie <3

Sweet Prince Elvis (former feral)

Rebecca Nash

During the first week I found out my sweet boy had been killed I was up all night thinking about the day he died, and I felt ever so guilty about not being there for him 😞 I couldn't stop crying for him, I miss him so much. Then I remembered how he was before I started looking after him, scrawny and scruffy unkempt fur, and he didn't trust me. It took 3 months for him to trust me enough for him to come inside my house, and even then he was wary; he hissed (from fear I think) the first time I picked him up. But in the end he trusted me beyond all doubt, I think. I could hold him in my arms and he would purr and he would come to me for a fuss on the sofa and bump heads, he was ever so loving . Thank you, Cats Protection, for all you do too - he was neutered on your programme, and before we decided to keep him (in fact he chose us!).

Pinnar johnson

Pauline Johnson

Pinnar was 14 Yr old tabby ginger cat he came to me as a kitten with a brother scrinner. They done everything together ate played washed each other. The pinnar loved being in the garden in summertime. He always brought presents home. And loved climbing trees. He could knock at the back door if he wanted to come in. He said he's favourite treat was chicken slices and carnation milk go cat biscuits pinnar passed suddenly to the rainbow Bridge on 15 October 2019 I was with him till end. He is so very sadly missed keeping strong for scrinner. Pj

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