Caring For Your Cat

In Loving Memory of Cuddles

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

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

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

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

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

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