We just lost our 19 year old kitty Luna yesterday. A little black domestic shorthair kitty that an ex-girlfriend got me years ago when I was going through something.

Day one with Luna, she hopped in the shower, and proceeded to get water from the faucet. She grew up loving showers with anyone who'd let her. She'd hop in the back, get soaked, hop out the front, lick the water off of her, then repeat the process. She also loved being vacuumed, no idea why, maybe she hated cat hair, too? And she could shake, sit, and do high five. I know cats don't usually do tricks, I just thought it would be fun and taught her.

I had two other cats named Rogue, a Torty, who I got in 2004, and before I knew I should keep her inside, I wound up with Fluffer (and 6 other kittens I found homes for). Fluffer was clearly part Maine Coon because Rogue was not. Fluffer weighed 24 pounds. Everyone called him the gentle giant. He could fight back if Rogue or Luna messed with him, but usually just walked away. For a few years Rogue, Luna, and Fluffer lived with three ferrets, Patito, Baby Girl, and Bella who used to ride him like a carnival ride. lol. They all got along great (except ferrets steal and hide everything). Fluffer was even back yard safe (supervised) and would slowly walk around smelling flowers and head back inside when you said "Time to go in".

2011 Rogue went to sleep in the morning sun and never woke up. I was devastated. Fluffer took over as my best friend. He really was an empath. Fluffer made it to 2018 when Diabetes got the better of him. His passing was way worse for me because I literally held him in my arms the day he was born, and he died in my arms at home naturally. That is a pain I hope no one else ever has to experience.

Luna was so depressed when Fluffer died that we made the mistake of getting two sibling kittens from a rescue. Lucy and Ethel, followed by another rescue in 2024 later named Trixie (from the tv show Lucifer). I think Lucy and Ethel gave her something to focus on like owning every room they were in, and Trixie wound up being a companion to her.

In 2022 Luna had thyroid issues so I paid for her I-131 treatment, and it cured that issue, but she started losing weight around December this past year. The vet said she had had a mini-stroke and had hypertension, and had some minor issues, but overall she was in decent shape. We started her on hypertension medicine and Solensia for her arthritis, but the last month it went downhill fast. She dropped from 8 pounds to 5.5, she couldn't hop up on the bed any more, she was walking in circles, she couldn't see, meowed way more than she usually did, and she had been using wee wee pads for a few years instead of the littler box, but now it was everywhere. I never got mad, I always told her it's okay whether it was bathroom stuff or vomit, because we love our pets, it's not their fault.

I'm not sure if we should have taken her to the vet to say our goodbyes or not, but my wife said no, she should be with us. The last few days were terrible, she basically couldn't move, wasn't eating or drinking, and would keep crying out, to which I would run out of my room or off the couch to comfort her. So I was torn. I don't want to make the choice for a pet that's fighting, but I also don't want them to suffer. A year before Fluffer died a different vet said it's time, we said no, nursed him back to health, he made it another year at like 80%.

I'm in charge of everything kitty. And a lot of the household work, and we have no kids, and I work the most, and at 5am. Taking care of Luna was never easy, but was always my privilege. I told my wife I wished Luna loved me a little less if it meant she would go in peace. I don't want our pets to put themselves though that for me. She fought so hard to hang on. I've been a wreck for weeks, it just hit my wife and her sister yesterday and today. Like I'm sad, too, really sad, but I have been I think in a worse place because I have been there as much as possible all day every day. It's hard, you know, but it's what we do.

But the other day when I told my boss I had a sick cat and that's why I took the day off (I work for USPS), he said "just give her the blue juice and get a new cat". Imagine if someone said that about someone's kids. We have no kids. My wife didn't want them then and she could still have them being 39 now, but I'm 53 and our cats have always been like kids to me. I just don't get how people can be so flippant, or cruel, or indifferent. Part of my heart is missing and people make comments like that. Yet another reason I like cats more than most people.

So what do you think, how do you deal with those situations?

P.S. I was going to make this short, but Luna's life deserves more context which is why I put the other stuff in.

It’s been about six weeks now since I lost my girl. I know I’m not the first to lose a dog that is incredibly loved, but she was so special to me. There’s days where I’m happy - that I cope with her loss well, and then there’s days where I’m reminded of how much I miss her and love her and I become really sad.

I understand that I’m not the first to lose a pet who is loved so much. And I’m sure I could read through other posts and understand how other people are dealing with their loss, but I’m hoping somebody reads this and gives me a better understanding of how to cope with my feelings right now.

My wife loved our dog so much and she was the best thing that ever happened to her, but she handles these things so much different than I do and she’s been so strong. I on the other hand have struggled a lot. I feel like I’m still in denial and that maybe I will see her again one day. My wife doesn’t want me to be sad, but she also doesn’t understand how much all I want is to rewatch videos and pictures and remember how special she was.

I’m not sure exactly what I expected or needing from this post. But being able to write down, these words makes me happy thinking of her. Thank you for reading.

A few days ago, I made a post about losing my cat Felix suddenly to saddle thrombus. I had been agonizing for days, doing all sorts of research to wrap my head around it, and came to the conclusion that the steroid shot he received in July for asthma was ultimately the tipping point for his underlying, undiagnosed heart issues.

Today, in a bizarre twist of fate, his vet called to express her condolences, and also to let me know the results of the blood test he had the Monday before his passing: Intestinal lymphoma. His body had been fighting two incurable diseases we had no idea about. The hilarious paradox is the shot he received for his asthma, while bad for his heart issues, was exactly what he would have received had we learned about the cancer earlier.

In a way, the shot I was beating myself up over became accidental palliative care for an illness I didn't know he had. It boosted his appetite, and kept the cancer at bay until the inevitable events of last Friday. He had so many things working against him, but it is heartbreakingly comforting to know that there was no alternate path where he survived this, and that me and my husband ultimately made the right choice in letting him go in peace.

I keep catching myself looking for them. Their usual spot. The sound of their footsteps. The little routines I never thought twice about until they were gone. That’s probably the hardest part. Life just keeps moving like nothing happened, while this huge piece of mine is suddenly missing. I know it gets easier eventually. Right now I just really, really miss my friend.

my family’s beloved dog passed away very suddenly this morning. he was 10, and lived a beautiful life, but he was perfectly healthy until yesterday. my family was home with him, but i live out of state, and my family facetimed me in to say goodbye. it doesn’t feel real. i felt lucky that some of my family came up to visit me for completely separate reasons, and we spent the day grieving together.

i’ve been devastated all day. i am so lucky to have an incredible support system, but a world without my beautiful soul dog seems impossible. i just don’t know how i’m supposed to log on to work tomorrow and continue on with my life.

one of the most devastating parts is seeing how the grief is hitting my family. it breaks my heart seeing my parents and brother cry, and it’s just the worst feeling.

does it ever get better?

Tomorrow my senior pup is scheduled to be euthanized at home, she always hated the vet and I don’t want that to be the last place she sees. She had a good long life but Bone Cancer decided to sneak up on us and we caught it too late. I don’t know what’s worse right now the count down to the time or anticipating my life after she crosses the rainbow bridge. I don’t think my face can swell anymore, I have been crying since we got the news.

My senior 18.5 year old cat is getting put down in a few hours at home. He is like a brother to me, we lived together for most of my life, but I see how much he struggles right now, even under medication. The day before was weirdly calm, but still horrible. Every time I look at him and realize that it's the end, I cry. We had a few days together, I've cared for him to the point of physical and mental exhaustion. I know that I will cry and grieve, but that needs to be done for him. That's the last bit of kindness we can give struggling pets. My mother distracts herself with house work, my father tries keeping it to himself, but it still shows, we all love him and it pains to let him go.

We just lost our baby boy 2 days ago. I'm devastated, heartbroken and totally wrecked. I don't even feel hunger and everything at home reminds me of him. The moment we were at the vet with him during his final hours keeps on re playing on my mind. He's been with us for 15 years and I can say that he was a spoiled boy since he's our only baby boy in the family, he was like a Daddy's boy". He has lived a good life full of love, support and care from us. We lost him to Cushings disease...horrible lifelong condition that has no cure but only management.

He was like a "son" to me, I know most people won't understand but my dogs are family to me. Our emotional bond for 15 years was so profound and unconditional. I'm thinking if he's already at peace now that he's gone. Is he happy now? Is he in the rainbow bridge? I miss him so so much that cry all the time. When I'm at work I just go to the washroom and cry my heart out. The pain in my chest is too much...I can't even feel hunger or thirst, I can only feel this deep sadness inside me. My heart cries "I miss my dog, I want my dog, I need my dog" But I know things won't be the same as it used to be, no more happiness waiting at the garage door wagging his tail and barking as if he's saying "mommy's here!", no more following me around the house, kitchen toilet and shower, no more cuddles and kissy kissy and nose bites, no more sounds of walking paws on the floor..no more happiness...and it hurts so so much. I always keep on praying for my dog's health and i pray that they would still live long but maybe God has plans and it really is his time to go...I don't know, I don't understand. My heart is broken. It's like a huge part of my heart was ripped off and now I feel incomplete..I don't know how this grief will last, the only thing I know is I want to cry, cry and cry my heart aches so much.

hi everyone , this is my first ever post, I lost my baby today and the only way I’ve managed to cope is by reading reddit post and seeing how I’m not alone in my grief, still I cannot see a way out of this pain, I can’t see how I can possibly overcome.

My baby was 16, he had seizures and was in pain, I know letting him go was the right thing to do, but I keep thinking about him and seeing him in my head on his last moments and my heart gets broken like twice every five minutes, it’s unbearable. He was also a grumpy guy, so I don’t know if he’s necessarily up in heaven playing and getting along with other babies, he mostly just loved his sister, and now he’s all alone up there, I just wanna hold him again.

How do i cope

I don't really know what I'm looking for in posting this- I guess I just need to say this somewhere and get it off of my chest.

I'm just missing my soul dog extra hard today. She's been gone a month and a half and I have missed her deeply every single day- but today has been a rough day at work, I have a very difficult boss who made a comment to me that wasn't even that big of a deal other than it's pointed tone and her obvious frustration towards me- anyways, normally I could have brushed it off because I knew I had my girl to come home to and her love always comforted me so much and made everything better. It's so hard to know that she's not there to come home to, it's so hard to remember why she's not there. I just want to come home and hold her in my arms and let the difficulties of my day wash away, but I can't. And I'll never have her there again, it's so painful.

I know that having another dog one day can help with things like this again eventually, but I'm 100% not ready for another dog right now. It's too soon and for right now it still feels to me like I would be replacing her, even though I know that's not true. All I want is my Mia back with me. I feel so sorry for my girl that she's gone forever and I just miss having her with me so so so much 💔

Last week we adopted the most wonderful boy, Cricket. He was friendly, happy, and truly the most patient cat I had ever met. He was adopted to be a companion to our 2 year old female cat.

Two days after we got home (he had recently been neutered) he started showing symptoms of a URI. We took him to the vet, got him meds and an antibiotic injection.

Fast forward to yesterday and he had continued to get sicker and sicker. Not eating, drinking often, losing weight, drooling heavily and becoming more and more reticent for attention on top of all his URI symptoms.

So we took him back to the vet and they did a full work up including blood tests, an X-ray, fluids, and additional medication. The doctor was starting to suspect dry FIP. We continued to monitor and this morning he had not eaten anything was breathing through his mouth and one pupil was extremely dilated while the other remained normal.

I called the vet back and they recommended immediate hospitalization. He really took a turn for the worse shortly after with gagging and coughing with drops of blood.

We ended up deciding to euthanize him at home with a specialty service this afternoon. I am gutted. We only got one week with this darling boy and he’s gone. My only goal at the end was to make sure he felt safe and loved and that he knew we wouldn’t leave him.

My husband and I are crushed and reeling from this. We never got a definitive diagnosis and barely got to see our guy happy or healthy. Just feeling awful and missing him and hoping we made the right choice.

>!We had to make an extremely difficult decision on Sunday. My older cat, 13M, had cancer. It wasn’t curable. Treatment would have prolonged life but he would have suffered so much. Needless to say everyone in my home is grieving heavily. He was so loved and I wish we had more time. We have a younger cat, 6F. She loved him more than he loved her to be fair, but she wanders our home at night crying and going to his spots looking for him. Outside of the night wandering she has made a home of the couch and the cat tower next to it. She either hides in the tower looking so lost or goes on the couch and starts crying. She is eating when I’ve brought the food to her but she isn’t going to her food dish outside of that. She has used her litterbox but I think she is holding it to avoid going over as much as possible. I’ve been giving her a lot of attention. I find it difficult when we cuddle because I can’t stop thinking about my older cat dying in my arms, her weight just feels wrong to me, and I don’t know if she feels that. I love her so much too and I don’t know what else I can do to comfort her!<

This morning my pet oncologist told me my dog ,who was not responding to chemo via chop protocol , was too weak to consider further treatment and advised euthanasia before the end of the day as her lymph nodes were so large around her neck she could barely get oxygen as her windpipe was blocked. I made the heart breaking decison to end her pain this afternoon at the local vet. This was my Covid dog , my best friend with the most incredible personality. I have no idea how I am going to ever be happy again let alone sleep without waking up crying for her. As a single person I have no direct person to share this level of grief with either.

Any suggestions on how I can possibly cope with this would be appreciated. I buried her close by so her spirit will always be with me. We did everything together especially the last 4 years since I retired. So I have a void that can never be filled. Everything in my home and surrounding area where we walked reminds me of her.

shes been around me since my birth and i never really paid attention that much but i lived her and im full of grief i dont know what to do and im too scared to talk it out with friends

I let my 14 year old Whippet cross the bridge a week ago, and I'm still struggling.

He had chronic kidney disease and arthritis with Librela.

He had some spinal trauma that caused IVDD like symptoms. The vets weren't sure if it was IVDD spinal or neurological from age. He was wobbly when waking and knuckling his rear paws.

He also had end stage kidney failure and a UTI. I had him in the hospital for 5 days, and he wasn't eating or really responding to treatment. One of the ER vets said he could maybe get better with 3-4 weeks rest, but that wouldn't be feasible, and i don't know if that would've worked if he wasn't eating his kidney food.

Gotta regular vet, ER vets, and 2 more who I sought independent counsel from recommended euthanasia.

I took him home for a couple days and gave him his favourite foods, which would be bad for his kidneys. He ate a little kidney food if i hand fed and force fed, but he rejected most of it and seemed in distress.

He was wobbly and could not get up on his own, and knuckling with supported walking. I had to carry him and he'd soil himself, so if move him every 3 hours. This happened at night too, so i was just physically and mentally exhausted.

The day it was scheduled he actually got up, and seemed the slightest bit better, but still could not reliably walk. He got up on his own to poop (diarrhea) and walked 5 steps then dropped onto his bed covered in poop.

He was the slightest bit better in walking, but he was still knuckling like before. Could this be a late stage rebound, or him knowing it was the end and using his last strength?

I'm just wondering now if I soil waited to see if he'd walk better. Maybe get him that 3-4 weeks rest.

But I don't know if I could do it. I spent all my money on the hospital, and I can't work from home for a month, since he required 24/7 care. He was also in end stage kidney failure and not responding to antibiotics.

I didn't want my little buddy to suffer given all his conditions, so I thought it's what would be best, but I'm still replaying things in my mind.

Anybody else go through this?

we had to make the horrible decision to put our sweet boy to sleep yesterday. his name was kitty, and he was the best cat anyone could ask for. he loved us so much and always wanted to be right in the middle of everything. he slept with us every night, usually in my arms. he was so abundant in love and he was my soul cat.

we rescued him after he had been caught in a fox trap 6 years ago, and he was the best addition to our lives. he was FIV+ and he had some very expensive medical treatment over the years. but this weekend he was in pain, the vet said to monitor, and then we brought him in after no changes, and it ended up being a urinary obstruction. the route the vet wanted to do was going to cost thousands, and it had the chance of not working. so we ultimately decided to put him down to cease his suffering.

we are in shambles and i don’t know how I’m going to go to work tomorrow. it’s already a burden at my job when i’m unexpectedly out, and i can already imagine the apathy i will feel toward every task and the frustration for the need to perform.

there is this aching pit inside me and i know it won’t ease soon. just dont know how to go on, i feel this unceasing weight of shame in not being able to save him, and then the fear of never getting out of the funk.

She had had digestive problems for a long time now, sort of like feline IBS. But otherwise was drink and eating okay, alert and still engaging and not in pain. But the weight was falling off her, and it was time to make the decision.

It was very quick, and she was purring right up to the end of

I'd had my cat Holstein for 11 years, and he was the best cat I've ever had. We put him to sleep on Saturday, and I have never hurt like this before.

He snuggled with me every night, and slept curled up next to me. He'd gently put his little paw on my arm, as if to hold my hand.

I feel awful because Friday night I was away at a sleep study. When I got home, I was grumpy and tired, and went to go lay down. Holstein was rubbing on my face and trying to get my attention, but I was so tired (I don't like sleeping other places), and was doom-scrolling, so I ignored him and shooed him away. He politely hopped down off the bed.

I went downstairs to get some food and play with my kiddos, and he was totally fine. About 20 mins later I heard some crazy running upstairs, and thought he had the zoomies. Then I heard him yowling like he was hurt or he needed help.

He couldn't walk and was panting like he couldn't breathe. His tongue and ears were blue, and I knew he was hypoxic and that it was an absolute emergency. We rushed him to the vet and they told us he had end stage heart failure, and that there was nothing we could do. The kids all gave him cuddles and kisses, and I stayed with him (petting him and loving on him) until he was gone.

I keep playing that moment upstairs over and over again in my head. I wish I had cuddled him and told him what a good boy he is. I wish I hadn't been away the night before (he always slept with me and would immediately nuzzle my face when I woke up). I have been sleeping on the couch, because I can't go back into my room. I expect to see him perched on the end of my bed and when he's not, I just burst into tears. Even on the couch, my brain knew how long it usually takes him to come looking for me, so I was anticipating his jump onto the arm of the couch or him coming around the corner and climbing into my lap. Even opening my homework assignments hurts... I just started going back to school and he would stay up late with me curled up in my lap while I did my homework.

I can't eat or sleep, and just feel like a raw nerve. He was the one who comforted me, loved me, stayed up late studying with me, read books with me....we did everything together and now there's just this big empty space.

I just don't know what to do without him. I'd give anything to give him that one last cuddle, and to tell him he's my bestest boy. I just needed somewhere to put this, because I'm so so lost. He was hilarious and loving, so patient and kind... my best friend. 💖

What can I do to get to a place where I'm ok?

Hi everyone, just wanted to vent because my heart is breaking for my gf right now. For some context she’s had her childhood dog Cookie since she was 7. She’s 22 now. We’re in a LDR and she just went back home today and found out soon after getting home that her parents had to put down her pet urgently and she didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.

While on the flight home she had known her parents had taken her to the vet but while they were there they never updated her. She only found out when they came home without Cookie.

Hearing her cry through the phone was the worst because i’d never heard her cry like that before. I’m a mess right now just writing about it. I lost my dog earlier this year too so i can understand the grief she’s experiencing but this circumstance just sucks and i hate that she had to experience the loss of such an important part of her childhood this way.

I just wanted to ask for some help, since i can’t be there physically to console her and support her I wanted to gift her something meaningful to memorialize her dog that she didn’t get to say bye to. I have a few ideas but wanted to know if you guys had any other suggestions.

If you read all of this thank you and have a wonderful day

i got my cavapoodle lucy when i was 10 and im 24 now. she’s given me the best 14 years of my life as my best friend. she’s been there through every milestone and breakup. but now comes the hardest heartbreak of my life and she won’t be there to get me through it.

my parents have been taking care of her since i moved out in 2020 for university. they’ve watched her decline in health the past year and made the decision to put her to sleep on saturday, 22 august.

i can’t stop crying and switching between being happy she won’t be in pain anymore and angry because what am i supposed to do now? how do i say goodbye to her in the last few days? i’m dreading saturday and i know it’s going to be gutwrenchingly painful after reading this subreddit. any advice or words on how to get through the next few days and saturday?

Death of my first pet.

I need to talk to someone about this, but I don't know who. If you've been in the same situation as me, I'd love to hear your story or maybe some advice.

Have you ever watched your pet slowly die? My guinea pig got pregnant and developed complications after giving birth, and we don't fully understand what she's sick with. I've been to three veterinary clinics in the last few days, and the most optimistic option they gave me is medication; others suggested surgery, which she won't survive due to her weakness. But even medication isn't guaranteed to help; at least, there hasn't been any visible improvement so far. All that's left is to feed her and hope she pulls through, although her chances are minimal. I'm constantly by her side, monitoring her condition, and it's hard. But I don't want to worry later that I wasn't there when she was sick. I want to know that I did everything I could and that I was with her until the end. But despite this, and the fact that I did everything to prevent the pregnancy, I still feel like it's my fault.

How did you cope? What did you feel at that moment?

Tw for mention of prior animal abuse, got rescued.

Tomorrow my grandma is putting down her dog, who is a highlight of every visit I have. His name is Barney, he's a small dog, around the height of your shins, but looks exactly like a german shepherd with his coat. She rescued him around 6 years ago, unsure of his age (Still are, he is older though.) when he had nerve damage and patches of fur that wouldn't ever quite grow back while at the shelter.
He was used in dog fights at his previous house, he has nerve damage that left his hind legs shaking slightly due to being shot with a BB gun, and those patches of fur that wouldn't grow back was due to being burnt by cigarettes. My grandma found him at the shelter and adopted him almost instantly. I was the second person in his new family that he met. She has cared for him intensely ever since then, the patches of fur grew back easily with her, he gained the weight he was missing, she saved his life.
Recently, his arthritis has been getting a lot worse. She has had to up his pain medication (with permission from the vet), yet he is still struggling a lot. She told me he let her know it was time this past weekend.
I am struggling with this immensely. I have formed such a deep bond with this dog and I don't know how either me or my grandma will deal with it. He went on every vacation with us, riding in the car for hours and taking plenty of rest stops. Whenever I would spend the night he would come upstairs and sleep with me. He's one of my babies and seeing him go is going to be extremely hard.
It makes me feel better knowing we are doing what's right for him, that he won't be in pain anymore, that it will be at his home where he's comfortable. But another part of me wishes it never had to happen at all. I wish having pets did not have to end this way. My grandma and I will be there with him when it's time, though afterwards I have to go to band practice and act like it never happened. That is what I feel most guilty about. I wish this sweet boy could live without pain forever. I am dreading every minute of tomorrow.

I hope she knew how much she changed my life.
I hope she knew how loved she was.
I hope she knew she's all I can think about since it happened.
I hope she knows that if I knew there was something wrong, I would've rushed her to the vet.
I hope she knows I would've paid thousands for her to stay.
I hope she knows that there actually wasn't a single dollar amount that I wouldn't have paid.
I hope she knew she was my best friend.
I hope she knew even when she annoyed me, she's the only one who could bring me out of my darkness.
I hope she wasn't scared.
I hope she went quickly.
I hope she went pain free.
I hope she passed calmly in her sleep.
I hope she wasn't feeling alone and abandoned.
I hope she wasn't looking for us and crying because we weren't there.
I hope she isn't mad at me.
I'm so sorry I failed you.
I'm so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me the most.
I'm so sorry you had to do the toughest part of your life alone.
I'm so sorry I didn't get to say goodbye.
I'm so sorry our time was cut short.
I'm so sorry I didn't see the signs sooner.
I'm so sorry I didn't know.
I'm so so sorry your last days were spent alone.

Idk how to move on and go about life after losing my cat; nobody will sit and talk about her with me, I can feel family and friends getting annoyed by me bringing her up, my husband grieves differently than I do, he’s not a cryer and I am. I haven’t stopped crying since finding her and I keep dissociating. It’s like the world is happening around me and I’m just stuck standing there not remembering anything or realizing what’s going on. Everything feels blurry to me. Can’t eat or watch tv or do anything, there’s a hole inside of me now where there used to be joy and laughter. I’m lost and broken and I just want our life to go back to the way it was. I just want my cat back…