My cat has died :(

[hestergraysgarden]

Actually, I don't even know if I'm allowed to say that.

I used to have two cats. They were lovely, lovely boys. Brothers. When my son was born (eight months ago) they got very stressed out, and to cut a long story short, after five months, knowing that we planned to have other children in fairly quick sucession, we made the decision to rehome. I think I came on here asking for advice at one point. It was a very hard decision and I've missed them terribly, but they went to a lovely lady without children who absolutely dotes on them. We are in email contact and she's been sending me pictures and updates.

She emailed me today to say that one of them, Bandit, has died at the age of just three. An old man found him less than an hour after he went out for his morning roam - the vet thinks he had a heart attack.

I feel so sad, and don't even know if I'm entitled to, as we were not able to give them the home they needed. And I feel awful for the lady who adopted them - although it was only a short time ago, and she bonded very quickly. If you'd met these cats you'd understand why :(

Sorry to ramble. I just wanted to get it off my chest.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Oh no, poor bandit. Such a young cat too.

Poor lad.

[cozietoesie]

Poor bandit. So hard for everyone.

And of course you're entitled to feel sad - I feel sadder than I did 5 minutes ago and I didn't even know him.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Oh poor bandit :(

So sorry

[hestergraysgarden]

Thank you all. He was horribly young - and prior to this, such a bright and healthy boy. He could be a handful at times but he was so tenacious and affectionate and funny. When they were kittens, his brother would curl up on my knee whilst he circled us, headbutting my leg and batting me with his paw - he wanted cuddles but couldn't sit still long enough to receive them! Even as he got a bit older, he was always a bit bolshy in his affections :)

I'm comforted by the fact that he was very much loved - she gave both my boys such a good home.

[cozietoesie]

Then - if you haven't already - tell her that. It will help her in her loss also.

[hestergraysgarden]

I sent her an email earlier this evening, cozietoesie. She's such a lovely woman. Although I've missed them terribly, I've never worried about them, if that makes sense. I feel horrible for her, as she lost three very elderly cats in the last few years. She came 100's of miles to see my two before taking them and from the pictures you can tell she dotes on them :(

[cozietoesie]

That's good that you emailed her.

It's a bad thing for her to have the loss of such a young cat but I'm afraid it goes with the territory. I lost my own Oneago when he dropped down dead - for no apparent reason - at only 8 years old which is by no means elderly. Then I acquired Seniorboy because I had a vacancy and when he came to me at 13, I really didn't expect him to make even 14. (I didn't actually think he'd survive the journey back to my then house.) That was some 6 years ago.

If he had died at 14, I'd have mourned him deeply but still been glad that I had a few months of fun and cuddles with him. She might feel the same.

Maybe contact her again in a month or two to find out how she's doing?