telling toddler pet has died

[feekerry]

dd is 2.2yr old. my mum had a cat that got killed on the road yesterday.
dd LOVES the cat. we have cats and various pets but dd esp loved my mums cat as she was a kitten when dd was a baby so they have kinda grown together.
dd goes to my mums 3/4 times a week and first thing she always asks is where is kitty. they often play together.
so, how/what do i say to dd??? i would rather tell her before we next see my mum as i don't want to raise the subject then and there and i don't want to upset my mum or dd.
i would rather just be as honest as i can as we have loads of pets so it will happen at some point...
i can't really say cat was ill etc as we saw her and played with her that morning.
dd speach and understanding is very good....

Might not be helpful but she will probably soon forget the cat she is so young

When my ds 1 was 3 our rabbit died, we didn't tell him, indoor hutch empty for a week then a new rabbit which was a different colour

He didn't even notice

She's only young and depending on how you tell her she will probably be OK. Obviously upset that cat isn't there but death doesn't hold the same meaning to a two year old.

half of me was thinking of not saying anything and when she asked after kitty just saying i don't know/not here...
then other half of me just thinks tell her she has died and i too am sad we won't see her anymore
.. does that sound okay?

I'd tell her in the simple language you outlined above. She will probably still mention it, so warn your Mum to brace herself.