Death of beloved pet, when will this pain go away

[Cozzadelsol]

My beautiful little cat was run over and killed on Thursday evening, I have been totally in pieces since I got the call from the vet, some kind soul picked her up from the road and rushed her to the vets, for which I will be forever grateful. The vet said her death would have been almost instant, as she was hit in the head.

She was only 5 years old and ruled us all with her funny, diva like personality. She had a chipped cat flap and loved to go adventuring, usually no further than the back and front gardens and fence, but that evening, she obviously ventured further.

I have cried so much over the last couple of days, the pain at times is unbearable. Every room in my home reminds me of her, I have had to remove all her things, as I couldn't bear to look at them.

I am usually quite an unemotional person. All my family know me as a bit of a cold fish, but this has knocked me for 6 and it's actually scaring me how utterly devastated I feel.

Has anyone else felt this way at the loss of their pet and did this terrible grief subside?

Oh gosh I'm so sorry that must have been awful for the you. Thank you for the reassurance things get better 🌺

Thank you Cozzadelsol, you're cat was lovely. It's so tough isn't it?
I'm hoping we might get the ashes back sometime this coming week, although we've been told there is a backlog due to Christmas. Tidied away all his bits yesterday. It's amazing how a little food bowl can make you feel so utterly sad and lost.
It's a lonely Sunday evening without him here.....

I’m so sorry. It’s devastating. My cat died two years ago. He was only 9. It’s been the worst grief I’ve ever experienced. (And I’ve recently lost my mother). It’s really so painful I don’t have words to console you. I think of my baby (as I think of my cat) so often and still dream of him. I have his ashes. He was magnificent and wonderful and I loved him and miss him.

the only thing I can say to give you some comfort is that the pain becomes less intense. It’s not really possible to have the intensity of the grief forever. But I don’t think I’ll ever get over the loss.

my thoughts are with you 💐

I'm so sorry for your loss. She is stunning. I lost my girl to cancer 4 years ago. I can now think of her and smile and remember how amazing she was. We do have another cat now, but she will never replace my 1st fur baby. she will always be in my heart ❤️.

It’s very very hard and 6 months later I still burst into tears when it hits me

i miss her so much, I have her mum who I love and adore but sometimes there is a once in a lifetime animal that comes into your life

15 yrs previously my 17 yr old cat was pts and she was just everything

I'm so sorry OP. What a beauty she was and she sounds like a real character. Try and focus on all the love and happiness you gave her.
I lost my cat 10 years ago. She was a very timid stray we took in. She and I had the most amazing bond. I can't describe how she used to lie next to me and look in to my eyes. She always seemed so extremely grateful that we gave her a home. When she died I was absolutely overwhelmed with grief. It was unbearably painful. Although it's been 10 years I still think of her a lot and miss her but it's no longer that awful, raw pain. We have another cat now. He's the complete opposite of our previous cat but very much loved.

I'm so sorry about your loss. What a stunning girl!

What a terrible thing to happen, I'm really sorry. I can see from your photo that she was a beautiful soul. 🌻

I really appreciate all of your replies and reflections on your grieving experiences. It has made me feel less alone and reassured me that I am not losing the plot, which I thought I was with my sobbing and crying.

It is going to be a tough time ahead, I know I'll miss her presence so much, she was such a big part of my day. I looked forward to getting home from work to spend time fussing over her.

I have read another thread regarding letting your cats out, versus keeping them in and despite the fact I would have happily kept her inside, she would have been utterly miserable.

Even on rainy or cold days, if I locked her cat flap up, she would cry and sit at the window pawing to get out. So it helps to know she had a short, but very fulfilled life doing what she loved.

despite the fact I would have happily kept her inside, she would have been utterly miserable

Yes the same situation with us. Our cat's previous owners had to re-home him as they lived in a tower block and he was desperate to escape and explore. The rescue said we must have a garden and access to outdoors for him. He loved it and would paw to get out. I too would have happily kept him in, but he was having none of it.

Hope your week ahead is bearable.

I'm so sorry OP, it's truly awful. My darling boy died 8 years ago and I still think of him often. I love the cat we have now of course, she is a little sweetheart, but I miss my boy terribly. If I think about him for too long I will get upset.

I keep his favourite little toy hanging from my rear view mirror. It's my little good luck talisman.

Oh my goodness I just saw your photo. She is divine what a fluffy darling!

It takes a lot of time
My horse died suddenly and when I found out my legs went from under me. I thought that was something I had just seen on TV that happened
I cried so much my teeth hurt, my boss gave me a week off work. That was august 2019 and I can talk about her but I can't say her name or I choke up
One thing that did help was having some of her hair set in rings, they do it for ashes too. Wear them daily so she feels close to me

This probably only makes sense to pet owner but I worked out why it was so bad. When life was shit or work was hard or something happened, I turned to my horse because she made everything better. So when she died, my instinct was to look to her and she wasn't there. Effectively she was my home, and I was homesick for something that no longer existed

We lost our beloved cat just over 2 years ago. She was 6, looked just like your beloved cat, and died suddenly, without explanation in front of us.

I also lost a cat to the road, aged just two.

I'm so sorry for your pain and loss. I was bereft. I have lost other cats, but they were much older and it was not in a sudden way.

2.2 months after our last loss, we are in a place where we can smile at the memories we had. We have never moved her cat bed. It reminds me of her.

Time really is a healer. I know your grief and darkness will be so deep right now, but I promise in time, it will get easier xx

The pain doesn’t ever go, it just gradually becomes less all consuming.
When I lost the first pet that was mine as a child, rather than a family pet, I remember an elderly relative telling me it only hurt so much because the time we had together and the bond was so special, and you can’t have one without the other. Their life wouldn’t have been so special if it wasn’t so painful to lose them. And it’s the one thought that has oddly ever brought me any comfort.
I’m sad when we’ve had a chicken die, I’ve cried for hamsters, but it’s the cats, dogs and horses I’ve lost which have broken me. And if I’m honest there are two, one 20 yrs ago, that I still struggle to talk about. But however desolate it feels it’s still better than how empty life would have been if you’d never known her or had her to love.

Thank you all so much 💔