My old girl has died

[ILoveNigelTufnel]

Just that really. I am so incredibly sad. I feel like my heart has broken and I don’t know what to do with myself. I had her 17 years from when she was a tiny kitten. The house feels empty without her.
I love her more than anything and I just want her back.
I know no one can fix this but I just need to tell someone.

OP Im loving the character stories about your old girl. The 2 of you had good times together. Thats so precious. You will grieve now. But I hope one day these treasured memories of a good long life well lived, will make you smile.

You will miss her - it feels very empty and lonely without them!

I've always said never again too - especially when I lost all three of mine inside 11 months back in 2008/9! That was when my boy literally walked into our lives.... I know I can't be without a cat now! Hugs xx

We do get it OP. My not so old girl passed in July. She was 13/14. She was poorly with a heart condition that we’d managed for 3 years but then lived with liver cancer for the last 6 months . So we did the chemo thing too. We had her from aged 3 - an unclaimed RTA victim and she was overlooked in rescue as she didn’t sell herself. She was the family cat and my girl and I ll miss her forever . I have a little stone with her name on and her collar in her favourite spot. I’m not ready to scatter her ashes yet. Daft I know but you all get it. Be kind to yourself OP. They are never “just a cat”

I’m so sorry OP my boy is 14 and I quite often cry just to think about life without him 💐she looks absolutely beautiful, i know this all sounds trite but sending you strength and a hug x

I’m so sorry OP. What a terribly sad end to the year. Loosing pets really is like loosing a member of the family. Take some time to grieve, pets see us through the best and worse times of our lives.

What a lovely girl. Grief for pets can be as bad as grief for human family so let yourself feel it. If you want to tell us more about her, go ahead please!

I keep expecting to see her in all her usual places but she’s not there. There’s an empty space where her food bowls were and the litter tray etc it all looks and feels wrong

That is the 'cat-shaped hole', it's awful. I kept thinking I saw mine out of the corner of my eye and it would turn out to be something else, like a jumper my husband had left on the sofa.

Gosh, you really do all get it. I don’t feel I can really talk to people in real life about it so I really appreciate all your comments.

The cat shaped hole has been my handbag, my husband’s slippers and trainers. I’ve now put everything away. Maybe this will help me keep things tidy?? No excuses for not doing stuff because I have a cat on on my lap and as we know it’s illegal to move them.
Trying to figure out how to attach a photo so you can see how gorgeous she is. Hopefully it has worked…

It didn’t but I’m sure she was stunning so keep trying. Our little Velvet sends all her love and cat prayers.

Would love to see her xx

Not sure why it’s not worked. Having another go now!

Ah she's lovely - I adore torties! I have two tortie and white girls now.

Such a sweet wee face xx

She looks a lovely old lady. So sorry for your loss OP . I have a 19-year-old Tortie and white and over Christmas I keep thinking this is it her last Christmas. She still does the zoomies as well

A beautiful peaceful moment with her OP.

Ah OP, I understand. Our old boy went over the rainbow bridge 51 weeks ago. It was very sudden and with no warning. Even DH cried. I am convinced he laid on me that night and said goodbye.

We adopted two little Greek rescues about 5/6 weeks later. They were a bit of a challenge but settled in as nearly lap cats now. They haven't replaced him, they never could, but it's good to have kits about.

Posy was lovely and always will be.

We found it helped when we had dug his ashes into the garden and planted a rose.

Oh hat a lovely photo of Posey, I’m so sad for you….. sending love and healing wishes..xx

Lovely tortie!

Oh OP My beloved elderly girl of 15 went yesterday too, I know exactly what you mean about looking for her in the house and feeling the hole she leaves, I am so sorry about your beautiful Posey. I've been dissolving into tears all day and I'm not usually a crier at all, it is so very hard to have to say goodbye and carry on without them.

@RosesAndHellebores so sorry for your loss. Greek rescues sounds interesting? Last time I went to Greece you could tell a couple of them were ex pets, craving affection, there was one grey boy with an ear slice, (how I knew he was a boy !) with white boots I fell in love we spent the entire week buying food and containers for water for them. I do love Greece but the cat situation really takes the shine off, have you got any photos of your two Greeks please…. be lovely to see them

I know this doesn’t make the loss any easier to bear but you got to make their time on earth so much brighter and more full of love. Those who are asleep are in a deep and comforting sleep now and those who are still loved are still loved. All my affections for those who are improving cat lives.

Oh OP I have a similar thread currently running about my dog who I had PTS yesterday too.

Heartbreaking.

One of the posters recommended a book by Millie Jacobs called The Pet Loss Guide.

I've downloaded it from Amazon, it's great.

There's some lovely poems on my thread, mostly to do with dogs but so lovely.

Virtual unmumsnetty hugs to you.

Thank you ☺️ She always looked like she was smiling (unless glaring at the cold radiator because it wasn’t switched on)

So sorry for everyone else’s losses too. They were obviously all so well loved.
Will investigate the book, thanks for the suggestion @Redtartanlass and really sorry to hear about your dog too.

If anyone wants to share photos, please do. ❤️

I lost my old boy in May. He was so incredibly clingy and loving, a tiny weirdo void
Within 3 days he sent me a giant weirdo void (photo 2) as if he knew I needed one

I have a visiting cat and my old boy would sniff his bum and then pull a face of disgust and chaperone him around the house to make sure he wasn't being naughty
The very first day my visiting cat came in, my new boy sniffed his bum, pulled a face of disgust and then followed him around the house....

So sorry for your loss, OP...

I lost my beautiful old may to kidney disease at 17 - the vet said he could have months or even years after being diagnosed. But he had exactly five weeks - sudden and severe deterioration with no option but PTS. I held his paw while they did their thing...

I had over £200 worth of prescription food and meds, most unopened, but vet said they couldn't take it back. So I found a local cat charity who were thrilled to get it. They told me the cattery was full to bursting and would I like a cat?

It was much too soon of course! But I agreed to foster a mum cat and her newborn kittens for eight weeks to help them out.

Two years later I am enjoying living with the two of those kittens we adopted 🤗The mum and the others were rehomed by the charity after the eight weeks was up.

It really helped looking after the little mum and the tiny kittens while I was grieving for my old boy. The charity supplied everything, food, litter and kitten formula. They would have found homes for all of them but I fell in love with a ginger boy and a tortie girl.. of course I did, who could resist little furry bundles in need of a home!

Something to think about? All the charities are full and even temporary homes would help them and the cats.

I’d say it’s a really good idea to take on another cat. Don’t take one up to try to replicate the one you’ve lost though.