On Tuesday night, my wife and I had to put our 8-year-old cat to sleep. I’m absolutely devastated and I feel so lost. This is the first time I’ve gone through something like this, and I’m not sure how to grieve or cope. I’ve been crying for 3 days now. He was my best friend, my sun, my fat boy. His name was Gatsby, and he was the most loving cat I’ve ever had the honor of taking care of. I’ve been struggling to move around the apartment we live in because he was my shadow. I check for him everywhere by habit. I guess my question is, how do I start to feel better? Does anyone have any advice? I feel like I’ve lost a literal part of my personality.
I’m sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is hard but losing a pet that is your best friend is just devastating with their unconditional love. I’ve been through this and all I can tell you is that time will make it better because you’ll concentrate on all the good memories. Talk about them in happiness and think positive. Don’t wait too long to bring a new pet friend into your life. It’s not a replacement, it’s a new relationship. Don’t rush into something; you want to get the right fit, but don’t allow yourself too much time either. Sending hugs, friend…
Thank you for your condolences and for the note about getting another pet. I’ve been struggling with that thought and feeling weird about already wanting a new pet but not wanting to ‘replace’ Gatsby. I feel a deep void and like I’m missing a huge part of my life, but I know I shouldn’t rush into filling it until I’m ready.
So many fantastic pets need homes. I think even like waiting two weeks is plenty of time. You can get joy in the fun of a new kitten or maybe a special deep bond of a senior cat who you would already know the behaviors of. I think it’s easy to get a new pet and feel like they’re going to be wonderful just like the last one, and I feel like that’s why it’s important not to rush into anything. While a new pet wouldn’t be a replacement, there certainly would be comparisons between Gatsby and someone new. That’s unavoidable, so just take your time making the right choice, even if that starts tomorrow.
