Brother, I get this. We didn't have children either. Got two brother cats when we bought our first house. The boys are 12 years old this year and I don't know what I'd do without them. They are our children and a big link to my life with my wife. I'm feeling your pain. Take care.

I lost my almost 17 year old cat three months before Mike suddenly died of a heart attack. I was reeling. I have no children. Starting to feel like I might want a new cat after five years of grieving. ((Hugs))

I lost two cats this past year. Kiss -Me-Kate andNoelle. Noelle was only 10 years old and Kate was 22 years old. My Veelya has not been well and Veelya will be 23 years old this year. Noelle my late husband bought just for me. Veelya was a ferel cat my late husband and I found. Kate was another ferel. My husband has been gone 6 years now. Some days still are pretty bad. I have a daughter who is not from this marriage. My daughter is 50 years old. People do say at least you have family and to be honest I think to myself, so is that suppose to make me miss him less well it doesn't work that way. People will also say, " you have his memory and he is in your heart and I think again," is that suppose to make things alright?" Or people will say, " he loved you so much, you were blessed" and think " is that suppose to make it easier?. Or, " he lived a good life and lived to be 86". ( he was a lot older than I am) I guess people mean well. I think how many times did I say something to someone when they were going thru a terrible time and think I was saying something to comfort them? Probably more times than I can remember. I do not think anyone understands until they have been there? Maybe I am wrong. I wish I had the right words to express to you. I am so sorry about the kitty and so sorry that at this time in your life you have this terrible sadness.

Coldbiker, My heart goes out to you. I know the sadness that you feel and can only send hugs your way. Roxanne

Ravenstarot
So true, people often say something that truthfully is to make them feel better as well as the grieving person. Challenge to me is knowing what the person expects to hear. Flip side is having gone through similar experience how does one communicate that to another traveler of this pain?
I’m real good at listening and quiet support, gone are the attempts of the uttering of “correct words” to “fix” the pain.

Sorry for your loss and pain, it just never seems to get easy after our loss. I'm sure your wife is with you and your kitties. Thinking of you.

Our cat that got me and my sons through the worst of it, and even grieved with us, had to be put down on our wedding anniversary. That hurt on all kinds of levels... I wound up losing 3 cats in the space of 18 months, and it was awful. It ripped open a lot of wounds emotionally. I am currently "cat-less" which for an obvious cat-person is not great. Hoping to rectify that later this year. I'd like to get another Maine Coon, but they are hard to come by here in the UK.

I am sorry for the loss of your furbaby.

Love and Hugs,
Martha

Cliffskat, Maine Coon is what our cats were, both big guys about 16 pounds, great breed.

Ours was about 16 pounds when he was healthy. He adopted us! The kids were little then, and they had been begging for a cat, but our apartment was too small, so I had to keep saying 'no' even though I love cats. Then one day I come home from work, and there is this cat there. The kids are all excited, jumping up and down, asking "Can we keep it? Can we keep it?!! -- DAD FED IT..." I just looked at Cliff, and he gave me that sheepish caught-in-the-act look. So we were adopted, and I gave in to the conspiracy. That big furball went through everything with us. The kids growing up, the move from CA to FL, and then Cliff's death. He meowed for him for days looking for him, even prying open cupboards with his paws calling for him. It would have been funny if it wasn't so sad. He always knew when I needed a cuddle, and knew when I needed to sleep - he'd climb in my lap and there was no way I could resist 17 pounds of furry affection - it was the only decent sleep I got those first few months. The one thing he refused to do was to climb up on Cliff's side of the bed - that's where Cliff died - and he just refused to even be put there.

Our other two were Bermans - a bit like Siamese only fluffy, and about half the size of my Maine Coon.

We need some construction done on the house, and as soon as that's done, I'm adopting another cat. I don't want to put a cat through the noise and chaos of that, but I am anxious to get another one. Just not sure if it will be one cat or two. I needed to grieve the ones I lost, and it's been a couple years since the last one died, so I think I'm finally ready.

Love and Hugs...

I couldn’t stand the empty house, initially I thought that the freedom from caring for an animal would be a positive if I want to travel. That was dismissed quickly, next step cat or dog. Quickly ruled out a dog, to much work at this time. I visited some rescue shelters and it just broke my heart. The local humane society has this beautiful building got me wondering where the money came from, then I saw the adoption fees. I was at a Petsmart store looking at the rescue cats. As I was walking out this cat reached through the bars and touched my leg. Brought her home. What I wasn’t prepared for is the guilt and other emotions kinda silly but very real. Worried I moved to fast, but we are doing ok .

Coldbiker Sorry for your loss. Dont worry it will work out fine,I did the same thing when I lost my dog. I said no more but I couldnt stand it,missed him to much,so I got another. fell in love with him too. Dont feel guilty everyone needs love and companionship. Take Care. Andrea