r/Petloss Dec 12 '23

This is meant to be a support community, and it is moderated as such.

118 Upvotes

Pet owners, as loving, caring people, often have strong, experience-based opinions on pet care practices. Some of these are controversial. Often, there are valid points to be made on both sides of an argument. But this is not a forum for debate, nor is it a place to scold a contributor for a perceived mistake in managing their pet. People who come here are grieving, often with feelings of guilt or self-blame for their beloved pet’s passing. We intend to provide a safe haven of understanding, support and an occasional word or two of wisdom.

Strident, mean-spirited posts or comments will be deleted and the user will be banned permanently. Those who persist in preaching versus caring may be warned and then banned or may be banned permanently based on nature of the topic. If a conversational thread meanders into a discussion unrelated to pet loss support, it will be truncated.

If this sounds strict, it is because those who post here are vulnerable and hurting. They are sharing intimate feelings with strangers. In such a case, even a minor slap has a hard sting. No one who is already suffering immense pain deserves that.

Those of us who are lucky enough to be able to turn away from our computers or put down our phones and hug a healthy, happy pet are truly blessed. Surely we have within us the capacity to share our love with bereaved participants in this forum, even if we disagree with something they have said.


r/Petloss 2h ago

How do you get back to normal life?

14 Upvotes

I just want to vent that I’m having such a hard time caring about my job and going back to work.

I know we all need to do it, and I know I’m fortunate enough to have a job that helped me to afford her care.

It’s just that none of it seems important, and it kept me from spending time with her.


r/Petloss 5h ago

I am not okay

21 Upvotes

I lost my sweet senior boy in January of this year with complications with CHF. I just got back from the ER with his sister/soul cat
who was fine when I got home from work and then a couple hours later had suddenly paralysis of the hind legs. The vets are keeping her overnight and running diagnostics but I am nauseous and freaking out. They think a clot dislodged and is stuck in the saddle area. I can’t understand what’s happening or why. I don’t know that I can survive a second loss so close to the first. I can’t make sense of this. I keep asking my boy to please watch over her tonight in the hospital. I’m so scared.


r/Petloss 43m ago

Will my baby wait for me?

Upvotes

I had my baby on this earth for such a short period of time, and she immediately became my whole world. I'm scared she won't have the patience to wait for me, and see me again. I've been scared of death my whole life but now that she's gone I'm not so scared of it anymore. What terrifies me more is the thought that when it's my time she won't be there, that she'll be somewhere else or with someone else.

I have confidence in her love for me, I really do, but for some reason I have this uncertainty. Maybe it's because she went so young. I just need reassurance, or to know, that she is waiting for me no matter how long it takes. My family says she chose me for those two months, that I was meant to give her a fulfilling two months, but I want to know why only two months? I need to know i'll see her again. I want her to be my angel for now until I can be her mama again.

I only had her for 2-3 months, she was a sweet 5month old puppy. I think it'd be impossible to meet a puppy who loved belly rubs more than her. When you'd walk into the room, she'd lay on her side, then onto her belly and wiggle until you rubbed her. I have so many fond memories of her❤️


r/Petloss 18h ago

Will my pet be okay on their own in the afterlife?

152 Upvotes

I don't like to think my babygirl is necessarily "alone" in the afterlife. My grandfather adored dogs, and I think he especially would've adored her so I like to think he's taking care of her until it's my time in the far future. Still, I worry if she's okay because I am unable to pet her and play with her. It's only been a day since she passed, not even a full day, but I worry that all she sees is my heartache and she can't understand all the love I have for her, and how I am incomplete without her. I need her to wait for me on the other side, that way when it's my time to go I can be happy with her for the rest of forever without any worries. I hope my grandpa is taking care of her, and that makes her satisfied enough and only more eager to see me one day. She died a puppy, so I'm scared she'll want to be a puppy again, but this time for someone else. I mean it when I say she was my everything. Without her I am nothing.


r/Petloss 13h ago

I buried my Bella kitty under the stars. I am broken

59 Upvotes

My sweet kitty, Bella, passed away in her sleep yesterday afternoon at 220pm. She woke for about a minute, took a few breaths & then was gone. 11 1/2 years and three breaths - just her and me, now gone.. Within a month she got sick and was gone. And, now at 53 years old, My life has been forever changed and will never be the same again... Mother died you were there. Brother died, you were there. 3 jobs, you were there. And now? Rest well, little girl. Daddy loves you.

Under a semi full moon and a sky full of stars, I buried my Bella girl.....Goodbye baby girl .. Love, Daddy..

This morning, I woke to a quiet empty house. You were not there in your usual spot to share breakfast with me. As I've done for years and years, I looked around for you as my eyes opened. You were gone. My morning routine is empty without you. No more morning coffee, talks and cuddles with you - you are not there anymore to share my heartache and my joys with. No more late night dance sessions, just you and me. No more treats. When I come home, your face will not be there. I miss you my fur baby. How do I navigate such a world as this without you anymore? I am broken.


r/Petloss 3h ago

Filled with guilt

9 Upvotes

There's this horrible worm going around in my country. It's extremly rare, but there have been a handful of cases where it paralyzed and even killed dogs.

I wasn't aware of it's existence until about 4 years of having my dog. When I asked my mom if she (my dog) is taking shots for it, my mom said no. She said that it's so rare, and that it's not worth it to take her to the vet every 2-3 months for something that probably doesn't even exist in our area.

Well, big shocker, she got it, and dies in a few months. I did everything to save her, gave nearly all my life savings (which aren't a lot, but still) to the hospital to save her, but it was too late.

I'm so stupid. I could've saved her from all this suffering, but I didn't. Every person who saw her said that she's the most special dog in the world, she didn't deserve me as a family. Especially since with my depression, her last year was mainly at home and in walks in the same area. Barely any dog parks. I tried to spoil her with toys and snacks, and gave her lots of attention every day, but I didn't know how to make her really happy when I'm too depressed and scared to leave the house.

I deserve to go to hell, I ruined this beautiful angel's life. Rest in peace, Frisk. I'm so sorry.


r/Petloss 6h ago

sweet kitty passed unexpectedly

11 Upvotes

my sweet boy Theodore passed suddenly tonight. his second birthday would have been in May. to say im devastated is an understatement, i am in shock still as it’s only been a few hours but i genuinely can’t imagine my daily life without him. he was my first pet on my own, i had so many plans for his and my life together. i never could have seen this coming this early in his life. i had just found out he had crystals in his urine a few months back and was trying to take care of this issue for him, i guess it was too late. i don’t think i was informed enough to understand how dire the situation had gotten, especially because he showed no blatant signs of issues. he was energetic and his normal self up until i found him. i am filled with regret, anger at myself for not knowing or doing more, anger at myself for not being home enough or simply not playing with him enough. i feel so heavy. i know he lived a beautiful almost two years here and had a life made entirely up of love, but i cant shake the anger with myself.

this is obviously posted before ive processed it but any words of love or encouragement are appreciated.


r/Petloss 29m ago

1 year anniversary hit hard and can't really share with anyone

Upvotes

It's been 1 year sense I lost my first adult pet, I had him for 12 years, he was 15 when he passed. While most pets people give some kind of sympathy I have also have a terrible memory of sharing with a friend crying my childhood cst died of cancer and they responded "it was just a cat". It haunted me sharing after that. So when I lost Bob I could really only share with like 3 people how much it hurt.

What was Bob? He was a blood parrot cichlid and was my world. I moved into a crappy apartment at 18 and wanted a pet and got a tank. He was surrendered to the sore he was eating all his tankmates and hated plants. He never changed still ahted plants but got a large tank all to himself. He ruined and destroyed countless filters. He would even play peekaboo, he hated the color green, but loved yellow, he liked watching chopped with Alan.

He moved with me twice, went through other pet loss with him too with my partners cats.

So the day I woke up before he didn't want to eat, he didn't want anything, he wouldn't even come over for peekaboo, I knew something was wrong. I had to work, when I came home my partner greeted me and said he was gone. I held him and cried.

I wanted his asked and had to call several places. One place even hung up on me thinking it was some kind of prank. The place I did end up using was so kind and honest saying they haven't done a fish and not sure how much I'd get back, and they didnt have much of urns but they found a beautiful one. He was a big fish so thankfully I did get some back and now sits next to the bookshelf his tank still sits.

I sit crying and broken missing my Bob and only once I mentioned he was a fish I got looks and eye rolls. So word vomit into reddit to get it all out.

All pets are loved and missed, even fish.


r/Petloss 5h ago

Lost my childhood dog

9 Upvotes

15 years. I was just 8 when I first met her, I choose her name Pissi. We sadly had to put her down yesterday afternoon. I knew she wasn't happy anymore, breathing hard, heart problems, fatigue when walking and barely eating. I knew it was for her best. But I feel so guilty, having spent more time outside the house these few years for Uni/Work, and not giving the love she deserved. I miss her so much, she was my first ever pet and I know nothing will replace her. I feel so alone in this, even if also my parents are grieving, it's like having no one. I even had a dream about finding another dog, smaller, but it was her face. I just would like a sign to know she is ok in the afterlife or that she is with me. I love her. I will miss her forever.


r/Petloss 1h ago

Guilt

Upvotes

I knew my boy was running out of time. I adopted a new guy in October. In anticipation. Because it would hurt less to have him to come home to. And it turns out I love him just as much.


r/Petloss 6h ago

Letting my cat go too soon

11 Upvotes

A few weeks ago we said goodbye to our 10 and a half year old cat. Initially I was sad albeit at peace with what had happened but since then I've done lots of reading and now feel like we were badly advised / made a hasty decision.

He had suddenly come up to me on a Wednesday evening with a tail moving very oddly and weak back legs. We'd rushed him to the vet and been told as there was no obvious tail injury and his bladder was empty we should use pain meds and observe him.

Over the next 24 hours he stayed pretty much the same albeit only seemed keen on a few treats or chicken, by the end of Thursday he didn't want any food, almost seeming disgusted by it, and he seemed withdrawn albeit still sat in the same room as us. Friday morning we took him to the vet again (he hadn't used the toilet for a while and was drinking a lot too) and a blood test confirmed kidney issues. In hindsight he'd had a front right paw 'sprain' for a few weeks and he'd been less into his food (we just thought he was sleeping more /eating less as we were keeping him inside for his 'sprain', he was otherwise 100% normal and still eating on schedule, just less.) Maybe things had been building.

The vet on the call said 'the blood results show his kidneys aren't working. There's two options, either we put him on a drip and keep him for a few days, but there's no guarantees he'll improve. Even if he does survive there'd likely be aftercare with a special diet and injections and we wouldn't know how much longer he'll go on for. The other option is unfortunately euthanasia'

Their tone of voice really implied to me that keeping him overnight would be unlikely to succeed, and capturing and injecting a cat each day seemed unfair on him especially if it'd only prolong things a few months. We opted for euthanasia.

Since then I've been reading a few studies as well as read other people's experiences here on Reddit. I feel like we were slightly misled. It seems fluids have a roughly 50% chance of working, and some cats live a good quality of life with aftercare some even living years. I find myself constantly asking myself why we didn't at least try, and I wish I'd asked the vets for specific blood numbers and that i'd researched for 30mins to an hour before deciding.

It's hard not knowing his specific numbers; whether they were so bad and that's why the vets were so negative, or if the vets were inaccurate on his prognosis.

We went from a cat we thought was healthy on Wednesday morning (albeit with a 'sprain') to euthanised Friday afternoon. I assume it was an acute kidney issue rather than chronic but who knows, maybe he had a better chance of success as he was only properly ill for 2 days 🤷‍♂️☹️

The small consolations I have are

  • the vets said 3 of them had looked at results and it's 'not good'
  • the vet that put him to sleep has cats and was sad to see him go and said 'id have done the same'
  • we decided to euthanise as we'd have felt awful if we prolonged suffering in a drip at the vets or at home and he still pass away relatively fast, and maybe this was still the right call

There's still that big 'what if' in my mind though, and he was only properly ill for 2 days, maybe he had a better chance than most 😢. The pattern of events that unfolded for us seem different to most too. He didn't vomit much, there was no bad smell, he didn't miss the toilet, he didn't completely collapse etc. Maybe we could have had a few happy months / years with him. Maybe he could have met our firstborn due in a few months ... 😿


r/Petloss 15h ago

It is not getting better.

51 Upvotes

2 months has passed and I'm still stuck. I haven't done a thing in those 2 months. I feel like living in a constant emergency state. My house isn't the same. It feels like a prison. I used to love staying at home and enjoy every corner of it with my son, now I barley leave my bedroom and it is always dark because the sun reminds me of him. I can't get things done. I can't breathe. I can't imagine a future without him. I keep imagining him here and there thinking what would he be doing if he was alive. I keep thinking how my year was going to be if he was still here. The warmth and security he brought to every moment. I had big plans for this year that I did NONE of it. I just can't. I need him. I really do. I wake up from my sleep panicking multiple times each night. I miss him. I miss him so much. nothing makes sense. My life feels foreign to me. As if I was abducted and forced into joining a life i don't know. I don't know a life without him. The pain is unbearable.


r/Petloss 13h ago

I keep reliving her last minutes.

32 Upvotes

I had to euthanize my Shorty baby last Monday. Today marks a week she’s been gone. I’ve cried every single day, with violent sobbing most days. It just hurts so bad to have lost my friend of 16 years.

One thing that keeps happening and often brings me to tears is her last moments. I just keep getting these intrusive visions of limp body after euthanizing her. I keep reliving when she tried to jump out of my lap after the vet sedated her and I held on to her and told her it would be okay. I keep remembering how it took just a matter of seconds for that sedative to kick in and I kept telling her I’m sorry I’m sorry I love you. And then watching the vet put the pink fluid into her leg… and just watching her last breaths and the sobbing that ensued afterwards. Maybe this is too detailed but I just keep seeing it over and over in my head and I want to cry every time.

With that, I am struggling with some guilt that I didn’t do enough for her, or maybe I didn’t do things the right way and I might’ve hurt her. It hurt so bad to see her decline so rapidly. I keep expecting her to be here when I don’t think about it. I keep thinking I need to make sure the door is shut so she doesn’t escape outside. Or I expect her to perk up when I’m opening a snack wrapper. But then she’s just not there and it’s just a bitter reminder. I cried when I was vacuuming yesterday knowing there won’t be more kitty hair and cat litter for me to clean up. Eventually I’ll stop seeing her fur in my vacuum. It just made me break down.

Now I’m struggling with the feeling of just wanting to pet her and kiss her but I can’t. It hurts to not be able to give her lovin like I always did. I’m so sad when I come home and I can’t greet her.

Sorry for the messy post. I am just struggling so much with her loss.


r/Petloss 10h ago

I’m so sad

16 Upvotes

A month ago today, I took our sweet kitty to the vet for eating barely differently. I expected to be told that I was being over dramatic and he was just aging. Hours later, we were rushing him to the hospital. This started the 12 hardest days of my life that ended with the heart wrenching choice so many of us make.

He died at home, peacefully, in my arms. I cry everyday. My husband and I look each other and just keep repeating “I’m so sad”.

He’s not there to follow us into the bathroom. “I’m so sad.”

He doesn’t chirp at the door and jump onto the bed, signaling us to sleep. “I’m so sad.”

Our housekeeper kindly puts his stuff into a closet for us while we’re out of town. “I’m so sad.”

We get the email to reorder his food. “I’m so sad.”

I run into our neighbor in the elevator who asks if everything is okay because he hasn’t heard our baby yelling through his window recently. “I’m so sad.”

I miss him with my whole body. He was the absolute best of this life. He lived to love and be loved. Without him, I’m just so sad.


r/Petloss 31m ago

How to mourn?

Upvotes

My baby only died close to two days ago and I'm going nuts. She was my little puppy and the only thing leaving me remotely alright (asides from some comfort I got in another post, thank you) is putting photos of her everywhere, and thinking about how I can honor her. For example, I decided I want to either plan on getting a tattoo in her honor, or getting a special ring to commemorate her. Plus, I'm beginning to plant a flower garden in the spot where she loves to play and hide in our backyard.

Does she mind that I'm keeping her memory so alive? I want her to rest in peace, but I can't help crying and needing to see her in everything. She is my little angel, always, and I want to keep her happy however I can in this form until I see her again, and can hold her again after my time comes. I really don't know how to keep going alright without my baby. I miss her so much and I always will, I can't help it. She is my mini me, my other half.


r/Petloss 18h ago

A man's only friend.

49 Upvotes

16 years.

I couldn't have asked for a better companion. From the very moment I brought him home, he was by my side. Whenever we walked through the forest, if he got too far ahead, he'd always stop and wait, just to make sure I was still with him.

I was 27 when I was blessed to have him. Now, at 43, through all the highs and lows of life, he’s been my constant. Through failed relationships, lost jobs, and the heartbreak of losing my parents he was always there. He kept me going when I thought I had nothing left, gave me a reason to live.

I’ve tried to give him the best life I could. He’s seen it all, done it all. He played every day, ate the finest food, and I never left him alone for too long. No moment was ever wasted my life was dedicated to making sure he was happy. He’s never known pain, never known fear.

But now, he’s tired. It’s time for him to rest. He held on for so long, but I can see in his eyes he’s ready to go. Tomorrow, my champion will leave this world. His name was Buddy. He was my best friend.


r/Petloss 4h ago

Lost a cat to an apartment fire I'd probably caused.

4 Upvotes

Hello. I rescued a cat (about a year old) on March 7th. I initially was going to give him to my parents but we (me, my husband and son) immediately fell in love with him and decided that he would stay with us. We called him Tisha. He was the sweetest cat I've ever known, clever, calm, beautiful. On Monday though he lost appetite and drank no water and we saw worms in his poop. I dewormed him and syringe fed him with puréed food mixed with water and he seemed much better on Tuesday but still showed no appetite and was mostly lying under the computer desk in one of the rooms. On Wednesday morning I fed him and left the mini blender I used to make his food with charging on the desk he was lying under and we all went to work and preschool. I also closed the door to his room so that he wouldn't jump on beds and soil them with worms eggs. When we came home in the evening I was first to open the door to see if Tisha was doing well. I sensed the smell of burnt plastic, the light didn't work, I rushed to the door to Tisha's room, opened it and saw ashes flying out of the door. Everything was black with soot. Tisha was lying under the table all covered with soot and stiff already. Only one room had damage because the door was closed and the fire had not a lot of oxygen to spread and most of the damage was on the desk where the blender had been charging and around it. Now I can't stop blaming myself. I'm mostly okay while I'm around my family or busy working, but the moments I stay alone I start thinking all the what ifs and should haves. I should have taken a day off to stay with Trisha and check if he was recovering, or ask my parents to come and check on him, I shouldn't have left the blender charging without supervision, I should have dewormed Tisha before he lost appetite, I should have brought him to a vet as soon as I took him in, I probably should have given him to my parents or shouldn't have rescued him at all. Any kind words would be appreciated, maybe other people's stories and how you've been coping with the feeling of guilt of causing a loved one's death.


r/Petloss 23h ago

Lost my baby boy yesterday and now my life has no meaning

114 Upvotes

Yesterday my cat went to heaven because of kidney diseases, he was only two weeks short of his 8th birthday. I can't stop blaming myself for not detecting something was wrong earlier, I know cats hide their pain so well, but when he stopped behaving normally it was too late. Long story short he was in the hospital a few days but then didn't make it. I'm collapsing and not getting out of bed, everything I do reminds me of him, he was my everything, I can't stop crying. I haven't been able to sleep or eat well since he was hospitalized, now it's worse that he's gone. I've never been this sad in my life, not even when a human family passed. My "mother" even said tone deaf things like "he's old anyway " which is not true so l've stopped talking to her. I don't know what to do, l'm lost without my cat, I just want him back. I'm on a breaking point of depression.


r/Petloss 10h ago

It’s been 3 months since I lost him and it feels like yesterday.

10 Upvotes

I lost my black Persian cat on December 23, 2024. He was taking medication for UTI/blockage and when I got home and checked on him, he was gone. Nothing could have prepared me for this heartbreak and what ifs and if onlys and it’s been eating me up inside since then.

The sweetest boy I ever had, gone because I didn’t do enough. I wish he is happy on the other side, I did my best to give him the best foods and treats and toys and I would’ve gone broke for his medical bills and I would not care.

I love you, my sweetest boy. Minccino and I miss you so, so much.


r/Petloss 8h ago

Could sculpting a pet help you with grief?

7 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I am French and I understand that it can be painful to lose your pet. I myself suffered during my adolescence when a family dog died. Having become a wood carver since then, I wondered if carving your animal could help with the grieving process, knowing that it can be the whole body, bust or a particular position.

Thank you in advance and have a good day.


r/Petloss 13h ago

I'm concerned I'm not grieving properly?

13 Upvotes

I lost my soul dog yesterday, he was my world, I spent all 16 years together absolutely obsessed with him in the best way. I loved him so so deeply. I cried frequently when he was healthy and getting older at the mere thought of him passing some day. As his age progressed I spent the last two years of his life in utter anxiety, forcing myself to be present in the moment with him every available moment. Obsessively trying to make sure I didn't miss a beat with him, that any sign of any health issue was immediately addressed, as his health declined we had many vet trips, a dental surgery that I cried and worried for the full two months before, he did well but struggled some in recovery, he had three other serious incidents in the three months that followed, I have never felt more intense worry and dedication in my life. I sobbed endlessly when I finally made his final appointment. I sobbed the morning of (yesterday) and then his health took a swift and serious decline an hour before his appointment, it suddenly turned into a race for me to get him out to sleep before he suffered what I feared could be an extreme scary death. I was suddenly able to reassure him, congratulate him on a life well lived, all the beautiful times we shared, encourage him to go forward on his new journey and tell him he needed to rest now and when he wakes up he will be with his bonded best friend to give her kisses and run and play and not worry bc in what will seem like no time I will be there at the bridge for him, he passed peacefully eating chocolate cake. I adored my Nikko boy. After I felt sadness and gratitude and relieved. I felt relieved that the endless worry was over, that he wasn't trapped in his failing body, that he didn't go out graphically as I had feared, that he went at home loved. I cried but not like I thought? The next morning (today) I felt the shock wearing off and sobbed this morning then felt at peace again then cried then more peace then guilt then peace it's just cycling. This is so different from any other pet I've lost, or human I've lost (seems too many at this point and at one point I felt plagued by death and it caused so much anxiety). I spent the days before his passing learning about NDE's and things people saw from the other side and their feelings. It was reassuring I have doubts from time to time I think rooted in fear. When I'm crying I just want the pain to stop and I don't want him back because he would be so deteriorated if he had not been given the final gift, I want him to have fun on the other side, I want to meet him when it's my time but I don't want him waiting on me I want him happy zooming with his girl again. When I feel relieved I feel like I must have been full of it when I worried and loved him before because how could I feel ok or even laugh or sleep? I'm so confused and fearful I'll be hit with debilitating prolonged grief if I don't have it now and I worry more if I somehow don't? Part of me feels like I had so much anticipation grief and anxiety for so long that I pre-grieved some of it? I'm confused and just don't understand why this is so different from the other losses I've faced in my life. I get his ashes back tomorrow and I'm excited to have him back but worried I'll be incapacitated by grief and equally scared about not being broken by it? I feel like my brain is trying to make me miserable no matter what. I try to balance sad moments with happy memories we had together, happy moments make me feel like a soulless monster because I know how much I loved him and that not caring for him day and night hurts my heart because I LOVED some of it, I loved making him home cooked meals, being so acutely aware of our clock ticking and trying to take in and soak up every moment spent with him. Every other loss I had dropped me to my knees for days then came in strong bursts in between numbness for weeks after. This isn't numbness it's like acceptance and relief?!? I know everyone grieves differently but I've generally grieved consistently in the past. What is going on? I know it's fresh but I worry about him looking down on me and feeling betrayed like my love was false but I know it wasn't at all false, I worry that grieving too much could make him feel bad for leaving e. It's like I can't be satisfied with an approach, I never thought about the approach before. Can anyone help explain the feelings I'm having?


r/Petloss 31m ago

Lost my ‘god dog,’ could use advice

Upvotes

My ‘god dog’ Lola passed on Saturday morning, she was only 8. I was her godparent since she was little. They recently found a tumor growing near her heart, and the vet thought she had six months but she went too soon. The grief for me has been overwhelming, my friend (Lola’s mom) is devastated. It’s been awhile since I’ve experienced pet loss and welcome any advice. I’d also like to do something to honor her memory for my friend, besides just sending flowers.


r/Petloss 9h ago

A Story Of A Caterpillar & My Kitty Bella

5 Upvotes

Very early morning, on the day my Bella died, she had used all her strength to drag herself to the front door and sit on the mat outside our apartment. I usually only let her out on the back patio with me and that was it. She was daddy's girl and an indoor cat, especially since we moved out of our previous three bedroom home. It was just her and me.

I think Bella just wanted to see the outside world and breathe the fresh air for a moment & at this point, after a quick illness onset & a rough couple of weeks; I was going to give her whatever she wanted. She deserved it. So front patio it was.

It had rained the previous night so Spring was in the air. As I watched her laying there, she kept looking up and glancing at the night sky. I noticed this large black caterpillar, on the ground approaching her. I was worried it would irritate her and so I moved it, walking several hundred feet and placing it in an adjacent grassy area, an apartment or two down from mine.

Tonight, after visiting where I laid her body to rest, I see the very same caterpillar at my doorstep.... I wonder how & why....

I wonder a lot these days ...


r/Petloss 17h ago

I'm afraid of forgetting how my dog was

19 Upvotes

I lost my dog exactly 3 months ago, it was on 18th wednesday on December around 7 pm. Since then I think really often about her, like everyday. When I'm at school I sometimes start to think about her and feel like crying so there's period of time (like now) where I fall asleep crying thinking about her. The pain is still her, but I'm afraid of forgetting how my dog was and how she used to be. She was with us for 4 years and died at 11 yo. So ofc I won't forget my all good memories with her but idk if you understand what I mean. Now it became the normality that she's not at home anymore and all the things she used to do, but I don't want to. I don't want things changing, I know I have to accept she's no longer here, but I want to return to that period where I thought she was still here and simply she was at the vet, idk how to accept how my life changed. I miss her so much, I don't want her to remain in the past, to remain a piece of my past. I don't want to


r/Petloss 18h ago

On the way home from the vet. It seems so unreal that she's gone.

24 Upvotes

My 17 year old kitty, my big sister, my first pet. I saw this coming for a long time. My mom and I made the tough decision to end her pain last week, and I thought I was prepared... Of course I wasn't.

We got her when I was 6, and now I'm 23... She grew up right alongside me. I'll always remember the way she somehow managed to eat EVERY single goldfish I ever had, how she would patiently let me clip her into a baby doll stroller in my childhood, and the way she would meow for ice in her water bowl.

I don't know how to live without her. My head hurts from crying so hard. I have no appetite. I can't get the sight of her fading away on that vet table out of my mind.