I was on my way to school to pick my daughter (5) up and found this cat in the road; I actually thought it was a bag of trash at first because she had flies all over her & didn’t move. I popped her in a box and in my truck, tried the vet (closed for farm calls) & posted some pics to our local BuyNothing group looking for advice/the owner.

Almost immediately people helped me get in touch with an open vet and by the time I got to the vet, the owner called me. ..

Then told me don’t take their cat to the vet. That the cat was very old, almost 18, had been missing for a month and she loved her dearly but she’s bedridden and can’t come for her or afford her care. I said I’m sorry but I’m already at the vet… this cat needs care. Her husband got on the phone and I realized they were my neighbors (we live pretty rural so neighbors is relative) and he reiterated their situation and asked me to please bring it back and they’d take care of it. The vet then stepped in and suggested I call the sheriff and explained they couldn’t treat the cat despite it clearly needing it but this was neglect. I just wanted to pick my kid up from school… I wanted none of this.

I sat with the cat a few minutes, and asked the vet if she could give me an educated guess on what the cat would need - a guesstimate of what the costs would be and she gently told me the only option on the table was euthanasia; she had multiple fractures, internal damage and appeared to have been hit by a car. I called him back and asked if he’d consider turning over responsibility to me and I’d stay with her and take care of her. They agreed.

So; I ended up spending the afternoon with Lumimäki; an 18 year old rescue who had a penchant for sneaking out and jumping in vehicles. She loved her brothers, two silver labs, and she loved the snow. I couldn’t get her to eat but I was able to provide her pain meds, sedatives, and lots of rubs and held her as she crossed the rainbow bridge. I took her back to her mama to be buried on the hill that’s her namesake and I can’t stop crying. This sucks so fucken much.

I’m at such a loss right now. Archer was acting totally normal. I was in the middle of moving. He and his sister Lana were the last things I moved to my new apartment because I wanted to reduce stress and because I know cats are creatures of routine and don’t like change. I left them in their carrier for just a few minutes when I got everything inside and then I heard him wreching. He’s a cat so he throws up sometimes and I didn’t think anything of it. I let both cats out.

Ten minutes later I’m frantically FaceTiming my best friend who is a vet because he’s panting heavily with his mouth open and drooling. I’ve never seen him like that before and we waited about 30-40 mins to see if he improved. I thought maybe just the stress of the move but it just kept getting worse. No where would take him I called 5 places and finally just said fuck it and drove him to a place 15 mins away and just showed up at the door. I knew they were overextended at the emergency vet but I’ve never loved anything more than this cat in my whole life, I couldn’t just let him die in front of me.

He’s been there less than 12 hours and I just got an update. They were able to do a chest x ray and it shows he has congestive heart failure. If he even makes it the next 24 hours he will have 6-12 months to live. I am absolutely inconsolable.

First night in my amazing new apartment (which i only ever wanted in the first place bc it has a ton of natural light and a ton of high beams and a lot more space for them). I know i shouldn’t blame myself but I’m the one who moved him. He was totally fine at the old apt and not even ten minutes in the new one and I might not have a cat anymore.

His sister is being very sweet to me but she keeps looking around for him. There’s nothing for me to do but wait.

My sweet baby. I'll miss you so much.

My bf has to say goodbye to his best friend of 16 years. She's saved his life and is his licensed support animal. What can I do to help him through this grief and honor her memory?

Last week we figured out he has an enlarged heart, he was doing better untill yesterday. He was starting to breath fast again and it just didn't felt right so we took him back to the vet. He had to stay there overnight, somewhere in that night he had a trombosis and is now paralyzed from the hip down. He's not in pain, but i know this is no life for a cat. I don't know how to cope with his loss. He's been around for half my life. Words just can't describe what i'm feeling right now. I will miss him my whole life.

I've had Coco since I was five years old. So many memories have been made, special moments shared and unfortunate 'spills' cleared up. I love this cat with ever fibre of my being. She has the most personality I've ever seen in a cat.

Thursday, she was happy and herself. Sunday night she refused to eat. Today she had an emergency vet appointment where she was diagnosed with heart and kidney failure. Untreatable.

Tomorrow she draws her last breath and I just can't bring myself to watch. I can't hold her paw and watch all that she is slip away. She will have other, argubly more favoured family with her, just not me. This makes me feel like a monster. She deserves better from me but I just can't deliver. I feel like it'll destroy me.

Her little strained heart's final beats I cannot witness. Am I out of line? Is there any advice you guys can offer to ease me into it?

Thanks, even if not for just letting me share.

-Edit- She's gone. Despite some of your best efforts, I could be with her. She had loving family with her so she wasn't alone. I'm turning off notifications. Mods, feel free to lock/remove.

I became his third owner in 2016 when he was 8. He developed cancer in fall 2019 and I made the call for him to lose a leg. He stayed with me through covid, breakups, the end of a career, and moving home to Texas. I really don’t know how to live without him, but I want to keep on living like he did.

Hold your babies close. She doesn't know I am posting this, and I'd love for her to see it. She's currently sleeping in the room over with our older lady (pictured here too). He was 9. Happy long legged jumper, derpy at times. But he was also the softest thing, never biting or clawing, loved duck canned food. He loved to lounge by the sun in the windows, and by night he'd be close to my girlfriend when she gamed. A loving boy you'd call by name and he came running. Would snuggle between your legs when you were sleeping. Loved crunchy toys and feathers. Took 5 days, to break all this and our hearts.

My girlfriend saw someone giving away kittens years ago by a grocery store, and fell in love at first sight, she got told he was 2 months. Turns out he was 1, but she had been looking for a companion for our older cat who was feeling separation anxiety. The very same night our girl Natasha adopted him as her own kitten. They've been bonded ever since, to the point we wanted her along with us at the vet when we took our final decision, so she could be with him. After about a year of long distance relationship, we began our life together in september 2019, and this good boy came along. And I couldn't have asked for a sweeter one. And now, not even four years later I had to say good bye. We are heartbroken, he was her baby and then mine.

Love your kitties, hug them. Everybody tells you so and they are right, it hurts.

I love you Zephyr, forever.

He was the sweetest boy till the very end. Good bye my Fuego Daego

10 years ago, I lost my Dad. 9 years ago, I stopped by my Mom's place randomly to see my aunts new kitten litter she brought over. Marshall (then the Grey and White one) took to me like stink on shit.

To say he's helped me through tough times is an understatement. He's been my best buddy since that day. Cancer fuckin sucks!

Not even sure how to go about this. I have nobody to tell but I had to share this somewhere. We found my sweet girl, 21 years old passed away peacefully asleep this morning above where our other 3 cats were buried over 6 years ago. I never thought it could bring me peace but the fact she died with them this morning with her brothers next to her really got me upset. I struggle to believe she knew they were there I don’t believe in a lot of superstition and stuff like that. But what are the chances. The garden is big and she chose to pass right there :(

Edit: had a couple messages about her so thought I’d add. She was actually a little stray that we found as a kitten when I was young. She’s called flea, not cause she’s got fleas..but named after the bassist from the chili peppers Rest in peace to my baby💜💜

Extra edit: all your comments have brought me to even more tears, I appreciate every single one

It’s time to say goodbye to my elderly cat after 21 years. I’m devastated. I can’t be there because I’m in another country and I feel like heartbroken.

Please hug your babies extra tight ❤️‍🩹