This is my stupid cat. I call him my stupid cat because he has the self-preservation instincts of a rock. He is older than my four children. I have pictures of every one of them grabbing him and squishing him as babies, and he just sits there and puts up with it. I have pictures of every one of them holding him under an arm and dragging his around the house as toddlers, and he puts up with it. He climbs into the shower and looks shocked when he gets rained on. He will chase a laser pointer headfirst into a wall. I got this stupid cat shortly after my wife and I were married. He is 19 years old now. He cuddles with my autistic daughter when she had her inevitable tantrums because no one could understand her. He will sing with my wife (it's hard to describe)
My stupid cat is dying. My kids have been crying all night. My wife has been crying all night. I have been stoic, stable. I'm here to hug them and tell them it's ok and he had a good life. My wife asks why I'm not crying, I say I don't know, or I tell her I'm just compartmentalizing right now. She tells me I need to make the decision of what to do because she can't face it.
I called a veterinarian to get our stupid cat put to sleep. I called, calm and collected, told them I need a time after work to euthanize my cat. The receptionist , tells me she is so sorry, and she knows how hard it is. I tell her, he is almost 20, he has had a good life. And then something weird happens. My voice cracks just a little. She verifies the appointment time and I hang up quickly, abruptly, possibly came off a little rude.
My breath is rattling, tears start pouring out, what is happening?!
I'm sitting behind my building at work right now, crying over this stupid cat. I have to get my act together before I go back inside. I work with a bunch of bearded blue cooler tough guys who would never understand crying over a cat. Heck, I'm one of those bearded blue collar tough guys. I did not think I would cry over this stupid cat.
This stupid cat's name is Jimmy. He is just about the nicest, friendliest cat I have ever met. He was there to greet every one of my children the day they were born. All my children will be there to see him off. I hope I can get my act together before then. Maybe if I cry all my stupid tears for my stupid cat now, I can go back to being the stoic calm one.
42 year old bearded guy here. White collar but nonetheless “tough” looking because I swim and lift. My soulcat died March 1st of this year. We had her vet come to our home and put her to sleep in our bed sureounded by her family. Toughest shit I’ve ever done in my life, man.
She and I were a single entity and she was here before my wife was. I adopted her as a kitten when I was 28. It’s been 7 and half months and it took me about two months to stop crying every night. I would lie to you if I tell you it gets better, because it doesn’t. You just get better at dealing with it. I still cry for her about once per week. I have her ashes with me alongside her little paws, some beautiful chunk of her fluffy orange hair and the most beautiful picture of her to accompany us. Our youngest cat who was attached to her like bubblegum to hair still cries for her every damn night even 7 months later.
Internet hugs for you and your family from Costa Rica.
I am sorry. My intention was to just let you know you’re not alone and to give you a bit of strength and understanding. But hey, better out than in. Crying is healthy for you.
OP, I think you should let yourself cry in front of your kids. Especially if you have boys. It will teach them it’s okay to cry and that it’s okay to have big feelings.
The only time I ever saw my dad cry was when our dog died. 50 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was actually so surprised to see that he could cry. It made me respect him a lot more, and actually helped me realize what a strong man he was. He's still alive and a lot more open about his emotions than he was way back then. We have a good relationship and I like to think part of the reason it's so strong is because I got to see him as a whole person at a young age.
We had to put our family dog down several years ago. My 2 kids grew up with her. She was or first baby. We cried for DAYS as a family. Teaching love and loss is a powerful thing. Cathartic for all.
Please try to make an an appt with an at home euthanasia person. It’s so much better than at the vet office where they are scared and confused and your family can be with your cat and not in a clinical setting. It is so much more peaceful. Your cat will find you again, that’s how it works.
Yes I did this for my beloved calico and it was much more comfortable for all of us. We all cried in our own back yard with the cat in her favourite space.
Only heartless, soulless bastards have never cried over a pet. I'm 60 and still miss cats Ihad in school. It's natural to cry. We have them by our side, in our lives, our homes and hearts. How could we not? They love us when people hurt us.They love us when friends betray us. Family dies, they are there, we get home from work, they are there. They are gifts from God to show love that is unwavering. They don't care what we look like, how smart we are or how much we make. They just love us. The least we can do is mourn their passing. It's natural. God speed Jimmy, my Honeybear, Thomasina, and Ashes will be there to show you around. 💔🌈💜
I will double down on it. Please let your children see you cry and please express your sadness with them. Especially if you have boys. You will not put them in the same boat as men age and all men have been throughout society. That emotions are something you hide. You can healthily regulate your emotions and still be able to handle them. I think it'll be very healthy for all of you.
My father hand-raised birds as a youth until a cat snuck in and ate them all, leaving a gruesome mess. For decades he hated cats. But I eventually convinced him to let me get a cat. He never turned into a cat person, but he still welcomed my cat (and eventually my brother's cat) into the household. I think part of him never got over the loss of his birds, but part of it was that he came from a culture and era where cats were pest control on farms and not indoor companions.
But as each cat was nearing their time to go, he asked us (with the vet's clearance) to bring them home for a bit so everyone, including himself, could properly say goodbye. And yes, he also cried.
Another big bushy bearded white collar worker checking in. When I lost my boy a few years back, I was a mess too. I can't speak for your coworkers necessarily, but I have never met another "big tough guy" that wouldn't be first in line to give a man a hug when they're losing a beloved pet.
Also recommend taking at least a day off before and after the vet visit to grieve with your family. Let them see your emotions and understand that it's okay to feel them.
Hang in there bud, it's a hard time. Big hugs to you.
This my story too. Big bearded dude. White collar. My buddy Jafar. Got him as a kitten before I had a girlfriend, kids, everything. It was just me and him going through life. 18 years later I’m 41 with all of that and more. I lost him in March. It’s so hard sometimes and I still cry occasionally. But I will always be grateful for the time I had with him and the love he gave to our whole family.
Know that St. Gertrude met your fur baby when she made the crossing, and that she is being well cared for and is waiting for you on the other side. Small comfort, but hopefully comfort nonetheless.
I lost 2 cats this year. I still have a pair of brothers. I am so sorry for your loss. But help your othet kitty and get the cat a companion, it may help you both
Y’all got me boo-hooing at happy hour. Also a bearded 42-year-old man who works in the trades. Just thinking about my 19-year-old baby kitty and how little time we probably have left with her.
Damn, you guys are making me cry! I have a 12 yr old dog and a 1.5 yr old cat. I can't imagine my dog dying. I know that I will be a mess and probably the worst thing that I will go through. My orange cat is an ass, but as he gets cuddlier with age, I'm sure it will be similar in time
My mother brought home a stowaway when I was 14 in 1978. I promptly named her Black Sabbath and called her "Sab". Mom named her "Duddins".
She used to ambush my grandmother. Hell, she ambushed everyone.
Always Mom's cat. Cat went to Baylor University for cancer/kidney treatment. Took a while to convince my mother that prolonging the inevitable was just cruel, I was sad but it needed to be done.
Took a while and then Mom got "Sam I Am. Siamese, I am." in 1997. HOLY TERROR!
I have Coco and we're growing old together when I'm 63. She may outlive me!
That’s very sad of course. But, have you tired talking to your bearded blue collar coworkers? They might be in a similar situation. Lighting a candle for your stupid cat right now.
I know some of my coworkers would be great. I have complained about vet bills in the past and was greeted with "I would never spend that much on a stupid cat" type responses. I don't particularly care for those people anyway, but still don't want to cry in front of them.
People who say things like that are cruel and likely sociopaths - they’re literally saying they don’t care if an animal lives or dies. Their opinion of you and whether or not you cry in front of them is not worth the paper it’s written on. Regardless, what causes heartbreak and grief for each person is different but just as valid. Fuck those people, cry when you need to cry, and if anyone says something about it to your face, call them out for being the cruel sociopaths they are. Unless you’re in a customer-facing role where you need to remain composed, if any mocking goes too far, you should give your boss/es a heads up that you’re being degraded for just showing emotion.
I'm just gonna say it... Fuck them. Cry in front of those assholes, why do you care? Why hide your emotions because they are assholes. Fuck them. I would ONLY cry in front of them just to make them uncomfortable.
It's not even something I have been told, it's just that there is so much to do, and I am doing it so everyone else can cry over the stupid cat. Everyone needs to eat so I made dinner. I don't want to make the kids clean up because they are all sad so I did the dishes. I want to get the house clean so I don't go back to work on a Monday and leave it a mess for my wife. We promised my inlaws we would mow their lawn. Fact of the matter is, I think I was too busy to feel emotional about the stupid cat.
Its good for your kids to see you have big feelings. As a mom with little kids, we constantly remind our kids that big feelings are okay. It's okay to cry when you are sad. Let them see it. It will be good for them.
Exactly. My dad cried when things got hard, it taught us emotional depth and emotional maturity. This could be a huge learning moment on empathy and compassion OP!
Mmm, I’m a woman, and I deal with things, as OP is doing, THEN I break down. Not a taught behavior, no societal pressure, just how things are.
People deal with emotions differently. Plus if no one regulates their emotions and just acts out however they feel whenever they feel it, that’s not healthy either.
So long as he’s processing his emotions in a safe and healthy way (he is), he’s fine.
I’m right here, probably on the other side of the world, balling my eyes out with you over Stupid Jimmy 😢. Jimmy is and always will be in your memories and forever your heart, stupid or not. 😭😭😭
Brother I'm just like you - bearded blue collar working man and bawled like a baby when my cat had to be put down. Even your post has me choked up. Just let it all out and fuck anyone that judges you for being upset over your kitty
Facts. Normalize being a big strong man who cries every once in awhile. Whether it's over something big or small. I'm sure there are tons of big strong men out there who felt the same way. Maybe if everybody admits that they've cried every once in awhile less people will feel ashamed when they do.
I'm a big 6'4" shaved headed dude. Look far more intimidating than I am. Drive a lorry for a living so work with similar dudes.
My phone background is my kitty. I love my kitty. I will be a blubbering mess when the time comes. I was when I was with my mothers cats when each of them had to be put to sleep. Zero shame.
If I heard one of my coworkers was dealing with a dying cat, I wouldn't judge them for crying at all. And if someone did, I would start a rumor about that person that they eat dog shit on OF.
Crying is a healthy way of expressing your emotions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with crying over someone or an animal who is dying. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with crying in general. He’s been with you for almost 20 fucking years. You have every right and reason to sob. Holding in your emotions is simply not healthy. It messes with your mind, body and soul. Hell it can kill you. It helps you process what is happening and it helps you find clarity and closure in it.
I lost my dog November 16th 2025. It’s going to be a year next month. She was three years old when we had to put her down because she got so incredibly sick and was just down right miserable. We did everything we could to help her but nothing worked. When we put her down, I didn’t cry at all because I didn’t want to be seen as “weak”. That fucked me up. I didn’t cry for a month because of that thought process. It fucked me up so bad I had to be hospitalized because I couldn’t properly process what had happened. I had a small stroke. Not crying almost killed me. Not fully processing it almost fucking killed me.
Cry for him. Cry for your kids losing their cat. Cry for your wife. You had him for 20 years. That’s 2 decades. That’s a long ass time. He was there when you brought each one of your kids home. Each one of their first birthdays. Every Christmas. Fucking sob.
20 years is a long time to love something/someone, and inversely not nearly enough time. I had my best buddy, Mao, for 17 years before cancer stepped in. I was a mess, but that was 5 years ago.
I still miss him, but having grieved him fully, I'm not nearly as much a mess now as I could be.
I had this lovely idiot for just shy of 18 years. His name was Pinky(short for Pinkerton Fuzzybottom). I was stoic when my wife was in the room with us before he was euthanized. My wife left the room because she couldn’t handle being present for his passing. I refused to leave because I couldn’t let him die alone in a room with someone he didn’t know. When she left the room, I started bawling my eyes out. Full-on ugly crying. It still makes me tear up just thinking about it. He had a single black toe on his right front paw. I called it his tapping toe because he used it to tap us on the arm when he wanted attention. He would sing the song of his people at the top of his lungs at 3AM. He loved salty snacks, especially Pringles and Lays potato chips. He was amazing and infuriating at the same time. I really miss his stupid fucking face.
Thank you for being there with him at the end instead of alone with strangers. I’m glad Pinky had his family (you) to comfort him as he passed and knew he was so loved after everything he gave you all for 18 years.
Yes. Someone that has been with you for so many parts of your life is now part of you. It is proper to mourn them.
I weirdly do not have a good picture of my Kismet, who was with me for 18 years, through highschool, whenever I came home from college and moved out with me when I went into the world. I cried so hard for her when she died and I hated so much that I had to make the call to end it.
Even if they didn't who cares? He says he is some in tough guy but this tough guy is here worried about how his other tough guys will think if they see him be upset that a member of his family passed.
I am a guy and I love cats. I don't care who knows it. I cried when all my cats died and I don't care who knows it.
Both Jimmy and your dog deserve the tears. They gave you their boundless, undying love. They earned every single tear. The hole they leave in your heart is equal to the love they gave you. You owe them at very least the tears, sobs, and grief.
Personally, I respect men who cry. Men who are comfortable with who they are, cry. Showing that you have a heart, that you love, is masculine af.
I’m so glad you commented what the movie was. The image looked familiar, but i thought to myself I don’t remember Winston Churchill ever saying that. Because i thought it must be John Lithgow on The Crown lol.
Not crying just prolongs the grieving process, and it's okay if the process is much longer than you imagined. It was three years of grief for my beloved cat.
I'd hate to think of how I'd be if I hadn't cried every tear in me. It's the only way through.
Not only that, feelings will be expressed eventually, and if you don't let it be sadness, it may come out as anger, fear, jealousy, who knows.
Not feeling your feelings is how you mess up your emotional threshold and your mental pathways. Eventually, you'll just train your body to replace sadness with whatever other feeling you allowed yourself to feel, and you won't really get to choose what that looks like.
AND, it should be said - tears are natures way of releasing stress hormones. There's a reason why we humans evolved to be able to do that. When youre done crying you still feel great sadness and loss.... but theres a glimmer of peace you will feel as well.
Jimmy was your child longer than your human children, he had a special bond with your daughter and loved her dearly to soothe her in her tantrums. He loved you all and you loved him, and you’re crying that his beautiful soul is moving on. Jimmy’s one of a kind and it’s ok to grieve.
I’m so sorry to hear about Jimmy, but so happy to hear about what a well loved little guy he is.
Maybe you’re like me - I’m a woman, but if I’m about to cry and someone else beats me to it then I dry right up. Can’t crying someone else is.
My husband works with a lot of blue collar conservative types. He was upset at work the day after we lost our cat, and someone asked what was wrong. He was nervous to say but he did and the guy immediately gave him a big hug and told him he’s sorry and that it sucks to lose a pet. People can surprise you.
...if I’m about to cry and someone else beats me to it then I dry right up. Can’t crying someone else is.
From what I understand, this is a pretty common psychological response. I forget what it's called, but often when one person in a group or relationship starts to lose it in a stressful situation, the other will step up to be the calm rock or anchor for the other. Even if they themselves are hurting.
It sounds a lot like what OP is talking about too. It's not necessarily bottling up the emotions, but more like delaying the response to help a fellow human deal with their turmoil. The problem is...it can all come out pretty suddenly if you delay for too long. My partner and I do this often too, but it's important to give space for the other to not always be the one carrying the weight.
Entirely irrelevant to the felines but when I got into a wreck with my friend in her own car, we took turns freaking out and then calming down and handling the emergency response while the other then had a screaming freak out. then we would swap after about 5 minutes. Nobody was hurt thank GOD but it was really interesting how we did that for eachother because we were both going through the exact same nightmare at the exact same time.
I’m so sorry OP. I’ve lost cats that were alive before I was born. Cats that were alive my entire life. It hurts in a way that sometimes even human loss does not.
I can attest to this. The night my brother-in-law died I got a text from my sister that instantly lit off some alarm bells. I went to her house and she opened the door and told us he had died.
A few of our friends were there so we just hung out grieving, reminiscing and getting really fucking drunk. I held it together the entire time just trying to be stoic and supportive, but I walked home, threw myself into bed next to my wife and broke down. I’d had grandparents die but he was the first person who was actually active in my life to die and it’s a shocking thing to deal with.
I had a useless cat once, for 17 years. She was 1 y.o and feral when I adopted her. A real scaredy cat. When I brought her to the vet I was stoic too, I was a 52 year old man after all. When they left me in the room after I watched her being put down ( the least I could do was be there) I sobbed like a baby, cried out her name: Suzi. It would have been more embarrassing except I was alone. My useless cat grew to be a love bug who would give me kisses ( not licks) on the cheek. She grew to love my kisses on her head and leaned into them. She became a lap cat. My useless cat has me crying for her memory as I write this. A tribute to a useless cat. And to your Stupid cat.
Soldiers cry for Jimmy! A stupid cat hero to children. Cats are family and 20 years is a long ass life for a cat to be part of that family. Its not easy to let go.
33 year old guy here, big dude - just wanna say your post made me tear up over your stupid cat. I don’t even own any pets. You can cry, you should cry with them, it will do you and your family good to see you cry. My dad never cried, except once. That one time I related to him more than ever before.
Older dude but same as this guy: this is a family member, my guy, so throw that tough guy shit out the back door and grieve for Jimmy.
ALMOST 20 YEARS: parents lose their shit when dropping an 18-year old off at college, which pales in comparison to this, plus—as I thought when my cats were ready to cross the bridge—there’s a unique kind of hardship when it’s an animal whose language you don’t speak; you want to explain things, ask them how they’re feeling, if it’s time, etc.
I’m so sorry you’re about to lose dear Jimmy but he sounds like he was right at home with you and the family for such a wonderfully long life.
This right here. Show your family that you loved Jimmy just as much as they did. This is one of those moments where you just gotta be human. No shame in that. I'm sure your family will be happy to know that you cried for Jimmy, that you're mourning Jimmy. It's okay to cry! It'll help you heal
Hey now im crying for your stupid wonderful cat too🥲❤️ it's a beautiful thing to love an animal so much it sneaks up on you. I can't imagine holding all that in, I hope you can let it out with your family or alone somewhere. Grief is weird and painful but I always hold on to the quote that grief is "unexpresssed love." You just love Jimmy a ton and this is the part where you have to figure out what to do with all of that emotion when he passes. ❤️you got this
I'm with you on the tears, C0oc0o. My gray cat is 17 and in pretty good health but I know it can turn anytime, which will be devastating. We adore her and she rules the roost!
Hang in there, OP! We feel your pain. So cool that he helps your daughter when it's hard to understand her. That's one amazing kitters. Sending love to you and your family, to include lovely Jimmy.
I lost my Rocky in March to heart disease. He was 11. He was quite literally one of my best friends. He showed love towards everyone in his own unique way but I was his person and he was my “furry-dude”. He passed right when I was starting a new job that has allowed me to work from home which would have meant spending more time with him throughout the week. Luckily, me and my girlfriend who loved him unconditionally as I did, were able to hold him, and comfort him as he went. I’m still not over my guy either, so, sending an internet hug your way stranger.
Its hard to explain but they are honestly closer than even your best human friends and I think the reason why is that unlike humans, they never hurt you emotionally.... ever. They only are there for you.
I am at about 18 months and I am not even close to being over the loss of my boy. Like I still have that gut punched feeling everytime I think of him. This didn't happen when my dad or grandparents died.. I don't really understand it.
I know. I feel the same. I think it’s because they are with us, or at least around, every minute of every day when we’re home, which can’t generally be said about parents. Idk.
My gentle boy has been gone for over 5 years now. It definitely gets easier with time and most days I don't think about him, but I still miss him deeply and always will
I've had the pleasure of caring for 10 cats in 63 years. Some were short term fosters. Some were my buds for at least 15 years. Some losses hurt a hell of a lot more than others. They've all left an indelible mark on me.
It's gonna kill me if/when I lose Coco. We're crotchety old ladies, together.
The vet called me and said that the digestive issues she’s had for 11 years are getting worse and the cost is becoming prohibitive. She’s not in pain but every time I bring her in it cost me hundreds of dollars.
I got lucky because when I called my sister in tears she called my siblings and they started a special bank account that everyone contributed to. A decision I didn’t want to make has been postponed because my family loves her as much as I do.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m the stoic in my family so my advice is to grieve freely. Let it out. Don’t be afraid to show your love for Jimmy.
What digestive problems does she have? How old is she? My cat has been vomiting a lot lately & eating much less even tho her bloodwork looks ok. She started zofran last night & she’s sleeping a lot this morning & has only vomited once. She ate a few bites but mainly sleeping. She’s 13
Bastet has chronic colitis. She’s 12 and has been suffering from it practically her whole life. She was getting 2-3 inflammations a year but they’re increasing as she gets older. The vet is treating her with metronidazole and it’s working for now but the high cost of her food and office visits are breaking me. Thankfully my family is helping me out because since I retired it’s just her and me and I can’t imagine life without her.
Brother you need to cry in front of your kids. They need to know its OK to have feelings and be vulnerable. They need to know you feel love and pain too. Its OK to cry in front of your kids. It teaches them to have empathy. I get frustrated seeing my kid cry because my dad never cried and when I did I was told he will give me a real reason to cry if I dont stop. Its OK to cry and be sad. Im emotionally a stunted mess. I still cry but i can't stand seeing my kid cry. I'm still unlearning the damage. Mourn with your family.
Jimmy will never be forgotten. After you’re no longer around to remember him, your kids will still be telling stories to their families about their stupid, amazing boy Jimmy, whom they grew up loving and being loved by. Jimmy sounds like a one-of-a-kind, the perfect boy for you and your family, just as you were the perfect family for him. It’s all anycat could ask for in a long, loved lifetime.
Hey buddy. I'm sorry for you and stupid Jimmy and the whole family. But it's wonderful you love him so much you can put his needs over your breaking heart. Stupid cat
I'm sorry bro. The same thing happened to me a week ago. She was dead, lying by a place in the basement where she caught a mouse once. She was always trying to bring me food, even though she was 20 and very sick.
20 year millwright, big blue collar "tough guy" here; your post brought a few tears to my eyes. I'm a die hard cat man, got two rescue kitties that I love with all of my heart, hell I wouldn't have met my wife 7 years ago if it wasn't for how I found one of them.
Just cry, brother. After almost 20 years, that's officially your child. When people ask me why a big burly man loves cats, I tell them that a dog's love comes easy, it's hard to earn the love of a cat, but when you do, it's on a whole different level. So let it out, give him lots of love and all his favorite treats and make the most out of what he has left.
Brother, I do martial art competitions and fight other strong men as a hobby. I never cry from that pain but have always cried for my cats when it was that time. That stupid cat is family for as long as your kids live.
It's ok to cry for Jimmy. You coworkers will understand. As a fellow bearded blue collar tough guy (welder), myself, I lost my corgi Gidget on October 6th, all of my coworkers saw me crying when my wife called me. They all FUCKIN gave me a hug... We may be tough guys but, we all know loss and how much our pets, ( fur babies), means to us. We all know that our pets know more about us than anyone else in our families.
I am a 58 year old man. I spent most of my life as a construction worker and had a father who hunted and "took care of" the family pets on the farm when the time came. I cry like a 10 year old school girl when i have to put my pets down. Last time was a year ago. I have a 20 year old lady who has had 2 strokes and the end is coming up fast. Im gonna cry again....
This is Taro. I’ve only had my stupid cat for 6 years, and I recently got some bad news regarding his health and it’s been rocky emotionally for me.
I work a blue collar job and everyone thinks I’m crazy for dropping a ton of money on his vet bills, but this stupid fucking cat kept me alive when I didn’t really want to be kicking it. He bites my toes on the night and wakes me up by trying to stick his paw in my mouth.
When this stupid cat dies, I’m going to be so upset that he died that he’s going to be stuffed or something so he’s stuck with me forever. He can’t leave me until we’re both done.
Your stupid cat loves you, I’m sure he appreciates everything you’ve given him, and since he’s 20, it’s probably a fucking lot.
Every one of your blue collared friends has cried over the loss of a pet, Im sure of it!
Losing an animal, especially one you've had so long, is not much different than losing a friend of 20 years. It is SAD, and its ok to be sad! Please allow yourself the grace to grieve.
Its ok to want to be strong for your kids, but dont block the emotions completely. Let the tears flow. Teach your children its ok to be sad about things that are sad. Teach them that real men express emotions in a positive way. Its ok to not be tough as nails in all circumstances.
Kitty had a good life, and he will be grateful to fall asleep in your arms for the very last time. You did good. You are a good dad, and a good pet owner.
Don’t sell yourself short! I used to work in a factory and I had to put my cat of 19 years down. I went into the plant with no problems but as the day wore on a friend of mine came up to me and asked what was wrong. I started to break up and she said let’s go outside. She waved off a supervisor and outside we went. I told her I had vowed to be a man and not cry over a cat. She started to cry also and that was it. We went back inside and I felt better. Then another co-worker came up to me and said “let’s you and me grab some lunch at lunch”…I told him I wasn’t hungry and he said “well I’m hungry and you can watch me eat!” I thought that was funny. We ate in the car and he told me how difficult it was when he got out of prison and how he had gotten an old dog from the humane society and that it got him through the rough times. He told me how he felt when he found the dog not breathing one day. Later that day others told me of there experiences (both men and women ((all tough people)))! Sorry for your loss!! Keep him alive in your heart!
This is my stupid cat Darkwing. And lemme tell you, this boy is an idiot. He is practically a miniature panther (at his prime he was 18 pounds of solid muscle) and he is afraid of everything and everyone. Sudden movement, storms, appliances, visitors. He is not a lap cat, and he doesn't 'do' headbutts. Not overtly affectionate, but he adores being near me, and when left alone will cry for me or steal any unattended hoodie or sweater that smells like me (he doesn't steal my husband's).
Two years ago he was diagnosed with inoperable lung tumors, and after discussion with the vet oncologist, we decided on the palliative approach. I took him home on prednisolone and prepared myself. Except, he didn't get any worse. For two years now he's just been padding around my house like "lung cancer? Nah, I'd rather not."
He's still doing okay, but I can see he works a little harder to breathe now, and recent scans showed the tumors have grown a LOT and are starting to crowd his chest. Still reasonably comfortable, but it's a reminder that the inevitable is still coming.
I tease him and make jokes about him getting a tiny porkpie hat and building a tiny meth empire. I don't cry when I think about it, and I feel like I've accepted it. But I know when he actually does go I'm going to be wrecked. I'll be ugly crying for days. I've known this cat longer than I've known my husband.
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u/trendingtattler 8d ago
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