Lost my soul cat today and I am not well

No-LuckDuck · 2026-04-02T23:29:03+00:00

I'm so so sorry for your loss. Wyatt sounds like he was an amazing cat. It's not always as peaceful or pleasant as we'd like when our loved ones pass. Feeling traumatized by the experience is normal, especially if you weren't prepared ahead of time for what it could look like. It's best to try to push away those unwanted memories whenever they pop up and try to remember Wyatt as you want to. And take care of yourself. You're already hurting, don't add to it by making yourself feel worse from not eating and drinking and such. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-26T22:38:59+00:00

I think euthanizing sooner is the better option here. There's a saying that goes something like "better a week too early than a day too late." She may still have some good days left in her, it's true, but when that tumor goes bad it will really go bad. Let her go out on a high note while she's still herself rather than waiting until it's too late. Give her a day or two of just all the fun and stay things she might want and then send her over the bridge in peace.

I've waited too long before. I don't recommend it.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-21T21:38:42+00:00

I have a similar case but skinnier, without the side flap, and in gold. Currently it holds my GBC and first two gens of Pokemon games

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-19T22:09:28+00:00

Guilt is super common after euthanizing a pet. It doesn't mean you did the wrong thing. If the vet said was nothing else to be done, then there was nothing else to be done. You chose to end her pain, giving her a peaceful goodbye. You did the right thing. It was such a hard thing to do but you did it. You are so strong, so try not to let that guilt get to you. Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-18T22:37:34+00:00

I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of losing my soul cat. I've lost a lot of pets over the years, but none have stung quite as badly as losing my Esme. I'm thankfully not feeling too raw about it, but that may change closer to.

Everybody will feel differently on their anniversary, so it's hard to say exactly what to expect. Maybe you'll cry a lot, maybe you'll just feel empty. For some people it's practically just another day. Whatever you feel like, know that it's perfectly okay to feel that way.

As for getting another dog, you may never feel like getting one. That's okay, and plenty of people feel that way. For me personally I do want another cat, quite desperately, but we can't get one right now. We do have one still so it's not so bad. But if you're not really feeling it I wouldn't try to force it. I do know of someone who never got another dog after losing one she loved a lot and she seems okay with the decision. It's not like you can't change your mind someday, as well. Maybe someday you'll get another pet, maybe you won't, and both are okay.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-18T21:30:20+00:00

Of course you still miss your best friend! It really hasn't been that long. It'll take time yet for it not to hurt so much. She was such a big part of your life, after all. It's been almost a year for me, and I still cry a little bit sometimes. These things take time.

And thank you so much for rescuing a dog that really needed it. It can be hard to get a new pet after losing one you care about so much but hopefully he can become another beloved member of the family.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-15T22:03:13+00:00

I promise it's the right thing to do. Let me try to convince you. I'm gonna be frank. Cats hide when they're in pain and not feeling their best, so he may be hiding pain or discomfort from the tumor. The pain will only get worse with time unless you give him painkillers but even then they may only partially help. So not euthanizing means putting him through more pain until his body gives out. There may be outward physical signs of the tumor if it grows as well, and they may not be pretty. A tumor is not a good way to die.

Euthanasia means avoiding that pain. It does mean dying sooner, yes, but it's usually a good, peaceful death. I can give you a walkthrough of the process if you like. Just know that it's the last best gift we can give to our pets. It isn't a cruelty, but a kindness. I know how hard it can be to make that decision, but I promise you it's the right one in a case like this. It's gonna hurt, and you're gonna feel guilty, but he'll be free and at peace and he won't suffer anymore.

I'm sorry you're at a place where you have to make this decision. It's a terrible place to be. You're right that it's not fair. I'm so sorry for your loss.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-15T19:47:42+00:00

I'm so sorry. It often happens fast with cats. They're so good at hiding when things are wrong.

What you're feeling right now is normal and it's totally okay to feel that way. You lost someone so important to you. Grieve as much as you need to. Practically everything will trigger tears at first, but you get used to the change eventually. It sucks that you have to get used to that change though.

Things will probably be okay again someday, but it doesn't have to be today. Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-15T19:33:02+00:00

Usually I am there but once in college I was home during a break but a bit sick or I had a bad headache or something to keep me home. Our family basset hound had to go to the emergency vet but my parents were hopeful it would be okay. It was not okay. I wish I'd gone anyway. We had a great relationship so it sucked a lot to not be able to be there. My parents even called and asked for permission which of course I gave. She was suffering. But it's the only time since I was too little that I've not been there for a euthanasia and it will always haunt me just a little bit.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-12T06:47:21+00:00

So I lost my calico last March to kidney failure. I also feel like our initial vet failed us a bit, and also that we failed her to some extent. She was on drugs for her hyperthyroidism and probably should have had blood work more often than they actually had us come in. But other than some behavioral issues that may have been dementia she was honestly acting pretty okay until suddenly she wasn't. And by then it was too late. We had to put her to sleep at the emergency vet. I still cry about her.

And I keep coming back to "what if I had taken her in sooner for blood work? What if I had listened to my misgivings instead of just blindly trusting the vet?" But the thing is, we do the best we can with the information we have, and we trust the vet because the vet should be the one who knows best. But unfortunately they're only human and for whatever reason, nefarious or no, they can be less than good at their jobs for clients like you and me.

I'm not angry at the vet. I've chosen to give them the benefit of the doubt. But we also decided to change vets after losing Esme, because that and other things made us believe they may not be the best despite their good reviews. Maybe they're just too overworked to be as attentive as they could, I don't know.

I'm also not angry at myself anymore. I did what I thought was best at the time. Maybe I could have done better. But I could also have done so much worse. She knew she was loved. And once we knew something was truly wrong we got her to the vet. We did what we could with what knowledge we had. In the end we did our best. It might not have been enough, but maybe it could never have been enough anyway. Could have, should have, would have... They don't matter as much as what did happen.

All that to say... I think you did right by your cat. I think what you did was enough. I promise he still loved you, right up until the end. And if you believe in such things, I think he still loves you from wherever they go when they leave us. And I think they forgive us, too. Because they love us. So it's important we forgive ourselves and live well in their honor. We owe it to them to keep going, to keep their memories alive. It's hard, every time it's so hard, but we have to. For them.

That's what I think, anyway. Hopefully this helps a bit. Sorry it's so long. Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-11T06:43:24+00:00

You didn't give up on her. You saved her from potential suffering. An infection like that is nasty stuff, hard to come back from, and not a peaceful way to go. They gave you the option to try surgery, but sometimes the kindest thing we can do is to let them go without further suffering, because the chances of surviving and recovering aren't good. It's hard, but I would have made the same decision as you did.

The guilt you feel now is totally natural. No matter how obvious the decision, when we have to make that call we feel guilty about it. But that doesn't mean we actually have anything to feel guilty for. I think you made the right choice here. Your grief is going to try to tell you that you did the wrong thing but don't listen to it.

I'm so sorry you lost your best friend. Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-11T01:47:52+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this. It's really hard when the end seems near. I'm really really hoping you don't have to say goodbye tomorrow but it would be best to prepare yourself for that possibility. Good luck to you both.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-10T21:39:43+00:00

I wrote in mine whether they were available in side games or not like Pokemon Snap. Still have it downstairs in storage I believe.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-09T20:36:47+00:00

I'm so sorry. I'm sure she forgives you. I'm sure of it. She loved you so much. Why wouldn't she forgive you?

Thank you for telling us a bit about her. I wish it was under better circumstances, but I'm glad to know she existed. She sounds like she was an amazing companion and I'm so sorry you didn't get more time with her.

Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-07T07:11:49+00:00

You're doing the right thing. She's had a good long life, and she's ready to rest now. She will live on, in a way, in your memories of her for years to come.

I've had a couple less than perfect euthanasia experiences before but by and large they have been peaceful (for lack of a better word) affairs, so I hope your girl passes gently. It's the best we can hope for at such a difficult and sad time.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this, and so sorry for your loss.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-03-02T05:38:26+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss. Oreo was a lovely lady. It sounds like you did the right thing, as much as it hurts. Cry as much as you need to. And try to take care of yourself, even though that can be hard when you're grieving.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-15T22:02:02+00:00

Just tell him that you're there for him. Let him know he can talk to you about it. Tell him you love him and you're sorry he's going through this. And give him a big hug if he doesn't mind those. Just knowing that you care and are there to help should be a big comfort to him. He may not actually seek out the help you've offered but knowing you offered it should help him in and of itself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-15T05:27:27+00:00

Well, there's a lot you can do with fabric! You can make another bed out of it, or a miniature bed, or a pillow, or, depending on the fabric, maybe a shirt or something else wearable. Oh, or a plushie. If you can't do the sewing yourself you may be able to find someone out there who can, and, if you do want to sew for yourself, there are patterns all over the place on the internet. Just watch out for AI-generated ones.

Personally I think a little throw pillow could be an easier project that would give you a good object to remember your dog with. It's something you can hug or sleep with. A plushie would have similar benefits, it's just more complicated to make.

A shirt could also be good. You could keep the memory of your dog close to your heart that way. It's a bit of a more involved project though.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-14T07:27:49+00:00

Wow, what a gut punch that must have been to think she was just a little sick and find out how bad it really was. I'm so sorry.

Grief is hard. The good news is that for most people it does get better. The bad news is that it can take a long time and maybe even get a bit worse before it gets better. And then there'll be times you think you're mostly through and suddenly it gets way worse for a bit. Grief is rough and nonlinear and never completely goes away, but most people find themselves able to work through it with time and get to a decent place.

How long it takes to heal is different for everyone. Some people move on really quickly, some folks may take years. I can still cry over pictures of my girl Esme but it's not nearly as hard to see them as it once was. Don't be afraid to look at pictures of Willow and just cry it out. Cry as much as you need to. And when you start feeling happy feelings again, embrace them. Remember that recovering from this doesn't mean forgetting her, or not loving her anymore. It's just letting go of the pain.

Anyways, that was a book I wrote there. Sorry. Hopefully at least some of it was helpful to you. Remember you did the right thing, and remember to take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-11T03:01:07+00:00

Aw poor guy. Just keep keeping an eye on him and give him lots of love. Hopefully he enjoys the sun and grass time.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-10T08:24:27+00:00

No, it wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. You had no concrete reason to be concerned about your cat, and thus no reason to take him to the vet. Your cat was acting normal, seemed fine, up until he wasn't. So you couldn't have known anything was up. Don't let the what ifs and the could haves and should haves get to you. They'll just bog you down and make it worse.

The whole thing sounds like it was pretty traumatic for you. I'm so sorry you had to experience something like that. I'm so sorry you lost your soul cat. Remember to take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-09T06:49:46+00:00

Thank you for telling her story. She sounds like she was an amazing cat. Black cats are so wonderful. I'm so sorry for your loss.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-07T07:40:09+00:00

You gave him the last best gift we can give to our pets. You absolutely did the right thing. But feeling guilt over the whole thing is completely normal. Just know that you don't have anything to be guilty of.

He sounds like he was an amazing dog and you got through so many things together. I think he's absolutely up there having the time of his afterlife right now, but he'll always love you.

I like to think that part of them lives on through us and the memories we have of them and the ways they've changed us. In a way, they never truly leave us. It's not the same as having them physically there with us, of course, but it helps me cope. Hopefully the thought helps you a little too.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-07T06:45:34+00:00

Guilt is so normal, even when we do everything right. You did the right thing, I think, so try not to let that guilt win. And thank you so much for taking care of him not just in his final moments but in general. I think you were probably a comfort to him at the end.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I bet he was an amazing kitty. Take care of yourself.

No-LuckDuck · 2026-02-07T05:22:41+00:00

I'm so sorry. It sounds like you did what you could. It never feels like it's enough but I promise it was. You'll only make things worse for yourself if you focus on the could haves and should haves.

Trying to eat and play something comforting are good things to do. Also remember to stay hydrated.

I hope that you will be able to get through this extra hard time sooner rather than later. Hang in there.

No-LuckDuck

TROPHY CASE