Today I had to say goodbye to my sweet kitty Sophie. Sophie was an older cat, probably around 20, I’m not sure. She had only been with me for five years, coming to me after her owner passed away. She was such a tough cookie, fighting kidney failure, feline diabetes, and arthritis. She just kept going and going, and I know she would still be going if her little body hadn’t given out.
This is the first cat that I’ve lost as an adult and I’m just heartbroken. Even though I knew she’d be the first to go, you’re never really prepared to loose one. As you probably can tell, my cats mean the world to me and I cherish every moment I have with them. These little creatures are there every day as part of your life. You build a daily routine with them and when one leaves, there’s a hole.
I know this is what everyone says when someone you love passes away, but this experience is just a reminder to appreciate the time you have with your feline companions. These special little souls are each so unique — they are full of personality and can touch our lives in deep and meaningful ways. Everyone, please go give your kitties a kiss and tell them how much you love them.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:41 pm
How heartbreaking – I am so sorry for your loss.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:44 pm
She was so beautiful. My cat Sam is black like Sophie, so furry like her. It´s so sad. But I´m sure she was happy with you. It´s a hard time, but in the end of all the good memories will do you smile when you remember of her.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:50 pm
goodbye sweet, beautiful girl.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I’m so sorry for your loss. RIP Sophie xoxo.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Sophie was such a beautiful girl. I am so sorry for your loss. Their life spans are not long enough for all the love there is to share. I will light a candle for her journey to Rainbow Bridge.
(((HUGS)))
March 21st, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Im so sorry for your loss too- what a beatiful little kitty she was- my thoughts are with you too right now.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:23 pm
so sorry for your loss and thank you for such a thoughtful post.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:31 pm
My sincere thoughts are with you, when i went through this i was beside myself for a couple of weeks and after 5 years i am am now getting emotional I now have 4 of them
, what a grogeous girl sophie is and i bet she has left special paw prints on your heart – love Vicky (me) and my clan; Stella, Stoli, Saffy, Sage and Syren xoxox
March 21st, 2010 at 5:40 pm
What a beautiful beautiful soul. Thank you for sharing her life with us. She was very special indeed. Fly free, Sophie. Roll in those catnip fields to your heart’s content.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:49 pm
My heart and sympathy go out to you.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:05 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. Sophie reminds me of my Dude, who I had for 18 years. Lost him to the final stages of CRF.
She will always be with you, their spirits are around us always, waiting for us to cross over so we can be together again,
Kathy
March 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. My heart broke the same way years ago when I lost my first – like you – as an adult. My other fur babies seemed to take on her characteristic which brought me much comfort. I still look for little reminders of her every where I go. My thoughts are with you as you heal….
March 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
You said it all so poiniantly…you never know when the time will be and it doesn’t ease the loss. They surely give us much more than we give them. They are such a joy to our lives. She knew she was loved and that is some bit of consolation.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Big Hugs and my condolences.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:39 pm
I am so sorry for you loss! Sophie was quite a beauty and I am sure she had a long and wonderful life full of love and hapiness. I lost my very first cat last May so I know exactly how you feel, he held a very special place in my heart. She is in very good company at the Rainbow Bridge.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:41 pm
I used to call my dogs angels with tails… And now that I have a cat, she is also my little angel with wiskers and a gorgeous tail. It’s amazing how our pets become so much a part of us, and us a part of them. I’m sorry about your little angel, but I’m sure she was loved and had a great life with you.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Many hugs and much sympathy. There really is nothing good to say, but I will thank you for letting me know Sophie, too. Your generosity is much appreciated, and I promise that I will fuss over my babies unmercifully tonight. Take care of yourself!
March 21st, 2010 at 7:06 pm
My condolences on your loss. The price of pet ownership is the pain when they’re gone.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Sophie was blessed to have a wonderful home with a family who loved her. I know she loved you as much as you loved her. She lives in your heart now and she will always be with you.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:45 pm
:: hugs ::
March 21st, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Gosh, I’m so sorry :*O(
I hope you take solace in the fact that she had a long life, with lots of good memories.
I have seven cats… I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to anyone of them :O(
You both will be in my prayers.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:57 pm
{{{HUGS}}}
March 21st, 2010 at 8:15 pm
bye sophie. you were loved!
March 21st, 2010 at 8:52 pm
What a lovely girl Sophie was! You gave her a wonderful life and she was lucky to have you and your other kitties. My thoughts are with you all.
Alex and the kitties: Alasdair, Emlyn, Julian, and Oliver
March 21st, 2010 at 8:57 pm
very wise advise
peace
March 21st, 2010 at 9:00 pm
We just lost our Sophie in December, who was also an old lady. We miss her so much, but it’s easier to know she’s no longer in pain.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:35 pm
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Anything else I try to type (at this point I’ve deleted whole paragraphs) just doesn’t seem right.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:37 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. I will give my Tabitha and my Katie an extra hug and kiss tonight. XOXO, Sophie!
March 21st, 2010 at 10:11 pm
I just came across your post =(. . . I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts & prayers are with you –
Take Care, Anna
March 21st, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Your Sophie was a beautiful girl. She was so lucky to have a human who loved her so much, gave her the best care, and let her go when it was time. It’s something all we cat lovers must face, saying goodbye to our beloved furry friends. I am so sorry for your loss.
March 21st, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I’m sorry to hear about your loss. Sophie has never disappeared as she’d living happily in the other dimension at the Rainbow Bridge.
She’ll live in your heart forever~
March 21st, 2010 at 11:06 pm
as the others have already said. i am so very sorry for your loss. i have recently also lost my beloved Isolde. i had hoped that she would be with me for a lot longer than she was, but her bodyy gave out on her as well
HUGGZZ
March 21st, 2010 at 11:28 pm
I am SO sorry you had to lose Sophie! I love black cats, and will give my vowels some extra love when I get home from work.
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:25 am
Just hugged my cats to the extend they almost fled the room! Somehow you never get over the loss, but in time and with the help of other feline friens it does get easier.
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:44 am
Hi Kate, that was really sad to hear…I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope you have lots of lovely memories to remember her by.
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:25 am
Beautiful kitty. So sorry… I’m sure she’ll be waiting for you on the other side of rainbow bridge.
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:27 am
So sorry to hear about Sophie. Hugs.
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:33 am
I’m so sorry to hear that. I had to deal with my family’s cat Princess, who we had had since I was a little kid, passing away last winter at 17, and it was so hard. Good luck to you during this difficult time *hugs*
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:28 am
Thank you for sharing Sophie’s story with us, may she rest in peace. I think you’ve done well by her by sharing her with us via your story and your pictures, which in a way ensure she lives on in the love of others.
My feline friends will get a little more love and attention heaped on them today in memory of Sophie.
Peace
K
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:47 am
She was a special girl. I’m sorry for your loss. I also have a beautiful black fluffy cat named Sophie.
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:09 am
My deepest sympathies to you. I have 4 cats and they mean the world to me. I haven’t lost any of them yet but I have lost two dogs and it was the hardest thing I ever had to go through. I will pray that God heals your broken heart and will bring you joy. God bless you .
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:33 am
Sophie had a wonderful home with someone who truly loved and cared for her,, I know your heart is breaking, I truly understand and share your pain. I had a cat, Frisky who died after 23 years, she was a gift from my son and I got her as a kitten, this wonderful little ball of fur and love was the best companion, I loved her so much and I really believe I needed her more than she needed me, it’s funny how animals and humans communicate, she understood me so well.
The day she died we had a burial and memorial service for her, a lot of people knew and loved her, she was so human, I didn’t think I could love another cat, but Frisky had other plans, a few hours after her death my neighbor came to me and told me of a cat she had that she “had” to either find a home for STAT or send to a shelter, I took one look at those big green eyes and pink nose, I couldn’t say No, it didn’t take very long before I sensed how much like Frisky, Patches was, then it occured to me, what Frisky and I had was so special, she would never want me to be alone, after 23 years she knew it was her time, she had a wonderful like, she sent this little cat not to take her place because nothing ever could, but because somehow she sensed another cat needed a loving, caring, nurturing home I could provide, she sensed my heart was breaking, their was a void, so she sent Patches.
I show Patches Friskys’ picture, she snuggles up to it, sometimes she even sleeps with her picture, Patches is Friskys gift. I know my Frisky is in heaven and someday we’ll be together, until then, I have the most wonderful memories of 23 wonderful years with someone so special.
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:56 am
I am so sorry about your loss! I truly understand what you are going through because I had to have my Vinnie put down on Feb 27th. He was special(he had many things wrong with him), but after 11 yrs.he lived a happy life. Now I am dealing with a sick kitten; hopefully Bubba will be okay. I’ll tell my 9 kitties about Sophie!!!!
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:03 am
I’m so sorry to hear about your Sophie. I have a solid black Sophie, too, and she’s been very sick lately. Although it seems she’s turned the corner and will get better, for a while there I was struggling with the prospect of losing my first baby, too. When I get home tonight, I’ll smooch and cuddle Sophie a little bit extra because I read about your Sophie today.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:08 am
You have our sympathy – I’m sure everyone in the community feels the same. Hard as it is now, I hope you realize that you made a real difference in her life, as I’m sure she made in yours.
XOXXO
Berta and kitties Elly, Emmy and Jason.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:24 am
Kate, I’m so sorry Sophie passed away. She was beautiful. I lost my best pal, Flotsam a few months ago. http://www.flickr.com/photos/designit/3811028563/
I still think of him often. You will always carry Sophie in your heart.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:36 am
What a beautiful girl. I’m so sorry for your loss.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:52 am
I’m so sorry for your loss. I am in tears reading your post because I have three cats of my own and know one day I’ll be where you are. It doesn’t ease the pain I’m sure, but Sophie is in a better place and you’ll both be together again some day…
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:58 am
I’m so sorry.
You gave her a wonderful life — taking on an older kitty is a special kind of amazing, and it means so much to a kitty who has lost her loved ones. I know it doesn’t help MUCH, but it should help SOME that she lived a good long life and knew how much she was loved. BIG HUGS!! And Godspeed, pretty Sophie. My Lenny, Loki, Gabriel, and Ebony will show you around at the Rainbow Bridge.
March 22nd, 2010 at 7:13 am
Thank you for giving Sophie so much love during your time with her. I think it’s everyone’s hope that when we go, someone like you will give our companions the love and care that we wish for them. Thank you too for sharing your story and pictures of your girl. What a beauty. Our hearts are with you.