In the early hours of December 12th 2012 our special little cat Jake passed away from intestinal lymphoma. We had adopted Jake and a female cat Gossip together on Feb1, 2004. Now seven weeks later I’m still grieving, as is my wife. I can’t stop thinking about him, missing him so much, and feeling guilty that we didn’t take his early symptoms seriously enough. Our house is still so quiet without him. My interest in most things is very diminished. Every time I see Gossip I can’t stop thinking about him. Is there something wrong with me? I don’t think any human death has hit me any harder than this tragic event. Is it that I’m just getting old and these events are harder to deal with? At this moment I  still can’t believe my little pal is gone forever. I always said the best part of my life was coming home from work, a night out or from a weekend away to see my two pals waiting for us. Jake slept with us and woke us up in the middle of the night. Now I miss being woken up but I also don’t sleep well anymore.

— Henry from White Plains, NY

Our girl Misty was abandoned at a Reno, NV weekly motel that we stayed at when we first moved there in 2007.  She was scared of almost everything but after lots of patience and love, she has become very brave. We have close neighbors with dogs and even horses on all sides and she loves to watch them from inside and out.  She has brought to our lives so much love and affection…

— Craig from Arlee, MT

We have to have my cat Monty put to sleep this morning. He was only 15 months old. He was diagnosed with liver failure.

Monty was a rescue kitten. We bought him for our sons Birthday in December 2011. On New Years Eve we took him to the vets to get his shots. I asked how old Monty was, and they said he was 7 weeks old. So that made him only 3 weeks old when we adopted him. He got shots at the animal shelter, but got more from the vets.

A few days ago I noticed that Monty was losing weight even though he was eating and drinking as usual. Last night he seemed to be unsteady on his legs, so early this morning we took him to the vets. The vet diagnosed him with liver failure. We chose to make the hard decision to have him put to sleep because the vet said she couldn`t guarantee that he would pull through even with medication and her vet skills. She said he wasn`t in any pain, but he could be if she was unable to get his liver functioning again.  I didn`t want him to leave me, but I didn`t want him in any pain.

The only comfort I have is that he slept with me on the bed last night.  He hardly ever comes on the bed, so last night Monty must have known his time was short and wanted to say goodbye.

I love you Monty, and miss you so much. ♥

— Wendy from Victor, WV

Mr. Bell was a special guy. I have known him since the day he was born.  He was born with 5 other kittens on a fishing boat parked in a driveway in Monroe Twp, NJ.  Through his 11 years, he’s experienced several relocations, two car trips from NJ to Fla, and 4 plane rides from NJ to Fla.  He’s always been around people who have loved him and cared for him.  I was fortunate enough to find stability in 2006 through my wife.  He’s lived in the same house for the better part of 6 years, and even got his own little section of the house.  We had a few scares with him running out a few times, but he never completely fled.  He was more concerned with eating grass.

I think what I will remember the most about Mr. Bell is just his constant yearning for affection.  He always wanted to be laying on someone, getting pet, or slamming his head into you to mark his territory.  Unless you were a lizard or smaller creature, he didn’t have a bad bone in his body.  He gave us so much love and comfort that it would be impossible to put it into words.  I’d often have issues with insomnia, but he could put me to sleep in 5 minutes if he was purring next to me.  He loved laying with my wife and kneading her as well.

Though he only lived to be just past his 11th birthday, the joy he brought into our lives will last a lifetime.  I am so unbelievably grateful for having the time with him.  There were moments in my life when he was the lone thing I looked forward to seeing.  I got to spend the best and worst days of my life with him.  But, regardless of circumstance, he always made things better.  It’s that unconditional love that always shines through.  He enjoyed his window sills, bird viewing, plant nipping, catnip, laser pointers, and human affection.

While the loss of Mr. Bell has been extremely tough, it is the fond memories that will forever bind him in my heart.  A part of me left and will never come back.  I would do anything in the world to have him back with me in a healthy state, but I know that cannot happen.  I just hope that he is in a place now where he can be rewarded for all of the good he’s brought into our lives.  I couldn’t ask for a better cat and a more loving animal companion.

Your mother and I love you.  We think about you all the time.  Rest in peace Mr. Bell.  I hope you truly are at Rainbows Bridge and that we will cross paths once again.

— Marc from Punta Gorda, FL

Our dog Surge passed away 2 years ago coming 1/16/14 at the age of 14.  He was a sheltie.  The most loyal, loving, beautiful dog ever.  I am sure everybody says that about their dog but he truly was.  He barked a lot in his younger years. Barked when anybody came into the house and left the house, barked at the  phone, barked at leaves blowing in the air.  As he got older he became deaf and was going blind.  As my husband says “pet ownership never ends well”.  That is an understatement.  He is missed everyday.  Today we are caring for our son’s dog Monster. Named Monster because his birthday is 10/31.  He will be 5 years old.  He is a mixed breed.  We love  him very much.  A great dog. A protective dog who loves our company.  We think we may have to keep him when our son moves out.

— Kerri from Montclair, NJ

On January 2, 2013 we had to say goodbye to our female rough coat collie Maui.

She was a rescue. We got her as a companion for our then young male rough coat collie Buddy.   We went to the Providence Animal Rescue to look at some dogs we had seen online.  I hoped to find another collie but didn’t think it was going to happen.   As we walked through the doors there was a couple with a rough coat collie they were giving up due to a move.  They told us her name was Maui.  She was a 4 year female rough coat collie, just what I’d hope for!  After introducing the 2 dogs we took her home.

She was afraid of the car and didn’t want to get in, after putting her in the car she shook all the way home!  She had other curious behaviors.  We have 6 stairs going up to our living room.  Before she could go up or down those stairs she had to perform at least 1 circle sometimes 2 or 3!  Whenever she left the kitchen, her favorite room in the house because it contained cheese, she had to walk out backwards!  Even if she was facing the right way she’d make a 1/2 circle point her rear end at the door and start walking backwards until she got into the hallway where she’d turn and walk right!  She was a very good dog that liked human company more than canine, which was unfortunate considering why we got her in the face place.   She got over her fear of the car after a few trips to the dog park.  She loved to be able to run free which she could do in a 4 acre dog park!   When asked if she wanted to go to the dog park she’d blot to the car and sit there waiting to be let in.   She never got over her circles or backwards exits.  The last few weeks she was so disorientated that we had to lead her of the kitchen out on a leash.

Maui and Buddy would lay down in the in front yard in the same position kind of back to back, we called them our collie bookends.  Buddy just stopped looking for Maui this week.  He must miss her more than we do.  We’d like to get another older dog for Buddy who is 10 years old now but we just can’t afford 4 dogs anymore.  We also have 2 small terriers a Yorki and a mix, the mix is a rescue with more energy than the sun!

As hard as it is to say goodbye I wouldn’t trade those times and memories for anything!

— Jordan from Hope Valley, RI