# My cat died last night **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2026, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672 "2026-10-08T15:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/1 "2026-10-08T15:27:37Z")
She was old and sick. I don’t know how old, because she was a foster failure, and when we took her, she was “more than ten years old”. She had been in kitty hospice for more than a year, when the vet diagnosed her with “probably lymphoma”. We opted for “comfort care”, so he never tried to pin down the diagnosis, although at her most recent appointment he said it probably hadn’t been lymphoma, just based on how long she survived. We’ve been giving her daily painkillers and a steroid a couple times a week for more than a year. She wasn’t able to eat much in a sitting, so we also fed her all day long, a spoonful of wet food at a time. She had stopped grooming herself, and it was clearly painful for her when we tried to untangle her mats, and she had so many we would have had to shave her naked to remove them. So she looked pretty ragged. She had been a handsome cat when she was healthy. She had an enormous frame for a female cat, and weighed nothing. She was really all skin and bones for the past year or two. Anyway, rest in peace, Rachel. We will bury her in the back yard at lunch. The kids are trying to arrange to come ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/2 "2026-10-08T15:44:54Z")
I’m sorry, so tough when we lose our little furry friends. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/3 "2026-10-08T15:48:45Z")
I’m sorry to hear it, but so glad she had such a caring person as you when she needed one. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/4 "2026-10-08T15:51:39Z")
So sorry for your loss. Cats are angels in disguise. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/5 "2026-10-08T16:32:08Z")
We buried her in my husband’s lunch break. Both children were able to attend. I dug the hole in advance, but i forgot how huge her frame was, and i had to expand it a little to accommodate her front paws, splayed forwards in rigor. We put some clean leaves underneath, and over her head, and everyone threw in a handful of soil, which is a Jewish burial custom. Then i used the shovel to finish the job, and our daughter found her a nice grave stone. (It’s rocky here. Lots of suitable stones.) Rest in peace, my most annoying tripping hazard. You did your best. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/6 "2026-10-08T16:32:54Z")
Your story brought tears to my eyes, because it reminded me of the passing of my old friend Jack. He was old and sick. One Saturday he was so sick we reluctantly decided we would have to take him in and have him put down on Monday. We had resisted that because he hated the vet’s office and we didn’t want him to leave this earth in a place he hated. As it turned out, we were spared that. That night he crawled up in my lap, like he did every night, and passed away, on his own terms, in a place he loved. We both held him until the end. It’s heartbreaking to lose your friend, but take comfort in knowing that Rachel was loved, and in her own way knew it, and loved you in return. Now I have to go get a tissue. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/7 "2026-10-08T17:04:32Z")
Very sorry to hear this. Don’t know what I’ll do when Meave goes… she must be at least 17yo now. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/8 "2026-10-08T17:06:34Z")
Oh, I’m so sorry. It’s always so hard to lose a pet. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/9 "2026-10-08T17:24:21Z")
I am so sorry. They leave such holes in our hearts. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/10 "2026-10-08T17:26:29Z")
Sending positive energy to you and your family. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/11 "2026-10-08T17:31:48Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Rest in peace, my most annoying tripping hazard. You did your best. My mother was visiting this week. When we were talking about pets, she remarked that – for several years after our (my) childhood dog died – my mother would ‘trip’ over the one spot where Tammy had habitually laid down. I have no end of similar and subtle and irrelevant and stupid … and oh-so sweet … reminders of my Sam. I’m sorry for your loss, but hope you’ll cherish all the silly little memories, too. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderMagnolia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LavenderMagnolia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderMagnolia)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/12 "2026-10-08T17:45:06Z")
I am sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/13 "2026-10-08T17:48:02Z")
I always find it somewhat therapeutic to dig the hole. It gets out some of the big feelings, doing something hard that needs to be done. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/14 "2026-10-08T18:09:37Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > We’ve been giving her daily painkillers and a steroid a couple times a week for more than a year. She wasn’t able to eat much in a sitting, so we also fed her all day long, a spoonful of wet food at a time. you did good, and I am crying on your behalf. I cannot allow myself to not believe in heaven, so I think you will see Rachael there. 💔 ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/15 "2026-10-08T18:10:49Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > We buried her in my husband’s lunch break. Both children were able to attend. 😢 I’m glad your family could come together to say goodbye this way. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/16 "2026-10-08T18:13:38Z")
The furry beasts are better than most of us deserve. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/17 "2026-10-08T18:13:54Z")
My sympathies for your loss. I’ve cried hard over the loss of cats. It’s particularly difficult when they’re in so much discomfort that they can’t take care of themselves, but you did right by Rachel. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/18 "2026-10-08T19:03:50Z")
So sorry for your loss. I hope your family all being together was some comfort. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/19 "2026-10-08T19:17:55Z")
I’m so sorry. I have four rescues who are probably around 11-12 years old. I’m dreading the next few years. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672/20 "2026-10-08T19:31:31Z")
We are sorry for your loss. > [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I have four rescues who are probably around 11-12 years old. I’m dreading the next few years. Yeah, all ours are rescues, and two are around that age. But we have had several cats make it to 18 and even 20. Blessings on all who give a home to a rescue animal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-died-last-night/1033672.md?page=2)