Your Pet Loss Stories

'Rosie - My Funny, Feisty Irreplaceable Friend'

by Lyn Brown
(Bedfordshire, UK)

I had Rosie right from a tiny kitten - she was the runt of the litter, and was different from all the others, they were tabbies but she was a beautiful black and brown tortoiseshell. I had to feed her with a little bottle at first, as her mother couldn't feed her herself, and I thought I was going to lose her then, but she fought to stay with us, and grew, not particularly large, but very strong.

My son was 5 years old, and worshipped her, and always called her 'the best cat in the world', which she was. She had such funny little ways, she used to run up the garden sideways like a crab when she was excited, reducing us to fits of laughter, she used to peek round the corner at the top of the stairs, as if to say 'here I am!', and she always used to sleep on either my or my son's bed, right next to our heads, purring like a little engine. She was sweet and loving, and we loved her so much.

Then when she was 14, we realised she was losing her sight, but otherwise seemed OK. Then, one day, she tried to jump on to the pouffe, but missed, and went upstairs and hid under my son's bed. I left her to calm down, but when I went back up to her later on, I was stroking her and she had this huge seizure, her body thrashing around, it was horrible to watch.

My friend came with me to the vet, and he said she had the symptoms of kidney failure as well, and there was a lump on her kidney. He said there wasn't much hope, so as I didn't want her to suffer, I held her close as she slipped away from me, my heart breaking as hers stopped.

It's been just over two weeks now, and I still miss her so much. The house seems so quiet without her, but I know I will see her again at Rainbow Bridge.

Miss you, Rosie, love you forever xx