I am so thankful that I have found your webpage!

by Emilie
(Denmark)

Dear Bunny

I am so thankful that I have found your webpage! I searched Google for 'pet loss', 'grief' etc. and your link appeared.

I am grieving the death of my parents' cat Mumrik, who was hit by a car and seemingly killed instantly at night last Saturday. He was barely 2 years old. I've known him right from the beginning of his life, since he was born in my parents' living room. So even though I am an adult and live by myself, I had (and still have!) a very close bond with him.

I actually think everyone who met him have felt that way. He had the most loving, trusting, joyful and curious spirit, I have ever met in a cat, although I have known quite a few cats in my life. Being with him, playing or having him on my lap, I always felt that he was too good to be true. A very beautiful and graceful cat too, jet black and shiny with a tiny white dot on his chest, beautifully slanted eyes with the color of amber, long legs and a very long, strong tail.

Your webpage has greatly helped me getting through these first five days of intense grief. I've never had a loss like this before; the cats we had when I was I child died in old age after a period of illness. Those losses were also very sad for us - but the fact that Mumrik was so young and full of joy and life and then suddenly killed is very hard to bear. It seems so brutal and cruel. He loved to run around and play outside; unfortunately he also loved crossing the road and go into the forest. But we couldn't keep him in, he was a free spirit.

I feel so sorry for my father who accidently found him on the road early in the morning. And at the same time, I'm glad that he, and not some stranger, found him. Mumrik had apparently had a strong blow to the head and was killed instantly by it. I'm glad he probably didn't suffer - and at the same time I imagine in my mind over and over how it happened. Luckily my parents still have Mumrik’s mother Nessie, so the house doesn't feel as empty as it would without a cat.

One of the most difficult things is that some people don't understand the grief I feel. They can't imagine that it's possible to love an animal just as much as a human being. A colleague of mine who was trying to be nice, obviously thought that my grief was a bit exaggerated. It feels like a stronger blow right now, because I’m so sad right now, and some comments and reactions can seem very insensitive. But it is very comforting to read your information about grief, the stages and reactions and that it is perfectly normal and okay to deeply grieve a beloved pet.

Thank you so much for your work, information and comfort to all of us who need it! Kind regards and warm greetings from Emilie, Denmark