My cat died she was 11 years old. I got her when she was just a kitten for my son. They are in Virginia?

I am feeling your pain CoffeeCup I cant seem to eat or sleep lately, and it seems really strange, my 12 year old cat just died a few days ago. Kidney Failure, possibly brought on from a rough begining. He and his 3 siblings were put in a plastic garbage bag and thrown into a construction dumpster. They were only a few days old. His other sibs were dead, but he mewed enough for a worker to hear him and be saved. I took him in and bottle fed him like a baby. I decided to keep him as a brother for my other male cat, Gabriel, at the time. His name was Gideon. He was the most sweetest cat you would ever met. Kids, people, dogs could do ANYTHING to him. I will remember him most for being "momma" to all the wildlife babies I brought home. He seemed to distiguish that these babies were not to be harmed but loved, though he spared no mercy to the mice in the house.

He seemed to be just fine last week, then one day, he just didnt get up from the bed, when he looked at me it was with pain and sickness, I picked him up and petted him thinking he was just depressed, when he limply laid there I begged him to get up, I called the ER vet and rushed him in. He was so far gone, his kidneys had failed 100%. Nothing could be done for him. I wonder sometimes why didnt I see this earlier? Doc said nothing could have been seen it was just that fast.

He laid in my arms on the table, he closed his eyes, the drip went in, and a minute later he died there on the table with my tears and my heart holding his poor, regal black and white head. I cant ever replace him, I loved him dearly. It is why I havent been on YA answers for a while now. I am giving him a memorial in the Best Friends Sanctuary memorial. He is buried outside near the barn where I can see his little grave stone from the kitchen window.

Its going to take a long time to get over a great friend, Your memorial is wonderful I love that idea. My heart and mind is with you on your sad journey. I hope the kids can get over it ok!!

WHOOPS sorry somehow deleted this last bit. I would wait to tell them till they got home. No sense ruining the vacation now. They are going to be confused alot since they didnt get to see her before she passed, but just show them where they can talk to her, and then give them the option to decide if they want another cat or not. They will get over it quicker than you will believe me.

I add my memorial Link too

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24937731@N02/?saved=1

So sorry for your loss. Wait till your children get home. If you tell them now, that's all they will think about. Let them enjoy themselves for now. Once you tell them they will be devastated . Being close to the family is what they need. Since you do have another kitty and burying the other kitty in your yard will help. The idea you have for a memory garden for your beloved kitty sounds beautiful.

You have my deepest sympathy. I still grieve over a dog that I lost 4 years ago. They're much more than pets and people without animal family members don't understand the bond.

You're doing the right thing by waiting until they come back. Why spoil their vacation?

Are you going to adopt another cat companion? The only thing that helps me with my emotional pain when I lose a beloved pet is to adopt another. The pound is full of poor animals needing a good home. Unfortunately, many are put to sleep if nobody adopts them.

I know it's hard to envision another animal because they can never REPLACE our lost friends but they can help keep you in the 'now' and keep you from spending too much time lost in the past and grieving.

Four years ago next month, I lost a dog that was more like my daughter or sister than a pet. She was the smartest dog that I ever owned and I knew that it would be hard to live without her. She died young, only 7, due to complications from her diabetes but 6 months later I found a pup that seemed to know me from the first time she saw me and I've been able to move on though, at times, like now, I find myself still crying over the loss of my other beloved friend.

I know that no words can really help when your heart is broken over the loss of a friend but I really do believe animals go to Heaven. I cannot believe God would deny me the comfort of my furry friends whenever I reach my final reward so know that you'll see your beloved cat again someday.

God bless you and help you through this difficult time.

Oh, Im so sorry!! Yes, I agree to wait. there is nothing that can be done and the only thing it would serve is to darken the final days of their trip. I had an elderly pet pass while we were on vacation, but my circumstances were different, we were ALL gone and had left things in the care of a housesitter. We got the call the final day of our vacation. My daughter was 13 and this was her dog. They were the same age. It was VERY hard...it saddened our arrival home deeply and we all cryed. My housesitter HAD to call us... your situation is a bit different where as even tho you are sad, you are home and can handle things so the kids can finish up their vacation and then come back to the real world.

Be thinking of you,

You need to bury her and set up a little memorial for her.

When they get home, and not a moment sooner, tell them what happened and offer them a craft to memorialize kitty and put it in a scrap book.

I used to work at a vet just cleaning up and talking to owners and every time I had to tell a family their pet was gone, I offered them a scrap book and a picture of their pet before (if it was possible) and a few decorative pages for writing about them.

We also worked next to a pet cemetery, so we offered them a plan to work with paying for the funeral.

If you have a pet cemetery there locally, they can easily cremate your kitty so that you can scatter her ashes with your children.

Tell them when they get home then offer to get a new kitten maybe a week or two later there are so many kitties in the world that need loving homes and its sounds like your a good kit kat owner to me ;)

Sorry for your loss

You should wait until they come home and let them enjoy their vacation, telling them now would just make them sad, if you can take it somewhere that can keep it until you can bury it, with the kids.

That's really sad. I hope the kids handle it okay.

I'd say wait to tell them in person as you've said. Just so not to ruin their holiday away.

Sorry abotu your loss.

You should probably wait until they come home. And I would also remind them of the long life this cat has apparently lived (11 years) and try to dwell on that instead of greif.

oh Coffe! i'm so sorry! wait until they come home. when my sons dog was diagnosed with diabetes he was away at school. i waited for him to come home. they'll need your comfort and you can't give them that over the phone. whoever they're with may say "it was just a cat". only you can understand.

you've been through so much this month!