Jennifer,
My heart goes out to you and your Mom.

I am sorry for your and your mom's loss. :Hugs:

Losing a pet is not a small matter. I doubt any of us really get over with ours. They will always be in our hearts. Your pet is a family member, companion, and the love of your life. There are things you can do to help you and your family deal with the loss of your beloved pet. I want to share some things here with you that might be helpful to you or a friend who have lost a pet.

http://petloss.com/poems/poems.htm

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

So sorry to read this. You are in my thoughts.

So sorry Jennifer.

My mom is much more of a cat person than a dog person - she always had at least one for all her pre children years, then it narrowed down to just one, Lulu, who lived until I was about 13. To this day, the saddest I've ever seen my mom is the day she let Lulu go... I know how hard it is to say goodbye to such long friends, and my heart goes out to you both.

Hugs,
~Natalya

Thanks everyone, very much.

Shoot, I'm going to start crying at work now.

I just talked to my mom - she didn't sleep very much, but she's doing alright. She ended up doing 5 loads of laundry and cleaning up her condo (she'd put down thick rugs with underpads to try to make walking more comfy for Mitu, not to mention Mitu's long and storied history of wiping her bum on rugs) b/c she couldn't sleep. So apparently her place no longer has random rugs all over it.

It is for the best. Mitu had all sorts of health problems, all of which were manageable, but her arthritis had gotten worse and she'd really gone downhill in the last month, last 2 weeks especially. They'd tried everything - cartrophen, she was already on prednisone, supplements and natural treatments, and a couple of different narcotics including one they had to get permission to bring up here and use the last couple of weeks and she her limping just got worse. It's been getting worse for awhile but it's in the last few weeks that my mom I guess was going to give this last narcotic a try, but when it didn't work - it really is quality of life. I think my mom made the decision at the right time - she tried, but it wasn't working - but it is sad.

She was the most beautiful cat, she had this perfect little face and these big eyes. Plus just so sweet.

I am sooo sorry, Jenn.

So sorry for your and your Mom's loss.

Jennifer,

I am very sorry about your loss.

I had to put one of my dogs down once - it was something I will never forget - like you - I cried like a baby and I still get choked up about it. My eyes are watering now as I write this.

My deepest and sincerest condolences.

Peter, it is hard. Never gets any easier.

Thank you all for your thoughts. I saw my mom at lunch and told her about the thread and she was really touched.

Jennifer,

My condolences to you and your family. It's so hard losing a pet even harder making the decision to let them go. My cat was PTS in 10/08. She had been struggling with diabetes and CRF, but at 20 years old she could not handle it anymore. After going into a diabetic seizure (I saved her with some Karo syrup), she just went down hill after that and stopped eating. It was horrible, but I knew letting her go was the only choice no matter how hard she was still trying to fight. In time the pain and sorrow for the loss of a pet will turn into fond memories.

Kimberly