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"We finally had to .... well, you know."

I am so sorry for your loss. These past 4 days I just keep trying to think how on earth am I supposed to live without her?

I think our agony is probably much worse than theirs is.

The Power of the Dog
by
Rudyard Kipling

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie--
Perfect passsion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find--it's your own affair--
But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone--wherever it goes--for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long--
So why in--Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

Thanks. It was very tough for a long time for us. We vowed no more pets. And it stayed that way for well over a decade.

Then our youngest daughter, 25, thought we needed 'someone to keep us (me) company' and she wanted a pet too, so she brought home a Yellow Lab Puppy as a 'surprise'.

It was more of a shock and the first thing I said, was 'get it out of here'. But after three minutes of looking at that little bundle it was too late, I had a dog. That was a little over three years ago now 'Honey' is our (my) baby (82# of muscle).

But we still miss our cat, we'll never forget him.