Just put Jess the cat to sleep earlier this morning, after a dramatic fall in appetite and zest of life, which was noticeable by the cattery where she stayed for the weekend.
Her meows and eyes were sad when she came home yesterday after a short stay over the weekend while was in London for the weekend, with no demand for food and cuddles and fuss which she normally did.
She chose me as her second human mum back in September 2007 when I drove a round trip of over 200 miles to meet her, to make sure she and I would get along.
I am certain Bean the dog brought out the kitten in her shortly after he came to stay within a month of losing Borda the old dog at the age of just below 14yo.
They loved to play together, chasing each other around the house, and Bean loved to steal her food to the extent that I had to keep them separated during feeding time.
The vets informed me that they would not put her through another general anaesthetic (GA) when she needed one for her dental work about 2 years ago, having done the tests to make sure she was healthy enough to undergo a GA.
Since then, I had been preparing myself for this day as I knew I was on borrowed time with her.
R.I.P. my sweetest girl, thanks for choosing me as your second mum, and Bean and I shall miss you dearly. I hope you and Borda have now reunited across the rainbow bridge and are having fun together again.
Pic of Jess on her first night in my house in September 2007:
My favourite pic of Jess and Borda:
My favourite pic of Jess and Bean. Bean was shocked after she gave him a head bonk!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Sorry to read this, DK.
21 is a good age & it sounds like she was ready to go after a long & happy life, but she’ll leave a big cat-shaped hole for you & Bean, no matter how small she was.
Our last cat (we’re not getting another) had been seeing the vet regularly & was on meds. Every night, I’d tell her to go in peace. And one morning, she had indeed died in her sleep, under a seat beside the dog in her crate. She’s in the garden with the previous cat, 3 dogs & a wee fox cub, who got killed on the road nearby.
Condolences. She was a pretty wee thing.
I feel for you,DK. We have been through this ourselves.
It is now over thirty years since we lost our dog. In fact, a couple of nights ago, I was scraping the remains from a pack of custard and my eyes automatically glanced down to the floor half expecting to see her sitting there drooling. After all, that was her job cleaning out the custard container. In fact, she would make the job last all evening.
I doubt if I would get another cat for logistical as well as financial reasons.
Have to wait and see.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Sorry to hear your sad news DK. I too know that awful feeling when losing a pet. They really are like family aren't they. We have lost several dogs and cats over the years, and still remember all of them. They had all been rescues.
When our last dog Benji, an Australian Terrier, had to be put to sleep aged 15 right in the middle of Covid, we decided that for many reasons that he would be our last. We still have great memories and many photos.
Really feel for you. Over many years we've had just the one dog and 5 cats, currently on number 6 cat. I know how you must be feeling, having been through exactly the same 6 times. Each one is a different character and has a special place in your heart.
She looks a lovely cat, and it's nice to see she got on well with both your dogs. When we had our dog, we had 2 cats already. They also got on well together, to the extent that when the bin lorry came, the 3 of them used to hide together underneath the dog's blanket, as they were all really scared by all the noise.
Today was hard, as I found myself missing the cat more than I missed my mum who passed away nearly a year ago.
I had a few good cries. Bean knew I was upset, and put his paw on my arm to comfort me, bless him!
I guess I was closer to Jess for the past 18 years or so than to my mum whom I chose to live 8 time zones away from her with good reasons!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Our pets seem to know when we're upset, as Bean has demonstrated. They are aware of much more than people give them credit for.
Somehow our pets can mean more to us than (some) human beings, and there's no shame in that IMHO.
Giving way to your feelings and crying is normal; I've cried buckets in the past and can still feel upset now 16 years after our last cat died.
Memories and photographs help I think, at least, it did/does me.
Thanks Ina, and indeed photos helped, and the first thing I did when Borda died was to make a collage of his camping and other favourite pics, so that I could hang it up in the van.
I did a collage of Jess's pics too and it is hanging up in the lounge.
I have made a collage of photos in a bigger size of Jess and Borda which is intended to be hung up in the bedroom, which should arrive early next week.
Here is the collage in A4 hanging up in the lounge:
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
That's a really lovely collage, all such lovely photographs. We have photos of past pets in our motorhome too, as well as at home. I regularly look through them and find myself going down memory lane, with so many great memories.
The period after putting your pet to sleep is so hard, but you did the best thing for her by letting her go when it was the right time. It's always a heart-wrenching decision to have to make, but for our pets it's the last thing you can do for them, as they mean the world to us.
I miss my pets far more than my Mum who was very difficult. I broke her heart apparently, one of the many perceived reasons was that I didn't want my own children. This brought back all the memories of Sweeney, our best ever cat.
She was my first and only cat, got her shortly after I bought my own house with a garden and relocated to Wiltshire, and I doubt if I would have another one.
Yesterday was hard as it was the first morning without her sweet meows and demands for food and cuddles.
Went round to the neighbour's yesterday with a framed copy of the collage as a keepsake for them. The children grew up with her, and their mum used to look after her when I want away on camping holidays. They missed her too.
Edited to say I believe she waited for me to return from London, to bring her home so that she could spend her last hours on this Earth with me and Bean as her family, bless her.
I am truly grateful that I was there with her till the very end, as I would have been very upset if she had died without me by her side.
DK
Post last edited on 25/09/2025 12:20:32
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Looking at the bright side, I no longer have to pay 12.50 GBP for each day she is in the cattery (she needed daily pain medication and I could not ask my neighbour to take that responsibility), and it should be easier for me to pack up and go camping with the dog without having to worry about her.
For my next 8-day trip in October 2025, that's a saving of 200 GBP!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: R.I.P. Jess the cat at 21yo
via mobile 23/9/2025 at 4:11pm
