Sad but relieved

My cat Monkey died today. For the first time since she was diagnosed with a tumour she began to get restless and wasn’t relaxed. I decided she had had enough, but the vets had no free appointments today and I made one for tomorrow. This afternoon I realised she wasn’t just sleeping but had died. I felt sad but was relieved that she didn’t have to make that final trip in the cat basket and the car, which she hated so much. She was 12 and had a tumour, so there was no future for her.

She had chosen to live with me when she was still a kitten,  having rehomed herself from a house two doors away. Her owner was happy to let her move in here.

Now her little friend Pickle has no one to play with. I always have felt that I could make a positive out of a negative, by letting one cat’s death make a space to give a home to another unwanted cat from a rescue centre. But in view of the horrendous vet bills for Monkey, I’m not sure I can afford another cat to be a friend for Pickle.  I'll have to give it a lot of thought.