[mahas_human]

Ma-Ha is going to be 9 years old in July. She's very healthy for her age. Everyone who doesn't know how old she is assumes that she's just about a year old. She still has a lot of energy and plays with everything she can find. I just get worried a lot about when she'll die. She's my best friend and we've been through a lot together, so I'm scared of how I'll handle it when she goes. Has anyone felt like this before? How did you handle it? I don't want to be constantly worrying about her. I want to enjoy my time with her while I still can!

 

[tommycat]

I think that's pretty normal. I'm on my 9th kitty and she'll be 10 in April. We've decided not to get anymore for several reasons, so I'm even more sentimental about her. We lost 2 of them last year, and it was just too much grief too close together! One was 14; the other was 18. My advice is to just enjoy her and make "mental" home movies of her so you'll always remember special things about her!

 

[Mousey]

I feel this way about the pets I have. All of them even the ones that have passed on. Sometimes I think I might take it worse with the animals I spend more time with (due to life span reasons). My dog Harley has been with me for 7 years and he was the only family I had at one point in time. I use to freak out pretty bad to the point I would cry just trying to think about what life would be like if he passed.

I have a few friends who have already gone through something like this. We had a heart to heart together and they helped me alot.

Their time will be in the back your mind when they start aging. But dwelling on it will not help. You will hurt and mourn their loss as any loved family or friend. But you can have peace of mind and good closure knowing you made their life
as comfortable, happy and healthy as possible. When they age spoil them a little more
we are always here for you.