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[Max was loved]

My cat Max died on Saturday. He was only 4 years old and he died instantly with no previous illness or warning. He was sitting on my husbands lap and all of a sudden he screamed and died. We had no warning. Just that morning I had been playing with him and brushing his hair. My husband had just sat down with him to clip his nails. We took him to the emergency room because we didn't know what to do and they confirmed he was dead. The vet said she probably thought he had a clot that killed him instantly. There was nothing we could have done to prevent it.

I'm so sad it really hurts to feel this loss. I think because it was so sudden it's shaken us even more. We just moved to a new city and are not even settled and to have this happen has really shaken us. We loved Max so much. We're a young couple and Max was like our child. He brought us much happiness and I know he loved us too.

I've had pets my entire life and I know the pain of losing a pet. But they've always been old or had a progressive disease. For Max to die so suddenly has really made me realize how quickly life can change.

It's hard to be in the apartment now. I keep expecting him to come around the corner. I see his hair on our things. I havent' wanted to move his litter box yet because then it's really over.

I know that the pain will ease and over time we will have happy memories of him but right now it's painful and makes this unsettled time in our lives feel that much more intense.

Thank you for reading. It helps to know there are others out there who know what this is like.

[Karen44]

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my dog of 17 years in a similar way -- granted, he was 17 years old, but he was in perfect health and jumped in the air for his walk that morning as ususal. His name was also Max.

Max has been gone now for a year and a half. I also had a dog named Sal who had a long illness before I finally had to help end his ordeal just 4 weeks ago.

Although I sometimes feel I will never get over the shock of my Max's death, I am grateful that he and I never had to go through what I went through with Sal. Sal became someone I didn't know, but Max was himself to the last minute.

It sounds like every day you had with your Max was a joy, too. I hope that, in time, you will be comforted by that. You have suffered a terrible shock and I share your sorrow. Hang in there, Karen