We said goodbye to our Reggie today

After a battle with hepatic lipidosis, we had to say goodbye to our sweet, sweet Reggie. He passed on the floor in our living room this morning.

I can remember the night he found me back in late 2001. I heard a cat meowing outside and thought a cat might be stuck in a tree. So I walk outside my townhome and look around and don't see anything. Then I look down the sidewalk and there he is, the kitty who was making all that noise. He was no more than 3 month old. So he dashes down to me and he has a collar on, so I tell him to go back home. But he keeps following me back to my townhome. So I close the back door and tell him again to go home, but he stays at the door, just meowing. So I let him inside to hang out and, as they say, the rest is history.

I remember just a few nights after we became friends, I sat him on my chest and picked fleas off him one by one. He sat there for what seemed like 3 hours just letting my pick fleas off him. He knew I was trying to help and that bond grew strong for 9 years. He was the best friend anybody could ever ask for. Always loving on you and always there to greet you.

RIP my little buddy, we will always love you and remember you.

Here's a few shots of our sweet Reggie. That was his favorite chair - he sat in it more than anyone else.

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, it is difficult because he made progress at the vet clinic, but his liver illness was just too much to overcome. All we can do now is grieve for him and let time heal these wounds. We will miss him so much.

Thank you all for the kind words.

I can only take solace in the fact that we did all we could to help him battle his liver illness. We wouldn't have had it any other way. If we didn't love him so much, then it wouldn't hurt like it does. You all know how strong the bond is with your pets. Right now it feels like we will never be able to heal because we lost a part of our family, but in time we will be able to find peace with his passing. I am trying to remember the joy he brought to us and how he lived a happy, love-filled life.

Thank you again, it helps to know that others know what we are going through. Right now the pain is so heavy and feels as if it will never go away. My poor wife is so devastated, this will take her a long time to get past. I doubt she will ever truly find complete peace with his passing, but I can only pray that she does over time. I am trying to find peace so I can support her through this difficult time.

I am trying to find support from others, but it's going to be so tough. How have others coped with the loss of a pet? I think we just need to continue to grieve and let time heal these wounds as best as possible. The next few weeks will be especially difficult, but we hope that we will then be able to slowly heal.

Thank you all for the kind, heartfelt words. As I type this I have tears in my eyes. I know Reggie would have wanted us to continue living our lives because we have so many reasons to live. He was just such a huge part of our everyday lives and that void is so big right now that it feels like it will never fill in. But hearing your words helps me stay strong and know that we will eventually find peace in his passing. As other said, right now thinking of the memories makes us grieve, but in time we will be able to think of those same memories and smile and remember how lucky we were to have him in our lives.

My wife said this morning that despite this immense pain we are going through right now, we wouldn't have traded it for the 9 wonderful years we spent with Reggie. Our lives are better because of him and we mustn't ever forget that. It doesn't matter how much time you have with your pets, it is never enough.

There is not an easy path to heal from such a loss, so we have to wake up each day and find inspiration in whatever we can. We have friends and family and our other beautiful cat, Kylah, to help us through this difficult time. Thank you again for the kind words, they help greatly.

Thank you for the kind words, Reggie was a beautiful boy, both inside and out. I would like to share some pics of our gorgeous girl Kylah, I will do that later when I get home. She's our spoiled little princess.

I am at work today and it's difficult being here. I really want to cry but can't (just not the right environment), so I just think of the happy times we shared together and that helps me get through. I am sure I will cry at home, which is part of the healing process. My wife works from home on the 1st biz day of the month (works at a bank) and she actually stayed home today with our Kylah, which I was surprised she did. I want to call her and see how she is doing, but I know it will make me cry.

Today presented another of the "firsts" we will continue to encounter. Today was the first day I went to work and wasn't able to say goodbye to my buddy and tell him to have a good day. It will be the first day to come home and not have him there waiting for me to say hello. I wish the pain would go away and it has a teeny bit, although Friday was absolute rock bottom so the only way to move is up. But I know it's going to take time to cope and adjust to his passing. He was such a special friend who was such a huge part of our lives. He was there when we woke, there when we came home, there when we went to sleep. You can't just erase how significant a part of our lives he was, not that I want to. But there are so many triggers that remind us of him. Someday we will be able to smile at all those instead of cry.

This morning I went with my wife to the gym, which I don't do as I am not a morning gym person. But I did not want her to come home by herself without Reggie or me there. So I am going to adjust my work schedule so we can be together in the morning since that is such a difficult time right now. I am lucky I have a job that allows me to adjust my work schedule like that.

Thank you again for the support, I hate being an emotional sponge right now and would like to give back and help others.