My heart aches...

We got a call late last night - our daughter was in tears... Jake, their spunky male cat, had died.  It came as a shock to everyone; Jake had surgery last month after getting something tied up in his stomach.  He seemed to be doing really well after the surgery.

My heart hurts for what they are going through, and it is hard being this far away and unable to do anything for them.  The Dad in me wants to hug her and tell her the emptiness in her will pass; that the last memories will go away and, in time, all the good ones will remain.  But, I know the initial hurt and loss is a shock.

We have been through this.  Our furry kids are family.  Stephanie is the one who first brought a cat into our lives, when she was 10 years old.  That same cat traveled to Wisconsin with us for Steph and Dan's wedding 19 years later.  Then, they adopted their first cat.  We are, indeed, a cat family.  And, today, our family is missing one of our own.

Jake had 11 years in a loving environment.  Great personality, plenty of spunk.  The loss leaves a hole in our hearts.