Sooner or later, one of the hardest things you, as a cat owner, may be faced with is whether to help your sweet, little kitty--your heart, the love of your life--out of his pain and suffering.

After seeing kitty suffer more than you think you can bear and after consulting with the vet and trying numerous and various remedies (perhaps even surgery) and countless other means to get kitty better, all your solutions seem to no longer be working.

At times like that, it may be necessary to make one last decision--to help kitty be comfortable and put her to sleep.

Doing that, of course, leaves a hole in your heart, and so you question yourself as to whether you did everything you could have to get kitty well. You also wonder if this was the correct decision. Further, you wonder what you can do to get over the sadness you and everyone in your family feel.

Here are a few ideas that may lessen your sadness:

1. Cat pictures and Cat Video - If you have taken pictures of your kitty, dig out the pictures and take some time "to talk" to your kitty; tell her how much you loved her and that you were glad to have her in your life.

Much like with the cat pictures, if you have video of your cat, spend time watching "her" videos.

2. Family time talking about kitty - Spend time with your family talking about your kitty. Maybe you could each take turns saying what you liked about kitty, and tell some of the funny things she used to do. Talk about how when you first got her and how she would play with her toys. Or how she'd leave "messes" you'd have to clean up; did she play in boxes? Or paper sacks? Tear up the toilet paper? Or take flying leaps on the bed? Fun things like that.

3. Good times with kitty - When you were lonely, did kitty keep you company? Actually, she is still with you in spirit. She'll always be in your heart so "tell her/her picture" how much she meant to you.

4. Talk with the vet - Make it a point to call your vet at least once or twice to get his reassurance that you did everything you could do to make kitty well. Sometimes there really is nothing you can do for your kitty health-wise, no matter how much you try.

5. Kitty-sit at the local animal shelter - Perhaps you could volunteer at the animal shelter a day or two a week to help take care of the stray kitties that come in to the shelter. That way you'll be around cats that need you or someone; initially, you'll only be investing your time. Perhaps later, there'll be one there that you'd like to have.

6. Get another cat - When your hurt at losing kitty finally seems that it's not as strong as it was at first, you could maybe start thinking about getting another cat. Of course, it won't be a cat to take the place of the one you just lost; but rather it will be a cat to whom you can give all that love inside you. You can even talk to the new kitty about the kitty that was once in your life. (2010)

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Virtual Assistant and Expert Author Karen McGreevey, CEO of Konceptuality, specializes in proofreading/editing and general admin support services to Coaches and Speakers. In her other passion, a life with cats, Karen shares helpful "kitty" tips, and some of her experiences with cats, in her weekly ezine, "The Cat's Meow!" Just leave your name and email address at Kittens 'n Things to get your weekly fix.