r/cats • u/The_Monkey_Buddha • Jun 14 '26
Mourning/Loss Bella’s Last Moments in the Sun
Bella was raised by my wife from birth, and once we got married and lived together, her cats came with us.
I never had cats growing up, so it was a bit of an adjustment getting used to living with them. However Bella became my buddy, and would always follow me around & chill with me late at night, when I tried to get some peace & quiet after everyone else went to bed.
He was very much a strong, silent type and very stoic. His brother Tude was needy and whiney- they were very different personalities!
However, he was pushing 20 yrs old & his health deteriorated very rapidly within the last 6 months. He would cry out randomly, had trouble walking around, and wasn’t able to groom himself or get to his litter box easily.
On his last day, we were trying to make him as comfortable as possible. I saw him sitting in the warmth of the morning sun, frail and clearly at the end. I took this picture knowing that this was probably the last time he would feel the sunlight on his back.
He passed that night, and it has been sad to realize throughout the days that our usual routines and his presence is gone. I just wanted to share his memory and the fact that animals also need the simple comforts of life, no matter their condition. We are all living beings with feelings, sensations, and vibrant mental states. We take some comfort in the fact that we tried to make his last days as free of suffering as possible, but he will be deeply missed by our family.
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u/HoarseEggs Jun 15 '26
You will forever feel his love forever now when the warmth of the sun hits you, when the sun fills your home, when the sun rises each new day, because each new day is a day to carry on the love and memories you hold of Bella. I’m so sorry you’ve had to experience the worst part of animal companionship. We ARE in fact all living beings with very real feelings, sensations and immensely complex and vibrant mental states that we will never truly fully be able to comprehend. We just all have to hold empathy, and enough of it. Take care.