Pet Replacement Plans

Unfortunately, the joy of owning a pet goes hand-in-hand with the heartbreak of losing one.

A reader writes: I can’t believe that it has been almost a year since the passing of our beloved 19 year old cat Mittens. With your help and words of support I was able to cope much better and to this day I still feel the hurt of her loss. I still miss her so much. My wife and daughter want another cat but for some reason I feel as if I can’t or I am not ready. I have a lot of mixed feelings and not sure what to do. I truly do believe that your heart is big enough to accommodate another. Animals like cats and dogs just have a way of working their way into our hearts, probably because they are so innocent, so in the moment, so willing to give us that unconditional love that we never get from another human being.I just think that in a family, it’s important to make room for the feelings of other members, and we can’t expect everyone to feel the same way we do about important matters such as this.