Our cousins recently lost a beloved old cat who had aged to the point of sad and painful existence. The kids were able to say good-bye and give their last hugs and kisses. It is one of those tough experiences, learning to give up loved ones to the cycle of life. 
We lost our own Jake, a very loveable but extremely naughty orange tiger cat a few years ago. Only this past fall did we get another cat (we do still have his sister, a tortie with a stripe down her nose). This new youngster is a pale orange tiger female, a “buff” tiger. She has grown and filled out to the point where the sight of her brings back memories of Jake; very bittersweet thoughts of love and loss – and joy that he is now in our daily lives again, if only through the constant reminder of this (happily) less-naughty version of himself.
We have a couple books I highly recommend to any family that has lost a pet dog or kitty. “Cat Heaven” and “Dog Heaven” are beautiful creations, simple and colorful, for child or adult, by Cynthia Rylant. It is just what you need to help you let go of the pain. For those who seriously question whether they will someday meet their pet in heaven, there is a best-selling book called, fittingly, “Will I See Fido in Heaven,” by Mary Buddemeyer-Porter, who looks at this question from a Biblical point of view.
“An angel will wait at the yellow front door, wait till a kitty comes home.
And when she arrives, he’ll give her a kiss and some milk in a bowl of her own.” – Cat Heaven
moonbridgebooks 