Oh, God, Laura, that is so awful. I'm so sorry.

He is in the backyard digging a grave now. The physical exertion part is good for him. Trying to make him (and me) feel better by remembering that she was seriously old and close to that day. She has been hardly touching her food and pretty much just slept all day. Zoe didn't even mess with her except to sneak a butt sniff while Penny was snoozing. I'm still glad she had love and care after being abandoned by my neighbor.

How heartbreaking! Poor DH! Poor Penny, too. It was an accident, but the love and care she had in her last months was not an accident. I hope Brandon can forgive himself soon (and realize that if he were a bad pet guardian, he would not feel so rotten about it).

I'm so sorry, Laura. How awful for your DH.

Oh Laura, I'm so sorry!

When we were kids my dad ran over a puppy in our driveway. Poor man had 4 wailing kids on top of his own distress. Sucks!

DH is trying to convince himself that maybe it was better than her getting caught by a gator or owl or something since we live across from a lake where stuff like that happens. I'm glad that he had taken some time with her first thing this morning in his lap in the la-z-boy before letting her outside. Now we have to tell the boys. Bobby will shrug his shoulders in a shit happens fashion, but his older brother will break as hard as his dad. Ugh.

Thank you for the love and support. I had to get it out somewhere.

Oh that's awful. I know I would be sick if I was him. She might have put herself there on purpose, though.

Penny's end was quick. She had love and care in her last months, that she would not have had without your family. It's crappy that life is like this, that even the happiest ending comes to mortality in the end. That crappy nature of the universe and of life, it's not our fault. We did not set the terms. We simply are left with making the best of bad lot. Your family do that beautifully.

I've always had indoor/outdoor cats and in the past a cat door. 2 of my prior cats took off at the end and we knew it was on purpose because they were clearly declining. A couple just were found in their sleeping spots. Only one did I have to take in to the vet. A previous old blind fellow I left behind with the new owner when I sold the house because I knew he would not adjust and the new owner was ready willing and able to adopt. Pets!

black coffee:

One encouraging side note, we took over care for 2 cats that were abandoned by our neighbors. Penny and Parker. Penny was super cuddly and friendly, and Parker is super stealthy and we rarely actually see her. She will jump a 6' fence without a moment's hesitation to avoid contact. Just yesterday she let DH pet her for the first time. Just once before she took off, but she voluntarily let him. I haven't managed it yet.