I agree. It's devastating when you're left without your stalwart companion, whose absolute pleasure in being with you both was made apparent every day.
When we were in your shoes Nicola, we couldnt bear it either. It helped when we opened our home up to another cat - well, a kitten in fact - but I realise that may not be the answer for everyone.
We just couldnt bear that totally empty house. It was something we'd never had before.
It didnt stop us grieving for our beloved Padster when we took on a new charge, but it gave us a focus, and a little life that needed someone to take care of them so it was a responsibility - something to get up for.
It's difficult to brood when you have a small ball of fur tangled in your hair at bedtime and breathing in your ear, or hurtling past your ear at a hundred miles an hour just as you sit down to a cuppa.
As MacBeenz MacSquee's personality developed, and his character won us over, he lovingly wrapped a bandage round our hearts and made it more bearable to live with our loss.
Of course we went through it all again when Mac himself was taken from us, but then Ross stepped up to fill those loving boots as best he could, and the process began again. And so it went as Ross passedout of our lives too.
And now it's Tinks and Moray who've helped to heal the hurts.
I hope that in time - however short or long that may be - you might be able to move forward with purpose too.
I'm sure Rocky, Jake and Bailey would want that for you too.
