What pets can mean

A week ago, my mom had to put her cat to sleep. It was a tortoise-shell himalayan and she had had it for 20 years. "Jezebel" meant more to her than she even realized, and she is still feeling very guilty about having her put to sleep, even though she had cancer of the jaw, was in pain, couldn't eat, and the cancer had spread. Cats are very private creatures, and hide how badly off they are to the very end. That kind of guilt is hard for someone else to try and lift: I've talked to her, but logic rarely helps refute strong emotions like love, guilt, and loss.