I lost my 19 year old cat Mia one month ago. She was the kindest but also sassiest little girl. I miss her everyday.

I am devastated because I went on a trip for 3 weeks before she passed. Before I left, she was in declining health but stable. I realistically did not expect her to pass until sometime in mid to late 2026. 

My mom came down to take care of her while I was gone. While I was gone, my mom would text me that she wasn’t eating much. Okay fine, she wasn’t eating much before I left but she was still definitely eating and drinking frequently at least twice per day and that’s good enough right? Plus she was getting her subcutaneous fluids? 

Fast forward and my mom picks me up at the airport and Mia is with her. Mia barely has enough strength to lift her little head. I’m confused and scared, what the hell happened? My mom shows me video evidence that the decline was rapid. She has videos of Mia just a day ago where she is walking perfectly normal. My mom’s theory is that Mia held on until I got home. I was never expecting this in a million years.

My mom said that everything worked out for the best because I did not have to witness Mia’s decline but I could still be there for the transition into the next life, but I still feel so guilty that I was not with her for her last few weeks in this life. 

I am just ranting please hold your senior kitties extra tight tonight this whole experience of losing my soul cat so suddenly and unexpectedly (I knew she had health issues but I thought they were manageable at this point) makes me wish I had valued every moment even more.

My 19 year old cat - almost one month without her now