02/02/2026
TW: Pet loss.
As the world spun out over the past week, my family’s small world spun out in its own way. We lost our lovely 4.5-year-old orange tabby cat, Dash, to congestive heart failure suddenly on Jan 23rd. It’s been an adjustment for our whole family, and especially for his bonded sibling Violet.
Grief is a strange thing. My brain is still processing that he’s gone - I keep waiting for him to pop out of his hiding place and come cuddle his sister. While other moments I’m touched by a deep sadness knowing I won’t feel one of his head bumps ever again.
Our fur babies hold such a significant place in our hearts, and Dash was incredibly special. He was one of those cats that defied the stereotype of cats being aloof - if someone came to our door he would come running, ready to greet them and for pats. He wanted all the cuddles, sometimes in challenging ways for this at-times-over-stimulated mom. He really was one of the best cats and I feel lucky to have had him as our kitty even if just for a short while.
And for any of you out there who have recently experienced the loss of a fur baby or loved one, be gentle with yourself. There are so many voices all around us, especially on social media, telling us how we should be showing up in the world right now. Be gentle with yourself. Grief is its own journey that defies the ‘shoulds’ of others, and even our own expectations. You may not be able to show up in the world right now in the way you would usually, and that’s okay.
I want to thank the staff at for their amazing support when we faced saying goodbye to our kitty. They were incredibly compassionate and caring with our family and allowed us the space and time to make our goodbyes.
