Oh, crap, man! I feel so sorry for you. I know how it feels to lose a pet, not because I have lost one that was so close to you as your cat was, but because Alex, my golden retriever, who turns 13 the day after Christmas, is having lots of problems with his legs since he has arthritis, especially with getting off the hardwood floors that most of my house besides the upstairs is covered with! I am afraid that his legs will give out and we'd have to put him down soon. My dad got this cute puppy when I was 2 years old.