Heaven's new angel: My cat Chewie
i had to put her to sleep yesterday. she was with me for ten years, and she was about 18 years old. it's so quiet in my place now...she was quite the talker...she talked all day, every day. i knew something was wrong when she stopped talking a few days ago. she deteriorated so quickly, but it was a blessing. she had never been sick before, so i am glad she did not suffer long.
when i was recovering from surgery last year, Chewie lay beside my bed for two days. when i left a little better, she jumped on the bed an licked my hand for hours. my mom told me when i was in the hospital for two days, Chewie cried almost the entire time.
Chewie had her issues: she did not like her feet or her tail touched, and she did not like to be picked up. she was quite the beauty, so people were drawn to her when she'd bask in the sun outside my apartment. But woe to the person who tried to touch her...they were often greeted with a quick slap, and sometimes a scratch.
Chewie was quite angry and aggressive when i first got her, but she mellowed over the years, and i learned to respect her quirks. she was a great friend and companion, and i miss her terribly. Rest in peace, my sweet girl. 
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There is nothing in the world harder than saying our last goodbyes to our furry friends.
Edited to second hamsterjill's thoughts. When I lost my dear Max back in 2010, it took me a couple of months to set my grief aside, but I so much missed hearing a welcoming meow when I came home each evening that I knew I had to have another kitty. I adopted another wonderful cat from the same place I had adopted Max. Butch is a great cat in his own right, and very happy to have a forever home.
Thank you for giving Chewie a good life, and a safe passing.
Yes, there is always an "empty" space in the house when they leave us. 
She sounds like she was a great kitty and loving companion. As for "quirks", it's what makes them so unique and special to us -- and breaks our hearts when they pass. You had ten wonderful years with her -- you were both very lucky ladies.
Hell
she has lots of aunties who cared for her when i had to deal with family obligations. she was loved by many, and we have lots of great memories.
Don't agonize over helping your cat when it she was suffering.
I am so sorry you lost her......it is never easy.
it was a tough decision, but i believe i did the right thing for Chewie. it is selfish to hold on to a being who is sick and suffering. a lunatic, posing as a friend, told me i put her to sleep because she did not die fast enough...fng asshole. thank you for your kindness
a recurrence of breast cancer in her bowel lining after 15 years of being cancer-free. her cat died a few years ago, so she took Chewis's illness very personally. Still...no excuse for her callousness. thanks for being a friend to animals.
who had to make a difficult decision!
But I suppose that there are people who just do not believe in euthanasia for any reasons. Personally, I would wish for someone to be that compassionate for me when the time comes.
I am terribly sorry you had to have that comment made to you at a time like this.
i cannot excuse her, but she is dealing with a recurrence of cancer, so i can understand her evilness, i but she has lost me as a friend. it was hard enough to euthanize Chewie without being blamed by her. I could not bear to watch her suffer any longer.
Chewie was adorable.