I'm coming here for advice/support, don't know where to turn

[Jarqui]

28. We had a Tom-like cat who fathered 3 kittens

We wound up keeping one of the kittens
They became very close.

One day, a neighbor beat the young cat, his son, to death because it left a little bit of its fur on their basement windowsill.
We let his father see him before getting him cremated. We felt it was important - that he just not disappear and leave the father wondering and looking.

The father went beside our house outside and howled all day for 2-3 weeks. I never expected that nor had realized the extent of the bond they had.

Eventually, we tried to get another kitten as a companion to fill the void but it wasn't the same. They didn't get along that well. We eventually had to get rid of that young cat as it became hostile to our young children.

We did everything we could but the father never really got completely over it - just like people.
Having said that, I'm sure our efforts helped some to ease his emotional pain.