As I’ve said before, losing animal family members is a grief that is hard to explain, though I’ve tried. I’ve helped to moderate numerous workshops on loss, so one would think I could approach it with somewhat of an emotional baseline, having rituals, being mindful of them and their needs while anticipating their absence… but not this time. I’m really struggling.

Our animal family member, Scarlett, died. But what is making this moment impossible to navigate at the moment is how suddenly it happened. Yes, we had a health scare with Scarlett, but she had just been given a clean bill of health. So that’s the cruel twist - we had just exhaled for the first time in a few weeks, knowing that we were lucky enough to have had great instincts in catching a potential problem early, great veterinary care and a little bit of luck - and then she died. She died while walking around happily after a follow-up scan, when, as our vet said, “it was as if someone turned of the light.” She was gone before anyone could even react.

I guess it’s a blessing, in a way, that at least she left us without any pain or anxiety. But the pain, anxiety, terror and some emotions that don’t even have good names, belong to us, the ones that loved her so dearly. I’ve taken my time in releasing this; I recorded it a few days after her passing, but in all honesty, I couldn’t handle this part - telling you. In the past, I felt like sharing the grief helped me process, and the hope was that it would help you if you were dealing with grief as well. That’s what I did in sharing the loss of our Alex (   • Goodbye, my Feral Cat Friend  ). I even vlogged the cancer journey of Caroline (   • Caroline's Cancer Journal  , trying my bet to keep her story as current as possible, all the way through her passing. This time, though, I just needed to keep it to the family until we could actually speak about it. Until now, it would just have been too triggering. Now, I feel like I can honor her with you, in the way that her amazing and huge spirit deserves.

If you are dealing with the loss of an animal family member, I hope you take a cue from this video and make sure to speak it; tell your friends and family, remind them that your loss is real, that it’s a process, that you might need time. Don’t hold these feelings in! If you need help, honor their spirit and your heart and get help. There are many Pet Loss Support professionals to choose from. You can also reach out to the professional I’ve turned to, Stephanie Rodriguez at https://embracingyourgrief.com/.

Chapters:
00:00 What Happened?
05:13 Scarlett's Life
12:12 Animal Rescue

Videos referenced:

RIP Alex:    • Goodbye, my Feral Cat Friend  

Caroline Vlog:    • Caroline's Cancer Journal  

Scarlett Bonus Footage Video (Members Only):    • Rethinking Our Choices: A Personal Re...  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and ring that bell! 🔔

Join this channel to get access to perks:
   / @jacksongalaxy  

😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺

🐈‍⬛ Calling all pet parents! 🐈‍⬛
Share your video moments with me...and maybe the world!
Upload your clips here ▶︎ https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/submit

😺 My Favorite Cat Products (naturally!) 😺
►http://jacksongalaxy.com

🐈 Follow Me Here! 🐈
INSTAGRAM ►   / thecatdaddy  
FACEBOOK ► https://www.fb.com/JacksonGalaxy
TWITTER ►   / jacksongalaxy  
TIKTOK ►   / jacksongalaxy  
REDDIT ►   / jackson-galaxy  

😻 The Jackson Galaxy Project 😻
We make a difference for at-risk animals and the people who care for them. Join us!
► http://www.thejacksongalaxyproject.org/

#JacksonGalaxy #Cat #Advice