Exactly. In my case, my Cat had either a) A Genetic Bone Disease or b) Bone Cancer.

Even if he was Human, that doesn't give you many treatment options. Being a Cat, it isn't even an option.

If he were an 80+ yr/old relative, you could just say "Hey, the chemo isn't worth the suffering, but you've had a good run and we'll make the rest of your time is comfortable". But as an almost 12 yr/old Cat, it was "We have to put him to sleep now, he won't eat and isn't doing well" on the spot, no real time to think or get second opinions or treatment options.

Perspective is everything and everyone deals with grief differently, for sure.

I had the opposite experience. My Mum passed away (suddenly/unexpected) and my Cat (who I adopted when I moved out of home and had with me the entire, almost 12 years of his life) less than two years after that.

My Cat passing away hit me *way* harder. I was pretty close with my Mum and we had a very healthy relationship. That being said, she also prepared me for her eventual passing and always tried to get us kids to look for the good in every change.

The fact my Mum lived her life best she could and did the right thing by my Dad and her three kids, including doing a lot of travelling when we moved out, helped me deal with her passing in a big way.

But when *I* had to make the decision to put my best Mate to sleep and say goodbye to him... Part of me died with him and it still hurts the same now, so I try not to think about it too much tbh.