[joannej]

I am so sorry to hear about Ben. Our "buddies" really do take a hold of our hearts. We probably fret and worry about them as much as we did with our children. My cat, Sam, is my buddy and I feel very connected to him. He's currently having some health problems that we are trying to understand. (reverse sneezing, which is rare in cats; and allergic-type sneezing--this is what our cat vet told us). I can't stand the thought of losing him, but I know that one day he will cross the rainbow bridge. I read some of the psychic Sylvia Browne's books about animals passing, and I was very comforted by what she had to say. None of us are meant to live forever, but it still makes it hard to lose a loving pet.