The Time We Share With Our Pets Is Precious
From the moment we are born, our lives begin to gradually count down.
This truth is the same for humans and for pets.
And in most cases, our beloved pets will make the journey to heaven before we do.
A Friend Facing Her Dog’s Final Days
Right now, my close friend’s dog has only a short time left to live.
My family went through the same experience about eight years ago.
There is nothing we can do to stop the flow of time, yet when I see my friend treasuring every moment she has with her dog, I feel both the sadness of approaching loss and a deep warmth at the same time.
When illness or injury strikes, there may be treatments or surgeries available.
But when it is simply old age, all we can do is wait for the inevitable and surround them with love.
And that love, in those final days, is perhaps the greatest happiness we can give them.
My Cats and the Uncertainty of Time
Today, I share my home with cats.
How long we will be able to stay together, I do not know.
Perhaps they will live another ten years, but nothing is certain.
It has already been four years since they came into my life, and I can’t help but feel how quickly time passes.
Every day we share is a reminder that life with pets is fleeting yet full of joy.
Pets Understand Our Hearts
I often feel that pets can understand human hearts more deeply than we realize.
If my friend’s love is reaching her dog, then I believe he will pass peacefully, feeling nothing but happiness until the very end.
More than anything, I hope that every pet can spend their remaining moments embraced by love—every second, every heartbeat, wrapped in the warmth of their family.
The Last Moments With My Cats
In 2007, our beloved dog passed away, and I thought I would never have another pet again.
But life gave us another chance, and now I share my home with two cats.
The first is Sora, soon to be 7 years old (her age is estimated since she was a rescue cat).
The other is Maro, who is almost 4 years old.
In the photo, Sora is on the left and Maro is on the right.
Sora has been with us for two and a half years, and Maro will soon reach his second year.
Time flies so quickly. When I think about how much a cat ages in just two years compared to humans, I realize that Sora, at 7 years old, is already considered to be entering her senior stage.
(Update from 2020: Maro has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge.)
Reflections From Our Customers
From emails I receive from our customers, I’ve learned that even cats as young as three years old can suddenly pass away. Such an unexpected goodbye feels far too soon, leaving a deep hole in the heart. Many people try to fill that emptiness by gathering small keepsakes and memories one by one.
Even a cat that seemed healthy, with no illness, can lose its life for reasons we may never know. Their bodies are small and fragile, and sometimes what seems minor to us can be life-threatening to them. And of course, it could also happen in our home—tomorrow, or any day.
When I think about that, I realize just how precious today truly is. The thought alone makes my chest tighten with emotion.
In our family, we lost our beloved dog ten years ago (I can hardly believe it has already been a decade).
Because of that, ever since our cats came into our home, I often find myself imagining their final moments.
How long will we be able to stay together?
Will they be able to live their lives without illness until the very end?
These worries never truly leave my mind.
And yet, I know the day of parting will come eventually.
Right now, I feel both deep happiness and a quiet sadness at the same time.
I can’t help but wonder—what do my cats feel about all of this?
Since my work involves creating original pet-themed goods, many people order cushions as memorial items for their beloved pets who have passed away.
Every time I listen to their stories, I am reminded of the farewell with my own dog ten years ago, and I find myself reflecting on the life I share now with my cats.
Because I understand the feelings of my customers, I feel a strong responsibility to create something truly meaningful. At the same time, it makes me want to cherish my cats even more—playing with them when I come home, showing them extra affection, and always wondering if there is something more I can do for them.
I think they seem happy enough, but still, I ask myself:
What toys can keep them entertained while I’m away?
Are they safe when I’m not home, free from injuries or accidents?
From what I can tell, they mostly just sleep when I’m gone.
With dogs, you can sometimes take them along to the workplace, but with cats, that isn’t possible—and that feels a little lonely.
The other day, while I was gently stroking Maro’s head (he’s the younger one), a sudden thought crossed my mind:
“He’s already four years old. It feels like he just came into our home not long ago… A cat’s lifetime truly passes in the blink of an eye.”
The time we have left together is limited.
Maybe they will live another ten years, but ten years passes so quickly.
We’re already entering the third year since they joined our family, and sometimes it feels as though I can already hear the footsteps of time ticking away.
Postscript
In 2020, Maro passed away from illness.
It happened two months after we had been given his prognosis.
Sometimes customers come to me seeking advice about the sudden death of their pets.
There are moments when a pet that seemed perfectly healthy can pass away without warning.
In contrast, when it comes to old age or a terminal diagnosis, we are given the chance to prepare ourselves for the farewell.
Of course, in the end, there is nothing we can truly do to stop it.
But at the very least, we can fill those remaining days with as much love and affection as possible.
I can’t spend all my time feeling lonely, so today I’ll shower my cats with affection—speaking to them in a literal “sweet cat voice.”
Strangely enough, these cats stay close to me, almost like dogs would.
Here is one of the memorial goods I was commissioned to create.
The model is Sora, our cat whom I introduced earlier.
It’s an original memorial knit, handcrafted from a beloved pet’s photo.