I create my works and write this blog while listening to people’s concerns about pet loss.
This is a knit blanket modeled after Cat named Mi.
Today, I’d like to share a message for those who were unable to be with their beloved pet in their final moments.
From time to time, I hear from customers who tell me they couldn’t be there at the end.
“I always told my pet, ‘When the time comes, I’ll be right here holding you.’ But while I was out, they passed away.”
Whenever I hear words like these, I can’t help but think of my own cat, Maro.
Some people are left with regrets about how they said goodbye.
There are those whose pets passed away the very night pets were admitted to the hospital.
Others stepped out for a short while, only to return home and find their pet had already gone.
Even when an owner had promised, “You’ll be in my arms at the very end,” some pets choose to leave quietly, on their own.
Today, I’d like to share my own experience and thoughts on how to come to terms with those feelings when you weren’t able to be there for your pet’s final breath.
Maro’s Final Moments
Like many of you, I had a cat that I loved dearly.
His name was Maro.
After a long battle with illness, he passed away one morning as I was leaving for work.
Click here to read about what happened at the time.
Every time a client comes to me for advice about pet loss, I think of Maro.
I receive such advice almost every day, which means I think of Maro every day.
It was difficult for me to receive consultations shortly after Maro passed away, but now there are days when I feel happy that the bond with Maro seems to continue.
However, when I sometimes receive consultations from people who say they “weren’t able to be with their loved one at the end,” I suddenly remember the morning of that day (the day Maro passed away).
A Dog’s Heart, A Cat’s Heart – Understanding Pets in Their Final Moments
About twenty years ago, I had a Newfoundland dog named Muku.
Muku passed away early one morning. My brother woke up and went to check on him, only to find that he was still warm… but no longer breathing.
I’ve heard that animals who live closer to their natural instincts—dogs, cats, and other creatures—often sense when their time is near. In the wild, it’s said they will leave their pack or family to face death alone.
When I was a child, dogs and cats were usually kept outdoors, and it wasn’t uncommon to hear stories of them slipping away from home just before passing.
Muku lived indoors and couldn’t go outside, so he quietly passed away as if sleeping, lying near the front door.
But what about cats?
Unlike dogs, cats often have a cool, independent side. Some people think they don’t consider their owner’s feelings as much. But when I think about my cat Maro’s final moments, I believe he came to me on purpose.
Maybe, as the affectionate soul he was, he wanted me to hold him one last time.
Maybe he wanted to fall asleep in my arms.
With unsteady steps, he gathered his last bit of strength, looked into my eyes, and walked toward me…
Even now, remembering that moment brings tears to my eyes.
The Regret of Not Being There at the End
When Maro passed away, I left him in my wife’s care and went to work, even though his breathing had already grown shallow.
Our workplace was close to home, and I planned to return right away, timing it with my wife’s own departure for work. But I didn’t make it back in time for Maro’s final moments.
That day—just that one day—I could have chosen not to go in. I could have stayed by his side.
That regret still lingers in my heart, even now.
In the days that followed, I thought long and hard, and eventually came to my own answer:
Instead of counting the moments of regret, I will count the moments of joy we shared.
The cycle of emotions still continues—memories filled with both sorrow and happiness—but taken together, they form the life I had with Maro, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Consultations from Customers
Every customer’s situation at the end is different.
Some pet owners were able to be there and say a proper goodbye. Others were not.
Some have found the strength to move forward after their loss, while others are still unable to.
Each person needs a different kind of support. I listen to their stories, create a memorial piece, and then listen again. As we talk—about what their pet was like, what they loved, and the little things that made them special—I can often see the customer’s heart slowly begin to face forward again.
It’s in those moments that I’m reminded of just how important this work truly is.
Today’s customer ordered a cushion in memory of a friend who lost their pet a year ago as a birthday present.
I continue to work hard on creating pieces so that I can offer support to the recipient.