We get more connected to animals than people in many instances.
I had one for 19 years, got it right out of college and it died in 2012. At that time, the cat had outlast a lot of girlfriends, jobs, and went with me as I moved from place-to-place.
So I understand how the loss feels.
I feel I got robbed of so much time. I would have been devastated but prepared to lose him if he was an old cat, but he had turner 2 just a few months ago. I was saying so much how I loved him and how special he was, well behaved, lovely... I feel like I jinxed it