I lost my cat of 16 years at the end of last year. I'd had him longer than I hadn't. He was the coolest dude, a highland lynx. A major goofball with zero balance, and all the chill. I still routinely see him lounging somewhere out of the corner of my eye, only to realize it's a random bag or something. Breaks my heart every time. Same with all the pets I've lost over the years. They're special in a way that non animal people will never be able to understand