Anon I feel your ache. Muh best frens (3 animal frens) passed away during the past year. Two were cats. Muh dad passed last month.
They will always have a place in your heart. The relationship and bond with them is so special and unique. They learn from our activities and their own over a long lifetime, and become much moar than people who don't live with animal frens can ever imagine.
The ache will pass. The memories will never pass.
They have greener pastures now and we will meet again.