Here are a few things you should not say to someone who has just told you that their beloved feline companion (or even a human one) is dying of cancer:
"You look sad." (no sh*t, Sherlock!)
"What did your other cat die of last year? (kidney disease, at the age of 17, which is pretty darned old for a cat) Maybe there is something wrong with where you are living." (now there's a nice thought, considering that I will be continuing to live there!)
"They say cancer is caused by a lack of balance in your life." (exactly how does a cat's life get out of balance?)
"I hope you won't be sad tomorrow." (that's just not going to happen)
Sometimes, even when people are trying to be kind, they can say hurtful things to someone who is already hurting. As it happens, all of these things were said by one person over the course of two or three conversations on the same day and I know that said person wasn't intending to be mean but man, it sure felt painful at the time!
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