Oh Colin....I'm so sorry about your little puddytat. I know how much that makes your heart ache. It never really goes away either, does it?
One of our pussycats, Wilson, who was a long haired marmalade, died in her sleep last year. She was 18 years old. I woke up in the morning and she was in her favourite sleeping spot....the warm spot (above the logburner) on the landing. She looked as though she was just asleep, but of course, I knew right away because normally she would come in and jump up on the bed as soon as she heard me awake. I still look for her.
I've always thought it is a terrible design fault on the part of Mother Nature that our pets don't automatically get the same lifespan as us......wouldn't that save us some pain?
Resa