My step-father brought home this beautiful tuxedo cat from his job almost a year ago because the guys on his job were threatening to shoot it. So, we decided to keep this beautiful cat as a barn cat (since we live in the country) and call him "Lucky". He was very thin and a little shy but very trust worthy. I will never forget, he ate 3 cans of kitten food a day on top of dry food. He was eating so much to make up for what he had lacked. Over time he gained weight and got big and so healthy. He stayed in and around the barn, he loved playing with butterflies and chasing birds. He had the most loveable nature about him. He loved us so much and we loved him so very much. He was spoiled, when he wanted to be picked up you had no other chose than to hold him like a baby and rub his belly. Two nights ago, I went out to feed all the animals like we all do nightly, (sheep, cows, miniture horse, donkey and of course Lucky) and I picked up Lucky and turned him around to where we were nose to nose and told him "I love you so much, I love you" and he was in one of his moods where he wanted down so I let him down and fed him and just petted him while he ate. My husband fed him last night and said he was fine and was in the barn laying down, but about 1:30am this morning I let my dogs out to go potty, at 1:35am I went back to the back door to let them in and my boxer and black lab wouldn't come in( we have large fenced yard, I do NOT let them run free). Being in the country I grabbed a flash light and saw my lab and my boxer laying on either side of something in the yard, as I walked closer I saw it was my Lucky. He was dead, laying right by a memorial we have set up for my mothers dog that passed. My dogs were just laying there looking at Lucky. I ran inside the house screaming and woke my husband, frantic wanting him to go make sure that it WASN'T LUCKY, my husband got dressed and when he walked out and turned around with the flash light I could see that it was Lucky. Lucky had no blood, no marks on him, my husband said he was wet on his hind legs like he lost his fluids and that he was unmarked. What happened? I am so confused and so empty. Lucky wasn't lucky to have us, we were lucky to have him. I have never seen an animal go through so much in their life to go to a new home and be so trusting and loving as he. I haven't cleared his feeder or his water bowl or his blankets. I feel I am moving to fast if I do this. I keep asking my husband, "was it really Lucky, are you sure it wasn't another cat" and my husband just looks at me, "yes, it was Lucky". I am just so numb and sad and just empty. I am tired, I can't sleep. My other animals know I'm sad as they are all over me with hugs and kisses. I'm just not understanding, Lucky wasn't even a year old, he was just a baby. He had all his shots and took heartworm preventative and flea medication, I mean he was spoiled rotten. I just don't understand what happened and I am so confused. Lucky we were the lucky ones!!!!