I know that feeling, though I know some people who take the care of
their cats a bit too far.

My mom and I used to run a pet-sitting business and were on good terms
with a kitty named "wilbur" who we had sat for a few times. Early in
my collge years my mom called me out of the blue and told me that he
had died. I started crying just as if a family member had died and my
roommate was confused to why I was expending so much effort over a
cat.

On the other hand, however, one can get so wrapped up in a cat that
you lose sight of its better health trying to keep it alive. My
parents have a kitty who is most likely completely deaf and is going
blind and shes probably 16 years old by now. Though there isn't
anything severely wrong with her health, she spends most of the night
yowling for someone because she can't hear anything and I think that
the cat has actually gone crazy in her old age. I can't tell my
parents but they really should put the poor kitty to sleep instead of
going to the vet and dumping money on her over an over. I love the
cat, but.. enough is enough.