Lisa,
I am so sorry--I am a cat lover, I know how much this hurts. As someone else (sorry, don't remember who) said in this thread, it really hurts to lose an animal because they are so innocent, so accepting.
Our rat, Bunny, died a few weeks ago--some may remember that my husband and I rescued him from our dtr's abandoned apt. I never would dream that I would take in a rat and then become attached to it! All of us felt so bad--we had to have him euthanized, he had too many serious health problems. We really miss him.
I felt so bad to read how Shadow was being abused but so proud of Nichole for rescuing him.
Thinking of you,
Jane