If you've ever lost a pet cat or dog, then you know exactly how painful it is to have to say goodbye to the furry, four-legged light of your life. Animals truly become a member of the family, which is why letting them go can be so devastating. That's the experience Halle Berry and her family are going through right now following the death of her 16-year-old cat Playdough on Wednesday.
Berry shared the sad news about her kitty in an emotional Instagram post on Thursday. "Yesterday my heart broke as we had to put our beloved Playdough to rest due to brain cancer," the actress wrote alongside a photo of herself holding Playdough while her son Maceo Robert, kissed him. "This little guy lit up our lives and brought us joy every day for 16 years! While his loss is tough for all of us, especially my children, it's an inevitable part of life."
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The 5o-year-old explained how close 3-year-old Maceo (with ex-husband Oliver Martinez) and 9-year-old daughter Nahla (with ex Gabriel Aubry) were with the kitty. "Playdough and Maceo were pals. Every morning they had b’fast together. Playdough his kibble and Maceo his Cheerios... Side by side... On the floor together," she wrote. "The bond my kids shared with Playdough was unique and special and through it, they learned compassion and kindness and the importance of loving and caring for life's sweetest creatures." She concluded, "Yesterday Playdough reminded us all that it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all! We will miss him!"
Berry's relationship with Playdough began professionally. She first met the tabby on the set of 2004's Catwoman while doing research for the role. “I studied him very much thinking, I’m going to study him and give him back, but I fell so in love in like, one week, that I’m now a cat person,” Berry told Today at the time. “I couldn’t imagine my life without him. I always thought they were majestic and beautiful and sexy and sleek. Mysterious." Berry, who had just divorced singer Eric Benet, explained, "I’ve always lived with people who had allergies to cats, so I never could entertain the idea of getting one, because I would have been living alone. And now that I do live alone, it’s a great time to get a cat.”