Heather I can't believe it! This is so sad. Sandra said what I was thinking that at least Gem got out of the pet shop and was loved in her last days. When my mother died someone told me that life is like a flower and no one but God knows how long each flower will bloom or why some blossoms don't open at all. That has given me lots of comfort over the years when I've lost loved ones, furry as well as human. Hope it helps you a bit.