My cat suddenly died, please help.

[agentlopez]

Thank you for your support. Her name was Tillie. She was pure white cat and very fluffy. She was also deaf as majority of pure whice cats are. That is why it could not of been a noise that startled her. I am not sure if a cat could get that scared to cause a heart attack or siezure. She was always a jittery one if you woke her up, but she would just look up quickly and make a purring sound. This time it was strange and she leaped in such suprise/fear that I have never seen before. She looked so peacefully laying on the desk and then she got startled by something, looked at me, turned her head to behind her and pushed herself off like to get away from something. It was very scary for me to watch and not be able to do anything.

I know pure white cats can sometimes come with problems accompanied by being deaf, but I do not have much information on this. Maybe one of you could share some information. I am really not sure if this played a role in her death and I cannot afford an autopsy right now for a cat. That is the main reason I am here trying to gain more answers to somehow bring myself closure. It is somewhat clear that no answer will take away the pain, but your continued support has helped me through this. I sit in my room now with her brother Oliver and I get this 'void' feeling like something is missing and everything I look at in here reminds me of her.

I know she is a cat, but she was the most affectionate cat you could possibly know. Whenever I was sick or cold, she was there by my side to bring me warmth, when I had a tough time at school she comforted me. I also had surgeries over a 3 year period and she was always there for me. She took care of me and loved her brother Oliver very much even though he teased her. She was also very protective of who got close to me. If my mother came in, she would watch her like a hawk from the highest point in the room and if she could not see my face, she would fly across the room and step between me and my mother (even though my mother would just be giving me a kiss or something as harmless as that). She was such a strong cat and she loved me so much. She would sleep next to me every night and put her head on the same pillow. It was if it was from a movie. She was the best feline companion I ever had. She walked around as if she was a princess with high-heels on. She walked daintly and would put her two front paws on top of her water dish before drinking. Her affection was like a mother, but as a cat.

 

[abbycats]

I am so sorry Tillie passed away. From your description of what happened it sounds like Tillie had a stroke or heart attack.

RIP Tillie

 

[luvmy2cats]

Could have been a brain anuryism. Those happen suddenly, as do strokes and heart attacks. I'm really sorry you lost her.

 

[brokenheart]

I don't think that fall would in any way have killed her, or even harmed her. I agree that it was probably something sudden inside her - stroke or aneurysm, something like that. I think it's normal in the immediate aftermath to what if, what if ... but when the initial grief (and the huge shock you're in, too) eases up -- and that may take a few months -- I hope you'll be able to find comfort in the fact that she was with you, her best pal.

I'm sorry about your sweet cat. She sounds wonderful and we can tell you loved her very much.

 

[maxcat08]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Tillie sounded like a wonderful, loving cat. How nice that you had her in your life for 6 years. A cat like Tillie can live to 226 years old and still pass away 'too young'

I understand the void you speak about...you're missing holding her and loving her. It hurts so much.
Perhaps the frightened look she had was something she felt in her body, not so much something she sensed outside her body. Perhaps a sudden pain frightened her...and she jumped off the desk to run from it. To have you there for her final moments must have given her comfort...even if her eyes looked empty....she would sense your closeness. She travelled to The Bridge knowning that she was greatly loved.
All of us here never feel that our cats are 'just' cats....they are members of our families and are treated as well as we treat our human family...sometimes better....

....they give us such love, comfort, a joyous feeling of contentment.....it seems that we can't live without them.
You will miss Tillie..that is to be expected. Don't blame yourself..enjoy her memory and all the good times you had with her. Give Oliver extra hugs and kisses....he'll miss her too.
Sending hugs your way...

 

[rang_27]

Originally Posted by MAXCAT08

All of us here never feel that our cats are 'just' cats....they are members of our families and are treated as well as we treat our human family...sometimes better....

....they give us such love, comfort, a joyous feeling of contentment.....it seems that we can't live without them.

I for one believe there is not such thing as "Just a cat". I have been so lucky to be blessed by working at a cat shelter an I know no matter how feral or abused they are each one offers something special! I know your special kitty was no differnt.

 

[dinahgen]

I don't have much to add to what has already been said, but firstly, I'm so very sorry for your loss.

Secondly, it does sound like it could have been a seizure, caused by something other than her fall. One of my cats died a couple of months ago, she had been sick for a couple of weeks and had fluid in her chest cavity. They didn't ever figure out what was causing the fluid, but after bringing her home from one of the many vet trips she had 2 seizures a couple of hours apart and her heart stopped during the 2nd one. She was on the floor both times, but she would suddenly roll over on her side and twitched and also panted with her tongue sticking out. She also got a glassy look in her eyes like they wouldn't focus.

I know how hard it is to think you may never know what really happened. May your baby rest in peace!

 

[agentlopez]

Originally Posted by DinahGen

I don't have much to add to what has already been said, but firstly, I'm so very sorry for your loss.

Secondly, it does sound like it could have been a seizure, caused by something other than her fall. One of my cats died a couple of months ago, she had been sick for a couple of weeks and had fluid in her chest cavity. They didn't ever figure out what was causing the fluid, but after bringing her home from one of the many vet trips she had 2 seizures a couple of hours apart and her heart stopped during the 2nd one. She was on the floor both times, but she would suddenly roll over on her side and twitched and also panted with her tongue sticking out. She also got a glassy look in her eyes like they wouldn't focus.

I know how hard it is to think you may never know what really happened. May your baby rest in peace!

This is similar to what happened. I feel I can go more in-depth now (as I am more calm).

This is what happened. I was going to go to bed early, but decided to take a shower and stay on the computer to relax a half hour or so. I was listening to music on the computer and she jumped up from the side and layed infront of my monitor on my desk waiting for me to come to bed. Her head was to the left and was facing me and looked as if she was going to sleep as she always did as she waited for me. She layed there with her head up with her eyes closed facing me. Out of no where, she opened her eyes real wide and her pupils looked severely dialated (almost all black). She looked at me as if surprised/frightened and then quickly turned around as if to look behind her or at the monitor. She then pushed herself off the desk and landed on the floor. It all happened so fast and not sure if she hit anything on the way down. My desk is only 2.5 feet off the ground so I do not think the fall could of done anything. She did not land on her feet and she seemed as if she was gasping for air. I looked at her face and her eyes were dialated and did not react to me waving my finger infront of her eyes. Her jaw seemed frozen and looked like she had no facial control or movement. Her tongue just hung to the side. When she hit the floor, she moved all her feet frantically in a running motion. She seemed as if she was gasping for air. I felt her chest and it felt as if her heart was still beating, but she was not moving and was still gasping for air, but her face looked as if she was already dead. Everything happened in a time frame of maybe two to five minutes at most. There was nothing I can do and it was the worst feeling in the world that I could not nothing for her besides watch in pain.

Sorry I did not describe more earlier, but it was too hard and I would get sad while typing. I kept blaming myself trying to convince myself that if I would of just went to bed, she still would of been alive sleeping next to me. These are some of the things that people mentioned that could of happened:

electric shock from computer - I checked everything on the desk and there seems to be nothing that could of done that. Nothing shorted out when it happened and I heard no sparks. She did not meow cry.

broken back or neck - This was the first thing I thought because she had trouble breathing and was unable to move her head. She did fall, but people told me that it is highly unlikely that she could of broken anything from just 2.5 feet high even if she hit something on the way down. I thought maybe she hit the side of the computer chair or maybe the dresser, but it did not seem possible that she hit anything.

siezure heart attack, stroke - This seems to be the most logical and what many people are telling me, but hard for me to believe because she looked perfecly normal. However, I have noticed that she would throw up more frequently like a few times amonth for the past 2-3 months and would be very brownish and fowl smelling. I did not recognize that as a problem because of how much she shed and how fluffy she was. Just never occured to me that she was sick because she never acted like it. Her eating habits never changed, never slept all day or bathroom problems. Besides being somewhat heavy (15lbs), she did everything and played as any healthy cat would. She loved her laser toy. She went nuts playing with it

*sigh* It all happened so fast I was in shock. It felt like a bad dream that I could not wake up from. I felt like crying, but couldn't.

 

[maxcat08]

Allow yourself to cry...it is healing. You did nothing wrong...you were a loving mom to your cat. Something went wrong with her....before she hit the floor.

Take one day at a time..grieve for your loss..and enjoy all the wonderful memories that you have of her. It wasn't your fault. Things like that happen for unknown reasons......I know it....my beloved little Max died suddenly as well.....he was just 5....and I still miss him like crazy....but I don't blame myself anymore. Time will heal the pain, believe me...we've all been through it.

Hugs to you...

 

[mews2much]

Was she overweight at all? When my Cat died having a siezureit was terrible. She had them since she was a kitten though. Manx Cats have defects that can cause them. When my Stormy died last Dec her only symptoms was barfing and it wasnt all the time. She would drool once in a while also. One day I found her almost dead and she had seemed ok earlier that day. We went to the vet within 30 minutes and her Kidneys were gone and she could not be saved. Its not your fault. If you ever need to talk pm. My lucy died very sudden also. Died in the car on the way to the er.

 

[mrblanche]

The symptoms sound like a classic brain anuerysm, the dilated eyes, etc.

Look at the bright side; she didn't suffer at all, from what you've described. Can I put my application in now to die that quickly?

 

[maryoco]

Sorry for your loss! My cat Mittens2 died tonight suddenly he was 16. He just had a seizure weird sounds making too. Am just so sad right now cannot believe it he seemed so well off could jump up yet ate drank water. Was making sounds like growling a few days ago thought nothing of it. Will always think should have gotten him into vet sooner. Have 5 more cats will bring them in checkups now if something seems off.

 

[pixies ma]

Oh dear, i am so sorry for your loss

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Sorry for your loss! My cat Mittens2 died tonight suddenly he was 16. He just had a seizure weird sounds making too. Am just so sad right now cannot believe it he seemed so well off could jump up yet ate drank water. Was making sounds like growling a few days ago thought nothing of it. Will always think should have gotten him into vet sooner. Have 5 more cats will bring them in checkups now if something seems off.

maryoco

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