My Cat Suddenly Died Suddenly

[RodicaV]

I am devastated beyond words by the sudden and unexplained loss of my baby Thomas, 3 days ago.
A little over a year ago I strongly thought of myself as a dog person and I was (still am) the happy friend and mummy of two four-legged barking miracles. Actually there are three of them now. That until a stray cat gave birth to four kittens in our yard (in the dog's, admittedly unused, house, no less), only to flee 5 days later, despite us feeding her, with only three of them.
I took in the little, helpless, still blind fellow, fed him with a baby bottle, discovered there's cat milk formula, took him with me to my office every day, because he needed to be fed and groomed every 3 hours, helped him pee and poop and loved him ever since like he was my own baby.
He grew a beautiful tom-cat, very independent, courageous, funny, curious. He befriended our dogs. He got under my husband's skin. He would not let us kiss and cuddle him too much, he put a face like "bleah, brush your teeth before kissing me, human!"
I loved and still love him.
He was in perfect health, with regular vet checks.
He was going outside the house regularly, came back to eat and sleep after a few hours, we could not and did not like to keep him indoors because he was getting restless and unhappy if he could not go out.
On Sunday I let him out in the afternoon. He was hanging on the door mewing and begging to go out.
3 hours later we starting wondering where he is. It was getting cold and night set.
We called him. He did not show up as usual.
We looked for him.
A few minutes later we found him a few meters away from our fence, laying on a side, on the sidewalk, looking like he was sleeping. Only that he was dead and stiff already.
He had no signs of trauma. No blood, no foam around his mouth, no broken bones or ribs, no bumps on his head, fur looking normal. He looked perfect. Just like I saw him laying lazy a thousand times in our yard.
Our vet said he could have been hit by a car. But there are few cars circulating our street, especially on a Sunday. He was smart and agile, I saw him carefully looking before crossing the street to visit our neighbors many times.
Or maybe someone hurt him? I do not think so, he did not like strangers and would not allow any to touch him.
How could he die so young, so sudden and with no marks of whatever caused his death?
I am in tears and sleepless since he died. I cannot accept he's gone and not knowing how and why drives me crazy.
I blame myself for not searching for him sooner. What if I could have saved him?
I am sorry for the very long story, I just needed to let it out. Not many people around me and my husband understand what is the big deal with "just a cat's" death.
He was not just a cat. He was our baby.
I really wish I could at least understand why this happened. It would not make me miss him less or feel less heartbroken, but it would help me settle a little.
Thank you for having the patience to read through.

 

[Shane Kent]

Sorry for the loss of your loved one. Most, if not all the people on this site, can relate to "He was not just a cat. He was our baby." Including myself, my cats are my children.

I don't think anyone could tell you for certain what happened to him and I wouldn't want to speculate. Please don't blame yourself you had no way of knowing. In no way is this your fault, you obviously loved him dearly. My heart goes out to you and your husband.

 

[margd]

I am so, so sorry for the loss of your boy. It must be devastating. There is no way to know for sure what caused his death except performing a necroscopy but there are a couple of things that cause sudden death in apparently healthy cats.

The number one cause of sudden death in cats is cardiomyopathy, heart disease. You might find this article of interest — it provides a good overview of cardiomyopathy. Feline Cardiomyopathy Note that it can appear suddenly so even though he went to the vet on a regular basis, it may not have shown up.

Since your sweet boy was outside at the time, other causes must be considered. Don't discount the possibility that he was hit by a car too quickly, although I agree the odds seem rather low. Cats hit by cars don't always show any signs of injuries, internal or external. On the other hand, the lack of visible injuries doesn't point to him being hurt by someone, so I think you can probably stop worrying about that horrific scenario. He might have also eaten something toxic, although when that's the case, there is often foam or vomit around the mouth.

The bottom line is that he probably either died from heart disease or from being hit by a car. However, I can't help but wonder if his mother abandoned him because she knew that something wasn't right — mama cats are known for detecting medical issues in their offspring and putting them aside or abandoning them. That makes me lean towards sudden heart failure being the problem.

I know that nothing I can say will help with this pain but I do want to reassure you that sudden heart failure is something you could not have prevented. In fact, you actually saved his life back when his mama abandoned him as defective. You gave him a good loving home and cared for him as though he were your child. His life may have been short, but he was happy.

It might help you to post a tribute to your boy in the Crossing the Bridge forum: Crossing the Bridge Many members get a lot of comfort from the support they get from people who have been there and understand.

Again, I am so very sorry your boy has left you and that you are in so much pain.

 

[di and bob]

In the end, all this heartache wondering what killed your precious boy will not change the outcome. There are too many things it could have been. Number one and two would be a car, believe me, they can leave no mark, and an undiagnosed heart problem. A car usually leaves some kind of blood from the nose, poison usually brings on foaming at the mouth, so that leaves as a likely scenario, the heart defect. These can go for years without a diagnosis, and with a young and seemingly healthy cat there would be no reason to test for one. Please don't torture yourself with all these should haves, could haves, it brings on nothing but heartache. There was nothing you could have done, if he was on a sidewalk it was so sudden he didn't have time to hide, which is what would normally happen when a cat is ill or hurt. You did nothing wrong, you loved him and only wanted him to be happy. You have to have intent to be guilty of something, the only thing you are guilty of is loving him.
HE WAS NOT "JUST A CAT". He was YOUR cat, you bonded with him, he filled a space in your heart, you loved each other. The heart does not know the difference between human and animal, it just knows love.
Believe me, the not knowing is the worst. Somehow it makes it a little more acceptable to know exactly what happened. But sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Try not to dwell on the end, I know, this is impossible at times, but you need to focus on what he meant to you, and how he filled your life. Never knowing him at all would have been even more tragic, he gave you something so precious, his love. The bond you formed can never be taken from you, it is spiritual, so eternal. You shared his life for a little while, and now his new path will forever parallel yours until the day it crosses once more. Remember too, he would never want you to be like this, so sad and troubled because of him. He wants only the best for the one he loved so much. He left you his legacy of love and wants you to share it, to bring honor to his name, to show the world that he meant something, and that he left a mark in it went he left. Several times a year I pay for the adoption of a desperate cat, and I do it in my loved one's name. Somehow it helps you to feel a little better about yourself by making someone else happy.
My heart goes out to you,I know how much this hurts. You will be blessed for loving him so, you have a big heart and a loving soul. Take care.........RIP beautiful Thomas. You will never be forgotten and will always have a place in a loving heart. May the good Lord bless and keep you until you meet again. Sleep tight, little Prince!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

First off, I am so sorry for your loss

Now, without having your Vet do an autopsy (called something else in the animal world), there is no way of knowing what happened. Could have been something he ingested, could have been a heart attack, could have been so many things. Could even have been something genetic that his mother detected and that's why she left him behind

Whatever happened, it will not lessen the heartache he leaves behind. Most of here on this site are only too familiar with that as we DO consider our cats our furbabies.

Again, my sympathies.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I am beyond sorry that it took such a devastating, tragic event for you to find your way to us. No, there is no way to know, short of a necropsy, just how Thomas died, but I do know how he lived. He lived being loved and cared for, being touched gently, hearing soft words. Rest you gentle, Thomas, dream you deep. You walk in your mama's heart forever.

I think perhaps margd has it right...the mama cat left him knowing (in that way animals have) that there was SOMETHING wrong. If not for your love and nurturing, he may not have even lived to grow up. But he did, and was happy and content for a year longer than he would have known without you. Bless you, and may you be comforted.

 

[les26]

So sorry for your loss, but thank you for taking him in and taking care of him, you showed him love and life and he is forever thankful. It hurts very much now, but it will lessen with time, and you will see him again someday.

I hope your heart heals a bit more each day, God Bless....

 

[Antonio65]

I'm sorry for your loss, it's devastating when you don't expect it because the kitty is healthy and young.
But I agree with others that he could be hit by a car. Not always an injury or a sign are visible, they just seem to be sleeping.
I have seen dozens of cat dead on the side of streets and roads. When I see one I always stop, turn back if necessary, check on the little body and say something to them even if they can't hear me anymore.
Then I always take a photo of them, because I think that nobody must leave this earth without a kind word and a last image of them. I do that for every kind of life, be it a cat, a dog, a bird.
Well, most of the time they show no injuries at all, they're just sleeping.
I think that your cat was one of those lucky cats that don't get disfigured by a car, one of those cats that retain their original beauty till the end.
I'm so sorry, RIP beautiful kitty, you lived a happy life and will be forever in your mom's and dad's hearts.

 

[RodicaV]

I thank you all for your kind words and sympathy. I feel a bit better with your support.
I would prefer (this is a stupid word, indeed, but I can't figure out a more appropriate one) to think that my baby died of heart failure. It would mean no suffering, and I so wish he at least did not suffer!
I do not know if it is of any significance, but Thomas had, seldom, a kind of cough, like he'd have something stuck in his throat. I thought little of this, it only happened a few times and lasted for seconds. I now wonder if this could be related with a health problem.
I will probably keep on mourning for Thomas for a while, until somehow I come to terms with the fact he really is gone. I will always miss him, but there will come a day, I hope, to remember less the tragic day of his death and more our happy moments, they were so many of them! He brought me so much joy!
Thank you again!

 

[RodicaV]

 

[RodicaV]

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

What a sweet baby picture . Coughing IS a sign of heart issues, so that very well may have been the issue

Time does help heal the wound of losing our beloved furry kids. Or course you will never forget him, but you are right in that eventually you will be able to think of him and remember the good times rather than "the end".

 

[di and bob]

A cough that we often discount as a hairball, can indeed signal heart issues, that is how my Burt was diagnosed.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

He was, and is, and will be forever a beautiful cat.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

I am so sorry for your loss. My baby boy died suddenly 2 days ago, at home in his chair and I can feel your pain. You gave Thomas a wonderful life, a life he would not have had without you.

 

[catsknowme]

Condolences on losing your sweet Thomas at such a tender age. The photos are precious - he had a peace sign for a blaze on his face. He probably had an undiagnosed heart problem - mother cats can tell these things. The occasional cough/hack is a sign. At least instead of perishing slowly in a field, you saved his life and he knew what it was to be in a real family, with love, cuddles, toys, good food, safe and comfortable, playing with his canine siblings. He knew the joys of entertaining you with playful antics, bringing you pleasure with the sounds of his trills, mews and purrs. He knew the changing of the seasons, the warmth of spring, the curiosities of summer, and with the waning year, his spirit has crossed over with the falling leaves. Rest in Peace, Thomas. I hope that your pups are doing okay - they do feel the loss of one of their pack so acutely.

 

[RodicaV]

I am so sorry for your loss. My baby boy died suddenly 2 days ago, at home in his chair and I can feel your pain. You gave Thomas a wonderful life, a life he would not have had without you.

I am really, really sorry for your loss.

 

[RodicaV]

Like I said in my initial post, I was not so much into cats, although I do love all animals. I was not aware, when little Thomas got abandoned by his mother and got me as a replacement, of significant differences between dogs and cats in their behavior, especially when they're not well. With dogs you can tell immediately. They are such cry babies, and this helps us, humans, to help them sooner. I learnt about some of the cats' special treats and needs as Thomas grew, with the help of our vet and by reading on the internet. I did not learn enough, did not ask enough questions. Perhaps, should I have been better informed, I could have checked if Thomas was, indeed, as perfectly healthy as he looked like. Get treatment, maybe.
...
Regrets or haunting thoughts like "I should have...", "I could have...", "If I would have..." done this and that do not bring Thomas back and only aggravate my grief.
I loved him dearly and he had a happy life with us. I miss him so much.
Funny thing is that he, in fact, was not the kind of cuddling and kissing cat at all, at least not with me. Ones he grew off the baby bottle, he preferred my husband for bonding. I got jealous many times when they brushed their teeth (yes, Thomas liked the smell of toothpaste), had their morning coffee, ate breakfast and played video games together Kidding, I love them both, plus the three dogs, and where there's love, there's no jealousy.
I was the supplier: food, cleaning, door opening (those he could not open himself), getting back toys he was placing in unreachable spots
When he was in a really good mood, he came cuddling with me. You cannot imagine how happy those moments were.

Since a few days I check cat adoption sites. There are so many poor cats and kittens that cannot find a home in this country!
I am not sure if it is a right time or even a good idea to get another cat.
Most I fear going through a loss again. Another real fear is that I would be very paranoid and over-protective.

If any of you could share with me your thoughts and experience about getting another cat after losing one, I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

[Antonio65]

If any of you could share with me your thoughts and experience about getting another cat after losing one, I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

I have lost many cats, as you can see from my signature, and had other cats. But I have never looked for another cat after losing one. In my point of view it would be like a replacement. Some or many of you might criticize my opinion and you're entitled to that, but I feel a new cat in the house after a loss as an attempt to cancel the memory of the previous one .
All my cats have arrived following the path of destiny, they arrived on their own, they crossed my life by chance. I'd rather let things happen.
And I have always been happy this way.

 

[catsknowme]

There is a line in an old Roger Whitaker song, The Last Good-bye, that goes, " They say the moment that you're born is when you begin to die, and the first time we said 'hello' began our last good-bye."
I have found that to be very true - the hardest, but most rewarding, part is having the courage to love again. When you weigh the great benefits that you have to offer kitties versus the risks and trials, I am confident that you will make the brave decision. In loving anew, you can honor the one you loved. The timing is up to you - there will always be kitties in need. You might consider fostering, too. Whatever you decide, we are always here for you - you can always reach us via Private Message, too.