I can totally relate to the sad posts here. My dear cat, Tiger, died suddenly on Friday night after a normal day of playing and cuddling. However, I had a warning of sorts; the vet had wanted me to euthanize him exactly one month before, due to a congenital heart defect. I told her no, and took him home, along with Lasix and Clavamox. He had gone to the vet at the end of January because one day he began breathing rapidly, with mouth closed. About an hour later we were at the vet. The vet gave him an x-ray and said his heart was enlarged, and that he had a murmur, and his lungs were congested. She put him on these meds and said to call in the morning if he hadn't improved. Well, the next morning he was worse, so I took him again to the vet and he went into an oxygen 'tent' (a box), and stayed there from 8:30 until 3:30. All the while he was getting IV Lasix, and monitored constantly. He even got nitroglycerin on the ear. The vet took another x-ray and said it was bad. The lungs were even more congested and he wasn't responding to treatment. She said I should euthanize him that day or the next. Naturally I was distraught, but as long as he wasn't in pain, I was going to keep him alive. I took him home, asked all my friends to pray for him, and he made what seemed like a huge turnaround within days. I kept him on the antibiotic til it was finished, and continued the Lasix. His energy level was good, as was his appetite, and what had seemed like a one-week scare had passed. I came home from work to find him lying on his side in Halloween kitty position, with his tail straight up, but curved on the end, and all the hair sticking out like an electric shock had hit him. There was a poop in his chair, pee in front of his chair, and a couple poops on the floor near him. He died near the water dish and front door. My friend had a cat that had seizures and said this is probably what killed him, and that his weak heart made him more vulnerable to death by seizure, rather than surviving it. Of course I am devastated and have cried a lot, but Tiggy gave me one more month with him after the vet wanted to put him down. I am thankful for that in a big way. Also, the vet said some cats are born with heart problems. He came from a group of semi-ferals that were probably inbred, so more likely to have defects. On the outside he was normal, more than beautiful, but poor boy had some issues that were bound to manifest one day. I feel your loss deeply and hope hearing my story lets you have comfort knowing you are not alone in this right now. Another cat lover shares your sorrow. |