I had a cat die tonight, about an hour ago. We noticed it was sick and listless today, but after the vet had closed, unfortunately. We thought we would take it to the vet the first thing in the morning.
That didn't work out. We kept him by the bed on an old pillow tonight. He's normally an outside cat but it's cold out in addition to the cat being sick. After hardly being able to move he suddenly started crashing around, trying to get out of his bed. His mouth was opening and closing and he made a moaning noise.
I took it to the kitchen to give him some water. I didn't really know what to do for him or if he wanted water, but my wife suggested it and I had no other plan of action. He wouldn't drink the water, I sort of stuck his mouth in the bowl, just enough to let him know it was there.
That didn't work so I just laid him down and petted him. A brown liquid came out of his mouth. I held him with his head down so that the puke would run out and not choke him.
In retrospect I think that's when he died. But at the time I didn't think so.
There was no real sign of death. There was no "giving up the ghost" as old folks say. His mouth still opened and closed, the jaw muscles working, but he got colder and stiffer. There were even twitching muscles around his mouth long after he was stiff.
It just strikes me that there was no sign at all. You expect something, you know? A soul rising into the air would be good. That's the sort of thing the religious and the spiritual expect. Being one of them I always want to believe there is a soul, or something.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Eric Olsen
Wow, H Wayne, another side of you - very thoughtful and moving. We've had two cats die in last couple of years - I am also fascinated in the transformation from beloved (more or less, anyway) pet, to gross dead thing. Thanks!
2 - Eric Olsen
Oh, and I'm sorry about your cat.
3 - ZMethos
Wow. I'm so sorry. We had a very similar thing happen with an old cat of ours last year. The listlessness. . . she could barely move--all of a sudden, in a day, when the day before she had been mobile. So of course we knew something was wrong. We put her on a pillow on the bed, put some food and water near her. Finally, we decided we'd better go to the vet. I mean, the cat wasn't howling or anything, but she was clearly not right. We hadn't even backed out of the driveway when she convulsed and died. But like you, we waited a few hours--just to be sure. And it *was* disappointing, in a way, that there wasn't a more evident sign of the passing. Shouldn't we have felt the moment? Known for sure in our hearts somehow? But we didn't. But she wasn't moving or breathing anymore, so we wrapped her in her favorite quilt and buried her.
4 - Tom
I am welling up with tears. My kitty is sitting on my lap right now.
It would make me sad to lose either one of them.
5 - ZMethos
Oh! What a beauty Boots is! We have a Maine Coon as well, aptly named Loki. He was a runt that nobody wanted, and I'm thankful every day that we took him in. He can be a real terror (although he doesn't mean to be), and I think anybody with less patience would have been cruel to him. Thinking of that, or of losing him or any or our other cats, is just heartbreaking.
6 - Nikki
I am so sorry about your cat. I had a cat die tonight and it has been very upsetting for me. He was only 2 1/2 years old. My husband and I went out and came home a few hours later and he was gone, totally stiff and no movement or anything. We still don't know how it happened there were no signs at all one minute he was fine and the next he was gone. I can't get the picture out of my mind of finding him on the floor that way.
7 - Andrew
I can understand the frustration at the lack of closure, but I think the alternative is much worse.
I had my cat put down the other night, and the experience was quite distressing. You can read about it here.
8 - RJ
I have two cats whom I love very much. And one even loves me back! I'm batting .500! ;-)
I know it's been a while since the original post, but I am sorry for your loss.
Pets are more than just "animals." Hell, WE are "animals"!
Pets are members of the family. They are loved and cared for. When they pass, it is a time for mourning.
I've lost a few in my time. Once to the idiocy of a vet. Another due to a brown-recluse spider bite. A couple to old age. Once to feline leukemia.
It's always hard.
I am pretty sure one of my cats has cancer right now (the one that actually likes me and sleep on my bed with some prodding). I suspect we will lose her someday in the relatively near future. I can already feel the loss a bit. It is sure to be much more painful when it actually occurs.
All dogs go to heaven, it is said. What of cats? Surely these benevolent creatures deserve a place in heaven, on our laps, purring away and dreaming sweet dreams of mice and lizards, for all time...
Amen.
9 - JY
Hi
My cat, Mao Mao, died two days ago on 22 August 2005. She was 15 years of age. She was with me for 13 years. Today at 3pm she will be cremated and she will be gone forever.
I don't know the exact reason of death. I am too sad to talk to the vet now. She had a tumor operation six months ago. I found another bigger tumor two days before her death. In a panic, I quickly sent her to the vet the next day. She hated to visit the vet. She is a very timid cat. I told her to give me just two days, and she will be alright again. I left her in their care and hopefully it will be fine the next day after another operation. She never made it to the operation room at all. She collapse with tougue turned blue. Vet said that her lungs was filled with fluid, a sign of heart problem and they put her on oxygen tank. She knew our presence and tried very hard to purr when we visited her with the oxygen attachment. She passed away. I was hopeful that she will return to our home with me. I really regretted to send her to the vet, maybe, if she really had to go, she would have leave from her home and with us around.
Sorry Mao Mao, I miss you very much.
10 - Colleen
My cat Einstein is dying. This morning he threw up water. Water. My heart sank- "That can't be a good sign." I said to myself, trying to find the humor. He's been in slow decline for months, first his kidneys started to fail, I knew this because he started drinking huge amounts of water and peeing constantly. I started cleaning his catbox twice a day. "Maybe thats it, maybe he can last a while" I told myself, even though I knew it was a lie. Then he stopped eating canned food, he would just lick up all the gravy, he stopped that too. Last night and this morning I was scrambling around the kitchen opening tuna cans, shredding up pieces of turkey lunchmeat, numerous cans of cat food, I had paper plates scattered across the kitchen floor, in the hope that he would want something, anything, EAT DAMN IT! He wasn't havin'it. He just sat there, looking up at me, like I had all the answers. Its heartbreaking, I didn't think it would be. I joked about this last month, "I'm looking forward to no more cat hair" This cat has been the only constant in my life for 15 years. 3 breakups, 6 or 7 apartments, 3 jobs, he was always there, on my lap, purring, drooling, biting, hissing- besides my parents this cat is the only unconditional love I have ever known, how pathetic I feel. I didn't think I would take it this hard but this morning after he wouldn't eat, I called my Mom and cried my eyes out. So tomorrow I get to take him to the vet and end his life. I don't really believe in God, I don't believe animals have souls - Im not sure about us either, so I don't expect it to be pretty, I was a biology major so I don't expect to see a soul rising, I know the fluids and muscles take a while to settle. These are the ugly parts of life, the worst part of life, the nasty, bitter, ugly end, which will offer no solace- just more unanswered questions. I'm a secular humanist, I believe everything thats living deserves dignity and respect. I think I owe him. This is something I can do for him to offer him some comfort, some peace, so now I get to be his Dr. Kevorkian. I hope he knows how much I valued his love and his friendship. I will miss you Einie.
11 - Eric Olsen
very sorry Colleen - my parent's cat is getting very old and lethargic. I fear he doesn't have much time left
12 - Jalexa
One of my animals died today. I am not sure of when. A persian I named buddy. I had him since 2002. He was a animal shelter cat and looked like he had a botched neuter job.
When I witness death I always see the spirit leave. There is no stillness like the body that life has left. Life is the spirit. Life leaves the body and combines with the life that is on the earth. Electrical in nature perhaps.
The great mystery for humans and other animals. Humans know that they do not know.
There has been so much death recently with the natural disasters. Life is fluid as time. T i m e...............
13 - KYS
I am SO SORRY about your loss. From my many years working for a vet, I can tell you that cats don't let go easily. They fight for every last breath. Lucky is the feline who dies at home, with those that love him/her. Domestic cats, who still are quite feral according to their lineage, don't show their illness until it's almost too late. Your pet was so lucky to have you to take care of him.
14 - Jalexa
To: KYS
Thanks for the words of consolation.
Do you think all living things go to a better place when they die?
Jalex
15 - Nancy
Jalex, I'm certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that where ever we go, our pets go. Any creature capable of love, loyalty, forgiveness, etc. (and animals are far more capable of these than humans seem to be) surely has a soul, regardless of its capacity for intellectual reasoning. I have 5 kitties. They sleep with me, "play" for me when I want to be amused, lie on my book or papers so I can't work when I don't want to be amused but they do, demand my attention, give me attention, meet me at the door at night & follow me to the door in the morning begging me not to go, just like 2-yr-olds. They come when I call, and if I don't give sufficient & sufficiently equal shares of affection & attention, they show definitely that their feelings are hurt. I do not anthropomorphize. I do communicate with them, & they can make their wants known pretty well. Maybe they use The Force. Whatever, I cannot believe that they are any less qualified & worthy of some sort of afterlife than I or any other person, since they are people too. Just furrier, less capricious, and more loyal, non-judgemental, & affectionate.
16 - Ron Hughes
My cat, Hoover, also died this morning. He was a 24 year old
yellow tabby and well pampered. He had been declining over the past couple of months. He was a real tough kitty and as hard as he fought, he couldn't overcome his age. His last meal was a can of
tuna -- that he consumed with the gusto of a hound dog. He didn't eat for 2 days after that and silently passed on. He was a special buddy that lived with me for half of my life and I'll miss him.
17 - Nancy
I'm very sorry for you, Ron. 24 years-! I hope my girls live that long & die as easily. Meanwhile, see if you can find it in your heart to save another kitty & give them a good life, too. You'll feel better with someone to come home to, & care for; and you're not replacing Hoover - that isn't possible. Nothing is as lonely as a catless house.
18 - Sue
My cat Zevon is 16 years old and is dying. I think this is his last night. Has been fading for awhile now but has really gone downhill the last few days, won't eat and hardly drink. He's so skinny and frail it's just heartbreaking. He's showing no signs of real pain, which I am thankful for, so I will just let him die peacefully at home. We had him since he was a kitten abandoned at the garbage dump. Reading everyone's comments has helped, I'm sorry for all your losses. I have Zevon's pictures on my webpage if anyone would care to look.
19 - Sue
Webpage
20 - B
My cat died last night......reading this helped....thank you guys
21 - kat around
My 16 year old cat Peachy died two nights ago, Wednesday, December 28. The vet found lumps throughout her liver about 7 months, but other than weight loss, she never really showed symptoms of sickness until about one week ago. She was vomiting frquently and then she vomited water in my bed on Christmas eve. She ate less, but on her last night, she ate some baby food, Gerber Veal without onions. She also drank a lot of water that night. She vomited it all up after about a half hour of holding it down. She got up and was able to walk to the litter box, but was very wobbly. She tried to poop but just sat in the box. I made a bed for her in a box with a lot of cushioning around the sides so she could sit up, she seemed to prefer this position. I pet her and stroked her and she seemed to respond. At about 12:30 AM she woke me with her crying. I found her stretched out beside the box. She was able to get out but simply collapsed. I stroked her, talked to her, and cleaned her up when she pooped and peed in the box. I told her how much I loved her and that she shouldn't be afraid of what was coming. At some point between 12:30 and 2:00 AM, she lost consciousness. Her eyes were open but she didn't respond. At about 2:00 AM she went into the final phase of death. She took some breaths. Her front legs stretched out. Her mouth opened. She finally relaxed and stopped breathing but I think her little heart kept beating. I know she was conscious and aware of me at 12:30, but she was definitely brain dead or in a coma long before her body finally quit.
It was horrible to watch this happen but I really could not let her die before she was really weak in the Vet's office. I just did not want her to suffer on the trip to the Vet's and then in the office. I know how she hated it.
It really happened fast. She was aware and fighting for life until close to the end.
I will miss her and cherish her forever.
22 - Donna
My cat Storch passed away around 10:45pm on December 30th. She was a small, but tough little tortoise-shell cat that I adopted at the Santa Barbara animal shelter when I was 19. Now i'm 33, so she's been with me half my life. She had hyperthyroidism which she took pills for, but when it got to bad I took her in to get the radioactive iodine-131 treatment to zap the tumor. The vet screened for other diseases and found lung cancer and said even if he cured the hyperthyroid the cancer would still be there. With her ravenous appetite I continued feeding her a buffet of food,
but since her metabolism was so fast, the weight would not stay on. Her final month she cruised around the neighborhood visiting my parent's house and my boyfriend's because we all live on the same street. She made it through Christmas, but got increasingly finicky with food. The last few days my vet friend did acupuncture on her and gave her some herbal medicines. This was my final effort to save her life, but she just got skinnier and weaker and wouldn't even drink her favorite...MILK! I was tempted to put her to sleep , but she was not in pain and I believe she would have wanted to fight to the end which she did.
She was on my bed and I continued petting her and talking to her. Finally, I placed her in her fluffy, oval cat bed and couldn't she if she was breathing or not. She went to see "the big cat in the sky" New Year's Eve (day) my boyfriend and I buried her in his backyard by the house in her bed. I cut off a piece of my blonde hair and laid it next to her heart and I cut off a small piece of hair from her tail and kept it for myself so we could stay connected. My boyfriend held me as I lowered her 4 feet down. She still looked peaceful curled up in the bed like she was just sleeping, only with her yellow/green eyes opened. Then I laid a cat-size american flag over her honored body and said my goodbyes and told her I'd see her again in the future.
Storch will be remembered forever! She gave me strength, happiness, love, laughter, patience and joy. GOD BLESS STORCH!
23 - Linda
My beloved cat, Sammie died on Dec 30. He was attacked by some dogs and I rushed him to the vet. He didn't have any serious wounds and the vet put him on oxygen and an IV. He was doing good the next day and came home...but he took a turn for the worst and died the next night. He must have had serious internal injuries. I'm heartbroken...and it was a tough 2005...My Mom battled cancer and Hurricane Rita devastated our area. We could not take all our pets with us when we evacuated, so we took our house pet Schnauzer. It was such a relief when I learned that our cats survived the storm....and now this happens. Sammie was only 6 years old. He was so precious...and such a gentleman. He would let the two female cats eat first before he ate and acted like a momma cat to a kitten. He was so laid back. Animal control found the owner of the dogs that attacked him but they have not responded.
Sammie was solid black with an extra toe on each foot.
24 - Tabitha
It became obvious to me yesterday that my 20-year-old cat, Teagan, would probably not live through the night. In November she stopped bathing herself & had started to become matted. She was an old gal so we did not force the issue with her. Over the last month her weight dropped from 8 pounds down to 5. She has seemed fine enough, eating, purring, asking for attention, etc. But yesterday, I cam home to find she had no control over the lower portion of her body. I held her off & on, petted her & allowed her to rest in her favorite spot. She could not be interested in water, food or a litter box. I imagine her kidneys had already shut down at that point. This morning she could not move her upper body. She did not appear to be in pain so my husband and I decided to let her die at home peacefully. I took the day off from work so I could hold her as she died. Around noon her leg gave a couple twitches & she exhaled strongly, then nothing for a few second & she repeated the leg twitch 2 more times & the exhale & it was over. I have gained comfort from reading everyone’s posts this morning. She is gone.
25 - Rhonda Kattass
Hi there.
My cat Amadeus lost his battle with Hyperthyroidism, and I believe another
hidden disease, possibly cancer but I
never wanted to honestly know about
that. I treated him for the hyperthyroid
ism but he never regained his weight and
stayed thin and frail for over a year. He Died on 3/26/06 at 1 a.m. in in the morning when I
took him to an emergency vet to help
ease his pain and allow him to go into the next life. This past week Ami (his nick name Ah-mee) began
to cough and not just a hairball cough
from time to time. I know it was not right.
but after I kept the house nice and toasty he
was okay. So, I thought nothing of it. He
still was frisky and played with his sister
but come Thursday morning. He was acting very
slow, old, and could not lower his head to drink
water out of the faucet (which he LOVED running
water). Sometime maybe even Wednesday, he had stopped eating so much and had tried somehome treatments Thursday and Friday. By the evening of Saturday, March 25th, Ami had moaned several times and cried out once or twice and he had all but stopped walking. So I held him in my arms in a towel and held him close. I had been trying to rehydrate him with electrolytes from the diarrhea and vomiting. The diarrhea only got better once when he was first diganosed with the hyperthyroidism afterward it had become a daily thing and also, I was told the next thing I would have to do is geta colonoscopy done on him to determine if he had cancer or if it was IBS but I recently read that in older cats like him the IBS can later turn into a form of cancer. In the end he was precardia, rapid shallow breathing, with blood in his diarrhea. He was okay until Thursday morning...but my efforts to have him bounce back were nil. I had already made my decision...that I knew he was dieing and if he did not bounce back after the weekend that I would take him to the vet and put him to sleep. I hated thinking about that but I did not have to wait for the weekend. Amadeus started having serious problems by 9pm on Saturday evening and by 10:45 he was in very serious condition. After the last time he cried out, I grabbed him and called a friend.
His end was becoming painful for him and I was not going to lay back and allow it to last long. My friend came over and we drove Ami to the vet. You could tell he was a little scared but did not fight me. I held him in a towel like a baby in my arms. Before I could get out of the car at the hospital, My friend jumped out of the car and opened the door and took pictures of me and Ami for our last time together. Later in the exam room, my friend cut his hair for me for a keepsake. When we went inside the vet tech took ami back to see what the doctor thought. I was told there was no guarantee if they were to TRY to save him that it would be a long hard road for ami and he would need to be immediately put under an oxygen tent. His little body was giving out and there is just a time when enough is enough. Sometimes, I think I waited too long. I went through all the thoughts. Did I do enough for him...was I lazy sometimes in his meds, but really my cat lived a very long life and enjoyed his good years. he was very laid back and happy and nothing phased him. He was very unique. So, I wanted him to be happy and not in pain. I decided to send him home to God. For the first time though, I was with my cat when the final stage of his life happened. Euthenizing...they give the cat a mild sedative to help him relax and take him out of pain while you have your last words, strokes, etc...with him or her. Then when its time, you tell them and the vet comes in and he explains to you what will happen. The process of putting the cat to sleep is very quick and painless. It took me two hours to let him go after I made the decision but when it was time... The doctor came in and was very, very sweet. I layed my hand on Ami and prayed for him while the injection started in him that put him to sleep. His head slowly tilted to the side and then the doctor injectd him with a second drug I believe that stopped the heart. In a matter of 5 seconds or less, my cat was gone. When I finished the lord's prayer over him, the doctor said. Rhonda.. he's gone. You know I thought I could never do that and maybe some people cant but I told my cat that I would never, never leave him. That when it came to his last breath that I would be there with him. I will be honest with you. its been only couple days and I still wonder "What If?" I have a 2nd cat that is here with me....she is Ami's partner of 4 years. She misses him some but sorta likes the house to herself too. When my fiancee comes back state side in the summer, we plan to choose a new baby cat to give sweet pea a partner. I work at the animal shelter in town as a volunteer and help sick cats with URI all the time. But, it is so different when its your pet. Its hard but its getting better. And my cat was suffering, and more and more I feel that I made the right decision to help ease his pain. It's just hard when you get in a routine every morning and evening with your cats.... cuz, I caught myself doing that this morning and I teared up when Ami was not waiting for me when I came hom from work today..
I feel your pain to all the cat lovers out there on this blog that have lost their pets recent and in the past. It cuts very deep too when the pet has been with you a long time. For Ami it was 14 years and 7 months. I plan to make a scrap book of his pics and all the well wishes from friends and family. I am waiting now to get the call from the Emergency clinic to go pick up his ashes. I want to keep him with me than buried somewhere in a ground. I live in an Apartment and I always regretted not being able to have a place where I could go visit my last cat. I also regretted I could not be there with my last cat either. The doctor and this was a couple months before Ami was born told me at that time that she didn't think I would want to be there with my cat when they put her down. I had my cat buried in a pet cemetery somewhere ...where the graves were unmarked, etc. I really regret all those decisions about my first cat Sebastian. Now, I'm glad cremation is offered so I can have his ashes with me and I can place them with his toys in a heart shaped box because he was a very important part of my life. He has seen me through 3 boyfriends, multi-state relocations, a few jobs do to relocation. One thing I can say is if you have an older cat and he can tolerate another cat, go for a young cat. I am so happy that I had sweet pea here with him in the last 4 years of his life. He enjoyed her after he got over the initial meet and greet.
Enjoy every second...as far as soul... I believe my cat had a soul and with the way he passed. It was peaceful and I could see him go. The brain does not quite die as immediate as the heart. The brain starves for oxygen but at this time your pet is gone...and does not feel anything. He will gasp one or two times for air but he will not be in pain when this happens because he is clinically gone at this time. Also, the gurgling of the intestines that one poster talked about. All living things including us when we die will release their bowels at the time of death. This did happen a little to Ami. He released his bladder about 3 hours before we put him down and after he went
he did release his intestines. That did not gross me out and neither did the other reactions gross me out because I knew at that point Ami was called hom to God and I was petting a shell that once held his soul. GodSpeed to all our little kitties. I fully believe that they will be waiting on the otherside for us. I feel comfort in that.