My missing Kitty update...:(

[tammymacb]

How do you teach your cats to be able to make it outside?

Apparently not very well. Right below she posts how her cat ended up in the humane society after beeing tree'd by dogs.

Op, I'm terribly sorry. I know your cat got out by accident and I know how awful it is to lose a pet unexpectedly.

You are a perfect example of why cats should remain indoors.

 

[SaraJayne]

 

[Planogirl]

I'm so sorry!

I tend to agree that your cat might have had a reason for disappearing. Cats often turn solitary when they don't feel well.

It's not your fault! You didn't let anyone down.

 

[MichelleVW]

How do you teach your cats to be able to make it outside?

Apparently not very well. Right below she posts how her cat ended up in the humane society after beeing tree'd by dogs.

Op, I'm terribly sorry. I know your cat got out by accident and I know how awful it is to lose a pet unexpectedly.

You are a perfect example of why cats should remain indoors.

Agreed....not sure how to teach a cat to stay out of roads or coyotes mouths? It's just luck that those things happen, not any teaching..

OP, I'm so sorry about your cat, but at least now you have closure and aren't still wondering.

 

[npmommie]

Thanks everyone for your kind words

we didn't know her age exactly, we had her a little over 6 years, we adopted her from a shelter, they didn't know her history because someone just dropped her on their doorstep in a box, they estimated her age about 3 or so at the time we adopted her, she had been at the shelter for several months at that point as well, they weren't exactly sure of anything with her.

we are having a private cremation for her this week.

 

[lynxstch]

I lost 2 of mine earlier this year, and I know it's hard not to blame yourself (or your neighbor)..it's just the Circle of Life I guess. You gave her a home, you gave her love, you looked for her when she was lost. She may not have been feeling well and hid in your neighbors barn. My cats almost never let me know when they were feeling sick. Someone once told me that cats have a way of hiding sickness (especially in older ones). Just know that she's now safe on the Rainbow Bridge, away from harm, and she only has fond memories and love for you and your family. My 2 furbabies and all the other DIS'ers pets who have been lost recently will all help guide her and help her find her way around
God Bless, and I hope you can come to terms with her loss and the knowledge that there might not have been anything you could do, even if you had found her earlier. Just be glad she passed away somewhere indoors where it was warm and safer than out in the wilderness
Lynn

 

[chyam]

I do feel guilty. I let the cat down I let the kids down. I feel like I could have done more. I am also having unreasonable angry thoughts toward the neighbor. She says she saw her in the barn around the time she went missing. I covered the neighborhood with flyers with her pic and she didn't think it could be the cat on the flyers!!!!!! She says she gets cats in the barn all the time.
I know it's not her fault but I still feel angry and so sad. The cat had to know she was practically home. She must have heard our dogs!
I just feel so horrible.

Although I am very sorry about the loss of your cat, you should not be angry at your neighbor....it was not her cat! She maynot have paid any attention to the flyers to the extent that she would have known it was your cat....you can only hope others care enough to pay attention. If someone has cats coming and going through their barn after awhile they just don't pay that much attention.
Ultimately you have no one to blame, you did what ever you could to find her, it just did not reach the right people. I am a firm believer in indoor cats, there are just to many dangers out there especially for domesticated cats. I have been feeding a feral cat for 2 years, morning and night that will not let me within 2 feet of him, he is wise to the world....now mine on the other hand would probably be road kill in a matter of hours if they ever get out.

So don't blame your neighbor and don't blame yourself you did the best you could....and honestly I have to agree with another poster that he may have known it was time...since I have heard stories of cats living for weeks in walls, shipping containers etc. without food so I doubt that was the cause of death. You loved him for 6 years and he loved you.

 

[lynxstch]

I hope this helps a little bit.

Pea-n-me...can you clear out your PM inbox?..I just tried to PM you and got a message that your box is full and you can't accept anymore!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Pea-n-me...can you clear out your PM inbox?..I just tried to PM you and got a message that your box is full and you can't accept anymore!!

Done. That darn box drives me nuts.

 

[robinb]

I do feel guilty. I let the cat down I let the kids down. I feel like I could have done more.

Oh, honey {{hugs}}. You did your best for your kitty. You put out flyers and you called her again and again. There is really no more you could have done to get her back home. Don't beat yourself up.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

npmommie, I think others are right. She might have gone away from you because she somehow knew it was her time to go. Not being a true "cat person" (wish I was ), my mind doesn't always think that way. But now that people mention it, that makes the most sense. I hope you're all doing better today.

 

[DebbieB]

I also thought the same thing. Our cat Muffin never liked going out. She always stayed in the house. Sometimes we would take her out on the porch during the summer and she would want back in. When she was dying from kidney failure, twice she tried to sneak out! I do believe that they don't want you to see them die, they want to hide.

 

[luvflorida]

I know it probably doesn't make you feel any better, but cats sometimes know when it's the end. And they will try to run away, so they die someplace else.

My first thought is to agree with the previous poster. I don't know the age or health of your cat but I think that it is common for a cat to go away someplace and hide when they are ready to die. I would hold on to this thought. She might have picked the best place for her. Not perfect for you, but what she needed.

I'm so sorry you lost your kitty. They say that animals know when they are really sick, so maybe she just felt the barn was a safe place to go. I hope you can soon get to the place where you smile when thinking of her.

I'm so sorry!

I tend to agree that your cat might have had a reason for disappearing. Cats often turn solitary when they don't feel well.

It's not your fault! You didn't let anyone down.

I also think this may have been the case. Even if a cat is injured, they tend to crawl off to be alone.

I remember your original thread. I am so sorry that your cat passed away. Like others have said, you did everything you could to find your cat. I know it must hurt to think about the time your sweet kitty spent away from home, but try to focus on all the love you gave your kitty and all the love she gave back. She knew how much she was loved.

 

[npmommie]

thanks again for all the kind words
We are doing better here, we had some closure yesterday, we took her for her private cremation and brought her home.
the kids drew pics of her and put her name on the tin.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm sorry.. I was really hoping for a better outcome..

 

[Wall-E1]

Sorry for your loss. I know what you are going through. We just lost our cat a little over a month ago to a sudden illness. I've been second guessing every moment of those final days - thinking if only I had noticed the symptoms sooner, or suggested that additional medical tests were done earlier, etc. I have those same feelings of guilt even though I know I did everything humanly possible to try to save her. I know I shouldn't feel this way, just as you shouldn't. Sometimes bad things just happen for no reason at all. Just try to remember all the good years your cat had living with your family, and what a loving and wonderful life you gave her. Again, you have my sincere condolences.

 

[npmommie]

Sorry for your loss. I know what you are going through. We just lost our cat a little over a month ago to a sudden illness. I've been second guessing every moment of those final days - thinking if only I had noticed the symptoms sooner, or suggested that additional medical tests were done earlier, etc. I have those same feelings of guilt even though I know I did everything humanly possible to try to save her. I know I shouldn't feel this way, just as you shouldn't. Sometimes bad things just happen for no reason at all. Just try to remember all the good years your cat had living with your family, and what a loving and wonderful life you gave her. Again, you have my sincere condolences.

Thank you, I am sorry for your loss as well.
Don't let the guilt eat you up, there is nothing to feel guilty for. I understand your feelings, a couple years ago when one of our dogs had a seizure in the night, and passed away the guilt ate me up, I was devastated, I beat myself up thinking I wasn't monitoring her meds enough, etc etc.
but we took great care of her, as you did with your kitty, you did everything you could, and I think our pets know we love them

 

[angie@dvcstore]

Im so sorry.

 

[shortbun]

You are a wonderful pet owner and a great parent to include your kids in your ceremony for your cat. I remember my mother hiding that one of our cats had died. She even buried her in the backyard by the creek. I found her grave and knew; I was so mad at my mother for a long time but I know she was trying to keep us from the grief. I think it's so good for your kiddos to celebrate their cat!! Sorry for your loss.