Quick moral dilemma?

Question

When my Gran died, we all thought her cat would die of a broken heart, but he didn't, because my mum had him put down the following day. Was she wrong to do this?

Answer 1

Yes - how does she sleep at night!

Answer 2

Couldn't she have seen the cat as a link to your Gran: an animal that she loved and cared for? If the cat was old and in bad health, OK, the change of home would have been a shock; but if not I think it was unnecessarily cruel. If your mum just doesn't like cats, she could have taken it to a shelter or offered it to another relative. Out of line, there, mum!

Answer 3

I hate to second guess anybody in the throes of real grief (assuming this was you mothers mother who died). Cats do grieve like people, but they get on with their 9 lives too, like people. More facts would be needed. Like was the cat sick/in pain? How old was Cat? I would have preferred that your mother have taken some time to find a new home for the cat, one of your Grans friends maybe? Place him thru the vet your Gran used? Even taken him to the local Humane Society where he would have had a chance to meet a new family would have been better.
But don't stomp all over your mom. She probably wasn't thinking too clearly. Losing somebody you love does weird things to your head.

Answer 4

That is really wicked! How could she? So you were all hoping the poor cat would die of a broken heart instead of giving it the love and care your poor gran did? If you couldn't have cared for it yourself for whatever reason I'm positive a good home could have been found for it. Your mum disgusts me and she should be ashamed.

Answer 5

She may have been right and got in there first. Then again, maybe your grans cat loved someone else and would have been fine. Guess you'll never know now.

Can we all take a minute to think of the poor dead cat? Anyone?

Answer 6

Yes, but also, your mom might have been sad as well and might have thought that being around the cat that belonged to your Gran would remind her everyday and cause her pain, so she might have thought she was doing this to save the cat but really it was because she didn't want to be in pain

Answer 7

Yes it was wrong to put him down. Your mum most likely didn't want to bother keeping the cat or finding him a home.

Answer 8

Your mother was upset.

It is hard to say if the cat would have been broken hearted but that has never meant that something should be put down.

She shouldhave comforted it and see how it went. She didnt even give it a chance.

Answer 9

you should have at least given him a chance to miss his owner. that way if he would have died from a broken heart he could have done it on his own. he might not have died so soon, but living on for awhile longer. cats dont always die once their owners do. although, my aunt died a couple of years ago, so my cousin took her cat in. aspen (the cat) did end up dying eventually, and we think it's because she missed her "mom" (my aunt), but she was also pretty old too. there's not anything you can do about it now, so just keep your chin up.

Answer 10

if the cat was sick or in a lot of pain, yes it was a good thing, but if it was just that she didn't want to deal with it, then no it's a horriable reason to put a cat down, someone could have taken care of it, and I'm sure it would have had a few good years left. so sad.

Answer 11

I think she was wrong, way wrong. Think about it from a human's point of view... we grieve when we lose someone we love, it takes time for us to heal and see the light at the end of the tunnel. It does not mean that we should be "put to sleep". Yes the cat was in mourning!!