How do you get over putting a cat to sleep?

Question

On Halloween, I had to put my 7 year old Bengal cat to sleep. He was a very stressed out cat. Last year, he started attacking us for no reason. He would be fine one minute and the next minute he would scratch and bite and hiss at you. We took him to the vet and he said physically he was very healthy but he was a very nervous cat. He gave us some feliway which worked in the beginning but he still had times where he still flipped out of nowhere. We recently bought a house and he started running out the house and not coming back for hours. I was a nervous reck. We have 4 kids one who is special needs. Everyone kept telling the best thing for him was to put him to sleep because a cat that stressed is not happy. I feel horrible and I just keep seeing his scared little face when I said good-bye to him. I couldn't even kiss him good-bye because even though he was up-to-date with shots he attack and bit my daughter so he spent the last 10 days in animal control. I miss him so much

Answer 1

I think you're feeling quilt as well as grief.

All of the answers here will help you get over the vision you still have of his "scared little face".

And most of all, if anything happened with one of your kids because of his bites you would never forgive yourself.

You did the right thing for you and your family.

Sounds like there was something wrong with his chemical balance that even he didn't understand.

Answer 2

I'm so sorry you had to go through this....I had to put my 17 year old cat down a few years ago (she'd had a stroke & couldn't walk anymore) and even thinking about it now breaks my heart. All you can really tell yourself is that your cat is no longer unhappy or stressed, and that's really the best thing for all involved. When feeling sad, just remember why you did this....you can't have an unpredictable animal around children. I was one of those children you hear about on the news who got mauled by a dog (72 stitches in the face, thanks very much) who the owners claimed was just "high strung". 30-odd years later I still have to look at the scars and have nightmares. So you did the right thing. A cat isn't a dog obviously, but could still hurt your child, and as much as I love animals, there are priorities. You did the right thing and never doubt that.

Answer 3

At the end of it, it was for the best that your cat was put down. He isn't suffering or a nervous wreck any more. Nothing on this earth was going to be a magic cure for his condition.
As for coming to terms, you need to think why you needed the cat. Was it emotional support, an unconditional friend...? Then find some way of bridging all those things. My cat was put dowm 2 years ago for an intestinal problem. It was decided by my family that we would change completely and went for a dog to be a companion to our old Yorkshire Terrier. We went for a Westie, a type we'd never had before. I now love him to bits, and have another Westie. You might go for another cat, or even a different pet if you choose to have any more animals.
Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I can only say time is the best medicine for getting over a loss of a loved pet. I had to put my cat down about 15 years ago and have missed her still every day. Also give your self a new hobby for a while or put your interests into an old hobby. Keep your mind busy and reflect on the good times you had with your cat. Talk about it to people that you trust and to other pet owners that have been through that same situation that you have. Handling loss is hard but it can be done through friends and activities you enjoy.

Answer 5

Death is not the worst thing that happens to animals and people in their lives. The cat did not suffer and he wasn't having a happy life with you and probably wouldn't have had one with anyone else. I don't think it was unnecessarily cruel to take his life.

There are many ways people handle their feelings around death. Sometimes you can believe that it is just the end of a painful or unhappy situation. Sometimes you can believe that the cat went to a happier place and sometimes you can believe that the cat will come back to another, happier life here with us on earth.

Be at peace with your decision whatever your belief. And don't give up on cats. He may have just been a too "high-strung" breed for your family situation and another cat will do very well in your home.

Answer 6

I can barely bring myself to read your question, i can only imagine what you are feeling, i send my warmest thoughts to you, i have a rescue cat, she has been with me since 1999 and even now we are making progress every day. Your heart must be breaking, there is no easy way to get over your loss, just remember that you gave him the best possible life, and it is true love you have for your pet when you can decide its time to let him go, that is a very unselfish thing, and you need to remember it was for the love of him that you did it. As i say, my heart goes out to you.

God Bless

Zoe xxx

http://www.petloss.com/

Answer 7

I'm sorry for your loss of your kitty.

Putting an animal to sleep is always hard.
It doesn't matter who you are or who the pet is;
saying goodbye is always the worst part.
And losing your furry pal isn't an easy thing to do.

I find the best thing to do (after crying my eyes out) is find another furry pal to love. Your Bengal kitty will always be in the back of your mind and in a corner of your heart. But realizing that other kitties need love and attention helps lessen the pain in my experience.

Answer 8

For people like me and you, pets are like family members. I had my cat Smokey for 19 years when I had to have her put down. It's true when they say "Time heals all wounds". But the one thing I did to help me get over it was adopt another cat. I did this 2 days later and it was the best thing I could have done. It really took my mind off of Smokey though not completely, of course. So while I had to let one go, I saved another. It will get better. I promise.

Answer 9

its tough, but you do eventually get past it. you may not ever get over it, but you'll get past it. in the past 4 years i've had to have our two himalayan cats put down---one had cancer and the other was losing control of her muscles, she couldn't walk right, it was sad. I think the cat that had cancer was about 12 and the cat that was losing muscle control was about 15. these cats are part of your family and it hurts like hell to lose them.

in both cases the vet was very understanding and that made putting them down a little easier.

its way too soon to be 'over it' i think. i still tear up when i think about having to have the older cat, Sheba, put to sleep. and that's been about a year ago.

my advice---give it time.

best of luck to you!

Answer 10

Dont get another cat.

Your cat is a product of its environment.

Write a letter to your cat, it will help you get out what you are feeling and read it back to yourself, it will help you understand your own feelings.

Why didnt you try to give your cat away to a farm?

I am sorry about the loss. I understand it may not be your fault.

But with 4 kids in the house this is probably no place for a cat and you are now suffering the consiquences of your actions.

There is probably no real way to make yourself feel better about the way things happen and there is not way to justify that.

Donate some cat toys and food to your local shelter in honor of your cat.