I came home from work tonight and found my cat dead in the middle of the living room. He seemed healthy, and was playing and eating as normal this morning. The only thing I noticed before was that a couple months ago he started getting a hacking cough. I thought it was just hairballs, since he had coughed those up before. After a few weeks it stopped. Then about 2 weeks ago it started again. He'd do it about twice a day, where it looked like he was trying to spit something out. He would wheeze and his tongue would be out, but then he'd stop, lick his chops and seemed fine again. I was thinking about taking him to the vet, now I feel awful that it's too late. Could it have been pneumonia? He didn't have any breathing problems. When I took him to the vet to be cremated tonight, they said pneumonia was unlikely. He was only 9, and spent his whole life indoors as an only cat. I wish I knew what it was that caused him to die early.
2007-02-16 18:38:31 · 9 answers · asked by Satoichi 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Sorry about your furbaby...Maybe it was just his time. The vet couldnt tell you anything???
2007-02-16 18:48:59 · answer #1 · answered by ABBYsMom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I really have no answer except that my cat had extreme sneezing and congestion, Due to the fact that she had no temp. and no apparent wheezing and her lungs seemed clear, the vet contributed it to allergies. Instructed me to give her l/2 of an antihistimine (sp) which helped, but she fought me tooth and nail. Not convinced, I requested some antiboitics, which did nothing. When she sneezed, she had all this flem come out of her nose and it was severe. The allergy medicine helped a little, but in the meatime she disappeared and has been gone now for a few months. I worry that she went off and died, because she was always here. I am sorry I cannot answer you question, but sometimes the vets just do not have the answers, as I spent about $2,500.00 on my little dog to save her life, and no one could ever come up with a diagnosis, ever after death. She had a clean bill of health in March, got her teeth cleaned the next day and was dead in July. She was perfectly healthly prior to the teeth cleaning. She went through HELL. Just BEWARE before you do the teeth cleaning, as I feel that something was not done correctely considering they have to put the amimal under. She was barely 8 years old. I think she would still be here otherwise.
2007-02-16 19:49:17 · answer #2 · answered by chigger 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am SO SORRY for your loss, it is like losing a child. I know you prob dont want to hear this, but my best advice is to get a new cat. There are SO many out there with shelters/rescues just waiting for some love. And if you DO get a new cat, if you EVER have any doubts about your pets health, take it to the vet. Do not beat yourself up, it is possible that even if you had taken him to the vet, it still could have happened. I am sure your furbaby would be looking down on you from the rainbow bridge in heaven, happy his owner has another cat to fill the void and warm your lap. God Bless You
2007-02-20 17:20:25 · answer #3 · answered by Brandi A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am very sorry to hear about your loss. There is no way to know for sure without a necropsy, but I would be highly suspicious of heart disease/failure. It is common in older cats, and the only symptom (when there are any) is usually coughing. Cats with HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) are prone to blood clots, which can lodge anywhere, typically causing paralysis, but occasionaly they can have whats called a clot shower in the brain or lungs, which is similar to a stroke in humans, that can cause death.
2007-02-17 00:03:39 · answer #4 · answered by cs 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello the animal could have died frm many causes. Though it was far from a yuong cat. around 63 in human years converted . A sign of typical old age in cats is the front teeth / fangs falling out. Then patches of hair in th coat falling out. Of course older animals are more prone to diseases and illness.Only a vet that did exstensive testing on your cat could diagnos the problem / cause of death for certain though .
2007-02-16 19:19:29 · answer #5 · answered by conan999 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm so sorry for your loss. After 9 years, it's like loosing a family member. Was he a long hair cat? My Himalayan was given a blob of Vaseline everyday. It acted as a lubricate to better pass the hair balls & also throw them up. It kind of sounds like allergy. Carrie, my cat is allergic to smoke. The guy I dated for a while smoked outside the house but his clothes smelled like smoke. Carrie'd start a hacking cough & sneezing like crazy. Needless to say, we are no longer dating
2007-02-16 20:11:31 · answer #6 · answered by Memeiko 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you ask the vet for a necropsy to determine the reason for the sudden death before the cremated?
I am terribly sorry for your loss. I would feel horrible about not doing something earlier also, but without the necropsy, you will never know.
2007-02-16 18:53:34 · answer #7 · answered by More Lies & More Smoke Screens 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Asthma, heart disease, heartworm disease (yes cats get it too but it's fairly rare for them, and it only takes 1 mosquito so an indoor cat could get it).
2007-02-16 18:47:07 · answer #8 · answered by lizzy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No sense in guessing ... it would take an autopsy.
If you get another cat and can afford it .... take your cat for yearly checkups and take him in for evaluation if anything seems unusual.
2007-02-16 18:47:25 · answer #9 · answered by burlingtony 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋