# My cat died today, help with figuring out from what!



## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

My dear cat died today after about week and a half of being sick.
I'm really, really sad at the moment, but I also need to know what he died from, since we have another cat (and a dog) and I want to be sure they don't die the same way.
(I also am not living in the same country as my cat, so I can only tell what my mother did.)

The sickness apparently started with vomiting. The vomit had once a hairball in it, but except for that one time it was all stomach acid.
The cat was being tired, less social and drinking and eating less than usual. My mom made sure he drank something everyday, and also got him some kind of herbal stuff to calm his stomach up.

At some point during the first week he got a bit better, and was even coming out of his corner (he was spending lots of time in our sauna) and playing and eating more.

But then he started puking again and this time also shedding his fur and losing his weight really fast. 
My mom said he went a lot to the toilet and tried to do his business there, but nothing came out.
Then he started puking up his own feces and was put down today (That means the same day he started puking)

During this sickness, my mom tried to feed him constipation medicine and it didn't do anything. She also made sure he drank something everyday so he wouldn't die of dehydration.
The cat was male, neutered and 3 years old and was never allowed outside, except for my mom's balcony.
Was living together with another cat (neutered and an inside cat too) and a dog.

I would appreciate any thoughts of what this sickness was and how to hopefully prevent it.


*edit*
Changed some sentences to be in correct order and make more sense


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

This sounds like an intestinal blockage, why wasn't he taken to the vet?


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

As one can guess, lack of money  Vets are so **** expensive.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Well, that's a **** shame. 
The short answer to 'what happened': Aaron died due to a lack of veterinary care. _Probable underlying cause would be medical or mechanical blockage or obstruction; evidenced by symptoms of not eating, lethargy, acute change in behavior, hair/weight-loss, obvious signs of pain, inability to pass waste and finally waste being forced back out through the only avenue it had; the mouth._

What *is* the value of a pet's life? Vets ARE expensive when people wait until the very last minute and the vet must try heroic measures to save the pet ... or the pet is too far gone to save and the vet gets blamed by the owners because the pet died. If Aaron had been taken to the vet at The First Sign of him having trouble eliminating solid or liquid waste, he probably could have been saved and the cost wouldn't have been terribly high.



Veterinary care is simply part of the responsibility we take on by caring for a pet. At the *very least* if there was going to be no veterinary help for him then when he began to show such distressing signs of something being horribly wrong with him he needed to be released from his pain. If this had been you feeling such medical distress, I'm sure you'd have gone to the Doctor. Our pets cannot make those decisions for themselves and it is our repsonsibility to do so. 

I am sorry your cat had to suffer with no treatment before he died. If this happens again in the future, please do not delay treatment OR turn the cat over to someone who will either help him get better or put him humanely out of his misery to prevent suffering.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

He was a beautiful boy and these kinds of stories make me very angry.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

He sure was a lovely boy, and I'm sorry he had to suffer like he did.

Your mom should have taken him to the vet. But I guess you know that. 

[[[[hugs]]]] to you.


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## Wayytooblonde (Jan 27, 2010)

First off, I would *highly* recommend taking your other cat to the vet to make sure he/she is not sick too.

Second, I understand that Vets are expensive, I really do but that's why we have the choice to not be pet owners. If you cannot afford taking one cat to the vet when it is obvious that he is deteriorating, I question your ability to care for another cat and dog. This is so sad. It didn't have to end this way. He had to suffer for a week and a half before any professional help was contacted. Poor baby.

Try your best to get the other cat looked at so he/she doesn't have the same outcome. Good luck.


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## LilRed (Jul 16, 2008)

I am so sorry. He certainly was a beautiful boy.


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

I understand all of your reaction, but my mother is not a complete idiot, she did all she possibly could to try to save the cat. It's not like she just sat there and watched the cat suffer.
I'm suprised by how rude some people are. I wonder if you'd say to people who are sick and don't have money that it's their own fault for living poor that they suffer?
It's not that anyone _chooses_ not to have money when they need it. And my mom would've loved to have enough to pay for a vet, she too is grieving the loss of this cat.
I guess she should've just let herself, her other two pets and my little sister starve to death. 
You people have obviously never been in a position where you have to choose a lesser of two evil. 

And I guess this "going to doctor from first sign of ilness" is something of a cultural difference, since I know of no one who would do that. At least in our family (and friends) it is normal to wait for couple of weeks and try to get better with home remedies than to go to a doctor. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

And now as a sidenote because I know it would be coming otherwise: My mom tried to give both of our cats away multiple times. They always failed because the cats refused to eat (They waited more than a week and then gave up because she didn't want to let them starve.) 
They are troughoutly her cats. (Mostly the other one, but Aaron was always following his lead) So it was actually impossible for her to give the cats away to a "better person" or something.

Anyway, so it was a intestinal blockage? That causes shedding of fur? I will research that in case my mom other cat starts vomiting.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

tervasuu said:


> I understand all of your reaction, but my mother is not a complete idiot, she did all she possibly could to try to save the cat. It's not like she just sat there and watched the cat suffer.


That is precisely what she did, though. From your description any of us would have had the cat at the vet's after a day or 2 at most.

Pets have to be planned for and saved for. And NO animal deserves to die a long, slow death like this.


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

She did what she could with the options and resources given to her. And she bought medicine and used lot of time and effort to try to keep the cat alive.
Only during the _last day_ the cat started vomiting feces so she put him asleep because she couldn't watch him suffer like that. Before that, the cat only looked very tired.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

I dont think anyone intended to be rude ... people are just expressing their sadness for you and your cat. If your mom had been able to take him to the vet, he may not have died. 

Anyway, thats enough about that. 'What ifs' doesnt get anyone anywhere.

Which country are you from? If its the USA, there is a 'Care Card' scheme or something whereby you can pay for vet bills in installments. In the UK, we have something called the 'Blue Cross' which treats animals for free if you are on a low income. Basically, there is help out there if you know where to look.

An intestinal blockage - and this is just my limited understanding - is where something blocks up the intestine so that nothing can get past it. So, as time goes on, waste matter builds up in the intestine rather than just passing on though to the litter tray. Its a very serious condition and is always fatal unless the blockage is removed - and this means surgery.

Theres no reason to suppose your other cat and dog will die the same way. Aaron may have just eaten something that he couldnt pass - like a piece of wool, plastic object and so forth. 

I hope that helps to reasure you a bit, I hope you stick around. We would love to hear more about your other cat and dog too and help if we are able to


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

hoofmaiden said:


> tervasuu said:
> 
> 
> > I understand all of your reaction, but my mother is not a complete idiot, she did all she possibly could to try to save the cat. It's not like she just sat there and watched the cat suffer.
> ...


Ease up. The OPs cat has just died TODAY. I imagine he or she is very upset. Yes, it was preventable, but I think the OP has figured that out by now.

Now lets move on and see what advice we can give to ensure the health and safety of the other two animals. Like that 'Care Card' thing - I dont know what the heck its called, but its mentioned here before. And advice on good food etc for general health.


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## Wayytooblonde (Jan 27, 2010)

Care Credit is a wonderful thing. My fiance and I actually applied for one 2 weeks ago when my 3 year old cat Nicki had to have emergency surgery on his mouth. It is just like a credit card that you apply for at the vet. It is a great way for people to get their pets to the vet without having to pay everything upfront at once. The vet bill is simply put on the Care Credit Card and the pet owner pays it off monthly. I believe you have 6 months no interest. It really makes it possible to get vet care without being broke for a month.


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

My mom lives in Finland (like I said in the original post, I don't live there anymore), and she is very, _very_ low in income. Feeding herself, my sister (and occasionally my older sisters too) and three pets _and_ paying the rent is a task that should almost be admired.

And I was not blaming anyone, I was just appalled people are so ignorant and aggressive. I just lost a dear cat nevertheless.
Especially people in internet forums should be aware that different people are in different situations and it is not always possible for one to do what they would want to.
Believe me when I say that my mom did her _very best_ to keep the cat alive and in the end stop his pain.

And I don't think there's anything like this "Card Credit" in Finland. I wish there was though.
I have to say, especially cats are very bad off in Finland, since some people have a habit of taking a kitten during summer holidays and then abandoning it.
There used to be lots of advertisement against it but nothing else.
(Of course it's horrible, but since mixed bred cats are free, no one really bothers to do anything about it)


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

tervasuu said:


> I'm suprised by how rude some people are. I wonder if you'd say to people who are sick and don't have money that it's their own fault for living poor that they suffer?
> And I guess this "going to doctor from first sign of ilness" is something of a cultural difference, since I know of no one who would do that. At least in our family (and friends) it is normal to wait for couple of weeks and try to get better with home remedies than to go to a doctor. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
> You people have obviously never been in a position where you have to choose a lesser of two evil.


I absolutely have been in financial circumstances where I had to make decisions about my pet care based on my lack of financial resources. I understand that your Mom tried her best with what she had available to her, and I understand that you and your family are grieving for Aaron, who looked beautiful, by the way. 
I am sorry if you think we have been rude. I think it is simply that we care too much and it is frustrating to hear stories of loss that we think could have been preventable. 
As for waiting for medical care, yes, I see your point. But I also am able to recognize when I am not getting better on my own and need treatment by medical professionals. I am also able to recognize in my pets (_cats and horses_) what things I can let wait-and-see, what things I know I can remedy, which things I cannot and when things are a life/death emergency. 
Unfortunately, that knowledge isn't automatic, it comes from trial/error learning. I have made my share of mistaken decisions  and my animals have suffered  because of it. I try to learn and not make the same mistake twice. The unfortunate thing with kitties and other small pets, is because of their small bodies and amount of reserves, they can go down-hill very quickly.





tervasuu said:


> Anyway, so it was a intestinal blockage? That causes shedding of fur?


I *think* it sounded like a blockage of some sort. Obviously he had been having trouble passing waste and then it became backed up and exited the mouth, this is what make me think it was a blockage. An intestinal blockage could be caused by many different things; hair, a too large bolus of food or waste and foreign materials like cloth, string or plastic. The lethargy, lack of appetite and vomitting were signs and his deteriorating condition was stressing his body and that is what can cause the hair to shed. Some cats also just simply shed a lot, but most don't. I have noticed when I stress our cats (_vet visit_) they will shed hair. I do not know why they do that without having a physical problem like your kitty did, it is just simply 'stress' of any kind that can cause that type of response, I guess. 
A urinary blockage has some slightly different symptoms than an intestinal blockage and is always considered an emergency. Of course, you'll notice the cat straining to pee and producing nothing, or only small amounts, sometimes with blood. This is also a serious condition because if it is completely blocked, their bladder can burst. This is an emergency because by the time you notice these acute symptoms it is critical that the cat receive veterinary intervention. Sometimes cats start out with a small problem, that can grow if left untreated, and become this emergency. In the cases of beginning problems, the cat will sometimes show signs of not feeling well by peeing in different areas; peeing on things that are soft or smooth, searching for 'easier' places to pee, hoping it won't hurt to pee 'there', because it knows peeing in the litterbox "hurts".

To help prevent this in your other pets, I think I would just review the food being fed and check around the house to make sure there was nothing the pet could eat that could have caused the problem like; string, rubberbands, paperclips, plastic things ... and the list could go on and on.
It is doubtful the remaining pets will undergo this same experience, but I'd just sort of double-check the home to pet-proof it.
I am sorry for your loss, atback 
heidi


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

tervasuu...much of the time when people come here and say they can't afford vet care, as more details come out, what they're really saying is they don't choose to afford vet care. Or they haven't managed their money in a way that allows them to provide vet care. Or they never had the ability to provide vet care, but adopted the pet anyway. So we tend to not take "I can't afford it" at face value. These are all very sad situations for the pet and the responses are to try and impress upon the person how important it is to provide vet care.

After this experience, I hope you will impress upon your mother how important it is to be prepared for these emergencies. Put a few dollars a week into a savings account, if she can at least pay for the base office visit, the vet might be willing to extend credit once she's there with the sick cat. It's easy for an office worker to say no credit over the phone, not so easy for the vet to say no when the sick pet is in front of them.


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## caracal911911 (Feb 4, 2010)

Oh my god. I'm so so sorry to hear that. . Your cat was a very handsome one. . Really sorry to hear. . .I just lost my beautiful baby 5 days ago because I noticed the blockage too late, and the vets tried, but even surgery couldn't save him. . and I went home to check on his brother to find out he was having the same symptoms, so I rushed him to the vet, and now 5 days later he is still not out of the waters yet. I have him at home now on medecines hoping for him to get better. Waiting on vets next move to hopefully save him for me.

Sounds like your boy had the same problem. . It is VERY painful for them to go through this. I only noticed my cat was having problems for one day, and I couldn't take it and took him to the Vet. . They seem in so much pain, and just totally not active, not eating or drinking. . .

A blockage pretty much happens as crystals build up in the exit tube of the bladder and eventually block it off, therefore your cat can't pee until the bladder bursts. . 

I ask myself all the time. . . How come i didn't notice it before, and how come i never had regular retuine checks to make sure their daily behaviors hadn't changed, but you get so use to them being healthy and in good shape, and you never expected. . I never in a million years thought anything like this would happen to my cats, but it did. . .Even though i tried my best to save my cat, I still blame myself because i can't blame something that doesn't have a mouth that can speak to me telling me what it wants and what's wrong when their in pain. I keep telling myself, what if I had checked on this, and what if I had done that.

I posted my story here just a few days ago, and will keep updating letting people know what happens to my lonely baby boy.

I really feel for you my friend, I am so sorry that this happened. I hope to never hear another story like this, I hope you feel better, and please tell your mom to keep an eye on the other pets. Especially the other cat, chances are that whatever this cat did, the other one tried it as well, just as mine both got in the same situation at the same time.


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

Thank you for all the support and information, I will inform my mom about this, and also explain her the shedding of fur. She was really freaking out about that.

And well, I can assure you that my mom is in no way "choosing not to afford vet care", she had three pets that she was unable to give away without killing them in process, she has a very difficult teenager living with her and she has to take care of my older sister who is a drug addict (and having very difficult time recovering and is a complete idiot), her ex-husband helps her in no way, and actually makes everything _more_ difficult, and insults her all the time and even sued her (because she had no money to pay a house they bought together when they were married). 
My mother was always taking care of us at home, so she had no job or qualification when they divorced. And since my father didn't help in any way, she was trying to get a job, trying to support three difficult children and the pets we had gotten when we _did_ have money. Also during the first couple of years, my father didn't even pay child support. It got easier once I moved out and she got a qualification, but she's still getting paid very very few.

Oh by the way, we don't know why my father is acting like that. He is the one who cheated and divorced and he acts like my mom was the one who did it. We seriously have _no_ idea.

Ah, it's so nice to get that off my chest. I haven't told almost anyone outside my family about that.


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## MeatballsOwner (Jan 22, 2010)

Im so sorry to hear about your loss 

I understand there is a cultural difference, and an issue with $$. Just a suggestion and please do not take offense, but if your Mom cannot afford to keep a pet then maybe pet keeping is not something you or your Mother should be doing.

My 5 year old cat had pancreatitis and liver failure a few weeks ago.. he had been vomiting for a day or two and I thought he was passing a hairball (after all he is very long haired!). After day 2, I knew something wasnt right as he wasnt eating or drinking and slept a lot. 

Fortunately, my vet let me post-date my checks and make payments. I told them I was having financial tightness right now, and they were more than happy just to get my cat the care and treatment it needed than to argue about payments. I made 3 payments over a 2 week period. Meatball is 100% back to normal health now.

Again, so sorry for your loss. To us, its something that seems so preventable. Alas, different cultures have different values and ways of life.


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## tervasuu (Feb 5, 2010)

I'm not taking offense, but as I said, my mom did try to give the cats away. Our older cat, Mokke, refused to eat for about a week (that's when my mom gave up and got him back) and Aaron followed his lead. Mokke is a very shy and obviously very attached to my mom, and Aaron always did whatever Mokke did. So, there was no way of giving them away.

At least in Finland vets are very rude, and always prolong the treatments on many checkups (even though it is completely unnecessary) to get more money out of people. And I know it just sounds mean to say that, but it's true. And I don't blame them for that, they need money too.


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## StitchyKitty (Jan 3, 2010)

First of all, I want to tell you that I really do undertand what it's like living without any money at all. My parents got divorced when I was young, and since then my mom went back and forth between to guys for quite a long time. Finally, she made her choice and choose to marry one of them and he has a job. It's not a very good job, but it brings in money. My mom goes to school at a college, so she isnt bringing in any income. I'm going to school through an online program called Insight, and it requires a lot of my time. I probably spend 5-6 hours online a day doing homework. So, the only person in our house that's bringing in any money is my stepdad. I would now like to add that we have 3 cats and a golden retriever. Previously, we had a chihuahua who had breathing problems. We took him to the vet and he got diagnosed, but the surgery that would fix his problem was more than we could afford. Shorty lived another 6 years with his breathing problem, but eventually did die due to it. -- Yes, we could have saved up for it and taken him in for the surgery. Yes- it could have prevented his death. But, we simply _*could not *_ afford to 'save up.' And when you have animals in your life, and you hit a rocky patch in your life; you don't want to get rid of them. You had them for a while - you've grown attached to them, even love them. For us, it was always 'things are going to get better' and someday we would have that money we needed. Maybe even just a little extra so we would be able to save up. But, it didn't come. Shorty lived a great life, and we provided that for him. And I believe, they provided Aaron with a great life. Sometimes, things just happen that we can't control. I agree, the cat should have been taken to the vet. Shorty should have been taken to the vet. But, sometimes you just can't. Just because some people can't afford things at a certain period in their life does not mean that they shouldn't be able to exp. the same things that other people can. They fed the cat, gave it a home, gave it things that it otherwise wouldn't have gotten. That cat could have been abandoned and could have starved or froze to death months, maybe even years before. 
I say good job on giving the cat a home.
And, I'm truely sorry for your loss.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

tervasuu said:


> Oh by the way, we don't know why my father is acting like that. He is the one who cheated and divorced and he acts like my mom was the one who did it. We seriously have _no_ idea.
> Ah, it's so nice to get that off my chest. I haven't told almost anyone outside my family about that.


IMO, it is because it is much easier for him to blame someone else for 'the problem' ... otherwise he'd have to look it squarely in the eye and recognize it and own it as "his" ... because deep-down, he *_knows_* what he did was shameful and reprehensible and he doesn't _want_ to face it.


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