Worried sick about my cat and feeling guilt

[fuzzers]

Hey everyone, sorry to be a downer here. My cat, Fuzzy (hence my screenname) who''s 14, hasn''t been eating or drinking for the past 3 or 4 days. She was taken into the vet and her basic tests came back ok except that she''s malnourished and dehydrated. She still refuses to eat and they''re tube-feeding her and will keep her at the vet another night. I''m really scared she might die.

I know she''s old. But I am feeling a lot of guilt. I am 500 miles away at college and I haven''t seen her for two months. I wish I could be home right now. I feel guilty that I''m not. She''s been my best friend since I was 6 years old, and I haven''t seen her for two months. I feel awful.

Anyway, sorry, had to get this out. If anyone has some words for me I would like to hear. Thanks.

 

[Circe]

I am really sorry to hear that your cat is feeling poorly. It sounds like your family, and your vet, are doing everything possible to help get her back on her feet again. I''d say, "Don''t feel guilty," but I know that never helps ... so what I''ll say instead is, take comfort from the fact that your family loves her, too, and is doing everything possible. I hope she recovers her strength with the IV and begins to fend for herself again tomorrow!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 10/14/2008 6:36:54 PM
Author: Circe
I am really sorry to hear that your cat is feeling poorly. It sounds like your family, and your vet, are doing everything possible to help get her back on her feet again. I''d say, ''Don''t feel guilty,'' but I know that never helps ... so what I''ll say instead is, take comfort from the fact that your family loves her, too, and is doing everything possible. I hope she recovers her strength with the IV and begins to fend for herself again tomorrow!

Ditto. Your family is doing everything they can for her. I hope the IV helps and that she rebounds. I know it''s so hard for you being away from her. HUGS!!!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Aw, poor kitty. Don''t feel guilty, it sounds like she is in good hands. Let us know how she is doing.

 

[lovegem]

I am sorry to hear this.

Who is taking care of your cat while you are away? Are you living in school or sharing an apt with someone that you can't bring your cat along?

Actually I am in the same shoe as you. My pet birds are 500 miles away from me. We are currently waiting for pet permits to bring my pets along. While we are waiting, my birds are in my parents' care. They really become "caged" birds.

I take the 15 hr trip every month to go back to see my birds (of course, see my parents too

). Every time I go back, I make enough food for my birds for a little more than a month (in case I couldn't go back due to an emergency). I make things simple for my parents by putting the food into little packages and that each package should be used for 1 day only. This way, I know my birds would have enough food and they are getting the proper nutrients (or so I hope). I write up instructions on what to do everyday. Every time I come back I check for signs of illness (or anything that's out of the place).

I am thinking whether this is something that you can do? You don't have to go back to see your cat every month, but at least ration the food that your cat should eat everyday? So if someday she eat too little, you know something is wrong. I hope your cat would get well soon.

 

[fuzzers]

Thanks everyone for replying. My parents are taking care of her while I''m away and they''re doing a great job. They can handle it. We have eight cats.

Lol. Fuzzy is by far our oldest and is "my" cat. I''ll be coming home for Thanksgiving, I hope she makes it until then. I''m hoping for the best and expecting the worst (just in case)...

Thanks and I''ll keep you updated.

 

[katamari]

Best wishes to Fuzzy and my thoughts will be with your whole family.

 

[matildawong]

Hi fuzzers,

I''m sending you warm thoughts and best wishes -- and also to Fuzzy. I hope she responds to the fluids and nutrients. I''m so glad your family is taking care of her for you and I''m sorry that you are away from home and can''t be with her. Take care of yourself and hang in there.

Love,
Molly

 

[fuzzers]

Got news back from the vet today. Either she has a tumor in her intestine or pancreitis. The vet says she has slim odds of recovery. If it''s a tumor, I don''t want her to have surgery, so if that''s it, then I would have to put her to sleep. That''s most likely what it is.

If it''s pancreitis, then she would have to stay in the vet for a long while, and she hates that. She''s already miserable. I''m waiting to get more info but this seems like a lose-lose.

I think I will give permission today to put her to sleep. She lived 14 long happy years. As you can understand, I''m heartbroken though...

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/15/2008 11:49:59 AM
Author: fuzzers
Got news back from the vet today. Either she has a tumor in her intestine or pancreitis. The vet says she has slim odds of recovery. If it''s a tumor, I don''t want her to have surgery, so if that''s it, then I would have to put her to sleep. That''s most likely what it is.

If it''s pancreitis, then she would have to stay in the vet for a long while, and she hates that. She''s already miserable. I''m waiting to get more info but this seems like a lose-lose.

I think I will give permission today to put her to sleep. She lived 14 long happy years. As you can understand, I''m heartbroken though...

(((((Hugs))))))

So sorry to hear that, Fuzzers.

14 years is a good length of time for a kitty, and it sounds like putting her to sleep is the best thing for her. You''re doing the right thing. Just try to remember how much joy she brought you, and give her lots of hugs and kisses.

If you decide to wait it out and see if she improves, then I wish you both the best. This is always such a hard thing to do.

 

[fuzzers]

I wish I could give her hugs and kisses but I''m so far away.

That''s a big part of the reason I feel so awful.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/15/2008 12:09:35 PM
Author: fuzzers
I wish I could give her hugs and kisses but I''m so far away.

That''s a big part of the reason I feel so awful.

Ahh.. right I knew that! I''m so sorry, that makes this even harder for you.

I would imagine your parents are taking as good of care of her as you would, and she''s being comforted by them.

It''s hard not to be able to say goodbye, but she and you both remember all the good things. So she definitely won''t leave this world feeling unloved!

 

[fuzzers]

Thank you. I''m happy she won''t feel miserable anymore.

 

[fuzzers]

...

 

[dragonfly411]

Fuzzers - I''m so sorry for the bad news!!! your cat is beautiful too! Would you be able to fly back if she has to be put down? ((hughs))

 

[bee*]

Sorry to hear about your cat. I hope that she will be ok.

 

[fuzzers]

Update: Fuzzy was put down this afternoon. There wasn''t any other choice.

 

[choro72]

(((hugs)))

 

[princesss]

Awww, fuzzers, I''m so sorry to hear that.

*hugs*

 

[Haven]

I am so sorry for your loss. Losing a beloved pet is heartbreaking. Please take time to mourn for Fuzzy, and to remember all of your good times together.

 

[fuzzers]

Thanks everyone. I''ll always remember how happy those 14 years were!

 

[DMBsGirl]

i''m so sorry for your loss. This past summer, we had to put down our 6 yr old dog and 21 yr old cat within a week of each other. It is not easy, but you can rest assured knowing you did everything that was possible to save your kitty and did what was most humane for her. My cat lived an abnormally long life and had never been sick until around 18, he developed hyper-thyroid and was cured through a radioactive iodine treatment. two years later he developed bad kidneys, we were close to putting him to sleep but after a brief hospitalization, he was eating and bounced back. he lived 6 months beyond that but we knew it was time when he stopped eating altogether and wouldn''t even walk around. it really is the most humane thing for the animal, you did the right thing and will always have the lovely memories of Fuzzy.

 

[hibiscus]

I''m truly sorry for your loss. >>

 

[bee*]

I''m so sorry to hear that. You definitely did the right thing although I know how much you''re hurting right now. Take care of yourself!

 

[katamari]

Lots of hugs. I am very glad that you got to spend 14 wonderful years with Fuzzy.

 

[FireGoddess]

I''m so sorry to hear this. I know it is difficult but your kitty was loved and well looked after...and no kitty could ask for more. *hugs*