Cat became ill and died suddenly

My cat came into the house last night after being outside for several hours. He looked confused and was not breathing right. My first thought was that he had eaten a mouse as he has many times before and that he needed to go outside to throw it up, like he has done many times before. So I put him outside, he was reluctant to go but he walked off. I hoped he would come back feeling better but deep inside I feared something might be wrong. He came back an hour and a half of so later and my son let him in the house and he was worse. He was meowing a distressful meow like there was something really wrong. He was having a hard time breathing and he kept opening his mouth as he breathed and kept holding it open. I knew this was a bad sign. He kept trying to sit down and relax and rub against my husband and I, just like he normally did but he could not get comfortable and kept getting up. I called the emergency vet, then he lied down with his mouth open, still meowing loudly and breathing with his mouth wide open. My son noticed his tongue had turned blue--when I told the Vet he said that I could bring the cat in but he would have to be euthanized because he probably couldn't do anything. He died within about four minutes with his mouth open and fluid came out. I wish I knew what caused his death. He did had a heart murmor. I don't know if he could have eaten a mouse that was poisoned or had heart failure. He was only two and a half years old. Do you have as to why he died. Any ideas would bring comfort as my family and I are very distraught over this.


Answer from KAte
Hi
i am so sorry for your loss and in a cat so young too. It could have been caused my a heart condition as I have heard of young cats suffering from conditions like this and suddenly passing away like this.

or course it is also possible that he ate something bad or even got a bone stuck in his throat but without an examination from the vets afterwards it is impossible to say as i am sure you will understand.

i know you are looking for answers right now, i know i have been in the same position too. this will pass, as will any guilt you may be feeling ( this feeling always comes too, i know).

As the weeks pass your grief will be replaced with all the good memories of your cat and if you are like me will feel the need to give another cat a good home.

best wishes Kate

Comments for Cat became ill and died suddenly

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Dear Thomas
by: Barbara

Dear Thomas,
A few short hours ago I lost you. How?

The ER doesn't know. A savage heart attack likely? I don't care right now how... my Thomas..gone... no autopsy thank you.

A scrawny little orphan nutritionally compromised from the start when you first showed up, you were so brave thru your challenges. You never held it against me... 10 years, Thomas...brave boy.

Your squeaky voice and little tap-tap-tap, s'cuse me, I'd like some of that; s'cuse me. Tap-tap-tap-claw, tap-tap-tap-CLAW..

Thomas, I miss you and I love you my tough little tiger....
Missing Sirus
by: Anonymous

We lost our beloved Sirus yesterday afternoon. He was 9 years old, an indoor cat, seemed healthy. We took him to the vet because of his laboured breathing, He was having a hard time but we never thought he was ready to die. He suddenly took a turn for the worse in the vets exam room, they tried to help but nothing they could do, blue tongue, open mouth. It was so hard to watch him struggle, helpless, even being at the vet didn't help. It was over within minutes. Miss him dearly.
Partner
by: Anonymous

We lost our 22 yr old cat ,Partner yesterday morning to what sounds like it might be something similar.All I can say is after 22 yrs it feels like a very large part of my heart and soul died with him.
Tortiseshell, Missy passed away suddenly.
by: Anonymous

We just lost our nine year old Missy yesterday morning. I heard two unusual moarnful meows that woke me up. Found he splayed out on the bedroom floor, her mouth was open and she was attempting to breathe, we noticed her tongue turning blue. By the time we got her to the hospital vet she was gone. She had just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and had an appointment lined up for radiation treatment. The hardest part is not hearing her meow. She was a tortiseshell so was talking us all the time. This really sucks but we know we adopt another cat after awhile.
Pulmonary Edema?
by: Anonymous

I lost my 5 y.o. cat yesterday in the same manner.
He never went outside here. I did know he had a heart murmur from the Vet visits. (I figured it meant heart trouble up the road.) The day started off like any other. At some point I looked down and he was breathing really heavy from the abdomen area. It was the weekend so my only option was to bring him to the Vet Emergency Center(in this rural area - that's a 40 minute drive.)
I quickly searched online and this is the first page that popped up:
http://cats.lovetoknow.com/cat-health-health-problems/heavy-breathing-cats#BpqLus1AylVFPcq6.97
Pulmonary Edema. I though I could pat his back and try to dislodge any liquids that may be filling his chest area which could lead to lung collapse. I felt and heard a lot of swishing from severe fluid buildup. He soon opened his mouth gasping for air - and his tongue was blue. I knew he didn't have long. He too, tried getting up and moving to another spot = but he wasn't comfortable and throughout this ordeal he meowed perhaps 15 times. Heartbreaking to watch. I left the room to give him a bit of privacy - and like everyone else who posted here - he only had about 5 to 8 minutes of the gasping open mouth, blue tongue - and a mucus like substance coming out of his mouth. I believe this was Pulmonary Edema.
Cat became ill and died suddenly
by: Grieving in Seattle

I'm so very sorry for your loss. It sounds to be nearly exactly like when we lost Trouble. The vet said it was likely a heart attack, especially with the post death liquid. There was nothing we could have done according to the vetop so be comforted by the fact your baby was with family at the end. It is what got us through though we miss his mischief every day.

Big Hugs and know we are thinking of you at this difficult time.
Sudden death
by: Mia Mom

Mia was found with blue tongue, lack of O2, and panting. She cried out if you moved her. She died shortly thereafter. :( She was only 5 years old. Her sister from the same litter has bee looking all over for her. 7/1/2016
We lost out little boy, Pure Trouble, the same way a few hours ago.
by: Grieving in Seattle

We lost out little boy, Pure Trouble this afternoon and 10 minutes earlier He was fine!

He's a twin and we do not let them out except we walked the yard and gardens with him in our arms to look around. They are from the Caribbean and so we are extra careful until we've learned the plants etc. so being outside was not a concern.

He was great, happy, jumpy ad full of vinegar as usual...standing beside the treat cupboard with "that look".

Then he started yowling and panting, hunkering to the ground and I though uh oh 1st hairball but it got WORSE when I picked him up and patted his back. He was open mouthed and huffing so I ran and woke my husband who works graveyard and yelled we have to get to the emergency vet now!

Within a minute he couldn't breath and his tongue turned blue and started swelling as we started CPR and got out to the car.

The vets was 10 minutes away due to Sunday church traffic and he was gone by the time we got there.

If anything you have helped me see there really was nothing we or the vet could have done, thank you for that.

We thought it was the grass he ate, or maybe pumpkin seeds...

Regards - We remain grieving in Seattle and helpong Manny Man his brother get through this.
my cat died of same thing today
by: jessica

My seven year old cat died of same thing today. He got outside and by next day breathing heavy and drooling from mouth. Rushed him to vets and vet said he had fluid in chest and may not make it through night. He died at 315am....i rushed him to vets and he died anyway. It sucks!!! But it leaves u wondering..why?? The vet thinks bactetia infection or problem that he had for a while that we didnt see...what puzzles me is why didnt my vet want to drain the fluid from chest as first priority to make him breath better..she wanted me to leave him there ovet night so she could give him oxygen and fluids and she was going to charge me 1300.00 for the nights stay but she told me he still might not make it..

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