Last week, my 13-year-old tortoiseshell cat was spunky and her usual self. But today, we had to put her down. She became ill so suddenly, and I don’t understand what happened. It’s eating me alive—how could she decline so quickly? I feel like I failed her, and it hurts so much. She should be here on my lap, purring away. I just needed to say this out loud.
I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss. Please don’t be hard on yourself, you didn’t fail her. You gave her love for 13 years. Cats hide their illnesses very well. Sending love your way.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I can tell from your post how much you loved her, and you absolutely did everything possible. Come hang out with us in r/Petloss if you want to talk more. Lots of people there who understand.
I totally get that feeling of thinking we failed them, but it sounds like you gave her a wonderful life. Cats are so good at hiding when they’re unwell. You gave her the final gift of ending her suffering when the time came. It’s so hard, but try to remember the good years you gave her.
I recently had a similar experience. One day, my old lady cat was fine, and then she declined rapidly. It’s hard to process, but please be kind to yourself. You gave her love, and she was lucky to have you.
Cats often hide illness—it’s a survival instinct. I’ve had cats that seemed fine and then declined quickly. It’s likely not something you missed. I’m sorry for your loss.
It’s so hard for us when they go quickly, but it might have been a blessing that she didn’t suffer for a long time. I’m really sorry for your loss.
Hutton said:
It’s so hard for us when they go quickly, but it might have been a blessing that she didn’t suffer for a long time. I’m really sorry for your loss.
Thank you for this! I went through a similar loss recently, and this brought me some comfort.
I’m so very sorry! I recently lost my 11-year-old boy to sudden illness too. It’s absolutely shocking and heartbreaking. Sending all my love and hugs your way.
We had to put our 14-year-old dog down recently. We thought she would recover, but it was different this time. It broke our hearts, but we couldn’t let her suffer. I’m really sorry for your loss.
You didn’t fail her. You did the best you could by taking her to the vet. I lost my dog suddenly too, and it’s heartbreaking, but you were there for her.
My girl passed in 2022 at only 8 years old. It was so fast and absolutely heartbreaking. I know how much it hurts.