Hi, I wanted to send some virtual hugs your way. I think it is normal to want to feel like you could have done more, or that it is your fault. But, from what you say, your cat wasn't showing signs of distress, so how were you to know? Don't be so hard on yourself.

My dog died from heart failure last month. I am fighting the same feelings myself, like I should have taken him to the vet earlier. But, he just had a cough and initially we assumed it was nothing serious. We took him in when it was clear it wasn't getting better. We simply had no idea that coughing was associated with heart murmurs in dogs. Even so, would a week have made a difference? From what it sounds it was advanced, but no vet had ever noticed a murmur before. After that we did everything possible, chest x-rays, cardiologist, heart meds.

It sounds like you did what you could. A close friend lost a dog a few years ago to a spider bite that wasn't immediately detected. Again, they didn't notice the signs right away, and they didn't notice a bite mark because he was a very furry dog.