[retro_chic]

So I had to euthanise my cat 2 days ago after she was bitten by a snake. We gave her the anti-venom but it was too late as the venom and left her blood stream and was already attacking the nervous system. Her chest muscles became paralysed and she couldn't breath. She must have been bitten the day before but we didn't realise as she wasn't showing any of the usual signs or symptoms. She was sleeping and lying around a bit but as a cat that was her normal behaviour anyway. The last time I saw her she was walking around normally and didn't seem to be weak or unwell. It wasn't until the next morning that my mum found her lying down and unable to get up. By then it was too late .

I feel as though it is my fault. If I had realised sooner she could have survived. I am usually living with my parents but I am house sitting at the moment so I didn't see my cat the night before she died. Maybe if I had I would have noticed something was wrong then. She was only 6 years old so she could have had many more years. She was my best friend and now she's gone. I can't stop crying and I don't know what to do.

[Skeezyks]

Hello chic: I'm sorry you lost your beloved cat. I've lost several pets in different ways over the decades. And each one hurts. Here are links to 3 articles from PsychCentral's archives on the subject of grieving the loss of a pet:

https://psychcentral.com/lib/grievin...loss-of-a-pet/

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/live-...a-pet-is-real/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/archiv...-for-our-pets/

Hopefully some of the information in these articles will be of some comfort & support. I wish you well...

[TerryL]

you said your cat didn't show any distress signs from the bite so you couldn't have known anything serious was happening. if you had seen the signs, i know you would have taken her to the vet. it's tragic this happened but it wasn't your fault at all. Please be gentle with yourself. I am sorry for your loss.

I kind of understand. My beloved Mazlo went into liver failure and I didn't notice. He was only 5 years old and it broke my heart. It is not your fault. Sometimes these things just happen.

Do you want to talk a bit about your friend? Sometimes it helps to share some memories. Hugs.

[Nammu]

((((((((Hug))))))))

This absolutely was not your fault! I hope you can put that part behind you. Your whole cat’s life was not about it’s last days. You gave her a great life. Her life was about all of it.

Just know that the intensity of your grief will come in waves, and that it will not always be that intense. It will get better

[rechu]

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.

[retro_chic]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I still feel very sad about but hopefully I will feel better soon.

[pegasus]

Not your fault at all. So sorry for your loss.

[CANDC]

Originally Posted by retro_chic

Thanks everyone for your replies. I still feel very sad about but hopefully I will feel better soon.

Hi retro_chic. Sorry for the loss of your pet. It is not your fault. Hope you find a way through the sadness.

These articles may be of interest
https://psychcentral.com/lib/grievin...loss-of-a-pet/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/underst...s-of-your-pet/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-15-...bout-pet-loss/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/on-mou...eath-of-a-pet/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/why-we...-for-our-pets/

[Buffy01]

Originally Posted by retro_chic

So I had to euthanise my cat 2 days ago after she was bitten by a snake. We gave her the anti-venom but it was too late as the venom and left her blood stream and was already attacking the nervous system. Her chest muscles became paralysed and she couldn't breath. She must have been bitten the day before but we didn't realise as she wasn't showing any of the usual signs or symptoms. She was sleeping and lying around a bit but as a cat that was her normal behaviour anyway. The last time I saw her she was walking around normally and didn't seem to be weak or unwell. It wasn't until the next morning that my mum found her lying down and unable to get up. By then it was too late .

I feel as though it is my fault. If I had realised sooner she could have survived. I am usually living with my parents but I am house sitting at the moment so I didn't see my cat the night before she died. Maybe if I had I would have noticed something was wrong then. She was only 6 years old so she could have had many more years. She was my best friend and now she's gone. I can't stop crying and I don't know what to do.

I am so sorry to hear about your cat. I lost my cat last summer he had tape worms because of the apartment complex who would not make the people who had dogs held accountable for not cleaning up after their dogs after they used the bathroom.

[Buffy01]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

Hello chic: I'm sorry you lost your beloved cat. I've lost several pets in different ways over the decades. And each one hurts. Here are links to 3 articles from PsychCentral's archives on the subject of grieving the loss of a pet:

https://psychcentral.com/lib/grievin...loss-of-a-pet/

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/live-...a-pet-is-real/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/archiv...-for-our-pets/

Hopefully some of the information in these articles will be of some comfort & support. I wish you well...

That is great advice. I wish that I had thought about myself