to be so upset about this poor cat?

[Iamsparklyknickers]

I've two cats, they don't really do outside much, they like a little wander/sit for a couple of hours but are soon back inside scoffing/sleeping/aggrevating each other. The usual routine is I'll leave the back door open for a couple of hours till they've had their fill - this sometimes means the cheekier cats in the area trying to have a nose at their food

Anyway last night, this little cat comes wandering in. He was in an awful state - weak, couldn't eat, barely drank, didn't make a sound. When I picked him up all I could feel were bones and fur, he immediately just tried to snuggle into the warmth and shut his eyes.

We went straight to the vets with him who diagnosed him as being in renal failure and put him to sleep. I was upset as I'd half convinced myself he'd got trapped somewhere and just needed fattening up a bit, but I wouldn't keep my cats alive with that condition so am comfortable that was the right thing to do in lieu of not knowing who his owners were (no collar/microchip found).

I just feel so guilty - I'm sure he'd come in the night before and I shooed him out before having a good look at him (it was dark). That poor little thing just wanted somewhere warm and comfortable and I made him spend another night outside in pain and incredibly poorly.

Dp doesn't really understand why I'm still a bit teary over it, and tbh I can see his point, but I just feel so sick with guilt over leaving him when I could have got him help sooner.

aww bless the little cat least you gave it a hug before taking him to the vets, and I would have shoeed a strange cat out the door too you weren't to know , actually filling up reading your post but you did the right thing for it you looked after it and it had a peaceful painfree end

You should not feel guilty. He was not your cat. I've shooed other cats away from my door without giving them a second thought as I only think about my cats' wellbeing. You did a lovely thing in taking him to the vets and the best thing any animal lover could do and that was to end his suffering because he was ill. Have a hug and some

Ah I would feel just like you op as I am a rabid cat lover too.

But you weren't to know and you did the best thing by taking it to the vet and you had a cuddle so he had that too.

Hugs xxx

Thank you - In my head I can see the logic, I'm just such a softey when it comes to animals that the thought of playing a part in extending any of their suffering knocks me for six.

I'm (perhaps a little obessively) posting on lost/found websites and checking the local shops adverts in case someones looking for him. I'd be frantic not knowing and I've read sometimes cats will take themselves off near the end so they might not even have known exactly how ill he was.

you just care thats all you are allowed to be a wee bit upset

I know how you feel... something similar happened to me a few months back and I would have been happy to have been as useful as you were. Instead, what I did, is I returned the poor thing to its family who said "yeah, thanks, he has been really ill and finally went off to die two days ago". I said shall I take him to the vets for you to be put down, and they said no, don't worry we'll do it and do you know, I went back in the afternoon to check and they hadn't bothered just let him expire in their garage. I really should have done what you did, it would have prevented another ten hours of suffering. You did well, much better than I did, and I am so sorry as it is very distressing to think about what these poor creatures go through in their final hours.

Oh please try not to be upset, you did a very kind thing by putting the animal out of it's misery. I know very few people who would have done this, most would have just have kept kicking it out the door and have seen it as someone else's problem. You stopped that cat from being in more pain and misery. I wish more people would be as concerned about animal welfare.

the others are right
you did all you could

You did the kindest thing that you xcould have possibly done by having him put down

You did the right thing. I found a skeletal cat on the street once, (overseas) and people were just stepping over it. I took it to the vet who put him to sleep as he said his organs were failing.

It is so sad but you can only do your best.

When you knew there was a problem you did exactly the right thing.

Sorry you're feeling sad though.