Struggling :(

[Coffeeandchoc]

We had to have our beautiful boy pts last Monday. He was 16 and had slowed down slightly over the last year, but was still such a happy boy and full of life. Then last Sunday night he was nowhere to be seen. He did reappear on Monday morning but didn't want to eat or drink, just spent the day asleep on a cushion.

We took him to the vets at tea time and found that he had a large tumour in his stomach and the vet said the best thing was to have him pts.

The vet was lovely and said that cats are very good at hiding these things. But I feel so much guilt and I'm struggling that I missed something that I should have seen.

He was eating and drinking pretty normally right up to the Sunday night. He had no vomiting or diarrhoea. But I feel so bad. So sad.

I don't know why I'm posting really. But I am struggling with this.

See, I'm reading this thread as: my cat had a lovely life for 16 years. He got sick and we immediately took him to the vets. Unfortunately we got the worst news, and we had to make the hardest, but also the kindest decision. And we really miss him.

I am so sorry for your loss. But you shouldn't feel any guilt, none at all.

Zebra ha summed that up perfectly. You did everything you could do as soon as you knew something was wrong.

And, as bloody hard as it us, you went further and gave your beloved boy an ending which meant no suffering.

My boy had a tumour in his stomach, which I had no idea about (he’d had his annual check up only two weeks before). He went downhill rapidly, took him to the vets and scans showed he had a tumour which had ruptured, so toxins were released into his body. I too, felt huge guilt, but reading Zebra’s words have actually comforted me - I hope they do the same for you.

Am so sorry for your loss, everyone on here understands how painful it is, so post whenever you need to.

I have found, with all the cats I had, that the end is often very sudden. There is nothing you could have done and no way you could have known. Even if you had, there's no garanty you could have done anything about it.

It's hard to accept that we cannot control those things - we'd all like to think that we can stop it from ever happening again. But the simple fact is that we can't.

Your cat had a good life and was loved. There is nothing more you could have offered him.

That was the perfect summary from @TheSpottedZebra and exactly how I read your post. Please don't feel guilty. You did the right thing, and best thing, you could do for your old boy. That shows just how much you loved him

Thank you, I guess you are right and I just need to process this all.

His deterioration from Sunday morning to Monday morning was so large, it's hard to think that he wasn't suffering beforehand and I was just unaware.

About 3 weeks before he started being more picky with his food, but he was still wanting food and asking for it, so I started giving him roast chicken for his tea. He loved chicken ❤

When we had to have our lovely girl pts (she was 18) three years ago, again it was very sudden, but I think I expected it more because of her age, and I didn't feel like this. I was sad and upset but not in the same way as I am now.

We have very quickly jumped in and are getting 2 new kittens ( in about 4-6 weeks) and this fact has massively helped our DS(12) have something to focus on. I'm sure a lot of people would say it's far too soon to make that decision but for my children I think it is right.

I'm very sorry for your loss but 16 is such a good age, and I agree with everything that Zebra has so brilliantly put.

There is no right or wrong time to welcome another pet into your life , its not replacing them it's just expanding your heart

I have just read the update that is lovely news. 😻

You sound like such a kind, caring owner. 😻 roast chicken when he needed it. Your new kittens are very lucky to have you.

So sorry for your loss Coffeeandchoc. The same thing happened with one of mine. I felt terrible as well, and she was so young. Try not to torment yourself with what ifs. 16 years is a good long life and you did your very best for him