Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 5/22/2009

Question
Yesterday our 5 yr old cat threw up. Today my daughter found him dead. We thought he was in excellent health. The only thing we can think of was that she put down some ant poison about a week ago. She said he was locked in the bedroom and then she had wiped up the poison. My wife and daughter are devestated. I don't want her thinking it was her fault. What do you think? Please be honest. Thank you so much, Gregg

Answer
Hello Greg
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your cat.

Now I don't really know how to answer this question as there is absolutely no way to be sure what caused your cat to die unless you paid out for an expensive autopsy and that is something I'm sure you would not want to put your family through.

The trouble is with the recent ant poison being put down and the unexplained death of your cat there is a possible link and yes it is quite possible that if the cat digested enough that it could have killed him.

But and this is a big but, what our daughter has to realise is that she did not do this deliberately and unfortunately life is full of accidents, none of which we could predict and with no way of turning back the clock from. Blaming oneself solves nothing. She must remember all the good times she had with the cat and the love and care she gave him. that is more than a lot of cats have in their whole life.

I am contacted by many people who have lost their cat is tragic circumstances and they too blame themselves. But like all grief it has to take its course and indeed it is important to cry and grieve. I have a few pages on my web site which may be of help it is all about cat bereavement and how to try and come to terms with it. Here is the first page
http://www.our-happy-cat.com/pet-loss.html

I send you all my best wishes and to say to remember but to look forward, perhaps to another little soul looking for a caring home.

best wishes Kate