:cry: Last night I lost my Raven, a young energetic male cat. We had only adopted him in the fall of 2003. Raven was always playful and loving and seemingly very healthy.
Thursday evening, May 1, 2003, I stood up to go to my room and Raven jumped up and chased to me to catch up with me. He did his usual playful rolly poley at my feet and then I picked him up to carry him with me and to just love him.
He immediately screamed, his legs went stiff and he began to gasp for air. Within seconds, my baby Raven was gone. I need to know if anyone else has experienced something like this and knows what is the cause. My heart is breaking. I feel like I did something to cause this when I picked my little guy up. I will never forget that look in his eyes. He was begging me for help.
Can someone please help me to understand.
Sincerely,
Chere[color=blue][/color]
How did Raven die?
How did Raven die?
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
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kate & kobi
- Posts: 270
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Chere, I'm so very sorry.... 
I'm not an expert so I don't know why it happened... maybe if you could post some more details about Raven, like how old he was, and if he had any medical conditions that you knew about, it might help someone else here.
My heart goes out to you ... I'm sure your Raven is happy and healthy where he is now, take comfort in that ... he knows you loved him throughout the time he spent with you.
((((hugs))))
Kate
I'm not an expert so I don't know why it happened... maybe if you could post some more details about Raven, like how old he was, and if he had any medical conditions that you knew about, it might help someone else here.
My heart goes out to you ... I'm sure your Raven is happy and healthy where he is now, take comfort in that ... he knows you loved him throughout the time he spent with you.
((((hugs))))
Kate
Chere, unfortunately, more details are needed. How did you pick him up/handle him?? And as Kate has asked, how old was he and what health conditions were you aware of?
The only way to know is to have a necropsy done by your vet. Unfortunately, if you didn't call your vet, it's too late for that now. I would also understand if you couldn't have that done for emotional reasons.
I'm so very sorry for your loss, sometimes these things happen that are out of our control or that are unexplained. If you could provide more details, we might be able to take an educated guess.
The only way to know is to have a necropsy done by your vet. Unfortunately, if you didn't call your vet, it's too late for that now. I would also understand if you couldn't have that done for emotional reasons.
I'm so very sorry for your loss, sometimes these things happen that are out of our control or that are unexplained. If you could provide more details, we might be able to take an educated guess.
..........Traci
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Tina B and crew
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Guest
How did Raven Die?
Thanks for your replies about Raven.
Raven was less than a year old and never had any health problems. After he ran across the room to catch me, he did his typical rolly poley at my feet to stop me and get me to play with him, so I picked him up the way I have always picked him up--softly under his belly. He used to actually turn his face to me and rub noses with me or Gene.
I have had some people say it sounds like a blood clot, anurism or embolism. My husband said he was playing on Easter Sunday and ran into the glass atrium doors downstairs. He said Raven seemed daized for a moment and then got up and started running again.
I just can't stand walking through this house without his little thin body getting between my feet.
Gene has dug the grave for him--he cut down the Rhododendron bushes where Raven used to hide when we first adopted him and brought him into our home. We were planning to take him next week (waiting for warm weather to truly set in before taking him out) and have him neutered. He was like a child to us.
We are extremely cautious with our cats now that we have lost one--Ms. Slippers, to Feline Leukemia--she was just over a year old when we lost her and I swore I would never adopt another cat after the heartbreak of that one.
We still have Mr. Sneakers and he rules. He is looking for Raven. So am I.
We are going to have a graveside service for my beautiful boy today. I can't bring myself to move his bed or pick up his dishes. If possible, this time hurts even worse than losing Ms. Slippers and that one took me over a year to get through.
We decided not to do an autopsy--we couldn't bring ourselves to let someone cut on his beautiful body with that georgeous black coat and Amber eyes. That was one thing I noticed--his eyes went from Amber to black when he died. I supposed they dilated very quickly.
We heard that vets cremated after an autopsy and we can't do that to our baby.
I just wish I could find out if I could or could not have done anything to save him.. It happened within seconds. It was unbelievable and is still almost hard to believe.
Just please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I feel I have hurt my baby and I don't know how to handle this.
Sincerely,
Chere
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
Raven was less than a year old and never had any health problems. After he ran across the room to catch me, he did his typical rolly poley at my feet to stop me and get me to play with him, so I picked him up the way I have always picked him up--softly under his belly. He used to actually turn his face to me and rub noses with me or Gene.
I have had some people say it sounds like a blood clot, anurism or embolism. My husband said he was playing on Easter Sunday and ran into the glass atrium doors downstairs. He said Raven seemed daized for a moment and then got up and started running again.
I just can't stand walking through this house without his little thin body getting between my feet.
Gene has dug the grave for him--he cut down the Rhododendron bushes where Raven used to hide when we first adopted him and brought him into our home. We were planning to take him next week (waiting for warm weather to truly set in before taking him out) and have him neutered. He was like a child to us.
We are extremely cautious with our cats now that we have lost one--Ms. Slippers, to Feline Leukemia--she was just over a year old when we lost her and I swore I would never adopt another cat after the heartbreak of that one.
We still have Mr. Sneakers and he rules. He is looking for Raven. So am I.
We are going to have a graveside service for my beautiful boy today. I can't bring myself to move his bed or pick up his dishes. If possible, this time hurts even worse than losing Ms. Slippers and that one took me over a year to get through.
We decided not to do an autopsy--we couldn't bring ourselves to let someone cut on his beautiful body with that georgeous black coat and Amber eyes. That was one thing I noticed--his eyes went from Amber to black when he died. I supposed they dilated very quickly.
We heard that vets cremated after an autopsy and we can't do that to our baby.
I just wish I could find out if I could or could not have done anything to save him.. It happened within seconds. It was unbelievable and is still almost hard to believe.
Just please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I feel I have hurt my baby and I don't know how to handle this.
Sincerely,
Chere
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
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oconnorjoy
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2003 12:06 pm
- Location: Canada
((((Chere))))
I am so sorry for your loss. Please don't blame yourself...you did nothing wrong. I did the same when we lost our puppy Nugget...kept looking for ways to blame myself...finally had to admit that sometimes things happen that we have no control over. You gave Raven what he needed the most....love.
How did Raven die?
I received an email from a Vet tech who indicated that she believed Raven had a heart attach. She said she has a cat with a heart condition and according to her experience, Raven's loud scream, his stiffend legs and gasping for air--all happening within seconds--are indicative of the throwing of a blood clot leading to a heart attack.
I just called a local pet cemetary to purchase a coffin and the man on the phone asked me to describe what had happended to Raven and he immediately said "heart attack." It is just so heard to believe such a young and very lively, playfull little cat could seem so healthy and then die almost instantly.
I was told by the Vet Tech that there was nothing I could have done, even if Raven had been under treatment for a heart condition. She said when they have heart defects, all we can do is try preventive measures and they are no guarantee.
I just visited with him (he looks so sweet in his box). Since it is cloudy today, we have decided to wait and bury him tomorrow--hopefully in the beautiful Sunday sun.
We couldn't do the autopsy. If he could talk to me, I think he would say to leave his beautiful black coat intact. He is still so soft to touch. I found his toys just where he had left them--one ball was under the couch where he always hid it from me, and another was hidden in a corner of the room. He also had a tiny box he had chosen to cuddle in and sometimes I would put all of his little balls and his chile catnip toy into the box each night. By morning, all toys would be out of the box and hidden from me. Chile and a couple of his balls are still in that box. We are going to let him take one of his balls and Catnip Chile with him.
Thanks for being so helpful and kind. I will always be searching for closure. I will always ask why. So far I have had about 5 emails from people who have encountered a similar experience, so I am not alone. One minute their cat was alive and well, and then they heard the scream, saw the straightend legs, the gasping for air and then instant death. One lady said her cat actually survived such an attach for about two months, but his hind legs were paralyzed.
This is so cruel to the darling little cats but also for those of us who love them and cannot undertand the instant loss in our lives.
Sincerely,
Chere
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
I just called a local pet cemetary to purchase a coffin and the man on the phone asked me to describe what had happended to Raven and he immediately said "heart attack." It is just so heard to believe such a young and very lively, playfull little cat could seem so healthy and then die almost instantly.
I was told by the Vet Tech that there was nothing I could have done, even if Raven had been under treatment for a heart condition. She said when they have heart defects, all we can do is try preventive measures and they are no guarantee.
I just visited with him (he looks so sweet in his box). Since it is cloudy today, we have decided to wait and bury him tomorrow--hopefully in the beautiful Sunday sun.
We couldn't do the autopsy. If he could talk to me, I think he would say to leave his beautiful black coat intact. He is still so soft to touch. I found his toys just where he had left them--one ball was under the couch where he always hid it from me, and another was hidden in a corner of the room. He also had a tiny box he had chosen to cuddle in and sometimes I would put all of his little balls and his chile catnip toy into the box each night. By morning, all toys would be out of the box and hidden from me. Chile and a couple of his balls are still in that box. We are going to let him take one of his balls and Catnip Chile with him.
Thanks for being so helpful and kind. I will always be searching for closure. I will always ask why. So far I have had about 5 emails from people who have encountered a similar experience, so I am not alone. One minute their cat was alive and well, and then they heard the scream, saw the straightend legs, the gasping for air and then instant death. One lady said her cat actually survived such an attach for about two months, but his hind legs were paralyzed.
This is so cruel to the darling little cats but also for those of us who love them and cannot undertand the instant loss in our lives.
Sincerely,
Chere
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
http://bemikitties.com/msslippers
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
There are angels among us. One of them may be the little cat at your door. Take it in. Feed it. Love it. And you will know the purpose of God.
A Tribute to Ms. Slippers and Raven
It doesn't sound like a heart attack, per se, but rather that he could have had a mitral valve prolapse or a congenital heart defect that you were unaware of, in which strenuous exercise or extreme excitement wouldn't have been advised. Aneurisms in young cats are rare. Mitral valve defects or a congenital defect could have been detected by your vet any time Raven was in kittenhood up until now.
Unless you asked for specific instructions, your vet wouldn't have cremated after a necropsy, unless you didn't want the body back. While I understand your emotions, the necropsy is simply a means to find cause of death, and to hopefully prevent it if there is a sibling(s) to worry about. Without getting into details, it is possible to perform a necropsy and leave the body intact and presentable. Most vets offer cremation services for those owners who choose not to bury their pet or who wish to have the cremains in an urn at home.
I'm really sorry about your loss, I hope you can find comfort in knowing that Raven felt all your love and devotion in his little life...(((Hugs)))
Unless you asked for specific instructions, your vet wouldn't have cremated after a necropsy, unless you didn't want the body back. While I understand your emotions, the necropsy is simply a means to find cause of death, and to hopefully prevent it if there is a sibling(s) to worry about. Without getting into details, it is possible to perform a necropsy and leave the body intact and presentable. Most vets offer cremation services for those owners who choose not to bury their pet or who wish to have the cremains in an urn at home.
I'm really sorry about your loss, I hope you can find comfort in knowing that Raven felt all your love and devotion in his little life...(((Hugs)))
..........Traci
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Auntie Debbie
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I'm so very sorry over your loss of Raven. Please do not blame yourself, as you probably could have done nothing to prevent it, as the others have stated. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Raven and I hope he will find hapiness across the bridge.
(((HUGS)))
(((HUGS)))
Kitty kisses,
Debbie
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"Those we shelter on earth will be our treasures in Heaven." Victor Hugo, I think
Debbie
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"Those we shelter on earth will be our treasures in Heaven." Victor Hugo, I think