How to cope with the pain of losing a cat

Cats Die Alone

Feeling the approach of death, cats tend to get away from people. When this is not possible, they hide in a secluded place.

There are symptoms by which you can determine the imminent death of a cat:

loss of appetite, refusal of food and water;
shortness of breath and difficulty breathing;
slow heartbeat and low blood pressure;
a decrease in temperature and the presence of an unpleasant odor.

These are warning signs, especially if your cat is over 10 years old. If you discover their presence, contact your veterinarian - perhaps the animal is simply experiencing an exacerbation of a chronic disease. In hopeless cases, the doctor may suggest euthanizing the animal. If this option is unacceptable, surround the cat with care and create conditions for a calm death.

Video: signs that a cat is dying

Remember, cats suffer in silence. Just because they don't complain loudly doesn't mean they aren't in pain.

Cats never voice their pain, but that doesn't mean they don't suffer.

Burying your pet correctly

After the death of a cat, owners are faced with the question: how and where to bury their pet? The option of “throwing it into the garbage chute” will not work; it is inhumane and prohibited by the Veterinary and Sanitary Rules for the collection, disposal and destruction of biological waste.

So, you can bury a dead animal:

at a pet cemetery;
The best way to bury pets is a specialized cemetery
through cremation;
independently in the forest or on your own site.

There are catastrophically few specialized burial places for pets. They are, as a rule, only in large cities. The services of companies involved in burying pets are very expensive. But then you won’t have to worry about anything: they will allocate a place, dig a grave, and erect a monument. If the company provides cremation services, bury the urn with the ashes in a cemetery.

For cremation, it is enough to contact a veterinary clinic. As a rule, more or less large clinics have everything necessary for this. The service is not cheap (3-5 thousand rubles), but the most acceptable from an environmental point of view.

If you lack finances and time, you can bury the cat yourself in the forest or at the dacha. But we must remember that the Veterinary and Sanitary Rules for the collection, disposal and destruction of biological waste prohibit burying domestic animals near populated areas, in water protection, forest park and protected areas. As corpses decompose, they poison groundwater and soil. In addition, a pet that dies from an infectious disease can cause an epidemic among people and animals.

If you decide to bury your pet yourself:

Choose a secluded place where fruit trees will not grow and children will not play.
Dig a hole at least two meters deep.
To prevent the release of toxins hazardous to health during the decomposition of a corpse, pour bleach or another chlorine-containing disinfectant containing at least 25% active chlorine at the bottom of the pit at the rate of 2 kg per 1 m2.
Sprinkle the pet's corpse with the same disinfectant.
Place the animal in a box or coffin and bury it.
Place a mound at least 1 m high above the grave.

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If your pet dies from a viral disease, contact your veterinarian. Most likely, experts will advise disinfecting the premises.

Symptoms of Fading Kitten Syndrome

The symptoms of fading kitten syndrome are very subtle and unnoticeable. Keepers who develop their senses and powers of observation may notice differences in the behavior of a healthy and unhealthy kitten.

One of the biggest and earliest signs is the kitten's energy level. Kittens need to have some courage, so excessive lethargy is not normal behavior. Lethargic kittens tend to have lower energy levels than their siblings and may not show interest in nursing. This lack of interest is a key sign that your kitten needs to be monitored.

Another telltale sign of fading kitten syndrome is the inability to gain enough weight. It's even worse if the kitten is losing weight. From birth, kittens should continually gain weight every day. They should always grow! This is why foster parents are advised to weigh their kittens daily to ensure they are steadily gaining weight. Also, make sure the kittens are breastfed by their mother and syringe feed them if necessary. It is absolutely essential that kittens receive nutrients in the first couple of weeks.

Any signs of infection or disease should be examined immediately by a veterinarian. Kittens may be born with internal parasites or have some kind of infection. If you happen to notice something strange about your kitten or if he still can't open his eyes two weeks after birth, these are all signs of some kind of medical problem that needs to be taken to a professional. It is always recommended to allow a veterinarian to examine newborn kittens. It is recommended to take these kittens regularly in the first weeks to ensure that they also receive all vaccinations.

How to survive the death of a cat

The death of a beloved pet is always a grief and a tragedy. The first reaction of an orphaned owner to stress may be stupor, tears and apathy. The realization of the loss comes later. To fill the resulting spiritual emptiness, distract yourself - take on the worries associated with the funeral, because someone will have to do this anyway. Report your cat's death to those who care.

Don't dwell on your loss. Even though you won’t be able to completely forget your beloved pet, try to think positively:

think about the fact that your cat was surrounded by affection and care during his life; he died not under a fence on the street, but in front of you;
remember the cheerful, kind moments of life together;
collect things that remind you of him and put them in a distant corner, but don’t throw them away - perhaps over time you will want to make a new friend.
Hide toys and other things belonging to the cat.

Don’t hold back, cry, tears bring relief. Talk to someone who cares about your loss. And if there is no way to speak out “in a clear voice,” consult a psychologist. There is nothing shameful in this; on the contrary, few people have the courage to admit their weaknesses and turn to a specialist.

If your cat's death occurred after a long, painful illness, try to rejoice at her arrival - she put an end to the animal's suffering.

There is a legend that cats don't die. They go to the rainbow.
Don't get depressed about the death of your beloved animals - they go "to the rainbow"

Keep yourself busy. Come up with an activity, a hobby that will distract you from sad thoughts. Become a volunteer at a shelter for homeless animals, although you can’t help your pet in any way, but you can do a lot for others. Place a few poor souls in good hands, help cure a dog or cat.

Helping the shelter will be useful for both you and the animals suffering from lack of attention.

It is difficult to get rid of the guilt when having to resort to euthanasia. Convince yourself that by saving your cat from suffering, you have done a good deed. It’s normal to sacrifice your feelings and give up your desires for the sake of others.

According to psychologists, the pain after the loss of a loved one subsides after one year. Don’t let sad thoughts drive you into depression during this time. Distract yourself: at work, immerse yourself in business, at home, keep yourself occupied with something new.

And don’t forget that you have a family, shared grief should unite people, help each other.

Support from loved ones can help you cope with loss

How to tell your child

It is more difficult to explain the death of a pet to a child, especially a child of 2–3 years old, when the feelings are deep and strong. The death of a cat can be a reason to talk about death with older children.

If you decide to euthanize, you do not need to tell your child about it. However, if the topic of euthanasia comes up, you should not shy away from the conversation. Try to explain to the child why this was necessary, tell about the suffering that the cat experienced at the end of its life. Explain to your child in accessible, simple words. Let the death of a beloved animal become for him not a universal tragedy, but a life experience.

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How to get rid of guilt after euthanizing an animal

Don't let guilt develop and poison your warm and kind memories of your pet. Find excuses for yourself, try to explain to yourself, like a child, the need for this procedure and its good purposes. Do not deny your loved ones the opportunity to reassure you, listen to all the arguments.

During periods of acute pain or depression, you may encounter an animal in need of help. What if this is a sign from your pet, an opportunity to make amends for your real or imaginary guilt, to receive his forgiveness? Take the chance:

foster a lost cat or dog;
try to find owners for a homeless creature;
Volunteer at an animal shelter.

And if a homeless furry creature has touched some strings of your soul, then you both can help each other.

Cat mysticism

Cats are known to be natural psychics. They heal, predict weather and earthquakes, and discover new abilities in people. Great importance is also attached to how the cat passed away. It’s one thing if death occurred due to natural causes: old age, illness, accident. And it’s a completely different matter when a cat died suddenly, for no apparent reason. People prone to mysticism see here witchcraft, corruption, overwhelming human emotions and the influence of otherworldly forces.

Since ancient times, cats have been attributed magical properties.

It has been known since ancient times that cats do not die where they live. Anticipating their death, they try to hide away from prying eyes, closer to the other world. Neither scientists nor astrologers can explain this fact.

Legends advise not to harm cats: they will wait for their offenders on the other side, and the retribution will be severe. But the grateful cat will definitely try to drag her loving owner, who managed to sin in earthly life, to heaven.

Video: signs about cats

Signs about the place of death of a cat

It was considered a very bad omen if a cat died at home; it was assumed that in this case the owners would face troubles, illness and even death. In our age of closed doors, when most domestic cats never leave their apartments in their lives, this ominous omen loses its relevance, and the death of a cat brings only sadness to the owners. In addition, now a completely opposite sign has appeared: a cat that dies in the house takes misfortune away from the family. Furry friends protect the peace of their owners: they cleanse the energy of the home, ward off the evil eye, and extinguish negativity directed at the family.

According to legends, after death a cat protects the house from misfortunes

Hypoglycemia

Until the age of four weeks, the glycogen content in the kitten’s body is low. At this stage of life, muscle contractions, rather than the breakdown of glucose and brown fat, are responsible for heat production. Lack of glucose leads to hypoglycemia. A common cause is a large number of babies or insufficient milk from a nursing mother.

Glucose deficiency manifests itself:

lethargy;
passive behavior;
convulsions;
drop in body temperature.

At the initial stage, the baby can be saved by introducing additional complementary foods (natural milk substitute) and vitamins. If the disease is complicated, the veterinarian may prescribe an oral glucose solution. Injections under the skin at an early age are not recommended.

Hypothermia

The first weeks after birth, maternal warmth is vital for kittens, since the cubs’ own thermoregulation is far from perfect. Instinct dictates that mothers should not leave their furry babies alone for long periods of time. If the nest with babies is located in a cold place in the home, the cat can, on its own initiative, drag the offspring. The temperature in the room where babies grow should be maintained above 22 °C.

A kitten that finds itself far from the nest will have a gradual decrease in body temperature. The limit of 34 °C is a critical value at which the sucking reflex ceases to appear in a frostbitten kitten and digestive processes freeze. The mother will not care for such a child; without human help, the kitten will die. You can warm up your kitten using a heating pad and a warm blanket. Only after the animal’s temperature rises to 36 °C can you feed the baby formula using a pipette or bottle.

New friend, new life

You shouldn’t “knock things out” and immediately get a new pet after the death of a cat. Before you get a new animal, think about whether you can love it or whether it will be a painful reminder of an old friend?

Don’t try to immediately replace your old attachment with a new one, sort out your feelings

Remember that this will be a completely different animal, with its own character, temperament, and habits. He will need to be raised to accept your family's way of life. This creature requires affection, care, and attention. You need to understand that a new cat is a new friend, and not a “replacement” for a departed one.

The sooner you seek medical help, the better

Because cat bites can fester quickly and these infections can quickly spread throughout the body, you should immediately treat the wound with an antiseptic if the injury is minor or seek medical attention.

Most patients who suffer a cat bite begin prophylactic treatment with oral antibiotics (before signs of infection appear) to prevent the need for hospitalization or surgery. Be sure to consult your healthcare provider before taking any antibacterial medications. It is also important to make sure your tetanus shot is up to date any time you experience an animal bite or other open skin wound. Numerous studies have shown that the sooner patients with cat injuries receive proper wound care and antibiotics, the better their outcome.

What can cause a critical condition:

acute cardiovascular failure
congenital pathologies of the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord
hypertension, stroke
thrombus formation
poisoning
massive bleeding
injuries of internal organs with their damage
traumatic brain injury
extensive burns
drowning
asphyxia
sunstroke
prolonged hypothermia
electrical injury
pain shock
psycho-emotional overexcitation
sudden death