Tragic Loss of Sweet, Wonderful Ethan

I don't know where else to go but here to share my sad story about Ethan. I rescued Ethan and his brother, Patrick, last summer in a neighborhood where these two boys were roaming about freely since their owners had no use for them. The Animal Control was on their way to take them to the high-kill shelter, but I got to them first. I took them to the vet and had them neutered, vaccinated, and treated for a severe case of earmites. They both put on weight and and their coats shined. Both Ethan and Patrick were the sweetest cats---not a mean bone in their bodies. But Ethan was very shy and suspicious and I worked hard at winning him over. When I came home from work last week, I couldn't find Ethan. I worried about him because it was so cold outside, even though he had such a beautiful coat of fur to keep him warm. I walked up and down my rural road with the flashlight for two hours calling him, but couldn't find him. I finally decided to go look at around my pond to see if he might be over there. In the dim light, I saw that something had broken through the ice in the middle of the pond, but I couldn't tell for sure what it was. I had to wait until morning and could hardly sleep all night because deep down I knew what it was. Early the next morning I ran to the pond and it was my poor, sweet Ethan. I could hardly breathe because I could see that he had struggled and I hadn't been there to save him. I was so upset because I couldn't even get to him to pull his body out of the water. I finally got some friends to bring their kayak over and break the ice to get him. My heart is so broken for the tragic loss of this animal that I had brought home to protect because I had failed him so miserably--I feel so guilty about this and now the joy that I had felt in "saving and protecting" all my cats is gone. I am only comforted by the feeling that Ethan knew how much he was loved--especially on the last night we spent together outside in the cold on the front porch when he was on my lap and I was petting him and holding him. Sweet, beautiful Ethan is buried now under the birch tree and I miss him now and I'll miss him always.

I am so sorry to hear about your precious Ethan, please do not blame yourself though, Ethan knew he was loved, now he playing over at the bridge.

I am sending you some hugs and prayers from Mississippi.

How tragic! But Ethan and Patrick were both so very lucky when you rescued them, and had a good loving home. Ethan knew how much you loved him and is now playing safely and happily over the rainbow bridge, waiting for the day when you are reunited!

OMG I am so sorry! RIP Sweet Ethan

I understand so well what you are going through - last October I lost my Napoleon to poison that he picked up outside. I rescued him and his brother Wellington from the streets of Sarajevo and nursed them through parasites and starvation, until they were great big happy cats. I brought them here last July, where it was to be our little paradise. And then I lost him to an awful death, and can't yet get over the feeling that I failed him somehow by moving him, by not foreseeing, all sorts of things. It is an awful guilt trip. I can only say that you need to be there for his brother, who will miss him terribly, as my Wellington does, and you need to be strong for that. We cannot be there every minute of every day, they have to be cats, and yet we blame ourselves. I am so sorry this happened to you and Ethan.

oh my, I am so, so upset to read this I just cannot imagine how you must have felt, my heart is breaking for you and little Ethan Please dont blame yourself, you couldnt have known You gave him a warm & loving home and you will have some wonderful memories ...........in time those memories will surely bring a smile across your face again


RIP Sweet Ethan, run & play with your new fur-family
look down now and then the love from below will always be there

You did NOT fail him. You took him and his brother in, you saved their lives. Who knows what would have happened if you had not intervened.

Unfortunately, life is not always flowers and sunshine. Sometimes, through no fault of anyones, one of our loved ones gets caught up in something and can not get out.

It is NOT your fault. Your baby knew you loved him, he knew you fed him, he knew that you cared. HE cared about you too. You will meet him over the RainBow Bridge.

Very sad headbuts and tearful, sorry licks from KittenKiya's Clan.

I'm so sorry for your loss. RIP sweet boy...

I'm so sorry for your loss.

RIP Ethan

Oh my goodness this is so sad

Ethan, have a wonderful new life over at Rainbow Bridge, and know that you were loved

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I'm so sorry to hear about Ethan. What a sad story and I'm really sorry this happened to him but it is NOT your fault. You took him in and took care of him and loved him and gave him a happy home. Sometimes things just happen that we have no control over. You didn't do anything wrong for this to happen. It just did. Ethan is playing happily over the rainbow bridge now where it is always warm and sunny and I know there are many wonderful kitties there for him to hang out with until the day he sees you again. I'm sure Patrick misses him also so please give him lots of love from me.

Thank you all for your words of support. Paula, your beautiful black cat looks just like Ethan--I thank you for that because I don't even think I had a picture of him. I keep hoping I'll go outside and Ethan will come running around the corner and up on the porch, but I know that won't happen--but there's always that unrealistic hope and dream that maybe it really wasn't Ethan that is gone, but some other poor cat. Patrick is inside now and safe, although he's a bit overwhelmed by the other cats and, I'm sure, saddened because he doesn't know where his brother is. At least if I close my eyes and stroke Patrick's silky fur, I hear the same purring sound that Ethan made. When I look into Patrick's beautiful golden eyes, I can see Ethan there, too.

I am so sorry about Ethan. That is a very sad accident to have happened. Ethan was very much loved and he knew that. My heart goes out to you.

Originally Posted by TylerMade

Thank you all for your words of support. Paula, your beautiful black cat looks just like Ethan--I thank you for that because I don't even think I had a picture of him. I keep hoping I'll go outside and Ethan will come running around the corner and up on the porch, but I know that won't happen--but there's always that unrealistic hope and dream that maybe it really wasn't Ethan that is gone, but some other poor cat. Patrick is inside now and safe, although he's a bit overwhelmed by the other cats and, I'm sure, saddened because he doesn't know where his brother is. At least if I close my eyes and stroke Patrick's silky fur, I hear the same purring sound that Ethan made. When I look into Patrick's beautiful golden eyes, I can see Ethan there, too.

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I am so sorry for your terrible loss. Please don't blame yourself - we all die - no amount of love can prevent that. But it is love that makes our lives - so often pitifully short - worth living.

Rest in peace Ethan. Look down in love on those who miss you so very much.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

You did NOT fail him. You took him and his brother in, you saved their lives. Who knows what would have happened if you had not intervened.

Unfortunately, life is not always flowers and sunshine. Sometimes, through no fault of anyones, one of our loved ones gets caught up in something and can not get out.

It is NOT your fault. Your baby knew you loved him, he knew you fed him, he knew that you cared. HE cared about you too. You will meet him over the RainBow Bridge.

Very sad headbuts and tearful, sorry licks from KittenKiya's Clan.

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i agree and said much better then i could.
RIP Ethan, and play well.

I am so sorry to hear about poor Ethan. As many others have said, you took good care of him, and gave him health and love for his short time on earth.
RIP little Ethan.
Ellyn