Please help, I don't know what happened.

Ok, so, I woke up this morning and saw four drops of blood on the bathroom floor. I didn't think much of it, since both SO and I are rather klutzy, and we probably just cut ourselves on something or pulled a hangnail or whatever. SO thought the same thing (I woke him up to ask).

After my shower, however, I noticed a collar on the floor in the bathroom. It was one of our fosters, Vera's. I immediately panicked, because she's not the type to fight a collar so it just falling off isn't right.

I went into the cat room (that's where they all sleep at night, with the litterboxes and beds and everything), and saw her in her favorite corner, and she wasn't moving.

I again woke my SO up, and cried and cried into his shoulders. I had to go to work, I just started my job and I can't take any time off.

While I was here my SO buried Vera in the back woods. I'm still sobbing, but it is less now.

However, I don't know what could've happened to her. She was fine yesterday from what I saw of her (she was always very shy, and very rarely left that bedroom, hence why the blood in the bathroom is odd). We did leave the house for a couple of hours, and she would've been free to go into the bathroom.

Nothing was out of the cabinets, and it doesn't look like anything was swallowed. My SO didn't examine her body closely, as he was crying and just wanted to bury her as soon as possible. He did, however, say that there didn't seem to be any mats of blood or anything.

What do you think could've happened? Her collar was off, there were only a few drops of blood, and somehow she made it back to her corner without leaving a trail of blood. She was tested for feline leukemia and everything, and was fully vetted. All of our cats are fully vetted. What could've happened? Could she have gotten in a fight with another cat? However, wouldn't that have left a lot of blood everywhere?

I'm so confused, and terrified that something might happen to our other cats. Please help, I'm sorry it's so long and rambling, I don't know what to do.

Oh my goodness, I am SO sorry for your loss...
I don't think I cna help much, no ideas, but I send you and your SO lots of sympathy and love.

It would appear that Vera expired in the wee hours. My condolences.

So sorry for your loss - not a good way to start the day

Unless you would have done an autopsy, you probably won't figure it out. Maybe a heart attack or something. Could be almost anything.

RIP little kitty

Thanks for your kind thoughts and words everyone.

She was a very scared little cat, but she was only 3-4 years old. I can't even imagine what could've happened. She's never in the bathroom, ever. That's why it's so weird.

Do you think maybe one of the other cats chased her in there, and maybe scared her or got into a fight with her? Is it possible for her to have a heart attack and still make it down the hallway back to the cat room?

Thanks again everyone, it's really nice to know people who think as highly of these precious kitty lives as I do.

I'm so, so sorry

The only think I could think of would be a seizure of some sort, I've had cats that have had very sudden seizures. I'm sure it was nothing that you could have prevented, may Vera RIP

if you need to talk please shoot me a PM!

I can't help but wanted to say I'm so sorry to hear Vera. RIP sweet little kitty.

I am so very sorry for this sudden loss!!

I think it sounds like a seizure or heart attack.

May the precious one RIP.

Oh I'm so so sorry to hear this! I know one of my kitties, my best friend, died suddenly and we don't really know what happened. We can only guess. But take comfort in knowing you gave her a loving home for her time with you!

First, I am so sorry for all that you are going through. It just breaks your heart, and I know there isn't anything anyone can say that will make that stop for a while. You can trust that many of us here have gone through it, and we feel awful that you are having to feel this pain that we know too well. If it helps to know that there are people who understand what you are going through, please take whatever comfort from that that you can. I understand that when something terrible like this happens, it seems to almost hurt more not knowing why.

Like others have said, it could be many different things. As you know, our kitties are amazing in their abilities to hide their illnesses from us. When our Poo died last spring, we didn't find out until hours before her death that she'd been sick with liver failure for days.

Prolonged liver failure causes bleeding, as the liver is responsible for all the clotting properties. This is just one other possibility to consider, but it could explain where the blood came into the picture. Liver failure can occur from a food toxin or an introduced illness. There are also a few rare liver attacking illnesses, not covered in the standard vaccination bundles, that lay dormant until later in the cat's life. A sudden change or stress can bring them on, or they just come on by themselves. This was also the case with Poo. She was 4 and a half when her illness kicked in. We never even knew she had it. There was nothing that could be done, and no one to blame, which almost makes it harder.

I'm so sorry.You say that her collar was off ? Maybe she got trapped with the collar and struggled to get free panicked and injured her self?

Originally Posted by CrouchingCheese

Is it possible for her to have a heart attack and still make it down the hallway back to the cat room?

Thanks again everyone, it's really nice to know people who think as highly of these precious kitty lives as I do.

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I'm so sorry about your kitty. It is known that when kitties know they are going to die, they go to a safe place to feel comfortable. I only thought Jazzy would have an injured leg when the car clipped her, and she had enough energy to run over the neighbours fence into their yard, and she died peacefully amongst the trees.

Sometimes these things happen, and there are no clear answers, which i know is horrible. Again i am sorry about your little baby. We are all here for you if you want us *hugs*

I'm so sorry to hear about Vera. It sounds like she may have gotten caught on something in the bathroom. Do you have knobs or handles on your cabinets/drawers? May she rest in peace now.

I'm so sorry about your kitty, Vera. It must be devastating to lose one that you love and have no answer as to why. Just know that she knew you loved her, but sometimes there is nothing you can do, and that's always the hardest part.

That's horrible! The only thing I could think of is pyometra. Scratch had it and was dripping blood. I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry. And, don't blame yourself. We can't get into their heads and find out if anything is wrong. They can't tell us, and even if they could they probably wouldn't.

The only thing I can suggest to find out what was wrong...did she have her own litter box? If so, maybe take a sample of her stools and see if it was something intestinal. If something ruptured in her intestinal tract (or if there was a virus or bacteria) the vet may be able to figure out what the cause was.

Losing her collar could also be a sign of a seizure, and if that's the case there would have really been no warning for you. Our cat has seizures and she has pulled her nails out which bleeds alot to begin with but the bleeding stops surprisingly quickly. If it was a long seizure it could have raised her body temp enough that she couldn't recover.

In any case honey, take comfort in the fact that you gave her a safe place to live, a place where she could feed comfortable in and she would have never had that if you hadn't taken her in. You gave her love and acceptance, and she probably never had that before. You did the best you could, and she knows that. That's why she made her final resting place in her favorite place in your house. She felt safe.

Hugs to you and SO for loving this kitty so much.

I wish I could be of some help in this, but I do send my condolences. What the others have said, I hope helps. It is you and your SO who gave her a loving and warm place to live out her last days.

I'm sooooo sorry about your loss of little Vera. How tragic, and expecially not knowing what actually happened is doubling troubling.

oh no! I am so, so sorry sweetie. maybe she did catch her collar on something. was it a breakaway safety collar? that is so not a good way to start the day. You'll be in my thoughts. RIP sweet Vera.