Investigating Cat Death

I adopted a cat from a friend, and he died a week later. I'd taken him to the vet with what looked like bleeding under the surface of his skin on his head, limbs, and belly, as well as in his mouth. He died under veterinary care, and the vets conclusion was that he died from FIP. I researched FIP a fair amount, but it says nothing about that kind of bleeding. I was wondering if anyone here might know what could have been wrong with Bronte, if his bleeding was a side-effect of FIP, or if it was some awful coincidence that he was bleeding as well?

That was his initial thought, because there was liquid in his belly. But when he did blood tests and the cat actually died, he pulled liquid from his stomach and it wasn't blood (which rat poisoning would cause). Also, neither my home or my friends can use poisoning like that and we both have other cats that are perfectly healthy.. It has been a very messed up experience for my first cat..

Doesn't sound like FIP to me either, with some poisons, it can be a small amount, if a mouse that was poisoned got into the house etc rather than direct contact but it doesn't sound exactly like poisoning either.

It could be that she had FIP and the bleeding was unrelated (could she have fallen and had internal injuries?)

Too many vets put unexplained deaths down to FIP/FIV/FLeuk

He hadn't fallen or had anything harmful happen to him in the week I had him; the other cat we have and Bronte never fought, he didn't fall down the staircase, literally in the last three days I had him he developed a heart murmur and problems breathing, and then the swelling and bleeding under the skin. The other cat has lived here for over 6 months without issue.

When our cat Speedboat got sick in January, the doctor said his white blood count was low, so low that he was really concerned the cat was going to start bleeding spontaneously. So for some reason, maybe your cat had low white blood count which could be caused by cancer according to what our vet was suspecting. We never did any testing for it. Speedboat was too sick for that because his kidneys were failing too. I am sorry for what you have been through.

Thanks. I'm not truly sure what has happened, but with how bad he got so quick... The vet said it was not my fault-and I'm assuming with another VERY alive cat that it probably wasn't-but at the same time I'm scared to get another cat in case it happens again...

^Or worry that it was contagious. I'm sorry you lost your kitty.

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

Too many vets put unexplained deaths down to FIP/FIV/FLeuk

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One of my childhood cats suddenly got sick with URI type symptoms, went down hill quickly and passed away while at the vet overnight - neutered, vaccinated, no signs of long term illness. Vet tested for some things and couldn't find anything, not even a positive FIV/Felv, yet declared it Felv.

Yeah its all too common to just say its one of the big three

^Or worry that it was contagious. I'm sorry you lost your kitty.

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We're getting Bubbles checked biweekly for a bit to make sure his health doesn't change in the next little while. Every dish has been sterelized and the main area Bronte inhabited is 'quarantined'. I would love to get another cat but am waiting at least a month or more to make sure no viruses still linger- if there were any.