foolish guilty thoughts

My beloved Princess was euthanised last Monday morning.  It was last Sunday that she spent the day with me, getting a lot of attention.  It had seemed she was doing okay, and then at 4am, she went into respiratory distress.  She had never had breathing problems before.  The vet suspected she had some sort of cancer, and her liver was failing, but I never ran any diagnostics for her (didn't want to do invasive ones due to her age).  

I keep thinking about last Sunday.  I bought some memory foam for the bed, to make her more comfy, and I put it directly on the mattress.  Covered it with a sheet, a heating pad, two blankets.  We went to bed at 10pm, and at 4am, I woke to her having issues breathing.  She had rapid breath, her mouth was open and tongue out.  I rushed her to the vet where they gave her oxygen but they couldn't stabilise her.  Her heart was slowing and she was really weak.

I can't help but think that the fumes from the memory foam might have caused her respiratory issues.  The vet assures me that it wasn't, that her symptoms weren't like anaphylatic shock from an allergy.  And if it was the fumes, she would have gotten better when she was away from them.  But I can't shake those suspicions.  It didn't smell too much through the blankets, but I think I could smell it a little, so it makes me wonder.  Then I also think that it's just not possible for them to do that and that I'm being paranoid.  

She was an older kitty, an amazing 21 years old.  It was all so very sudden, her respiratory issues, that it's sometimes hard for me to come to grips with, I guess.

Could someone please let me know what they think?  Was this possible, or were her breathing issues the beginning of the dying process?

Thank you!

I used memory foam for an aged declawed cat with multiple health issues and also a diabetic cat with minimal peripheral neuropathy (his hind legs are weaker than they should be). No problems.

From what you've written, it sounds like her old heart just gave out. I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you for your reply.  It's comforting to know that you used it with no issues.  I'm so worried that I should have let it air out before directly using it.  I hope it was her heart (and by that, I mean nothing I did caused it--I wish she was still with me of course).  The vet did say she developed a heart murmur, so maybe it was weakening and just gave out... right after she had one last good day with her mommy. 

It's extremely common to start second guessing everything when a sudden death occurs in a beloved pet.  I just lost my cat of 12 yrs. to congestive heart failure.  The only reason he pulled through it the first time was because he was still quite young and otherwise healthy.  The same thing happened to him.  One night I let him outside while I was barbecuing on the grill, and when he walked back in the house he fell over and couldn't get up for a moment.  I thought he was having a seizure, but it was lack of oxygen.  I knew he had a heart murmer, but the vet never thought it was that serious.  Then he immediately started going into respiratory distress.  I rushed him an hour to the animal ER and he was in ICU for 48 hrs.  He pulled through and remained on meds twice a day for the next 2 yrs., with one more episode during that time.  We didn't think he would make it that night.  If he had been older like your cat was, I'm sure he would not have pulled through.  My point here is that it can happen so fast, that it is normal for you to think it must be something you had done.  I can tell you from experience that what you went through with her is unfortunately very normal for a cat with heart disease.  They can just die very suddenly, with little or no warning.  I'm so very sorry for your loss, but please know that it was just her time and there is nothing you could have done to prevent it.  She had a wonderful, long life with you and she was very blessed to not have to go through a long time of suffering.  You gave her a wonderful life full of love.

I, too, use memory foam, AND a heating pad on it and have not had any issues, I would think it would have to be a lot hotter then that to produce fumes. Twenty one years is a wonderful long life to live, it shows that you took wonderful care of her. Respiratory distress is a natural end- of- life symptom, and the heart could cause her to have those symptoms with a fluid back log into the lungs. You were with her to the end, I'm sure she felt your presence and love surrounding her and that helped to ease her into that final sleep. She would never want you to be so sad on remembering her, remember the good times and the 21 years you had together, not her passing. I'll say a prayer for you both, please accept my condolences. RIP beautiful Princess!

Thank you for the replies.

Di and Bob, it really is comforting to know that you have used memory foam with a heating pad as well.  Nothing but the best for our furbabies, eh?  Did you buy it and use it right away too, with mo issues?  I hope she felt my presence at the end, she kinda perked up when I was holding her, before they administered the drug.  I was going through all my pictures of her the other day, she sure liked to sleep in the oddest of places!  

bgregory, thank you for the reply.  That does sound similar to my kitty.  She had a heart murmur too, and the vet said that it happens a lot in older cats.  She didn't seem to be concerned about it.  Thank you again, makes me feel better to hear that.

Yes, as you most likely know from being a cat lover, ANYTHING new in the house is demanded to be used right away. I don't know how they do it, but they seem to know when something is bought for them. My 13 year old was found to have an enlarged heart this summer, it seems like not a lot happens with age that is good, please take care.....

I'm so sorry for your loss.  I have a memory foam mattress and Daisy sometimes sleeps with me.  She does have respiratory problems, but they are due to her enlarged heart, not an environmental factor.  You are a blessing; you did everything possible to make your cat comfortable.  

I'm very sorry for your loss and highly doubt that the memory foam played any role whatsoever. Respiratory distress accompanies heart failure, which would not be the least bit surprising in a 21-year-old cat. The fact that she lived to such an advanced age shows what loving care she received from you.

RIP, Princess.

Thank you for the kind words, Jcat and nurseangel.  

I think I know in my mind that the memory foam didn't do it.  The vet even said that it was not possible.  I've been researching possible explanations for what happened, and it does seem plausible that it was heart failure.  I am wondering if things would be different if she had medication.  I'm thankful that I was there when it happened, it always worried me that she'd die alone.

It's probably an odd thought, but I wonder if she thought, "I'm not ready to go", when it happened.  That she wanted more time.  

Thank you all again!