Mystery sudden death

I just found this site while trying to look up reasons for my cats sudden death.

I had 2 cats, Tiki 9 & Perry 3. It happened Sunday night, the 24th, Perry is indoors only, & likes to hide under the Bed during the daytime, I got up late, being Sunday, & I saw Perry playing for a couple hours, til he went to the Bedroom, under the Bed. I guess he was there for 5 hours, not unusual, & I brought in his dinner & called him, which he usually comes, so I walked to the other side of the Bed & I saw his Head sticking out, on his side, like napping, I pulled him out, I notice his Head at first didn't move, so I knew.

I feel really guilty for how long he was there, & when it happened, if he felt something & was paralyzed first til the end, because it was quite unusual for him to have his Head stick out, like he was on his way out from under the Bed. I just wish I knew, I could of comforted him, & who knows how long he was there cuz he was almost all stiff.

I just am confused as to why, he was only 3 & in good health, even holding him to say goodbye his coat was still shiny.  I would have loved to get a Necropsy, but it is $300 or more.

I am so very sorry for your loss    If it isn't possible that Perry got into something-ingesting a toxic substance or foreign object- then I wonder if it could have been a seizure.  Nothing out of the ordinary happened that day?  He wasn't on any medications or preventatives?  Was he indoors only?

It is also possible that he had undiagnosed cardiomyopathy, which is another health condition that can take a young cat very quickly.  There most likely wouldn't have been any symptoms and an echocardiogram is the only way to diagnose it, so it's important to know that you did nothing wrong and he wouldn't have suffered.  Cardiomyopathy seems to come up frequently when discussing sudden deaths in younger cats, so that's my best guess.

Very sorry to hear this. I am glad though that even though he only was here 3 years, he lived with you and had a home, he probably lived more life and a better one than so many others. I do agree with the3rdname, usually heart problems take them quick. Very sorry though. Run free Perry.

Perry was playing before he went under the Bed, there was nothing but Kibble out, & under the Bed I had Stereo Equipment, took cords off, & I bought some bricks to prop it up in case it fell he would be safe, besides that

He was healthy, no meds, he just ate kibbles & a little meat, & he wasn't over weight. Don't you need to be sick to have a seizure? I guess I will never know for sure. I choose my picture to be Perry so others could see him.

nothing else was there.

I am so sorry for your loss Peace from over the rainbow, Perry

Oh, this post made me cry. I cannot imagine your anguish, but he passed in a place he knew he was safe, and loved. I do not believe he suffered.

God bless. [emoji]128532[/emoji]

kitkatmom54 said:

 
Perry was playing before he went under the Bed, there was nothing but Kibble out, & under the Bed I had Stereo Equipment, took cords off, & I bought some bricks to prop it up in case it fell he would be safe, besides that

He was healthy, no meds, he just ate kibbles & a little meat, & he wasn't over weight. Don't you need to be sick to have a seizure? I guess I will never know for sure. I choose my picture to be Perry so others could see him.

nothing else was there.

Click to expand...

I was envisioning a rapidly developing brain tumor, but as you've said, it's hard to know.  People often beat themselves up when a cat becomes critically ill and signs of illness were present preceding the crash...signs that are easy to dismiss as an "off day", etc.  It's not always easy to determine if a cat is sick, but you didn't get any forewarning at all.  There's a short list of fatal health problems with no attendant symptoms.  These congenital conditions, or tragic flukes, are nothing you had any control over.  An event like this would've been fatal no matter what.

I know there's never an upside when losing a cat, but I can't help thinking Perry was happy and healthy right up to the end.  There was no lingering illness, no decline, no pain, no suffering.  I hope in time this knowledge will be a comfort to you.

He was a beautiful boy    May your beautiful memories of Perry bring you peace.  

kitkatmom54 said:

 

Click to expand...

I'm so sorry for your tragic loss.  In my experience the most common cause of sudden death in young, healthy appearing cats is from HCM, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, a heart ailment that is often/sometimes impossible to diagnose in advance.  If that's what it was, you may take comfort that it was very fast.

Good infor here:  http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/hcm.aspx

Again i'm very sorry.