Having trouble reconciling his death. Please help?

I lost my cat on the 22nd of January. He was fine in the morning. My 5yo daughter gave him a pile of cat treats, more than usual, and I thought, "Oh well, lucky guy's sister is giving him the hook up!" My fiancé played with him using his feather on stick toy. It was a normal morning. Then, around noonish, he vomited. Then again. And again. It was clear and had a slimy consistency. I realized this was no hairball. I looked closely at him and he was drooling and had foam around his mouth. He just walked around aimlessly. Sometimes crying. He crouched in a position to pee, outside the box (VERY unusual), and I left him be thinking he's trying to tell me something. Nothing came out. Thinking a blockage I took him immediately to the emergency clinic. There was no blockage. He was dehydrated and his condition continued to deteriorate. The vet kept asking about anything toxic he may have ingested. There is literally nothing. NOTHING. We tore the house apart. Twice. We don't put chemicals in the toilet. He does not go outside. We have two houseplants, neither of which are toxic, and there was no plant matter in his initial vomit. He died that night. They called me and told me he wasn't going to make it. I drove Mach II down the highway to get to him but he died just a couple minutes before I got there. I am having a really hard time with this. He had abdominal pain, a bladder infection wth elevated white blood cells and some mild swelling, his blood sugar spiked but stabilized on its own, and that is all I really can retain in the moment with everything going on. I don't get it. They were certain it was a toxin. I am certain there was nothing he got into. The ONLY other thing is those cat treats. They were the 'Whiskas' brand 'Temptations' treats in a Christmas blend plastic flip-top container. I have also considered Coronavirus morphing into FIP. I am going to ask more questions when I go pick up his ashes this week. Is anyone else familiar with my experience? He was such an awesome kitty. I got him at 3wks old, a stray abandoned, and I bottle fed him. He was my baby before I had my baby. He was only 6-1/2. So much more living to do, feathers to chase, and shedding on my bed to be done. I am broken. I miss him SOOO much.

How awful, I am so sorry that you lost your sweet boy too soon. I hope you can find out what happened, the not knowing is terrible. What was your sweet boy's name? When you are ready, I hope you can tell us about him, and share a few pictures with us. This is a wonderful place to leave a tribute to our loved ones. RIP sweet boy, your family loves you and always will 

I am so very sorry to hear your boy was taken from you so suddenly and unexpectedly.  It's no wonder you are having trouble reconciling his death - I think most people would feel exactly the same way.  He sounds like he was a very special cat who was deeply loved and who loved deeply in return.  I hope you can get some comfort eventually in knowing that you gave him a good life and home, even if it was cut short so cruelly.

There have been many complaints about Temptations over the years but this is a controversial subject.  You might find the following threads of interest - they contain both pro and con positions.

 [thread="298504"]Many Complaints About Whiskas Temptations​[/thread]  

 [thread="315579"]Do Not Buy Temptations Cat Treats They Are Slowly Killing Your Cats Whiskas Is Not Doing Anything About It​[/thread]  

The following link discusses the situation as well:

http://www.snopes.com/temptations-cat-treats-facebook-warning/

You may never know what happened, though it really does sound like poisoning of some sort.  It might help to make an Adverse Report to the FDA about your experience. 

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm212664.htm

I know how dreadfully hard this is and so wish there was something that could help.  This grief we feel when one of our furry companions leaves us is beyond words and cuts so deeply into our hearts.  Your boy will always be with you, though, in your memories.  I hope they bring you comfort at some point.

His name is Argyle. I hope to get answers too. They did take an X-ray which showed he had some stool in his intestine, but did not appear blocked. I suspect also that it was, and maybe sepsis is to blame. I am always looking up things on permed as I'm obsessed with finding an answer. If it was sepsis, or anything really, it was fast. He went from vomiting at noonish to dead by eleven. Seeng him die like that is haunting. He did not deserve that.

Here is Argyle napping with my fiancé.

Aww, what a beautiful boy.  He is obviously so happy and content in this photo.  And those little feet are adorable! 

Begging for cat treats. He got them every morning and every night before bed. He would not let you forget. Ever. It's so strange now to not have this ritual. This and him drinking from the bathroom faucet every morning. So much to get used to without him circling my legs. Lying in wait to leap attack as I walk out of the bathroom. He was an awesome friend.

So sorry about your kitty.  Hope you find the cause of his tragic death. RIP Argyle

I made a report to the FDA. I wish I kept the container. They were the Whiskas Temptations Merry Medly Chicken and Seafood. Had I known about the poor reviews he would have never gotten them again.

CatsRfamily2 said:

Begging for cat treats. He got them every morning and every night before bed. He would not let you forget. Ever. It's so strange now to not have this ritual. This and him drinking from the bathroom faucet every morning. So much to get used to without him circling my legs. Lying in wait to leap attack as I walk out of the bathroom. He was an awesome friend.

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Aww.  He sounds like such a sweetheart. And boy, have I seen that "give me my treats" expression before!  It's a wonderful photo. 

Oh, how tragic! I am so truly sorry for your loss. Argyle was such a beautiful kitty. Just love orange and white kitties, have one myself. In fact, your sweet kitty resembles mine, especially the picture begging for treats. I have also heard bad rumors about "Temptation" treats, but not sure if it is really true. My cats have never had them, so I don't know. I don't really think they would kill a cat, but not sure. You may never know the exact cause of his passing, which I know is the worst feeling.
Just try to always remember that you gave your sweet Argyle a warm, safe home with plenty of food and all your love. That is all he ever wanted and he loved you for it. I hope in time you can think of your precious kitty with more smiles than tears. I truly wish I had some magic words to comfort you. I am at a loss for words right now.
I can feel your pain in your words and it breaks my heart. Again, so very sorry for your loss!
RIP Sweet Argyle!
You were so loved and will be missed so very deeply!

My heart cries for the pain of what you are going through, the not knowing is far worse then having a diagnosis, at least we can then accept what has happened and grieve for our loss, this way our hearts are in limbo. I have given my cats these treats for many years with no problems, it seems that if there really was something to these reports that would take them off the shelves. I will definitely look into it. There may be some cats that react to them differently however. I do know from being on this site and through my own 50 plus years of loving cats that many die for no apparent reason. Or at least none is ever found.  This doesn't help with our grief though, our hearts are just as broken. If he couldn't be saved by an experienced vet, there is nothing more you could have done. You did what you could, you got him help.

He knew he was loved, he had a wonderful life and everything he could have ever wanted. That is what you must concentrate on now, what he meant to you and what he brought to your life. What he gave you is so precious, so rare, his love is to be cherished forever. I know what it is like to want to go back, to change something in the past to make it right. But the past is something that remains what it is, the past. We must go on, live our lives to the fullest in the present and make the future a better place. That is what Argyle would want for the ones he loved so much, he would never want you to be so sad. You have formed a bond with him, his soul is permanently bonded to yours for all time. His physical presence may be gone but the spiritual love will be with you always. A love like this will never be gone, it is too strong. Use this bond and your precious memories to bring comfort to your life. Do something good in his name to honor him, it will help you feel better about yourself. Donate food and litter to a local shelter or food pantry, pay for an adoption to help another little one find love and happiness. When the time is right, pass on his legacy of love to another, in this way you keep his spirit alive through sharing that love that was put in your heart by him.  

I feel your pain, I know the heartache of losing someone so precious, so loved. It does help to receive the help of others who have been there, to share the burden, it helps to let some of the pain escape by sharing it with those who understand and are willing to listen. Try not to dwell on the end, it brings nothing but heartache. Keep busy and concentrate on what he left you, those priceless moments that will be with you forever. Take care......RIP sweet Argyle, you will never be forgotten and will always be held in a loving heart. Sleep well on the laps of  angels who  will watch over you now until you meet once again with those who miss you so very much!

What a beautiful boy 

Very sorry for your loss of Argyle. He is a very handsome boy.