Cat loss: What are the reasons?

[Kirsten]

I don't mean to offend anyone by asking this question, and I'm not asking out of curiousity. But it seems to me that many kitties - too many kitties - are dying from dreadful viral diseases and that scares me. Not too many felines seem to die a natural death, or because they just have reached "their" age. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that a cat's life is threatened by many lethal illnesses these days.

So if anyone has a feline friend at the Rainbow Bridge, please vote in the poll. Maybe this can correct the impression I got (multiple choice should be possible). In case somebody may feel offended by my question, I apologize in advance. I'm feeling kind of bad to ask this because I don't want to turn the knife in anyone's wound. I know it's a very sad subject to discuss.

Kirsten

[DJFyrewolf36]

The last cats I had went to the RB at the age of 19. Presumably that is a very old age for a kitty. You are right though, there does seem to be a lot of viruses and stuff out there taking kitties away. Vaccines and vet care have gotten better though!! *although cirtianly not cheaper*

[Kirsten]

Oh yes, 19 is a very old age, and it was blessed with a long life.

True, vaccines and vet care surely improves the situation, but it still seems to me the risk for a cat to pick up a virus is still very high, especially since the FIP vaccine is not very reliable and the FeLV vaccine is suspected to cause firbosarcoma.

Kirsten

[Logan]

Kirsten, I lost Shrimp Boat from my own stupidity........she ran away when we were visiting a strange place.

The only other cat that ever left me was Tigger, my childhood cat, who died of old age, I'm sure. He was 18 years old when he passed.

I have great hopes for Mimi, who is perched in front of me, right now!!!! She is 15 years old and doing great.

Logan

[K & L]

They never could figure out what was wrong with our Calvin. They ran every test possible and everything came back normal. We could've paid hundreds of dollars for an autopsy, but we optioned to put the money to use on the living cats. We miss him!

[Kirsten]

Logan, that's so sad about Shrimp Boat!! And yes, 18 years is very old for a cat!

K & L, I'm so sorry about Calvin, but it sure was the right decision to save the money for the remaining cats!

BTW, I have two kitties at the RB:
My Aysche died from FIP when she was only 21 months old, and my Katz went to the RB at the age of 14, she had congestive heart failure.


Kirsten

[nibblets]

My cat Oly, a big tuxie wondercat, was not able to come with me when I had to move. He was living with some friends of mine and one day he disappeared and we never saw him again. I really don't know how he died, but it has been a LONG time and I know he would be too old now to still be with us. I thought I saw him on a porch in the area one time with an elderly lady petting him, so I always convinced myself that he had found a new home and lived a good life til the end.

[Kirsten]

I thought I saw him on a porch in the area one time with an elderly lady petting him, so I always convinced myself that he had found a new home and lived a good life til the end.

Yes, that would be nice! It's so hard when pets have to stay behind when somebody has to move! Maybe Oly missed you so much and that's why he ran away from your friend....

Kirsten

[sirrahbed]

This is an interesting thread Kirsten. Both my RB kitties died from medical causes - one from cancer and one from kidney disease - but they were also quite old - about 16 and 18. I suppose any cat reaching those ages are quite likely to to have something medical anyway. Who knows really?

[Craftlady]

RB Butterscotch, feline leukemia.

[catlady1945]

Our Patty was quite elderly (nearly 20), and had some health problems, such as thyroid.

[cubby31682]

My old cat that I found in my backyard with kittens died from rat poision. The people behind us set it out. Sad thing is they didn't know that she just had kittens. We lost 3 of the kittens due to the rat poision as well.

[kimlovescats]

Kirsten .... I think the main reason for so many cats not living into their ripe old years, is the same as with our society in general. Look at the AIDS epidemic ..... if we as humans can't practice better health control, then of course "we" aren't going to do much better in the pet world!!!! Needless irresponsibilty .... going against the way God intended His Earth to be ... having a "disposable" way of thinking ... all of these things have sickened our entire planet as a whole.

Sorry I am not more "cheerful" on this subject, but you DID ask!

[CatMama78]

I have not has the experience of losing a pet yet....My mom has A Bichon, which we got when I was 12. She is now 14 and starting to show signs of aging, but switches from aging to puppy mode still. My dad and his wife also have a Bichon and he is 7. I live with my two guys, O&W. They are 1 1/2 or so. So - so far, no losses. I know Mercedes (the 14 yr old dog) - her time will come some time within the next few years, and it makes me really upset, but animals like humans; some are here only for a short time, cause God needs them to come home and others are here for a lengthy time as God wants them to finish up some things on Earth.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

The only cat that was actually mine that died was hit by a car. Mit-tens was his name because he had the biggest paws I had ever seen on a cat. He was a big lovable orangie and I was so sad when he died, I think he was about 3. But that was over 20 years ago now. ( ) However, that was the last time a cat of mine was let outside without a leash. Sad to say I learned my lesson the hard way.

T & P are another story. I have no idea what will finally take them, but more than likely it will be due to age. Tubby may die of kidney failure since they've already started to fail, but I don't know if I would consider that kidney failure or old age because the reason they failed is because he's old? More than likely both of them will die of some medical complication brought on by age. Ok, I know, I'm making this much more complicated than it needs to be, but like Kim says, you asked.