# What killed my cat?



## annelid (May 2, 2011)

I found my lovely old cat Abby dead in the back garden the other morning. She was lying stretched out on her side so I knew there was something wrong, but looked peaceful and asleep. She had not been dead for long as she was still a bit warm. She looked a bit bashed - one eye was closed and a wee bit swollen, and she looked like she had blood in her mouth. Her fur was disturbed and pulled looking on one side of her neck. She had no obvious open wounds, but when I wrapped her in a towel there were a couple of blood spots on it after a while, but only about 1-2 cm across. It did not seem obvious why she was dead. There were some little fur tags scattered around the lawn as though there had been a fight. She was 17 and a bit skinny and clumsy and deaf as a post, but lively, as greedy as always, and affectionate. I was worried about her in the garden at night as she was so deaf you could walk right up to her if she was asleep, but there was no point in locking the cat flap as she would hotfoot out the front door if anyone came in late and then might not have been able to get back in in an emergency. I live in an urban setting and there are foxes and cats, but no dogs running loose as far as I know. Could a fox have killed her, but wouldn't it have taken her away and eaten her? Could she have been killed in a cat fight? She just looked like she had laid down and died of exhaustion and/or injuries rather than been worried and thrown down in a heap. Could she have died of shock or heart failure or must she have had some internal injury that I could not see? I don't think she can have been hit by a car because of the fur tags. I am so sad to lose her, and I like to think that she saw what ever it was off, but that she won the battle and lost the war so to speak. I know it makes no difference to her being gone, but I wish I knew what had happened to her. Thanks in advance of any replies.


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## IndysMamma (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi and I'm sorry for your loss

the only way to find out for certain would be to have your vet perform a 'necropsy' (autopsy for animals)

it does sound like the effects of an animal attack but can't be certain with just a description sorry


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## CandyApocalypse (Feb 8, 2011)

Firstly, I am so sorry for your loss!

I am not sure what could have happened to the poor thing, it could be a lot of things really. I don't know if you could take her to the vet for a post mortem perhaps, though I notice you say a few days ago, so this might not be possible now.

You say she was seventeen, so it could be a combination of natural causes and a possible fight with something? It's difficult to say, I have foxes around here, but they tend to mainly scavenge through rubbish rather than attempt to attack any animals. 

I hope you can find some answers, but I also hope you find some peace after such a terrible discovery.


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## Cockerpoo lover (Oct 15, 2009)

So sorry to hear about Abby.

Does sound like a fight of some description.

Bless her she did well to live to 17 and looks like she enjoyed being a cat and out and about even at her grand old age.

Big hugs xx


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_i am so sorry to read this, how very upsetting for you, i have no idea what happened to your cat,how very very sad._


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## Guest (May 2, 2011)

sorry, no clue.


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## annelid (May 2, 2011)

Thank you so much for your kind replies, they mean a lot at a time like this. In a way I am lucky that she died in my garden so that at least I know, rather than her just disappearing and me not knowing. She did still look so pretty.


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## missye87 (Apr 4, 2011)

So sorry for your loss  I'm afraid the only way to geta definitive answer would be to get a vet to have a look.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

It was possibly a fox, or she could have been hit by a car ... beaten up by a bigger cat. If she was deaf she won't have heard any of those coming, especially if she was out at night. Poor thing


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## Steph_Mitsy (Apr 23, 2011)

I'm so sorry for your loss, how horrible for you. But least like you said you found her and she didn't pass on somewhere she didn't like and you'd have spent time and energy looking for her. 

Sorry, I couldn't even start to advise on what happened, will just agree with the other posts and say take her to the vet, so they can't find out.

again, so sorry  hugs n paw shakes from Steph, David, Peanut and Mitsy xxx


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## Guest (May 2, 2011)

I think a fox :crying: I'm so sorry and I'm honestly in tears for you

Rest in peace puss cat xxxx


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## Guest (May 2, 2011)

Am so sorry for your loss, 17 is a brilliant age for a cat so you gave her a very long and happy life. 

It could well of been a car or a fight with a cat sounds more than likely, a fox would of done more damage than that i think. 

She is at peace now. xx


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## Emma-Jayne (Apr 23, 2011)

So sorry for you loss.

Emz x


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

What a shame poor cat. It doesn't really matter now what killed her, but probably been hit by a car given description. What chance would she have had out on the roads ...


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## Amin (Jul 31, 2009)

Very sorry To hear this. I think she had a fight with something. Poor Abby even tho she was 17 and prob had a great life with you, Its still a sad way to go, and not knowing for sure. If we could turn back time Eh!. R.I.P Abby. run free at the bridge


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

So sorry for your loss.

I think it sounds like she was clipped by a car and she got back to your garden where she died of her injuries.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

I think the same as snippet. Clipped by a car.
Sometimes when clipped by a car they bolt off and die shortly afterwards.
Could she have gone on the road and then have access to your back garden?

I am so sorry for your loss. It is never easy how ever which way they die. It is still very upsetting.
Try to take comfort that she had 17 wonderful years with you and that you found her and could lay her to rest.

R.I.P Little cat and run free at Rainbow Bridgexx


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## daniellecool2003 (Jan 2, 2010)

So sorry for your loss.

I think it is possible she may have been in a fight with another animal maybe another cat or a fox. Been old she may have managed to fight off the attacker maybe only to possibly have a heart attack. 

I say this for the reason i had a cat years ago when i was mearly 12. Im 28 now. My cat would have been the same age as me. Parents got her for me when i was a baby. We came home one day and it was really warm. We had two cats at the time the younger been the daughter of my cat. Soon as we got to the door. Ginger the daughter came running to the door meowing. Course we thought looking for food. Perhaps at the time now i think back she was telling us something else. We saw no sign of my cat Tumbles. We figured she would show up soon and so waited. two hours passed and no sign of her. We began to worrie. we of course started looking for her. Where our house was, was near a train track. we obviously thought the most horrific. Anyway we came across a person who patrols the tracks. We asked him had he seen our cat. Sadly he said he had. Seems he found her dead on the tracks. She had not been injured however. So we know she had not been hit by a train or anything like that. The way he explained it, it sounded like she had been lying on the sleepers and maybe a train was coming but she jumped of the track and had a heart attack from the shock. we still miss her today.

All i can say it might be comfort to say your cat fought her battle and died peacefully in the garden.


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## annelid (May 2, 2011)

Thanks you again everybody for taking the time to send your kind words. it could have been a car, the cats can get from the back to the front of the house through an allotment area, although the little fur tags might indicate a fight. Whatever happened, she at least had the strength to come back to the space she loved and just lay down and went to sleep in one of her curling up places. She was getting a bit geriatric anyway, but a feisty old girl. The younger cat really misses her and spends a lot of time sitting looking out of the back door for her, but is getting lots of extra fuss to make up for it. Anyway, thank you again, and all the best to you and your feline friends.


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## Guest (May 2, 2011)

Aurelia said:


> It was possibly a fox, or she could have been hit by a car ... beaten up by a bigger cat. If she was deaf she won't have heard any of those coming, especially if she was out at night. Poor thing


Think I am thinking the same as Aurelia
Let us hope that your baby did not suffer!
RIP sweet girl


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## Amin (Jul 31, 2009)

annelid said:


> Thanks you again everybody for taking the time to send your kind words. it could have been a car, the cats can get from the back to the front of the house through an allotment area, although the little fur tags might indicate a fight. Whatever happened, she at least had the strength to come back to the space she loved and just lay down and went to sleep in one of her curling up places. She was getting a bit geriatric anyway, but a feisty old girl. The younger cat really misses her and spends a lot of time sitting looking out of the back door for her, but is getting lots of extra fuss to make up for it. Anyway, thank you again, and all the best to you and your feline friends.


I know its Easy to say but maybe you could get a rescue cat or another as a companion for the younger cat. I appreciate your loss just now and you prob wont be thinking about that right now, But just a thought, in a few weeks you may feel different.


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

Sorry for your loss. 17 is a grand old age and she was obviously loved and very happy. RIP, sweet one.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

So sorry for the loss of your cat  RIP, loved and precious pet.
Whatever the cause she lived to a good age so you will have lots of happy memories of her.


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## welshjet (Mar 31, 2011)

Just saw post, so sorry to hear about Abby xxx


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## Kitty_pig (Apr 9, 2011)

Can't really add to what others have said regarding the cause of her death, but I wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss. 

RIP princess xxx


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