11th October 2011 round 12.30pm my beloved cat Suschi was put to sleep for the final time.

Let me explain the details that led to this.

Suschi is round 16yrs old and last Thursday evening she went out and we couldn't find her until the Saturday afternoon. For her to be missing a day and a bit was so strange and out of the blue which immediately led to me and my family to believe something terrible had happened and sure enough it did.

We searched high and low for her to no avail and then that Saturday afternoon we heard a meow and we instantly knew that was her, we pipped over the neighbours wall and saw her sitting down. We jumped over, got her and brought her back inside. At first glance she didn't seem to be hurt, there was no blood, she looked in good condition. We offered her food and drink but she won't touch it...and so we thought that what ever has happened left her stunned and dazed, nothing more so we decided against rushing to the vet and put her down on the sofa. There she slept 24-7 and didn't move a wince nor did she eat or drink. My family decided that if she didn't improve by Monday, we'd take her right in. Come Monday morning...no change. She still hadn't moved or ate or drank nor did she go toilet. They only time she moved was when she stood up and turned around to sleep in a different position. We got her down a few times to see if she could walk and she could but she paced right back to where she had been sleeping and looked at the sofa. She didn't jump, looked as if she couldn't jump and then that's when we noticed her leg didn't seem right. Also we noticed her breathing seemed very sharp and sudden. We placed her back on the sofa and called the vets and we raced straight down there. The vet looked at her and said that something was definitely wrong but she couldn't be sure, she noticed her claws were very short...indicating a struggle, as if she tried to run away and then it all began. We left her at the vets as they did x-rays, blood tests and scans. Few hours later we got a call and the lady told us that Suschi had the lining of her stomach ruptured, although there could be more to it but without opening her up they wouldn't know the extent. She seemed positive and said that if that's all it is we'll stitch it up and she'll be right as rain within weeks. We contacted the vet the next morning and told them to go ahead with the op. She told us if we didn't hear from them assume all went well. But around 12.10 we got a call from the vet. She told us she had open her up but found more damage and to dig deeper they would have to cut her open a lot more to find the extent of the damage and so we said yes. About 15mins later the vet called and told us that they looked deeper and unfortunately the damage was soooo severe it was beyond repair, at this time Suschi was still under anthestic and the vet told us we can repair the damage but it wont hold very long...no more that a few days and in that period she would find it hard to breathe and eat/drink. So the vet said the best option was to put her to sleep...rather then bring her round they would inject her so she went to sleep permanently. And so we made that heart wrenching decision to put her to rest one last time. We picked up her body and brought her back home to be with us before we buried her.

Turns out the damage was really bad, of what i can remember she had broken rips, ruptured stomach, abdominal wall was ruptured, her lungs severly bruised and that was a hole in her diaphragm. Vets believe that it was hugely likely someone attacked her, not a car. They believe this cause her claws were short which as i said indicates a struggle and if it was a car....once the car drove of what was left for her to fight off....only option left is that some awful stupid **** hurt my baby girl.

I've had Suschi since i was about 5yrs old, she was soooooo soft and wouldn't hurt a fly. Today we buried her in our garden and placed a heart plaque saying 'Our Faithful Friend'. I hate the fact that we couldn't see her before she went cause at the time we decided this she was still in the operating theatre and vets think it was best to simply let her go rather then bringing her back round where she would have been in pain, only to put her back to sleep. And to think that someone did this to her is what gets me the most, she would have went on at least 5yrs...most likely 10 cause she was sooo young for her age and showed no signs of slowing down. The hurt is literally unbearable and i can't stop crying. I've never in my life lost something so dear to me and i wish i could just pick her up and hugg her again....i want her back and i just can't seem to get past this hurt and upset im feeling. Even if we brought her in sooner, still nothing could be done, the damage was allready done.

I dunno what i'm trying to do, but i guess i'd like to hear what you guys did when you had to make a descion like this about your cat

Sending you my regards and share your pain. Been there, it`s flipping hard thing to do, but remember it`s the last thing a caring pet owner can do for their pet. I know it hurts like hell , but you did the right thing.

((((((hugs)))))


Had to put my cat to sleep after someone kicked her and ruptured her diaphragm.....flipping hardest thing I ever did she was adorable......

Thanks. I just hate they way she left this world cause minus that...she was sooo healthy for her age and was quicker then my other 2 cats who are younger. I want her back so much. How long did it take for your to fnally be at peace? Cause right now i see myself feeling like this to the day i die.

(oh yes thats it, her diapragm was ruptured not a hole)

Sending you *hugs*, I really feel for you, you made the hardest decision a pet owner has to do.

RIP Suschi

Our Sophie was just lovely..she`d been rescued by my friend from a horrible home. My kids loved her...she`d sit in a shoe box and they would tow her round the lawn , she loved it. Had 2 other cats at the time but she was kinda `special`..that`s what hurt the most.

Never had any pets since the last one went...can`t bring ourselves to do that ever again.

I just wanted to say how sorry I am that this happened to you and your cat, and I hope you will feel better soon.

I had 2 cats that had to be put to sleep, and it is heartbreaking. After time it will get better though, as you will remember the good times and the memory of how things ended fades a bit. Try and focus on the good memories, they can be a comfort.

It may seem strange, but having another cat does really help with the grieving process.

Best wishes.

RIP my baby sus!! I will always love you and in my heart you will stay!!

Why do people have to be soo cruel, if they don't like cats ignore them or ssshh them away...don't hurt them!! I just wanna stop feeling like this, the hurt is soooo unbearable right now.

I do have my other 2 cats, Shelly and Heidi but suschi was sooo special cause she was my 1st cat and there was something so unique about her.

I am so sorry for you and Suschi. What a way to lose her, there are some evil people in this world. Nothing is going to make you feel better right now, and you need to grieve. But I hope that in time it will get easier. I can now think of my cat, who died a year ago, with happy memories and remember the good times, I hope that you will get to this point one day.

But right now you be as sad and angry as you need to. Our pets are family members and we mourn them the same.

Pet Bereavement Support Service: I don't know if anyone has used this, but maybe it will help.

Really sorry to read your story, especially the bit about your cat being a really healthy 16 because I thought my cat was too

It does take some time for the pain to ease. For me, the pain was raw for the first month and then got easier but I would still cry when I thought about my cat's last weeks. I still cry occasionally, 7 months on, but it's definitely not as painful and I've moved on from thinking about her constantly.

You will never know what really happened to your cat so there's no point torturing yourself. My cat broke her leg 3 times in her life and, on the second occasion, the vet was inclined to think that someone had inflicted trauma on her (as in hitting her with a brick) because she didn't bear the typical signs of having been in a RTA. I personally don't believe that and I am convinced her injuries were the result of accidents of some sort.

Your cat may well have been hit by a car. My vet told me that shortened claws indicate that the cat may have 'dragged' its claws along the road when hit by a car and that's why he didn't think my cat had been in such an accident because her claws were not damaged. Your cat's other injuries are consistent with the severe traumatic impact of a car hit.

At least she made it home before she died. I am really sorry.

I'm sorry about Suschi, it's horrible someone hurt her but you got her the care she needed and you were brave enough to make the hard decision to allow the vet to put her to sleep straight away than have her suffer more so that you could be with her.

I had to make the decision to put our beloved dog to sleep 2 weeks ago, my hubby was 4 hours away and we agreed if we waited till he got home he would have hated himself for prolonging our dogs distress.

My thoughts are with you x x

Your story has made me feel so sad. I'm so sorry for your loss. To think someone may have inflicted those injuries deliberately on her appalls me but as has been said already, don't torture yourself about what happened, it won't change anything and will just prolong your grief. Its just as possible it was a car because it's true about the claw thing. One of mine was hit by a car and her claws were damaged.

Remember her for the life she lived, not for the way she went. In time you'll be able to do that. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.

sending big hugs, i was in pieces for ages after i had my cat put to sleep and she was 18 and i was expecting it so i cant imagine how you feel. it'll take time to get over it but in time you will. you did your best for her and she's not suffering anymore.

You have my sympathy, there are some evil people ot there, but at least she got back to you, remember that she had a good life and you were a good owner, it is hard i know to think of now, but there are beautiful little cats and kittens in rescue homes now who would love your love, Good Luck and God Bless.

My heart and and soul go out too you. Its brought memorys back of one of my cats. She was attacked in a siminaly way. Also the neights cat was attacked at the same time. I moved away from the area shortly afterwards and rehomed my cats that i had at the time. Humans can be so cruel i hate been one sometimes
Run free at the bridge, I can see your mummy loved you lots,

What a sad story. When a cats claws are frayed it's a sign that they have been hit by a car. The thought that somebody may have hurt the cat on purpose makes me feel sick, you can't trust anybody.

Sorry for your loss.

This is awful and so sad. I don't understand people that hurt animals at all. I really hope she wasn't attacked by a person. I really don't like the thought of that.

I hope you will be ok.

I am SO sorry to hear this. It is possible she was hit by a car, rather than a human, the shortened claws could be, while she was stunned, clawing her way back.
This may not sound comforting, but it is meant to be, she may have clawed her way back to you, and you found her in your neighbours garden. You took her back into your home, she was with you, where she wanted to be. It was the right decision for her to be PTS, but.. she was able to be with you before that.
Many people do not get to see a cat who is missing and injured, and they die without the owner knowing. Feel comfort that you found her before that, and was able to give her comfort before you made the right decision to end her pain.
(((Hugs))) to you, it is natural to grieve.

BTW when my cat died, a few years ago I thought 'Never again, it hurts too much', but now I have two 3 year olds, had them since they were kittens.

Sorry to hear your news, but take solace in the fact that she did make it home to where she knew you'd be, to spend her last few nights with you, safe and warm and knowing that she was loved

Thanks everyone for you overwhelming support and love and words. I am sooo glad that in that pain she must have been feeling she somehow came back to us and spent a few nights with us one final time. I remember her sitting on the sofa thinking she'll be fine and in a few days she'll be herself, but it wasn't to be. And when we took her vets and left her there the thought of her being PTS never occured and truly felt she would be fine with the vets help. It is very true that a car could have done this cause thinking about it now i have/had 3 cats and not once did anyone hurt them around our area and so why do it now...that leads me to think that a car did hit her and not human did this to her. But that fact remains that it is a huge possibility that a human did this damage and that is whats getting to me the most.

All this came outta the blue and just over a week ago she was on my lap, drooling over my favorite jeans lol. She drooled alot and we thought that was bad by the vets said it was very common, she's done this since she was about 1yr old. My other cat Shelly has noticed she isn't here, those two were always together cleaning eachother. Heidi is very much her own cat and i don't think it's set in yet for her. Since that fatal day on Tuesday, i keep looking at her collar and just keep crying.

I remember when i came home from school, she would run to me and follow me upstairs, i tried in vain to get outta my school clothes but she wouldn;t let me...she wanted her cuddles, she loved my cuddles cause she always came to me cause she knew i would never ignore her, she pulled at my heartstrings and even when i was soooo busy i stopped to hug her and cuddled her and she knew i would always drop anything for her. And then when i started work she would wait at my bedroom door and yet again wouldn't let me change

Oh i love her soooooo

Big hugs. It is very hard but you just have to hold onto the thought that she was well loved and that she knew it xx

With all the damage that was there, all could be repaired BUT the ruptured Diaphragm. Am guessing that when the Diaphragm has ruptured, is that beyond repair???? I've just read some cases when the diaphragm can be repaired?

FCUK, you are, understandably torturing yourself, and having 'what if' and guilty feelings. This is natural, you are grieving. The vet said it was too severe to repair, and even if they did it would be for a few days at the most, and she wouldn't be able to breathe properly or eat and drink. They knew what they were doing and did the best thing for her.

Understand that you will be looking for answers in your grief, but the main thing is that she DID make it back to you, and you had many happy years. It will ease over time, but you will never forget, in time you will smile with your memories and be glad you had the time together.
Losing a loved pet is very hard, but the time spent together is worth it. (((Hugs)))

I am so so sorry FCUK, you have suffered a horrific loss and you baby girl is no longer around. But, you have to try to remember all of the good times that you had together. You did everything you could possibly have done for Suschi and she died knowing that you loved her unconditionally.

It is natural for you to try to think of what you could have done differently, it is a part of the grieivng process and I don't care what anybody says, the loss of a pet is like the los of a family member.

Nothing anyone can say is going to make any difference right now but try to take some comfort in knowing that people are here to offer kind words when you need it.

Massive hugs to you Xx

I know how you feel, we like many others have been there, so sorry for your loss,

Thanks Poblet and StudentLDnurse.

It's been one week today that i lost her. I stopped crying around about Sunday, but sometimes when i hear people talk about my cat, some tears come to my eye and i am literally struggling to keep it in. The pain has begun to ease a very small bit but it's still very VERY raw atm and painful. I really don't think it's set in yet 100% for me cause i keep imagining her here right now. I am starting to get those feelings, 'what if' and i keep thinking over and over again about it and yes, that's torturing me so much, but when i start to feel a little better, it then sets in again. I went to a Rihanna concert on Saturday (was a 21st birthday present from family, birthday was back in Feb lol) and that realy took my mind off things alot and i really enjoyed the concert, come Sunday morning tha pain hit again. About 4 times a day i look at her collar we kept, her bowl is still where she last ate from it...i can't bring myself to throw it away yet and everytime i feed my other cats i keep going to her bowl before realising Suschi isn't here anymore. I am not ready to yet to let go of her or her bowl. I can't bring myself to store it away somewhere and the other day my Dad said let's move Heidi's feeding place to where Suschi's place was and i said no cause that was Suschi's place.

Also the anger forever builds and i found myself hammering at the door of those i suspect did this to my cat the other day. (although now im actually thinking a car did this)

I shouted at the dad and literally smashed their door to pieces cause i wanted to throttle them.