We left our cat at the cattery. She’s finished a course of antibiotics for a tooth abscess and, as we had a 2 week holiday booked I left instructions with the owners to call us if her it got bigger or there was a concern it was not improving.
They never called – I got back and found a huge swelling in her lower jaw.
The vet suggests it might be a tumor but can’t tell. More Antibiotics and fingers crossed.
I just can’t quite shake the feeling of Guilt and a sense that I’ve let her down and been let down by the cattery.

I know it’s only a cat, our only pet. And it’s not a person or loved one as such as some people have had to endure.

Can someone tell me something good is going to come out of this? I’ve a feeling of dread I can’t shake.

Not to be all Good Will Hunting but – it’s not your fault. You’ve all been let down by the cattery – hope it works out for you.

It’s not your fault it’s the cattery. You left guidance and it was ignored. Please don’t feel guilty – you did your best.

It’s not ‘only a cat’ – I’d be devastated too.

I hope that your cat gets well soon.

I can understand your feelings of guilt, because I would have them too in your place, but, the cattery has let you down badly. A good cattery would have paid attention to a matter that you had flagged up with them, contacted you and got the the cat to the vet if needed.

You did everything that you should have done in the situation, perhaps with the exception of kicking the cattery owner from one side of the room to the other for letting an animal suffer without doing a thing about it.

How can you feel guilty? Its not your fault the cattery didn’t follow your instructions.

FWIW our cat has just cost us £130 to have a tooth out. She had a bit of a runny eye then developed a huge lump just underneath which turned out to be a big abscess.
Hope your moggies ok.

Yes, agree with above. It’s not ‘only’ a cat at all.

I know it’s only a cat, our only pet. And it’s not a person or loved one as such as some people have had to endure.

She’s not ‘only a cat’.

My cat got run over on Monday. She was 14, but she had years of life left in her. She was the loveliest, softest, most loyal creature I’ve ever met and there’s a massive mog-shaped hole in my life at the moment. She should be sat on my legs about now, having just had her tea (that or yelling at me for not feeding her yet) – instead it’s all quiet and sad in here. Pets might not be people, but we invest a fiercely strong love in them and it hurts like hell when they get sick or die.

Don’t feel guilty, you’re doing everything you should. I really hope your cat pulls through.

Thinking of you mint imperial – it’s bloody tough losing a pet.

Healing vibes, lost my cat a year ago…. I was devastated, they get under your skin and stay there.. Bloody cats

mintimperial – sorry to hear about your cat, as nasher says they really do get under your skin.

I feel sorry for any one who says “its only a cat” they have missed out on something wonderful.

Pepsi Cat sends healing vibes…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2T6YSj]P6180408[/url] by jimmyg352, on Flickr

That one’s not your fault. A mate just ran his dog over on the bike taking a load of skin off him. Now that’s something to feel guilty over!

One of my cats is missing, he and his brother/mate spend the night out at this time of year, and he’s usually first to the door in the morning for a spot of breakfast… but this morning he wasn’t there, and he hasn’t turned up all day 🙁

So worried here, too, about my cat.

cats rule, animals rule, Its people that are ****

If some one hurt my cat or neglected it Id not be impressed!

my other half would also be inflicting pain on the culprit.

Minty- Thats the crap side to having pets!

It’s dusty here tonight reading this thread. ! Had to have our 17 year old cat put down last week.

sparkerfix – Member

It’s dusty here tonight reading this thread. ! Had to have our 17 year old cat put down last week.

Condolences, I know how you feel, we had our 16 1/2 year old dog put down on Tuesday. Still expecting to see the little blighter plodding around out of the corner of my eye. The house feels mighty empty without her.

Dusty here too, thanks. Dreading the visit to the vet next week. Her saying nothing can be done will break me like a twig I suspect.
Don’t think I could remain calm with Cattery owners, either that or get all wet eyed and snotty on their ass! Let alone kicking across the room.

Mogrim, I think ours came out of the same production line. Still bothering for food even if it hurts eating it.
Loves laps, hiding under the duvet, even if your trying to sleep. She’s a huge part of our lives, family.

Hope the antibiotics are making a difference. Don’t feel guilty. You’ve done your best. And the fact you feel guilty means that your a good owner (no, sorry “cat butler”). And all might be well (or at least ‘only’ an abscess, and might need a tooth extraction like esslegruntfuttock’s cat), so try to keep positive.

Pepsi Cat sends healing vibes…

Looks just like our late Douglas. Lovely moggy!

Last night prolly had to go to an emergency vet as she began to suffer pain she couldn’t bear.
X-ray images showed her jaw had a tumor which had removed much of her jaw and secondary’s on her lungs were also visible. She isn’t in pain now but I wish I could have just one more minute with her.
Devastated here is an understatement.
Thanks for you kind thoughts.

Sorry to hear that, always such a wrench when the little buggers go 🙁

Shit! When our cat had to be put down I was in bits. Its the right thing to do for them though.

mikey-simmo,

really sorry to hear that.

The final act of compassion and love that we do for our pets hurts like hell.

Also an update on my missing cat: I put some posters up around the local streets, and received a call from a neighbour who told me the cat had been found dead, run over 🙁

I didn’t see the body, but from the description of the injuries he didn’t suffer which is a slight relief.

Well you now know that you going on holiday made no difference, what she had wasn’t treatable. And your comment that she was still eating and “Loves laps, hiding under the duvet, even if your trying to sleep” suggests that final days weren’t too bad for her.

You repaid all the years of enjoyment she gave you by making sure that when “she began to suffer pain” she had a quick and painless release.

You have no need to feel guilty about anything.

Your compassionate and kind people, but this has broken me like a twig. Feeling pathetic it does. The house is empty and she was only a foot long!

Go out tomorrow and get yourself a kitten or offer a home to a cat from the Cat Protection League or another rescue centre.

You will still miss your cat but a kitten with all the attention it requires will provide a very useful and helpful distraction.

If you get a cat from a rescue centre by offering it a home some good will have come from your sad loss, and that helps.

Took our molly to the vets for what I thought was routine. She never came home. Worst feeling of my life. Blubbing at work. Went out couple of weeks later and amber has a loving home instead of a shelter. Know n how you are feeling bud.

Like owning an old French car, were suffering frequent breakdowns. Both if us setting the other off. If I have to visit a cat shelter anytime soon they’ll have to sweep me up. Not honestly sure we could go through this over again eventually.
Don’t wish to imagine the loss of a an actual child. We were expecting the end, but never expected the strength of the reaction. Not much to distract us this evening.

Think cranberry’s summed it up above. We’re still hurting bad too. Feel sorry for you too. You’ll have done your very best for her. They are VERY much part of the family and it really does leave a void.

IT was me who discovered salt was a catalyst in our dogs fits. That was after I gave him a big piece of fish from the chippy. 9 hours later and 12 fits I felt like a prize c*#t.

As long times cat owners, sorry, staff….. Our friends have a great approach by deliberately re homing the ones in the chattery that get stuck there, the ones people pass by as they are older or have just been in a longer time…

They know that time will be shorter with them but they have given a great home to some amazing characters over the years….

We have three at the moments and the tough times are still to come……. Some heartbreaking stories up there .. ^^^^^