My cat is dying of kidney problems?

My cat suffered a heart attack, could I have saved her?

• I am in search and came across another similar story and saw the helpful answers and hoped maybe someone out there could help me. Yesterday my cat died, Lil Mamas she died in my arms. The vet said it was probably from a heart attack. For me I feel that I am to blame. My cat was less then five years. My boyfriend and I have had her for a year. She had a usual routine; meow at me early in the morning for food (around 5.) Then she would do her own thing and then meow at me again till round eight, when she would eventually either fall asleep next to me or by my side somewhere. Yesterday she did just that, but it did seem like the was meowing more then usual. But she ate and she played and kept meowing at me so that I could scratch her. By eight she started to limit her meows to my side of the bed and like usual I take my arm and kind of push her down to sleep position. I always do this, its a loose hold, and if she doesn't want to stay she leaves and then comes back. We played like this. But many times when I push her down in a hug position she knows and starts to fall asleep. This time when she went down she just sat for a min and then she lied down next to me. We were sleeping on our sides and then she lied her head down and made two coughing/sneezing sounds and then a weird noise. I saw the pillow kind in the way of her nose so i moved it an no more noises. Immediately after I fell asleep and I thought she did too. I woke up an hour later and usually when I wake up she will stretch out her little arm or something but she didn't. I touched her paw an thought it felt kind of cold. I called to her and nothing, I moved her and nothing. I didn't know if she was breathing. I didn't know if she was dying or already dead. My boyfriend and I rushed her to the vet a block away and in the blanket I carried her in, I smelled feces. The vet came immediately and she said my cat was already gone. And that she probably had a heart attack. My question is does anybody think there was more I could of done? Everyone knows how close I was with this cat and are all telling me that there was nothing that I could of done, but I feel like I failed her. I don't know if the noises she made was her dying or the sudden heart attack happening or were these noises red lights to get her to the vet where maybe she could of been saved. Did I let her life slip away in that hour we slept? I feel tremendous guilt and my family and friends see that, so they are telling me there was nothing I could do. But I rather know the truth and feel the guilt and work though that. I feel it's harder for me to accept she is gone because I don't know if it was my fault. An the pain and anger from being confused is holding me back. Has anyone out there actually seen their cat die of a heart attack or just sudden death. Those noises I heard, were they similar to what happened before they died? Just to tell you about my cat, she was rescue cat. She was rescued under a house during rainy season with three kitties. Her back leg was then amputated by the vet at the shelter I volunteer at and she said that her leg bones were all crushed. The vet and others at the shelter noticed that she was extremely timid and scared and they figured that she was not a feral cat, but whoever had her really traumatized her. Later we found out that she also had a bb pellet logged in her body.I ended up fostering her an the kitties for months and then they all were adopted. Then several months passed and the people that adopted Lil Mamas said they didn't want her; she was to timid and scarred all the time. So I took her, she had already been through too much and moved so many times. My boyfriend and I had her for a year and still up until yesterday if you got up, for example, from the couch and she was sitting on the floor, she would scurry away. She would come back and sit with us but I think her she learned early on to be scarred first. An her heart raced all the time from being scared. we could feel it. Even when we held her, her heart would race but always slow down soon after. And she breathed weird, like she was fat, but she wasn't. And at both vet check-ups they said she was fine. My boyfriend thinks that what the vet said makes sense. That she probably had a heart condition and that combined with her horrible experiences early on made her heart work too much and she had the heart attack. So again I ask if anyone has a similar story or advice I hope you can respond. This is a lot for me to take in such a short time. Her death, how she died, if I could of prevented it, not having her here right now. To many people she was a cat with problems, but she was perfect in my eyes. One in a million. I know she went though a lot and people hurt her and taught her to be scared, but amongst all that my cat, Lil Mamas never ever tried to scratch or bite me or anyone else. She truly was a sweet loving wonderful cat, buddy and family member. I

• Answer:

  Lil Mama was lucky to have such a loving home for her last days. Being she was a shelter cat, you will never know what issues she had long before she came into your home. Could you have done anything? Nothing that would have prolonged a quality of life. Cats are fierce animals, and she could have been suffering for years without you really knowing it. Her meowing could have been an attempt at communication. But, the bottom line, there are some things that a vet can't fix, and your Lil Mama went through a great deal in her short life. When I had three cats die within a year, and two within a month of each other, I was shocked. Up until a few weeks before they died I really had no clue as to their issues because they hid their discomfort and disease so very well. In every case, I know there was nothing more the vet could have done for any of my beloved cats, and quite frankly, I'm just as glad I didn't know. One cat developed issues and over the course of two very hard years on both of us, he was stuffed with pills and medications...poor thing. The other two actually ended up being quick and a big surprise, and I can only think that if I had known things were seriously wrong I would have made all our lives miserable with the pills and the vet visits and the worry. As it was for me and McBuff, and Rusty, and my dearly beloved Winston, we had the best of it up until the end,. I will always lay a burden of guilt on myself, as will you, but that is human nature. Take comfort in knowing that you and Lil Mama had some quality time together. Without expensive tests -- as I found out -- even annual bloodwork can show up within a normal range giving your vet no cause for undue alarm. You had a plucky little girl there, and I don't doubt her past sealed her fate long before you rescued her. Again, just be grateful for the time you all had together. My deepest sympathies for your loss.