# Sudden unexpected death



## thaiblue12

My daughter's favorite cat died suddenly and very unexpectedly. She was my daughter's cat. My daughter is heartbroken and has not come out of her room or stopped crying. I feel so bad for her as I cannot bring her cat back and have no idea why she died. 

Puffy aka Grey Girl was 3 years old, spayed, vaccinated, healthy indoor only cat. We have had her since she was born in my closet from an abandoned cat and was the only cat who followed my daughter around, slept with her and they had a very good bond. 

Friday I saw her since my daughter was at a sleep over and when my daughter is gone she is all over me missing her girl. She seemed fine. I did was pretty busy on Saturday so I did not see her. In the evening I did not see her since I thought she was with my daughter. My daughter thought she was with me since her bedroom door was shut so that that her music would not disturb her dad. So sometime on Sat the cat died. 
My son saw her behind the couch with blood from her mouth. I examined her on the outside and and there were no wounds, just the blood from her mouth and maybe nose, it was hard to tell, the blood was not totally dried either, so she might not have been dead for that long. 
She never goes outside so it could not have been a car, my dogs would never touch a cat and have lived with them their entire lives. They are 7 and 13 yrs old so I doubt it would crop up now. The only poison we have in the house is behind two sets of shut doors, they are one bite bars, the package was still intact and I had not used any since I put them down into the holes in the chicken coop this Summer. 

Do you have any idea on what this may have been? I am kind of worried for my other cats as well since there is no visible cause.


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## Minelson

I have no idea. The only thing I can think of is a heart issue but I don't know if that would cause the blood. Or maybe she got a hold of a piece of string or something and it got all tangled up inside. I just don't know  I am so sorry for your loss


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## beccachow

I am so very very sorry.


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## GoldenMom

Chewed an electric cord? Still maybe could be heart, the blood could have been bloody foam from the lungs.


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## Danaus29

You have my sympathy over the loss of Puffy.

Had she been vaccinated for feline leukemia?


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## thaiblue12

Yes she was fully vaccinated.

No she was never a cord chewer and none in that area are touched. Nor do we have any string around. 

I still do not even have my tree up, it is fake so no water to drink or additives. 

With a heart problem would there be any symptoms? Or is it a silent killer?

Could it have been a spider? A friend of mine had her 2 year old cat die from trying to eat a spider that bit her in the throat. She foamed and bled some from it. 

My daughter still has not come downstairs, I feel so bad for her :Bawling:


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## Minelson

There is a heart condition that cats can have that shows no symptoms they just die. I can't remember what it's called. I'll look it up.

Here it is http://www.2ndchance.info/cardiomyopathy-cat.htm


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## KimM

I'm very, very sorry for your and your daughter's loss. You're both in my prayers.


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## tailwagging

Sounds like heart.


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## MARYDVM

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart that can cause sudden death, without symptoms. We can sometimes see a young, apparently healthy cat die under anesthesia for a spay/neuter and later find the abnormal heart on a post mortem exam.


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## belladulcinea

That is so sad and so hard for your dd.


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## NickieL

I'm guessing it's the heart  too.

I've had young cats die from it, quite suddenly like that.


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## Texasgirl

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## beccachow

You know, it is a small comfort, but if it was heart (which I think as well) it was fast. Can you tell her that for any comfort at all?

Wonder if Santa could deliver a new kitty, not to take the place of the old, but to give her something new to love?

I feel for you, my 5yo will suddenly just start crying about this or that animal we have lost, and it stinks because your heart is breaking too. (hugs)


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## Veronica

I'm so sorry.


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## DamnearaFarm

I'm so sorry 

I also had a healthy indoor cat pass like that. We suspected it was Merlin's heart as well. We came home after a few hours away and he was curled up on a blanket, looked just like he was sleeping. 

Give your daughter a hug for me, please.


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## mamahen

One of my boys just died this summer from a saddle thrombosis. The end for him was horrible for ME. I knew he was dying, and could do nothing but try to comfort him. As tough as it was, I'm glad I could try to comfort him. However, I think it would've been too much for my tender-hearted 15 y/o son. (This happeded at 1 a.m.). 

They can die from this when they have undiagnosed (or even diagnosed) cardiomyopathy.

The only symptoms that we really noticed was a slight increase in respirations. This started Christmas Eve '09. He was only 6 when he died.

They he coughed for maybe a week? Nothing that seemed too serious, just a cough here and there. This was right after we noticed the breathing.

He never lost condition. Never really slowed down too much. He liked to hang out in the hay loft & hay field when he was outside, so we thought it was allergies.

He was a bottle baby, never nursed. So we thought it could've been something congenital that momma noticed & rejected him. Or a lack of perfect nutrition (bottled milk compared to momma's)

I really feel for your little girl. As hard as it is for her, give her comfort in the knowledge that her kitty was loved, knew a wonderful home & owner. Let her open her heart to a new kitten. Kittens have a way of distracting you!


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## bluemoonluck

So sorry for your loss! Even with indoor cats, its possible she had a heartworm infestation. Back in the day when I worked in vet clinics we did necropsies on more than one cat who had just suddenly died, only to find heartworms as the likely cause. Mosquitos can get in the house just as easily as flies, and it only takes one bite from one infected mosquito to get HW....

Regardless of the cause, I am very sorry for your loss


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## SunsetSonata

I remember the vet I used to work for doing a few post-mortems for cats that had died at home unexpectedly, and discovering cardiomyopathy. However I don't remember bleeding from the mouth or anywhere else as a symptom.

Wondering if it's heartworm as well, or a blood clotting disorder, or some kind of aneurysm. Regardless, so sorry for your loss... such a young, well-loved cat.


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## thaiblue12

She is 14 and past the age Santa can make you feel better  A well meaning friend offered her a young cat but she declined and said she does not want one. If she is ready later on I am sure the shelters will be filled with ones needing a girl to love them. We do have other house cats but it is not the same. She does love them just different. My cat went to sleep with her last night but does not like to be held the way her cat did. But I am glad Cali realized my daughter was sad and needed her. 

I thought the heart thing might make her feel better but she turned and said to me " No she is still dead and what if it is genetic and her brother has it and dies too" so I am not offering anymore of that type of comfort to her. 

I doubt it was heartworm, the average incidents of dogs getting it here in CO is 5% a year and even less so with cats. 
She never coughed, lost weight or anything. It is a mystery and I just hope it was not genetic and does not inflict her brother. 

Thanks for the kind words. 

RIP Puffy aka Grey Girl..we miss you  ( her as a kitten)


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## Minelson

Thaiblue that picture is heartbreaker  What a darling kitty. I am so sorry for you and your daughter.


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## SunsetSonata

Awww... she looks just like my Tigger.  Poor little thing.... your cat and your daughter.


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## beccachow

awww. I am so sorry.


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## Laura Pruett

Minelson said:


> There is a heart condition that cats can have that shows no symptoms they just die. I can't remember what it's called. I'll look it up.
> 
> Here it is All Creatures Health Care


I'm thinking that is why my cat paws suddenly died from. He was fine last night he had all his shots and fixed and such, and I woke up this morning bam.. he was dead and had blood coming from his mouth. I was so sad I loved my paws... I ended up burring him next to my Brat who passed away last year she was 14 years old... Died of Old age..


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## Alice In TX/MO

Sorry for your loss.

Please be aware that VERY old posts are being "recommended" by the new software on this forum.

The original post was from 2010.


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## mnn2501

Had a cat with the same symptoms, vet said it was a tumor that had burst.


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## RJ2019

As long as we're resurrecting a decade old thread:

I wonder if the OP's couch had recliners on the end seats? My dad smashed and killed a cat of mine in the couch recliner long ago. Found behind couch with blood on its mouth sounds about right.


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## Lisa in WA

Laura Pruett said:


> I'm thinking that is why my cat paws suddenly died from. He was fine last night he had all his shots and fixed and such, and I woke up this morning bam.. he was dead and had blood coming from his mouth. I was so sad I loved my paws... I ended up burring him next to my Brat who passed away last year she was 14 years old... Died of Old age..


I’m sorry for your loss.
my daughters young cat died the same way but she did scream. They ran to see what was wrong and she was dead when they found her. The vet said it was likely a heart attack.

also, I don’t think it matters if a thread is old it provides needed information. 
this place is a treasure trove of good information.


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## VickiL

So sorry for the losses I'm reading of here....my 10 yr old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. He never slowed down and 2 weeks before he passed, he was still hunting. This was what he loved. He was an indoor/outdoor cat in a rural area. He managed to kill a rabbit and the last week, a squirrel. Still jumping up 4 feet to eat at his feeding station. Still happy, nice coat, good appetite, same weight.. Then I didn't see him for a day. I asked my neighbor if Titan was sleeping under her covered glider again. She went to check and he was there. He looked like he was asleep but had some fresh blood coming from his nose or mouth. I've read that cats with hyperthyroidism only live around 4 yrs after diagnosis. We got Titan's diagnosis over







4 years before he died. We didn't ask our vet to investigate but I'm thinking complications from hyperthyroidism was cause of death. I think I read somewhere that cats can bleed from nose after heart failure. And I would like to think your cat's and my Titan both had a quick and painless death. We can find comfort in the happiness we gave our cats and the happiness they gave us in return. Hugs to your daughter.


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## altair

I know she was indoor, but could she have been exposed to rat poison or have a traumatic injury? That brings to mind internal bleeding. I know it doesn't truly matter though, she's gone and my heart breaks for your daughter. I had a beloved cat who passed 15 years ago and talking about him sometimes still makes me cry. They certainly can leave an impact.

Edit: I didn't realize the original thread was so old. Sorry!


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## kimschultheis89

My cat Coconut was found dead yesterday morning in the same exact way. She was only 4 and was acting completely normal. I am still in shock. She had blood coming from her mouth and was just laying on the floor by the bed. I can't believe this happened. I know this is an old post but I am sorry for you and your daughter's loss. I hope some time has helped you heal. The hardest thing is not having an answer. I will never know what happened to my girl. I can only hope she was blessed with a quick death. This is awful.


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