Zita Gone, Now Ziggy, 3 Cats lost in two years Options

[Zita'sMom]

I posted in October about losing my sweet Zita. At the end of December I adopted Ziggy who I swear was related to Zita. She had the biggest healing purr I have ever heard from a cat. She wasn't Zita but she was a very special kitty and was so appreciative and happy in our home.

On Saturday she came home after 5 p.m. with wounds to her abdomen. I knew it was serious. She went to the emergency vet. Over the last 5 days we spent about $1300 on vet care.

We thought she was going to pull through but this morning at 6 a.m. she let out a distressed sound and stopped breathing. I reached into her crate, but she had left me.

The vet is pretty certain she was shot by an air gun. People can be so evil and cruel.

I cannot believe what has happened. She loved her "drippy water" from the sink and I will miss her leading me there and her huge gigantic purr.

My "helper" cat who helped me to deal with my loss of Zita is now gone... Life is not fair.

My heart is broken.

Jan.

[AngelCareOne]

I like your idea of holding a picture. I belong to a spiritual type group and I'm going to ask them all to send thoughts that the shooter understand all the pain created and learn respect toward living creatures; that something positive come of her death. Actually, if anyone reading this is willing to take a few seconds with that thought, or prayer, I would really appreciate that.

I do believe in the power of group intention ...

Dearest Jan, I'll try. Honest and for true, I will try. It's only within the last couple months or so that I've begun to actually feel anger and then to express it. I know that you realize most adult "serial killers" and others who torture and kill innocent people actually began as kids doing the same to poor, defenseless, trusting, sweet, loving animals. Mostly cats and dogs. Well, I promise I will try my utmost to calm myself and pray that the culprit or culprits come to realize the evil they're committing as well as how dramatically adversely it affects those around them especially the fur kid Mommies and Daddies.

I promise Jan. I will do my level best to make my prayers sincere and not just "rattle them off" if you know what I mean. I will, Hon. I sure will.

Jan? Piper came home? I read all your posts and ... I don't see that. Wow!!! I'm so happy for you! See? There is a God and "She" is good!

Tons of Hugs and Lotsa Love to You, Your Family and all Your Fur Babies here and Above!!!

Always,
Dottie xoxoxox

[Zita'sMom]

Dearest Jan, I'll try. Honest and for true, I will try. It's only within the last couple months or so that I've begun to actually feel anger and then to express it. Ann, I know that you realize most adult "serial killers" and others who torture and kill innocent people actually began as kids doing the same to poor, defenseless, trusting, sweet, loving animals. Mostly cats and dogs. Well, I promise I will try my utmost to calm myself and pray that the culprit or culprits come to realize the evil they're committing as well as how dramatically adversely it affects those around them especially the fur kid Mommies and Daddies.

Thank you - I am being quite selfish right now and not taking time to hear other people's stories and pain. I am out of town right now without a lot of internet time, but I would like to know more about what's happened to you or your pets...

I keep thinking and waking up all night - this person who has made my Ziggy suffer and die, and has created so much suffering for me, is just walking around without remorse. The vet who failed to do the exploratory surgery didn't give her the last chance she deserved, and hasn't even offered an apology. And now there is no turning back.

I am searching for ways to cope, but such murder is considered trite by the general public it seems and I am expected to carry on like normal. Unfortunately this is impossible for me... Life is not fair, but how do people find meaning and carry on when such things happen?

thanks again for your good wishes and intentions...

Jan

[ann]

Thank you - I am being quite selfish right now and not taking time to hear other people's stories and pain. I am out of town right now without a lot of internet time, but I would like to know more about what's happened to you or your pets...

I keep thinking and waking up all night - this person who has made my Ziggy suffer and die, and has created so much suffering for me, is just walking around without remorse. The vet who failed to do the exploratory surgery didn't give her the last chance she deserved, and hasn't even offered an apology. And now there is no turning back.

I am searching for ways to cope, but such murder is considered trite by the general public it seems and I am expected to carry on like normal. Unfortunately this is impossible for me... Life is not fair, but how do people find meaning and carry on when such things happen?

thanks again for your good wishes and intentions...

Jan

Your right Jan, Life just isn't fair. How do we carry on?? Good question. I think it's a lot of time that passes and acceptance. As hard as that my sound to you right now, for me, it's all I can go on. I'll try to make my story short. Arthur came home with a 4in gap in his tail. Vet said he got hit(or grazed) by a car. He was afraid of cars, and people. Who knows, I never thought he'd go in the street. There's a lot of nerves that goes from the tail to the bladder and bowel area. All that got damaged. He had no control going all the time. Almost like that whole area was paralized. Reading up on that type of injury on the internet it said cats who do survive will have to be forced manually to go to the bathroom, by pressing on their bellies 3 to 4 times a day. When you said your baby had been shot in that area, I thought of that instantly. I know we really want to try everything to save them, but the reality is do we really want them to live like that. Arthur was scared, hurt, in a strange place with strangers poking at him. His blood pressure was all over the place. I keep thinking if I could have just stayed with him long enought to calm him down, maybe he could have had surgery so I would have known for sure. It's too late now so all I have to go on is what quality of life he would have had. You WILL be able to carry on one day, the hurt my never fully go away. If finding the culprit will help you heal, I pray you find out the truth. Big hug...Ann

[Zita'sMom]

Your right Jan, Life just isn't fair. How do we carry on?? Good question. ....
There's a lot of nerves that goes from the tail to the bladder and bowel area. All that got damaged. He had no control going all the time. Almost like that whole area was paralized. Reading up on that type of injury on the internet it said cats who do survive will have to be forced manually to go to the bathroom, by pressing on their bellies 3 to 4 times a day. When you said your baby had been shot in that area, I thought of that instantly. I know we really want to try everything to save them, but the reality is do we really want them to live like that.

Hi Ann - the decisions are so difficult in these pet emergency situations. I think I was in a bit of shock myself, I called my husband to talk to the vet when she said "exploratory surgery" and gave me a quote of $850. At the time, I wasn't sure if it was life threatening. My husband spoke to her on the phone - he was a former police officer - and said that the exploratory surgery was important because they can sew somebody up and find an internal injury later. So what did the vet do? She opened up the skin and stitched up the abdomen, but didn't go inside to see that Ziggy's bowel had been severed. This kills me....

But beyond that, the vet tech of my normal veterinarian (the emergency vet wasn't anyone I knew) said that a bowel can be stitched and that cats can live with a partial bowel even and the worst thing is a bit more diarrhea than normally. If the vet had just tried then I would have more peace with Ziggy's passing.

I do think your Arthur's situation and your choices were totally based on "quality of life" which is the utmost caring and loving way to be to any animal. I did wonder if Ziggy would ever have bladder control again since she didn't have it in her last few days. At least I know she has no pain now.

My vet screwed up, but it is the person who shot her that killed her ultimately. This person just has no concept of the pain caused by his / her actions.... I hope someday this person will understand the sacredness of these creatures who bless us with so much joy when they are treated with love and care.

I know that you were a loving mom to your Arthur - the "what if's" are what haunt us, but we unfortunately can't go back. I can think of a million things I would do differently if I'd known what was to happen, but there's just no going back. I wish there was!

These screw ups and difficult decisions happen with humans too - I almost died from a misdiagnosis a couple of years ago and was just lucky enough to have a substitute doctor at a critical time.

I know that your Arthur is in a place of peace - it is us that has the difficulty accepting the loss.

take care Ann!

Jan.