I Can't Beleive I Did What I Did.... And Didn't Do. Guilt And Options

[girl8211]

It's been 1 month, but it's still hard. I feel the strong need to put out there to the world my story and what I'm feeling. I'll try to keep this short, I hope some people will take the time to read this.

About 8 years ago I had a family move out of a house I was renting out. After being vacant for about 3 months I started working on it to re-rent it. While working upstairs I discovered 5 kittens and mother cat living in the attic (inner city and surely street cats). I gathered them up to bring them to the humane society, but they would not take them. So they came home with me, as I tried to figure out what to do with them.

Within a week the mother was very ill, hardly standing on her own, I took her to the vet... Feline Lukemia, brought all the kittens in and only 2 tested not infected. So I had to put down the mother and 3 kittens. I got the 2nd test on the other 2 and they where in the clear. I decided to keep them and committed to myself I would not separate the brother and sister little mates.

They were well cared for indoor cats with lots of attention and love. I named the girl 'Girl' She was the runt of the litter and just a rag doll to carry around and often would fall asleep in my lap. Always sleep on the foot of the bed... She was with me when I had some hard times and lived alone in a big house, these cats helped me keep my sanity at times. When I got married the cats then became family pets... and we all enjoyed their companionship.

Girl was special to me, I nursed her through several illnesses that where close calls for her.. she seemed to be prone to health troubles. Well, here I am today, 8 years latter.. I made the choice to put her down, I can't believe I did it and I feel horrible and guilt like crazy... at 8 years she always cuddled up and slept in my lap, played like a kitten chasing toys around and throwing them around.... never asking for anything, always giving.

I took her to the vet cause she was doing 'what I was told was.. abdomin breathing'. The vet painted a very grim picture and said $300-500 to diagnos her, plus treatment if possible and that was if she survived the testing and x ray time. So I can't believe what I did, put her down without testing My wife was there and she agreed based on what the vet told us. I feel so guilty, indoor well looked after cats can live 14-16 years.... I had alot of time I might have been able to buy her. And the vet pushed us for a decision, we where emotional, lost our sence of logic, afterwords felt that we didn't ask the right questions.

After getting home, after my wife and I spent hours crying on each others shoulder... I spent hours researching the situation, I found that there where several things it could have been that would have been easily fixed (as long as she could make it for the initial treatment) I confirmed this with another vet the next day. So I miss her horribly, the house seems so much emptier for missing such a small 9 lbs cat ...and a part of me is missing as well. I wish I had that hour in the vet hospital to re-live. And I keep questioning if I would have seen signs of a problem sooner, how could I miss something leading up to this. This situation is one of my biggest regrets, what was I thinking?... I wasn't, and now I can never undo whats been done... I'm so sorry to her, her brother (Otto), myself, and our family. And it still hurts like h.....

"I memory of Girl, I miss you like crazy"

[moon_beam]

Hi, Girl's dad, what a wonderful way to honor your precious Girl's life with you by writing up a pamphlet that will help others. You can dedicate this to your precious Girl which will be a tremendous help to others in their time of confusion and deep sorrow. Please let us know how things go with this, Girl's dad.

Girl's dad, perhaps in time you will feel up to sharing picture(s) of your precious Girl with us and sharing some of your memories of her. Please know you and your wife are in my thoughts and prayerst, and will look forward to knowing how you're doing whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam