Tuesday, April 16, 2024

What Do Cats Do When They Die

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Coping with your loss can only happen one day at a time. Be gentle with yourself.

A pet’s death will affect the rhythm of your daily life. Old habits like going for a walk with the dog each morning or serving the cat her evening meal can jolt you back to the reality that your pet is no longer with you. It will take time to let go of some of these old, unconscious habits.

Life After Loss: Where Do Cats Go When They Die

No matter what your spiritual beliefs are, youve probably pondered the question all the same: where do we go when we die?

And if youre a cat owner, youve likely wondered the same thing about your beloved feline.

When that dreaded day comes and your cat passes away, does he simply disappear forever? Does his matter return to the earth, his atoms redistributing themselves into the plants around his final resting spot?

Might his spirit be reincarnated into another being, taking on a new physical form and setting off into a new life?

Is there an afterlife where he can spend the rest of eternity in peace and happiness, reuniting with all those he loved during his time on Earth?

Or does his spirit remain here around you, invisible and intangible but always watching over you, leaving tiny signs of its presence everywhere and hoping you notice?

Well probably never truly know where cats go when they die, but these theories can bring much-needed comfort to grieving pet parents and spark some interesting philosophical discussions. Lets look at them in more detail.

What To Do If You Find A Dead Cat On Your Property

If you find a dead cat in your garden, as the homeowner it is your responsibility to take action. The best thing to do is to take the animal to a local vet so they can find out if they are microchipped.

This way owners are not left wondering what has happened to their pet and can get some peace of mind.

Moving any dead animal is never going to be a pleasant task, but it has to be done. You can place the cat in a box or wrap it up in an old blanket before taking it to the vet.

Let the vet know where you found it and they will be able to check for a microchip and contact the owners.

Veterinary surgeries are also happy to keep hold of the body even if no microchip is found so you dont have to take it home with you again.

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Signs That Your Cat Is Grieving & How You Can Help

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Little attention is paid to the subject of grieving in cats, largely because they are often seen as independent animals that retain much of their ‘wild’ nature. But cats do exhibit behavioral changes after the loss of another cat and sometimes these can be difficult to understand.

When animals are closely bonded they are more likely to be upset by the loss of their companion. Even cats that constantly fight can grieve the loss of a feuding partner. While no-one will ever know if a cat understands death, they certainly know that a fellow housemate is missing and that something has changed in the house. The owner’s distress at the loss of a pet may also be communicated to the cat, adding to the confusion it may be feeling.

How To Prevent Your Cat Being Involved In An Accident

Do cats know when they are going to die?

Unless you have a cat that stays indoors all the time, there is always a risk they could be involved in a road accident.

However, there are a few things you can do to minimise that risk and keep them safer when they are roaming the streets.

These include getting them neutered, making sure they wear reflective collars, setting night time curfews and limiting the distances your cat can roam outside with fences or barriers.

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Does Anyone Have Similar Experiences

I would hope that there are others out there who have had similar experiences. If so, I would really welcome you to take the time and share them with me in the comments section.

There are people out there who are hurting. They are hurting really, really terribly. They have just lost a loved one, and they think that they are alone and their little pal is gone forever and for good.

Its not true. But that is how they feel.

Heaven is not as far away as it seems. Heaven does exist, and we all connect to it. I would really welcome anyone to place their stories here to share and to help others who visit this page for support. I just cant possibly be the only person who has ever had these experiences. I just possibly cant be.

Making The Decision To Euthanize A Dying Cat

Some animals are so ill that an owner may take them to a vet to determine if it’s time to consider euthanasia. After examining your cat, the veterinarian can help you decide if it is time to put your cat down. You may want to choose euthanasia if your cat has any of the following conditions and they cannot be treated:

  • Severe pain
  • Respiratory distress
  • Any medical state in which you or your cat cannot keep them clean from urine or feces
  • A systemic disease such as kidney failure, pancreatitis, heart disease, or cancer in which your cat is not responding to treatment, particularly if their quality of life is not good.

VCA Hospitals provides additional information on how to assess your cat’s quality of life. If the vet agrees with you that your pet should be euthanized, you’ll be given a chance to say goodbye before the vet administers the injection.

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How Can We Help

There are a number of things you can do to help a grieving cat to overcome the loss. Minimizing change gives the cat time to come to terms with the loss of a companion cat. Keep the cat ‘s routine the same. Changes in feeding times or even simply moving furniture around can cause further stress. A grieving cat may go off its food. A cat that goes off its food for several days is in danger of a potentially fatal liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. Encourage eating by warming food slightly or putting water or meat juice or it. Sit with your cat during meal times to provide reassurance. Don’t be tempted to change diets to stimulate appetite as this may cause digestive upsets. If the cat does not eat for three days seek veterinary advice.

Should You Get A New Cat To ‘replace’ A Lost One

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This is a very difficult question to ask and rarely has an easy answer.

In many cases, this can actually be a terrible idea that could potentially backfire and prolong your grieving. After all, a new cat is not your old cat that you loved for years and years and formed a unique bond with. They will not do all the same things you loved about your previous cat. You will not feel that same deep, unspoken emotional connection when you look into their eyes. And they cannot repair all of the broken parts inside of you left in the wake of your beloved’s death.

Simply “replacing” your cat with a new one will not change the fact that you need to feel your feelings of grief. And that takes time.

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You Have Options When It Comes To Your Pets End

Some cats die peacefully in their sleep, but for others the final step is not so easy. Consider whether you want your cat to have a “natural” death or to opt for euthanasia. There is no right answer, and you should choose whichever option you feel is best for you and your cat. Feel free to discuss your cat’s situation and prognosis with your veterinarian, and talk over your decision with your family and close friends.

If you choose to provide your cat with hospice care until she passes away on her own, follow the above steps to keep her comfortable.

Euthanasia can be a scary decision for a cat owner to make, but ending suffering is also the greatest gift we can give. Your veterinarian will give an overdose of a sedative, usually the injectable pentobarbital, and your cat will pass quickly and painlessly.

When your cat has passed, she can either be buried or cremated. Your veterinarian can help you with options available in your area.

How Do I Know When It Is Time

Most cat owners feel it in their gut when it’s time for their cat to pass on, but acknowledging that feeling can be difficult. There are a few questions you can ask to help guide you in making the right decision for yourself.

  • Keep track of your catâs good days and bad days. Occasional bad days are a normal part of life, but there will come a point when your cat is experiencing more pain and discomfort than happy, comfortable days.
  • Evaluate whether or not your cat still enjoys the things she always has. Does she eat her favorite treats when offered? Does she purr when you pet her? Is she able to access her favorite perches or play with her toys?
  • Talk over your feelings with friends and family. Use your support system as a sounding-board to work through how you want to handle the end of your catâs life.
  • Talk to your cat. It may sound silly, but it can help. Curl up together in your favorite spot and talk it over. She just might tell you when it is time.

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Their Physical Body May Have Died But Their Spirit Is Alive And Well

Once our pet has passed over they often miss the physical contact with their human/owner, the hugs and stroking, the warmth, love and closeness with their owners and so on.

They can also become quite upset when they see their human/owner upset by their grief and loss. They know of no way to comfort their owner as the owner cant hear or see them. They can be right next to them and their human/owner doesnt realise it.

Some passed over pets and animals take over new bodies and begin a new incarnation.

When they have done this they are influenced by this new body and all it encompasses its hunger and habits, its growing sensations and instincts, its sleepiness, its newness at being so young again, and the personality of their new owners.

Photo by Sam Manns / Unsplash

They are called by a different name, are living in a new house with new smells, new humans to interact with and a new life in every way.

Despite entering into a new life, they are always accessible as it is their soul or spirit that is able to be contacted.

Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev / Unsplash

Memories Are Stored In The Non

Why do cats disappear when they are about to die?

Since memories are stored outside of the physical reality, the access of it is possible in certain ways. For access of physical memories related to a specific physical body in a set reality, they can be accessed directly by the consciousness by using particle behaviors. For access of non-physical memories from previous incarnations, access is only possible through wave behaviors. As such, humans cant remember previous incarnations. However, creatures with hive souls can access memories from previous incarnations.

It is very much like it is portrayed in the movie A Dogs Purpose. I strongly recommend the reader to go rent this movie on Netflix or download a torrent of it. In regards to this movie, I would like to underline a number of key points

  • The dog remembered its previous incarnations.
  • The dog went through numerous reincarnations.
  • The dog was always attracted to those people, places and things that were meaningful to it.
  • When the dog reincarnated it would take on a different appearance, sometimes a different gender, and possibly different attachments.

All of these things are very true.

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Can Pets Have Some Kind Of Afterlife

Just as Humans, Pets Move On to Another Place

I can assure you that pets do indeed move on to a particular place on the *astral plane. Animals that reside there, including every pet weve ever had, cats, dogs, birds, and even horses, stay connected to us with the same unwavering loyalty and unconditional love that they gave us during their time on earth.

When we humans transcend to the Other Side, our deceased loved ones are there to greet us. This fact also holds true for our pets who are also excitedly waiting to welcome us Home.

The Trauma of Putting a Pet Down

Its devastating when we have to put our pet down due to old age or illness. Pet owners may feel a profound sense of guilt, and wonder if their pet in spirit resents them because of this. Be assured, the pet understands on a spiritual level why this had to happen. They will not hold a grudge against former owners, and in fact, they are thankful towards us for having eased their pain and suffering.

Ms. Meyers Dog

Ms. Meyers beloved dog, died in January 2006, But she believes her dogs spirit continues to visit her. So much loved was her dog, that she keeps the cremains in an urn by the door.

Ms. Myers shared, Every now and then I hear her coming up the steps. I can sense her, feel her. She was the most special, special dog.

How Deceased Pets Let Us Know Theyre Near

Bury The Kitten Into The Ground

All of us know that cats are fond of digging their litter but what most of us dont know is that a mother cat may also bury her kitten in the ground to keep it safe and protected.

Cats feel aggrieved about the death of their kittens. If mother cats find any human smell near their dead kitten, they will not let any human being close to it.

She will safeguard the body of her dead kitten and might carry off the body to someplace alone by holding the kitten in her mouth.

The mother cat will then dig into the ground and bury her kitten. She will then cover the kitten with mud and might lay on the spot for several hours to mourn the loss of her baby.

Like humans and other animals, cats also show symptoms of grief or sadness over their dead children. Your cat might stop eating or playing around for some time and stop taking an interest in doing any activities.

Animals are no less than humans when it comes to mourning the loss of their loved ones. Mother cats have different ways of dealing with their dead kitten.

The most common reaction is to lick the kitten to find out any movement or activity. By licking and smelling their babies, cats figure out if the kitten is alive or not.

Some cats may even eat up their dead kittens to protect them from being eaten by other animals. This happens most of the time when a mother cat delivers a stillborn kitten.

Also, some mother cats bury their dead kittens underground to keep them safe from other animals.

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Causes Of A Cats Loss Of Appetite

Vaccinations save millions of lives, but they can have adverse effects on certain animals, including cats. Loss of appetite is one of these effects. If a cat loses their appetite, it could be because they are allergic to a vaccination. A veterinarian can detect any potential health problems in your cat early. A cats appetite may also be affected by oral disease or cancer.

Cats with anorexia may have poor taste and smell. If your cat is unable to eat, you may want to warm up some soft, highly aromatic food. In more severe cases, a cat may need to be hospitalized. If your cat is not drinking, your veterinarian may prescribe a feeding tube. This type of treatment is essential for restoring the cats nutritional status, as poor nutrition can lead to illness and slow healing. If your cat refuses to drink, you may also give them intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Medications to treat your cats pain may also be prescribed.

When your cat has a reduced appetite, it might be a sign of impending death. It is important to recognize this early enough to take action. This is the best way to ensure your cats health and comfort. Besides, your cat can still be alive and alert when theyre dying. However, if they have a limited appetite, theyll feel miserable and may even want to go outside for a rest.

Appreciate Every Moment You Have With Your Cat

What happens to the cats when they die?

Cats are notoriously sickly animals and generally have happy lives. Plenty of cats do not survive more than a couple of years. If your cat makes it to age five without numerous visits to the veterinarians office, you are lucky. Be thankful for every moment you have with your furry friend.

This way, when the time comes to say goodbye to your furry bundle of joy, youll have peace of mind, and you wont feel even the slightest bit of guilt. You will know that you did everything in your power to provide your cat with the highest possible quality of life.

If your cat decides to remain at or near home during his or her final hours, provide care in the form of speaking with a soothing tone of voice, lightly stroking his/her fur, and simply being there when the time comes for your fur buddy to depart this plane of existence.

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