Way OT (even for this forum!!)

[wiininkwe]

Andi, I'm sorry to hear that the kitty didn't make it.  You know, if it was antifreeze (and I do trust my brother Al's judgement when he says it doesn't sound like that) don't qo worrying that it was your fault or anything.  Any one that visited your house and parked in your driveway, or near the curb by your home could have leaked a bit of it onto the cement or pavement.  Our vet said that all they have to do is walk thru a small bit of it, and then lick their paws, and that's enough to do the damage, especially for a small cat.
And, I'd have some strong words for that vet.   The very least he could have done was to refer you to another vet if he absolutely had no way to fit you in.  I misread your post earlier, and didn't realise that he had said he was too busy, and when I went back and saw that, I was furious.  I know that our vet would bend over backwards to fit us in if we called with a problem about Lil Spanky.  
T

[jpreiser]

I am sorry to hear that it died   As others steted, there probably was nothing which could be done to save it, if it was antifreeze... Its sweet taste is just too attractive for animals or CHILDREN to resist.

Now you need to go out and get another one immediately ! They will be too busy playing with the new one and soon (hopefully) forget this one. I know it sounds cruel, but, I think it will work ...

  NO don't go out and get a new one...!!. until you know what killed this last one.. also a new one  needs shots,  check ups etc.. and if $$ is tight then the cat will be the one suffering. Just tell your children the truth.. Kids can take more then we think they can..When our G Pig died they helped me buri him in the back yard. sure they were sad, but it teaches them  the circle of life.

[Miss-Teri]

I'm so sorry!  

[Zooey]

I'm so sorry about your cat...

The vet should have told you where the nearest emergency vet hospital is.  I agree with everyone else, DEFINATELY get a new vet!!!

Also, anyone with a pet should always have the number and location of the nearest animal hospital.

Zooey

[NightOwl]

Al's post reminded me of the ONE and ONLY time we tried one of those OTC  cat collars for fleas.  Our cat got VERY sick and DH guessed that it was the collar so we removed it and kitty got well quickly.  Later we learned from our vet a general explanation  of what Al had to say about how those things work (or dont work.)

So sorry to hear your kitty died, Andi.  As JPR suggested,  you might want to consider having a burial service for the kitty and letting the children know  that although the kitty is gone, they can always enjoy the sweet memories of  the fun they had with her.  It is very sad, but is not the worst way for kids to learn about death.

We did this with all our pets and it semed to work well for letting the girls learn about the "circle of life"  in a way that made death seem less scarey and more a natural part of life.

But, of course, there WAS ONE TIME...

We had loaned Elisa's first grade class a couple of our desert lizards for their terrarium.  One Spring afternoon about getting-home-from-school-time,   I looked out into our back yard to find a cluster of  about 5  classmates gathered around 6 year-old Elisa .   Before I could step into the yard, they all folded their hands over their  chests, looked straight up into the sky for a minute, and then  bowed their heads.  Elisa was saying something.  

I decided not to go out--the kids left and Elisa came into the house.  I asked what they had been doing and she replied in her sweet little vooice, "Well, Mommy, one of my lizards died in the night so I invited my friends home so we could bury him and pray him up to heaven."   Sure enough, she had gotten a spade from the garage, dug a little hole and wrapped the lizard in a little flowered hankie from the teacher   and buried him.

It was such an innocent and  wholehearted expression of her love for that little creature  that I still cherish the memory all these many years later.

[Acts 2:38 girl]

Yeah, I'm going to wait until we know what happened, although I have no idea on how to find out.  I buried her quickly this morning before I left for school, and plan to bring the boys over and show them, etc. Olderst DS was mad about not bringing her to the vets right away.  I can understand that.  Poor kid, finally gets an indoor cat so we can make sure she lives a long time and this happens.  

Yes, definatly a new vet, too.

[Firefyter-Emt]

And, just in my defense.. It was not anti-freeze. Ask Andrea how I am with my garage. It is my kingdom in there.. Good fluid is in sealed & washed jugslined up on their shelf. Drained fluid is in a special container designed to drain & refill (100% sealed & washed). There has also been no open anti-freeze in a month or two.  So unless the stupid cat got sick licking up oil spots on the floor from a leak on the Jeep (not antifreeze, dirty oil) The deed did not take place in my shop.  I think it is just God's way of saying he is a dog person.. (Remember.. dog is God spelled backwards!)  :-P

[B-flat]

Hmmmmmm, careful there Fyre or else there might be something spelled "doghouse" and I doubt it looks real good spelled backwards, either.    :eek:  :Z  :J

[tlhdoc]

Sorry to hear about your cat.  I hope that you get the kids a new kitten to replace the one that died.

[birol]

I agree with tlhdoc, you need to get another one ...... Yesterday we were at pet smarts and they are soo beautiful. But we are about to get a chihuahua, so we can't get a cat.

[angelsmom10]

Definitely need to replace it, either with a dog or a cat (or 1 of each).  I dread the day when I dogs go, 4 of them are about the same age, so I'm sure when 1 starts the others will follow, they have become so much a part of the family.
 
I suggest going to a rescue or looking in the paper; around here, there is always free to good home or go to the local pet store and look at their ads.  I am always afraid that these dogs may just get turned loose because there is a reason why the people need to get rid of them.
 
Keep us posted.

[Acts 2:38 girl]

Well, it seems like a good idea, except we don't know what killed her, so I'm to scared to get a new one.  I don't want to go through that again.  
 
 

And, just in my defense.. It was not anti-freeze. Ask Andrea how I am with my garage

 

DH is really good about not leaving anything on the garage floor, he has spedi-dry on it all the time for spills he's made.  

Satisfied??:p

[birol]

Maybe some cleaning stuff from under the sink or a cleaning material cabinet  if it can reach it ?

[angelsmom10]

How long had you had the cat?  
   if new, possibly sick before you got it
 
Was it an outside cat?
   someone may have done it by leaving something for the cat to get into
 

[Acts 2:38 girl]

She was an indoor cat because we never had an outdoor cat live longer than a few years.  So when we got her we decided to keep her inside.  What I'm thinking is that since we just bought this house in October of last year, maybe the previous owners used poison to kill thier mice.  We never poison anything because we have kids, a dog, etc.   - it would be foolish.  But it was just an older man living here before.  Plus our cat used to go up into the dropped ceiling in the basement (don't ask me how!)  and a few days after she died I found a mouse (half-eaten) in the basement.  It' s really the only conclusion I can draw.  She wasn't outside once while living here, and she was only 9 months old.  

Well, enough said.  Now I'm thinking of making a duck pen (or oasis as I like to think of it) in the back yard.  Either that or rabbits, I'm not sure!  Anybody out there have any ducks or rabbits??