Sudden death in kitten, upper respiratory? RIP little Leo

[1sock]

I love this little kitten so much and I can’t believe he is gone. Leo was my little buddy & one of the best kittens ever. He was an orange tabby manx with a HUGE personality.

We lost him just over an hour ago and I can’t find any answers online. Its Saturday and our small animal vet is not open. I need answers. I feel like we let him down, this could be our fault for not being proactive enough. He was just a baby, this is not fair!

Leo was 3 1/2 months old. After we brought him home he started sneezing some and had eye discharge, we scheduled a vet appt. thinking it was an upper respiratory infection. He was still eating well and otherwise looked OK. Took him in 10 days ago and the vet prescribed Clavamox 2x daily. My mother was using a little triple antibiotic in his one slightly irritated-looking eye.

He improved over the first few days then seemed to plateau- he was eating great, racing around playing rough with his buddy Max (who also was treated for upper respiratory, looked worse before treatment and now looks 100% better), talking to me and wanting to be held, licking my cheek purring, etc. The symptom we saw that was left- occaisionally he would have a “sneeze attack” or something like that, a very brief but strong looking sneeze-cough fit that lasted just a few seconds. We called the vet and had scheduled to bring him back in Monday (the 31st) at 8am. If memory serves the vet had been thinking about an antibiotic shot (long-acting) as an alternate treatment.

We’ve lost kittens to U.R. in the past, (many years ago) and weren’t really worried about Leo at this point as the ones we’ve lost have been lethargic, loss of appetite, visibly declining. Leo was bright eyed, full of energy, great appetite.

At 7:45 am I gave the kittens their dry food. My mom had already given them some wet earlier in the morning. They both looked completely normal and were eating when I left the room.

At 7:55 am my mom went into the room and Leo was lying on the floor, flat out, dead.

I am a wreck. I cannot accept this. This amazing, loving kitten cannot just die. I didn’t even hold him this morning, I just fed them and went back to bed. Leo and I would have little conversations, I’d tell him he was my little buddy and he’d mew at me, and I’d tell him I loved him and he’d mew… I worried so much the first week or so he was here because he was a “rumpie” manx and I was afraid that would lead to complications down the road. Guess I was worried about that for nothing.

WTF happened??? Could he have had one of those “sneeze attacks” and his amazing little heart just stopped? If he’d choked on his food (the same food he’s been eating for weeks) wouldn’t there have been some sign?

Please help COTH. I just want him back.

RIP Leo you amazing, brave, beautiful boy. I am so sorry we let you down. I am so very sorry.

[Zu_Zu]

Thoughts and prayers and ((hugs)) and tears for the family Leo leaves behind ~

I’m sorry for your loss :sadsmile:
[B]

RIP ~ Brave Leo ~ knowing you will always be loved and remembered ~

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• Bless you for giving him a loving home ~ I’m sorry he crossed the bridge so young ~ :sadsmile:

[JanM]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

[jetsmom]

I’m so sorry. Cats can have asthma. Could it have been an asthma attack? Had kitty ever been tested for feline leuk, or feline aids. Sometimes a cat with those things has a weakened immune sys, and will succumb to diseases they normally could fight off.

[Louise]

I’m so sorry that you have lost little Leo. I don’t have any ideas about what may have caused his death, but I’m very glad that, in his life, he was loved and cared for. RIP, sweet Leo.

[Simkie]

I am so very sorry about your kitten. What a terrible shock :no:

I lost a young cat to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I was there when she died, and it was very, very quick. She was fine, then fell over. She was dead in the time it took me to run to the house for the cat carrier and back to the barn. HCM is a frequent cause of sudden death in kitties, and there’s really nothing you can do to prevent it.

If it will help you to know for sure, you might consider having him necropsied. I needed to know what happened to my kitty.

Big hugs.

[cayuse]

I am sorry for your loss.
RIP wee kitty.

[Beckham03]

I’m so sorry:( I know this is so hard. He was lucky to be loved in the time he was here. Did he ever have any bloodwork? It is hard to say. HCM would be on the list as well. I lost a young cat suddenly to that. I had to put down a 2 yr old cat this week and I have felt like total crap. I get how you feel. Take care of yourself.

[Laurierace]

The only way to know for sure is a necropsy. You can keep his body cold until Monday if you want to pursue it. So sorry for your loss, hope you find someone else to fill your kitty sized void. Godspeed…

[shiloh]

I hate when babies die - it’s like they never even had a chance to really live. I’m so sorry for your loss. He sounds like a very special boy and during his short time on earth he was very loved. ((((Hugs)))) to you.

Adding: I, too, suspect something cardiac in nature.

[Lynnwood]

Impossible to say with out a necropsy. I do for the health of your other kitten recommend one. The wet form of FIP can often mimic a URI until the end stages.

The most common sudden deaths in cats are cardiomyopathy and Heartworm. He was to young for the 2nd to be probable.

Exposure to pyrethrins sometimes can cause sudden death.

Sorry for your loss. If you can’t do a necropsy get the other kitten thoroughly checked for all of the infectious disease.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

1sock, I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to just want them back.

A friend lost her Maine Coon kitten to cardiomyopathy at about 5 months of age. They were actually watching her playing in the backyard when she suddenly just - went. One second, leaping into the air; the next second, gone. Perhaps this is what happened to Leo. Or maybe his sneezing episodes were small seizures, a precursor to something more serious?

RIP, Leo, and jingles for you.

[Feliz]

1sock - I’m so sorry for your loss. He sounds like a wonderful kitty.

Please don’t feel guilty about this. You had him under vet supervision and were doing all that you could have done. It doesn’t get any easier but try not to beat yourself up too much about this.

[Bells]

I am so very sorry

[1sock]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and kind words. Its been a rough day. He was tested for Fe-Leuk at his initial appointment (both kittens were), did not test for FIV as that does not appear to be real prevalent in our area (thankfully!).

Leo is in the freezer. We’ll be dropping him off Monday for a necropsy. If I remembor correctly our vet clinic sends them out necropsies, but its been a long time since we’ve had one done. It will be a bit of a stretch $$-wise but I have to know what caused his death if possible, and to make sure Max and our other cats aren’t at risk.

Poor Max has been so lonely today, little guy doesn’t understand.

[vxf111]

1sock, I am sorry for your loss

[hoopoe]

one bizarre thing that can be seen in wee kittens is Ascarids ( roundworms) that live outside the bowel. In the case I saw the kitten had them in the heart and one came out of his conjunctiva

it was a very shocking

I am sorry for your loss. There are few things better than an orange kitty

[BasqueMom]

Am so sorry! Another orange kitty fan. Please let us know what the vet says.

Hugs!

[AliCat518]

Please let us know what the necropsy says. I have an 11 week old kitten with alarmingly similar symptoms, right down to the “sneezing” fits.

[dani0303]

Big hugs to you. My 6 week old kitten sounds a little snuffly today. I’m keeping a very close eye on him.

RIP little Leo