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What Could Have Been

Yesterday morning, Tiger's caretaker was doing her usual routine, checking on the cats, getting them fed. It was obvious within a moment after she entered the room, that something was very wrong. Tiger laid motionless. Her caretaker's heart sank. Tiger was dead.

I was notified of Tiger's passing and it broke my heart. I don't have the details of what happened or how she passed away, only that she was gone. She had an upper respiratory infection, but she recently had a dental. I just don't know more than that. She'll never make the journey to Connecticut to be here with all of us. She'll never be re-named or have a home of her own. She died in foster care after being rescued out of a Kill Shelter...the irony of her passing is not lost...neither is the tragedy.

I've been dragging my feet about releasing this news. No one likes bad news, especially this kind. No one likes to think of what could have been and what will now, never come to be.

RIP Tiger copy.jpg

It was a very difficult day for me because my own cat, Bob is also struggling, vomiting, not wanting to eat. I try not to be superstitious, but Tiger is the second orange cat to pass this month. The first was Connie's baby, Big O. I don't want to think that orange cats passing won't stop unless there's a third. Maybe I should dye Bob's fur-what little he has left of it, green?

I'm sorry to be a downer, but something else is going on that I'm not even obliged to talk about, but it has to do with another rescue gone wrong that I'm trying to make right. It's clear to me now how very difficult doing rescue is on the heart. I wish it was all joy and happy tales. I have to hope that there will be good news to balance the bad, to give me a reason to keep going. Right now I'm so very sad and so very sorry that Tiger is gone. There is little else I can think about right now. I wish I could have held her and cried because she had found a home and I would miss her, not because she has passed away.

Rest in Peace, sweet Tiger. Fly free.

Comments

Poor sweet girl. You tried, but alas, it was not to be.

The only comfort here is that Tiger had a little bit of time with a loving foster before she passed on...

This is heartbreaking. I inquired about this kitty almost daily when rescue was trying to be found for her..and crossposted a few times for her. It is so sad she went through so much then never got to find her forever home. I wonder if the fact she had a URI, then they did a dental while she was sick, caused her to pass.

RIP, sweet Ginger.

It is so sad when a shelter cat has a new life in front of her, but does not make it.

The pound experience seems to be so traumatic that some cats just don't survive it, even if they are not obviously sick. I drove three cats from NYC ACC to an upstate NY rescue a few months ago. One never seemed to get over the whole episode of being dumped, and after a month of hiding in closets and under beds, died of urinary blockage followed by cardiac arrest. Ironically, he was the cat that inspired the transport - the other two, who came along for the ride, recovered (though one had critical URI) and were quickly adopted.

I am so sorry you were not able to give this beautiful soul the life you wanted for her.

Was that Gaygon who didn't make it? (PODR lurker here). If it was, he had the saddest, most horrified expression I've ever seen, so maybe he knew his fate.

Gaygon was the poor cat who did not make it. He just never seemed to recover from what he had been through.

I felt terrible when I heard the news. When I handed him over to the upstate NY rescue, he hissed at me, and I thought, "You don't know it, but you are on your way to a happy life." So sad the shock was too much.

His brother Ejeb settled down, showed what a sweet, mellow cat he is, and was soon adopted. Whether it had always been true, or just happened because of the shelter shock, Ejeb and Gaygon did not act strongly bonded at the rescue.

It seems about 10 to 15 percent of the cats who are rescued from the pound do not survive, someimtes beacuse they were ill, but sometimes because the whole terrifiying experience was just too much for them.

I am so very sorry to read this. What a shock!
She deserved more, and would have had it. I hope the people that threw her away have felt some suffering from it. She was a beautiful girl.
Soar high with the Angels Tiger *tears*

Bob is always in my prayers.
b

I am so very sad to hear this. But at least she did not die unloved in a cold, scary shelter. Maybe that does not sound like much right now, but it really is a lot.

So sorry Robin. What a beautiful kitty. At least Tiger knew love before he passed. RIP my sweet Tiger. Fly free!

Ah, that is so sad; poor Tiger. You did the best you could for her, though, and at least you gave her a chance. I'm so sorry to hear about Bob. That must be so hard to cope with; I will sending healing thoughts and prayers his way.

Again, blessings to you for all do for these special animals.

Ellen

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