After my Milo passed away, I finally realized I hadn’t been a qualified owner.
I often came across posts about cats passing away on Facebook. Every time I read them, my eyes would well up with tears—and I’d immediately get up to hug my own cat. I’d always felt grateful that Milo, with his tabby cat genes, was strong and healthy from a kitten. I’d thought he’d easily live to be 15 or older. I never expected something like this to happen to him so soon. Today, at 9 a.m. on August 6, 2025, his life came to an end forever at the age of 7. Over these 7 years, we’d been with each other every day; he’d long become family to me.
I want to describe every detail as thoroughly as possible—from when he fell ill, to his trips to the vet, to his passing. If other cat parents have cats going through similar pain, I hope my account can serve as a reference for them.
Don’t take chances with your cat’s health
I often came across videos claiming tabby cats are naturally robust, which unconsciously left me with biased impressions like “highly adaptable,” “hardly get sick,” and “genetically superior.” I naively assumed my cat would recover on his own—but such assumptions can easily delay treatment and worsen the condition.
For instance, my cat went from a voracious eater to refusing food for days. I’d read posts by some pet bloggers saying their cats stopped eating, and only resumed voluntary feeding after being force-fed for 1–2 months. So I thought my cat just needed the same force-feeding to regain his appetite.
In hindsight, any loss of appetite or refusal to eat means an immediate vet visit. If one clinic can’t identify the exact cause, and your cat still won’t eat after 3 days (while still alert), switch to another vet right away—there’s definitely an underlying illness.
Don’t rely on a single opinion
When vets can’t pinpoint the exact cause of your cat’s illness, some won’t directly admit, “I don’t know what’s wrong.” Instead, they’ll say, “Your cat might have X,” or “It could be caused by Y.” After spending money and putting your cat through stress with tests, you’d naturally feel frustrated—thinking the vet is incompetent or the clinic is unreliable.
In such cases, take your cat’s test results and consult multiple clinics.
Do your research and stay questioning
A month ago, I was a complete novice—I didn’t even know what routine tests were included in a pet checkup. When results came in, I’d only ask the vet, “How’s my cat? Is he healthy?”
If I’d known more, I would have asked: Could excessive drinking and urination be signs of kidney failure? If it is kidney failure, is it acute or chronic? What medications are needed? Will prolonged excessive drinking/urination worsen his condition? Are repeated tests necessary? Could this lead to over-treatment?
I should have dared to voice these questions instead of keeping them to myself.
Stay by their side—never leave them alone
If your cat has to be hospitalized, never leave them there alone—stay with them every step of the way. I’ll never forget that day: I numbly called the pet crematorium, waited for the staff to arrive, then rode with him to say goodbye. He lay there like he was asleep, his body stiff as they carried him into the incinerator. I stared blankly for half an hour; when it was over, all that was left was a small pile of ashes.
