I'm in pieces at the moment

A short while back I posted some pictures of my new kitten, eddie in the pets pic thread. Well I'm in pieces at the moment because I just lost him this morning.
He would have been nine weeks old tomorrow , and had really found his way into the hearts of myself and the rest of my family.
He'd never been a very playful or energetic kitten and seemed to prefer to curl up around the nearest neck he could find. This made him more lovable, he really seemed to need us.
Well he seemed fine this morning when I woke up, he enjoyed a good stroke and settled down to sleep on the sofa. I took my kids to school and when I came back he was still asleep . When I was about to leave for work 10 minutes later, I went to stroke him and noticed that his eyes were open and staring, pupils dilated. His body was all limp. I could tell right away that he wasn't right, so I quickly phoned work to say I wouldn't be in and drove straight up to the vets. The vet was quick to rush him in and start giving oxygen and antibiotics. I was told that he was anaemic , and has a very irregular heart beat , and that I should leave him there to be given supportive therapy, and wait for a phone call.
So I spent the next hour on tenderhooks. The vet phoned to say that he had deteriorated and that things didn't look too good, then a couple of hours later (or about an hour ago ) I got the call to say that he had passed away.
The vet thinks that the most likely cause is cat lukemia , possibly passed on while in the womb.
So right now I'm absolutly heartbroken . I've been crying all morning , and right now it feels like I'm never gonna stop.
I'm not really sure even why I'm posting this. I've just got to let it out, and I think I'm still in shock at how suddenly this has happened. Although the vet said that his lack of playfulness was probably a sign that something wasn't quite right
I've been on the phone to my husband who is also heartbroken. He's a big butch man , but this little kitten had really bonded with him.
Now I've just got to prepare myself for telling my kids who thought they'd left a happy healthy kitten this morning. It's going to be really tough.

from the other thread, here is my little Eddie.

That's so sad pantha....I'm sorry that had to happen at such a young age....Cute little fur ball kittens don't deserve to die, but there's nothing you or anyone else could have done to prevent it.....

I recently lost my pit, Dante, who was all of one year old to renal failure....I was heartbroken too - Of course, I still am....And when I think back on several other pets I've lost along the way, I remember all the fun times I had with them and makes me a little happier knowing that they had a good life....

So I'm sure that regardless of your kitten's health problems, he was comforted by your families attention and died peacefully....

Thanks Enron. I'm really sorry to hear about your dog. It's just so hard when you've already imagined many future years and a long lifetime for your pet.
I lost a cat last year , who died of old age. I could handle that , but this is really hard to cope with. We only had Eddied for 10 days , but he really made an impression on us. I'm never going to forget the little fella.

(hug) I'm so sorry to hear about this.

awwh pantha, I'm so sorry for your loss. Eddie certainly looked like a lovable kitty. I hope you can find comfort in knowing that you and your family provided a happy and loving home for him during his toughest time.

Aw Pantha, Eddie looks sweet. I'm sorry. Looks almost like my lost siamese George.

I've been on the phone to my husband who is also heartbroken. He's a big butch man , but this little kitten had really bonded with him.

I can relate.

(hug)

im really sorry to hear that, my heart goes out to you

[edit on 14-4-2005 by Tilly]

thanks everyone for your replies. I'm still in a bit of shock over this. It doesn't seem real. I broke the news to my kids when they got in from school, and although they are really upset, they seem to be coping with it much better than I have today ! At least I have managed to stop crying now!

Gosh pantha im so sorry to here this, I know how you feel as i lost a kitten (fluffy) who was 7 weeks old only a month ago, and reading what happened to you really hit my heart strings...

Takes alittle time to come to terms with it, so have a good cry and the good thing is you have pics...so the kitty will always be a part of your family.

So sorry again pantha, i feel your pain ...i will say a little prayer for your kitty

oh...so sad to loose a pet......
I am sorry for your loss Pantha......

Thanks again for all the TLC received on this thread. I really needed it the other day, I was in such a state. So sorry to hear about your kitten asala, you must have gone through the exactly the same emotions I did on Thurday.
I have been in touch with the woman that I bought my kitten from, as she is a breeder , and obviously needs to know if there's a problem with her cats. She had kept one of the litter of 7 that eddie came from , and her kitten is showing similar symptoms right now, so she is getting blood tests done. I just hope that it will be in time to help.She was really upset about my kitten and she actually seems quite responsible , and has said that if the kitten tests positive for lukemia , then she will have the mother spayed. Apparently even though the mother was immunised against lukemia, it will only protect her from picking it up from other cats, but if lukemia is in the bloodline even from generations ago, it can still be passed onto the kittens in the womb. She is going to let me know the results of the test. It won't bring eddie back , but at least I'll know that there was nothing that I could have done to stop this from happening.

hi, so sorry....i love my cats and dogs,its heart rendering when this happens....i feel for you,big hug.

Sorry to hear about your loss, hopefully you can find a new kitty to shower with love soon.

GOSH Pantha! So sorry to hear this, what a cutie too

I used to take in strays abandoned by their mothers, and they didn't all make it, but you bond so fast with the precious little things. I do have to say I am shocked that someone would breed a cat that wasn't screened for feline leukemia, it was the first thing I did everytime I found one, then they got their shots. Toooo sad.

*big hugs*