Dear srk:

Regarding what killed your kitten: I read that people who died following a very scary experience, died not from fear itself, but from the fear affecting a pre-existing heart condition. It makes sense because almost all people who suffer terrible panic attacks do not die. I am wondering if your kitten had a weak heart.

cat health. com reads: “Feline cardiac or heart disease is the silent killer of cats. One in six cats can be born with or develop heart disease in its lifetime. Heart disease can be broadly defined as any abnormality of the heart, and therefore includes a wide range of conditions… Heart disease can be.. congenital (present at birth or near birth) or acquired (develop over time and with age).”

Under “Lifestyle Changes” on the same website, it says: “Environmental stress may activate the nervous system, placing excess stress on the already overstressed left ventricle, and possibly leading to heart failure”- the left ventricle is part of the heart, and the dogs barking at your kitten constituted a severe environmental stress for your cat.

Regarding your guilt feelings about your kitten’s passing, you may find something helpful in the website healing pet loss. com. Even though you did not cause your pet’s death, parts of the following website may be helpful to you:  hoping for. com/ dealing with guilt when you caused your pet’s death.

Will you look into these websites, take your time and let me know what you got out of it?

anita