PLEASE HELP! I accidentally killed my cat!

[GrievingPetMother22]

I accidentally killed my cat. My sweet, sweet baby. My cuddle bug. My darling, my princess. My cutie. My fuzzy. I had a basket full of clean clothes that had been sitting crumpled up for a couple days. This happens often because no one likes the tedious task of folding clothes. So, I went to the laundry room (which is right outside my bedroom) and tossed these clothes in the dryer. I walked back to the bedroom to see if my boyfriend had anything else that needed to be tossed in, but he didn’t. So, I went back to the laundry room, closed the door, and started the dryer. Nothing was abnormal. I didn’t hear anything up until the very end... The time was almost up, and I started to hear a banging sound. I use dryer balls, so I’m used to that type of noise. It seemed a little louder than normal though.  So, I turned off the dryer, opened it, and saw the most horrific sight that sent me into shock. My sweet 7 year old baby was there dead.... I feel so guilty. It’s my fault. I’m the one who decided to put those clothes in there. I’m the one who closed the door and started it. Like I said, I heard nothing abnormal upon starting the dryer. No loud banging, no meow for help. I thought everything was normal. Why didn’t I hear something at first? Why was there no noise? I hear that cats can get in dyers and washing machines, but she never did! Maybe a few times when she was a kitten, but I shooed her out back then. She never made a habit of it. I never had to worry about her doing that. So why this time? I still should have looked and checked, right? Why didn’t I? I don’t know how to live with this grief and guilt. I loved her so So SO much! She was my daughter. I always called her that. I can’t stop crying. I keep praying. My boyfriend tells me it was an accident, but still... her blood is on my hands. How can one move forward from this? I had pets growing up, but she was my first. When I moved out for college, she was my first pet I got. I found her wandering around my apartment complex and took her in. She was about a year old when I found her, and I’ve had her for 6 years. My heart is broken. My baby is gone, and it’s my fault.

[Peggy Sue]

Hello. I ran over my dog with my car in 2012. I was devastated for about 6 months after he died. And then slowly I began to forgive myself. Accidents truly do happen. I did not wake up that day with a plan to hit & kill him. You didn’t intentionally hurt your baby. My heart hurts for you because I know what I went through when Two Cents died. I look every day at the spot in the yard where he died & I think of him. Please be gentle with yourself. You loved your baby. I can’t with any honestly say that you will see him again at the Rainbow Bridge because I don’t think I believe in a God any more. My sister died of brain cancer on 6/29/19 less than 4 months after she was diagnosed. She was the kindest, most gentle person I have every known. Then my sweet, amazing, beautiful dog died on 9/25/19. I don’t think I will see them again. But I do believe in the power of love and I know that they loved me & I loved them. I believe you will find a way to focus more on the love you had & will always have for your baby. 

[kayc]

@GrievingPetMother22

I am so sorry I have not responded sooner, for some reason it didn't show up.

I, too, accidentally killed my dog 20+ years ago, and have never forgotten it.  I'd taken him and the cat to the vet and I opened the back end of the van up and took them out. The kids and I were tending the cat with his Rx when the dog sneaked into the van and hid.  Not knowing, I closed the van and drove to work. It was a hot summer day and with the van closed up, he died.  I will never forget opening the door that evening to him rolling out into my arms, stiff as a board.  The shock and pain was excruciating.

As Peggy Sue said, it's important to forgive ourselves.  I know it's hard, but we never intended this to happen, we're human and not perfect.  We see ourselves as their protectors and when we fail that, we feel guilty.  All we can really do is acknowledge it and ask them to forgive us, and learn from it.  We can talk to them, write a letter, however you choose to express it, but it's important to get it out and let them know how you feel.  Also try to remember that they've forgiven us already...that's their nature and they know the love we have for them.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/0dd4a5_e934e7f92d104d31bcb334d6c6d63974.pdf
https://www.pet-loss.net/guilt.shtml
https://www.griefhealingblog.com/2014/06/pet-loss-guilt-in-wake-of-kittens.html

For your little one:

 

 

[MartyT]

I also did not see this post until just now, so for that I apologize.

I'm so sorry for your loss, and for the traumatic way it happened.

The accident that took the life of your sweet fur baby is all too common, and every time we hear from yet another person whose cat or kitten died this way, it breaks my heart.

I hope that by reading some of these stories you'll find that you are not alone ~ and you're certainly not the only one to have made this tragic mistake:

Curious Cats Get Killed in Clothes Dryers

Curious Cats Still Getting Killed in Clothes Dryers

As one of our readers suggested, in an age when a "smart car" can remind us not to back up without first checking what may be behind the vehicle, it seems as if the makers of washers and dryers could come up with some sort of alarm or warning system to remind users to check what is inside the machine before turning it on.