Comment on Pet loss and self-forgiveness by Debbie.

It’s been three weeks now, and I can’t stop crying over the loss of my precious cat, Dandelion Rose. Dandy had a catio where she could room freely outside day and night. It was surrounded by something called PURRfect fence and gave her both freedom and safety as long as the fencing was properly maintained. Sometimes, to give my other cat a break, I’d let Dandy outside of the yard/catio to burn off energy so she was familiar with the neighborhood and used to an extended territory. On the afternoon of March 16, she came home around 3 PM. She played in the yard for a while, came inside, ate dinner, and had some playtime. I kissed her good night around 10:30 PM, not knowing that I would never see her again. On the morning of March 17, she wasn’t crying at the blinds and nudging me for breakfast. I went outside and that’s when I saw that the gate to the catio was open a cat-sized crack. I hadn’t latched the door properly and she was able to push it open with her nose and escape.
In my mind, I keep seeing her exhilaration as she realized that she had escaped, her happy trot down the wall towards the Mesa, completely unaware that her white coat shone in the moonlight and could be seen for miles. I keep replaying that night, imagining her scream of pain silenced as a coyote snatched her in its jaws and broke her neck.
Dandy was only a year old and in the prime of her life. If I’d only checked to make sure the latch on the gate was secure, she would be here with me now. I’m devastated and eaten up by guilt. My precious cat is dead and it’s all my fault.