My cat was a rescued stray black and white saddleback patterned kitten of barely five weeks of age. When I got him he was fighting an absess at his throat from claw punctures and starving. He wasn’t able to meow or even purr. The absess was beginning to go septic. I was able to save him from this. I ne ver so enjoyed a purr before his first after he became able to.
Zekee was just past his year birthday by two months. Because he was an indoor/outdoor cat I didn’t want him to be dealing with fleas.
I used a Harts flea and tick control cartrige for one application for a cat under five pounds in the afternoon; two or three p.m. By midnight he began having shaking, tremors/lower body seizures? By three a.m. he developed dark tears, and it seemed that his eyesight was not as good. Then he slept for awhile. Just when I was going to take him to the vet, Zekee started drinking water and eating again. He looked like he’d made it through. He stayed inside and rested; I thought this was good for him. Then he developed diarhea. I came home yesterday from work. And when Zekee didn’t meet me as usual, I hunted all over for him calling him. He came out of hiding. Zekee coundn’t walk without trying to fall over and I don’t think he could even see. But even so, he tried so hard to come to my voice. He tried so hard because he loved me and needed help like before. Zekee was shivering and I wrapped him in a towel and he collapsed into my arms; he tried to purr.
In the early morning hours, he gave me one last pitiful meow in pain and then suffered in agony quietly. By morning he couldn’t lift his head or respond. He was dying very slowly; painfully. His tears were brown. I’ve never seen the like before. I couldn’t stand watching him suffer any longer. I stopped his breathing. He gave up without much fight, he was so weak. I pray he understood that I did it out of love for him, not to betray or hurt him more.
Of course I feel responsible for what happened to him; it’s got to be the worst way to die, because of the one person you have come to trust for your well being. Zekee and I have been utterly betrayed by the Hartz company. And the utter irony in this story of Zekees’ death is that the medicine never got rid of Zekees’ fleas. So, Zekee died in the most horrible of ways for absolutely no good reason because the medicine served to kill the host not the pests. Zekee did not deserve this kind of death; he never did anything but, be greatful for his home and the love he had.
I’m done using Hartz products and those who are affiliated with them. I will not recommend them to anyone. I will never forget the harm they’ve done me and my family.
6 Comments Received
April 5th, 2011 @9:05 am
Its really crazy how you bought flea medicine for your cat and are writing how they hurt your cat when your the one who killed him. You call you and Zekee family? Would you kill your husband or kids.I am in utter shock that you killed your cat with your own two hands instead of taking the cat to the vet to get properly treated. If you would have done your research you would have seen that all of the other animal owners either took the animal to the vet or washed the gel off and the animal returned to normal. It is called an allergic reaction you close minded freak. Bottom line, you are a cold hearted murderer. I hope you are strangled to death and die a slowly and painfully then you can see how what you did to Zekee is the most disgusting, inhumane thing to do.
April 8th, 2011 @10:17 am
To the person who posted the first comment – not every Dog and Cat has made it through this. Hartz products have killed a great number of them.
While I don’t agree on a personal level with what the OP did, I give them enough benefit of the doubt to trust that they knew that Zekee was dying and suffering.
Hartz products are known to cause more than just an allergic reaction, including the liver function shutting down completely. Maybe YOU need to do research before having a go at someone else for their actions.
April 12th, 2011 @5:40 pm
First of all, ignore the posting by Your Crazy (just the spelling says a lot), the fact that they would kick you when you are down is unconscionable. I am going thru the same thing right now that you went thru with Zekee…. there are times when a beloved pet has to be put out of their misery. Paying a vet hundreds of dollars for the same ultimate outcome is ridiculous. I’m well over 50, I’m not an idiot, and I’ve had many pets thru my years… No-one euthanizes their pet without tears and guilt and sadness. One of my cats is dying before my eyes (convulsing horribly after flea treatment)… I am debating how to put her out of her misery. The usual “country-method” is to shoot a dying animal, but I keep hoping she might pull through. My stomach is in knots. The other 3 cats seem okay…. I hope they stay that way.
You have my deepest sympathy.
April 12th, 2011 @11:19 pm
To those who’ve shown me compation; I’m ever gratefull.
To those who could not understand…I would rather it be me than a stranger who doesn’t care about my cat and who will throw it away into a biohazard furnace and then insult me by making me pay for the cold privledge while my cat suffered in the meantime during the trip and the wait. My Zekee is buried in a nice place in my yard.
The reality:
His whole eyes had turned the shade of liver. He couldn’t hold his head up. It happened so fast. At first he was eating and drinking water like nothing was wrong. Then the nightmare.
I read after, that not only could the poison affect his liver but, it could also damage: the eyes to bleed inside.
The gastrointestinal system, the neurological systems, and on and on and on.
I in my entire life I’ve never seen such tragic injustice to an innocent animal. I’ve never put down any animal before. I hope I never have to again. But Zekee didn’t deserve to suffer the way he had up to that point nor, did he deserve to have that suffering prolonged when there was no hope for survival. There was no vets open on Sunday early hours.
To: Loves Critters. My prayers and sympathies are with you. Thank-you for your wisdom. I know that even though I put down my cat, it was because he was suffering …but, it was Hartz’ product that ultimately caused the real unforgiveable harm.
It is Hartz’s product that they allow to be marketed even though they know it causes such horible effects to some cats. It seems it is the $$$dollars versus the %percentage of affected cats. I believe it is animal abuse and cruelty to allow such a product to be used which could cause such horrible suffering. It effects cats randomly and they are using this randomness to justify its’ continued sales . Randomness and money should not excuse needless and unjustified animal cruelty and abuse. Hartz is not attempting to lessen the suffering. Nor, can any cat owner know if their cat will be harmed until after application. Russian roulette is not my idea of quality or safety measures.
April 19th, 2011 @6:30 am
I am so terribly sorry for your loss. Your Crazy probably doesn’t know what it’s like to have to put down an animal at the vet. Agreed wholeheartedly on “I’d rather it be with me than a stranger who doesn’t care about my cat and who will throw it away into a biohazard furnace and then insult me by making me pay for the cold privledge while my cat suffered in the meantime during the trip and the wait.”
While I must agree that you might’ve taken him to the vet the first time he showed signs of discomfort, I understand that it wasn’t your fault that you might not’ve recognized the right signs.
My female Manx cat had four kittens about 15 weeks ago and we had bought Hartz OneSpot Treatments for cats and were going to use it on all of them before we sent them off to their new homes. I put it on one of the kittens and sent her off to play. She exhibited these same symptoms but much faster than the other cats. She passed away within six hours of being treated. I think it was because she had such short hair and was so small. We washed all of our cats after that and I stumbled upon this website. Your story touched my heart and I want you to know that Zekee and my little Kou are happily romping around in a Hartz free heaven full of catnip and mice to chase.
Thank you for sharing your story, hopefully we can stop Hartz before any more animals pass on because of it!!!
July 23rd, 2011 @1:22 pm
Please don’t think anything of the idiot who posted, they obviously have no earthly clue what it is like to watch your dearest friend suffer and perish before your very eyes. They should realize that perhaps the vet wasn’t an option, be it money (which was ours) or inavailability. We had to take Xena to the vet to be Euthenized. We could not have her suffer like that a second longer. Just let the fact that there are plenty of people out there who completely understand your actions comfort you through your hardest time. We’ve suffered this 3 times in one year, all thanks to Hartz. So once again, do not let the ignorant rantings of someone who does not understand get you down when you can’t possibly go lower.
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