My 16 year old cat died in my arms today. ?

Question

As I was watching her right before she died her light green eyes suddenly turned brown/black..can someone explain this.

Answer 1

Maybe she was just very sick  

Answer 2

She had a seizure--she must have been very sick for a long time. Were you or your vet treating her for any senior cat diseases?

Had she seen a vet in the last 5 years? Usually these things don't surprise people who take good care of their pets. It is never pleasant but it should not come as a complete surprise.

I am sorry about your loss.

Answer 3

Maybe it was organ failure. However, there may have been something else wrong with her especially since she was 16 years old. My cat was 14 years old when I had to euthanize her. She had cancer. She died peacefully in my arms. :-( I am so so sorry for you loss and I know how you are feeling right now. <hugs> I can't help but shed a tear thinking about her and she died a little over 2 1/2 years ago.You can call a vet and ask what happened. You can also have an autopsy done on her if you choose. This may be a good idea if you have other cats or dogs to be sure she did not have a contagious disease.  

Answer 4

I'm very very sorry..... 16 year old is very old for a cat, and perhaps she had enough. Eyes always seem to change their shade right before they die. At least she lived a good life, with a caring owner. I'm sorry for the loss.

Answer 5

I am so, so sorry for your loss.  When my 18 year old Siamese cat died, I noticed that her pupils dilated, and the blue of her eyes weren't really noticeable.  All I really saw was the black of the pupils.  The same thing happened with another kitty who had one blue eye and one green.  

Between the soul being gone, the blood flow stopping, and the pupils dilating, I think that may explain what you saw in your sweet kitty.  

It was a blessing to you and your kitty to be there when she passed away...

Answer 6

My heart goes out to you, both my 17 and 18 yr old cats died in my arms too. They knew they were loved and felt that was the best place to be when it came time. It's hard and I still miss them very much. You can't determine what killed a cat unless you do a kitty autopsy and they aren't cheap and not many vets do this. Just know that she knew she was loved and chose the safest place to pass away.

Answer 7

Sorry about your loss.  I know it must be hard on you, as I have had a cat died in old age as well.  I can't give you a scientific explanation on this one.  But I have seen a "shadow of death" cast over my old cat's face and eyes right before he died:  his face turned grey and his eyes changed from amber to black.  And I have also seen the same "shadow" in the eyes of a neighbor's cat within seconds before he got ran over by a speeding truck in my apartment complex' parking lot.  It's just really weird, and no vet ever gave me any scientific explanation.  The only explanation I can name is the "shadow of death."  Again, sorry about your loss.  

Answer 8

Awwww i am soo sincerely sorry. You poor dear. She might have just died of old age. Again i am so very sorry dear... She had a good life. A good long one. Think that she is now in a better place. Again i am very very very sorry for your loss.

Answer 9

My cousins cat died the same way but she was in the doctors arms. I never did ask him if the color of her eyes changed though. Ironically she was 16 too.

Answer 10

wow i feel bad for you :[ sucks that you need to live with that image

Answer 11

sounds like her pupils dilated-no-one can say why she died except a vet but try and take comfort from the fact she had a good life, died in your arms and not at a vet and died peacefully and didn't suffer a long illness or pain beforehand.

Answer 12

I know it's not an hamster but when my sister's hamster died her eyes turned brown too.  When you die (Or animals) all they're organs collapse sometimes ending in eye color change.   I'm sorry to hear ur cat died mine died too.  

Funny Story About My Cat Dieing (Don't read if you don't want to!)

My dad called my uncle Randy.  He's sobbing and cried, "My cat died!"

My uncle Randy cries, "My dog died!"

both sobbing they cried in unsion, "Our pet's died!"

Lol, guess you'd have to be there to get huh?

God bless!

Answer 13

This is very unusual for cats. Usually when their eyes turn color it does it overnight and that just means that a cat suddenly became very sick. Cats eyes turn color when red blood cells deposit them into their irises and I guess your cats eyes just suddenly turned color right before it died because it was either just really sick and your cats eyes turned color right as he/she died of the illlness...or to be honest, I don't know. Trick of the light?? Sorry.