The family had loved and lived with their cat, Annie, since 2006.
Sadly, by the time she reached the ripe old age of 19, her health had taken a serious turn for the worse.
A beloved cat in pain
Poor Annie was suffering from painful arthritis. She had lost her appetite, often seemed disorientated, and was struggling to move around. On top of that, she was passing blood in her urine. Realising she was in too much pain, her family made the heartbreaking decision to take her to the vet to say their final goodbyes and have her put to sleep.
The family paid $300 (around £230) to the Senoia Animal Hospital for the procedure, which was also supposed to include her cremation. But 18 months later, they received a massive shock. They discovered that Annie was actually still alive...
A shocking discovery
A former employee at the clinic contacted the family with the unbelievable news. It turned out that a member of staff had kept Annie alive, completely ignoring her owners' wishes. The police were contacted, and an investigation confirmed that the cat was indeed living at an employee's home.
The clinic explained that some staff members felt Annie shouldn't be put to sleep, but they had failed to tell her owners about their decision.
The clinic eventually refunded the $300 (around £230) and admitted they had completely breached the family's trust. The staff members involved were reportedly dismissed. On 13 August 2026, Annie was finally put to sleep, in line with her family's original wishes.
Translated from the FR Wamiz website using artificial intelligence
