Trusting a vet with your furry family member should never end in tragedy. Sadly, this was the heartbreaking reality for the owner of “Kuan Kuan,” a beloved 5-month-old internet-famous cat in Shenzhen who lost his life on the operating table due to an unauthorized and unmonitored anesthesia procedure.

Kuan Kuan was brought in for a simple tear duct flushing, a procedure that originally only required light sedation. Instead, the hospital took it upon themselves to administer general anesthesia. Even worse, the medical staff failed to connect him to a vital signs monitor for four critical minutes, completely missing his cardiac and respiratory arrest until it was too late.

Kuan Kuan’s owner (Weibo @鄧峰萌萌摔腫了) refused to compromise and instead firmly demanded that the hospital issue a public apology, conduct a thorough investigation of the incident, and improve hospital’s protocols. The owner also filed a claim for 300,000 RMB compensation and pledged to donate the entire amount to establish a legal aid fund dedicated to helping other pet owners who have lost their pets to medical malpractice but lack the resources to fight back.

The hospital issued a formal apology and a public statement online on March 7. The facility has also taken several corrective actions: completely halting operations for restructuring, immediately dismissing the hospital director, and mandating all remaining staff to undergo a 15-day closed-door training focused on medical ethics and safety standards.