The kind of thing that makes you feel like you should slit your throat, hang yourself and put a bullet through your head all at once.

I am a bad mommy.

We just got back in town last night. We have two cats, Suggs and Roady, who are 14. Cats are easy -- they can go a few days on their own if they have lots of food and water, but just in case, I asked someone to stop by one time. We left Saturday and returned Tuesday evening, so they were only unattended for two full days -- Sunday and Monday. So I asked a friend to stop by Sunday evening to fill their water fountain (yes, Roady has a Drinkwell fountain because she likes running water).

The important thing to know is that Roady is a very thirsty cat. She doesn't appear to have any health problems that would cause this, such as diabetes, but she drinks a lot. Well, I come home, and her fountain is running dry. Not a drop left. I felt so awful -- I'm not sure how long they didn't have water. I mean, it's hot, and all it takes is a few days, I'd think.

I took her fountain inside and put it on the counter, but she ran outside, so I left it for a second and when I came back, she'd found it on the counter and was licking at it. So I filled it quickly and she drank and drank and drank and drank...
I gave Suggs her own bowl, and she drank and drank and drank and drank. And as I watched them, I started to cry.

Come to find out, my friend got confused and came the evening I left and so nobody checked on them the rest of the time, poor things. I've never felt so awful, though I'm sure they had forgotten all about it within an hour.