Maybe she meant it in that loving Bubbe way of "I could eat you up you're so cute".
And wasn't it Vanity who asked the musical question " Do you think I'm a nasty girl?" Some questions remain forever unanswered.

Back in college, my roommate and I found an infant kitten abandoned in the bushes outside of our apartment. The poor little thing kept crying for its mother so we took it in. My roommate's mother was a cat breeder and she herself knew a thing or two about how to care for infant kittens. Despite all of our best efforts, the kitten died in the middle of the night. There was absolutely nothing we could do to save that kitten's life.

Nature will do whatever it wants. As horrible as that might be, there is nothing anyone can do to prevent that. Anyone that doesn't understand and believe that is either lying to themselves or has a god complex.

To say that the only way an animal could die is through old age simply because they are under the care of another animal that has found novel and efficient ways to destroy this planet and each other is simply absurd.

Pet ownership does not equate a move beyond the laws of nature and ensure survivability.

I once had gerbils who ate their babies. I think the sight of that was so horrifying that I realize you are scarred enough by what happened. People should be supporting you not denigrating you.

LOL at people berating you for putting an animal back in its cage. Take it easy, Liz. You deserve a break.
...and I can only imagine the rants they sent to DHS. I wish I had a copy of those...