putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

i have an 18 and a half year old cat. her health has been going down slowly, but all in all she has been in good health. last month we took her in b/c she had an eye infection and she was having teeth problems. this is really gross but she was drooling alot. she got a few blood tests and they let us know that she has kidney disease and it is in the middle stages. the vet gave me some antibiotics for her eye and her teeth. since my sister used to be a vet tech for years she can administer fluids to the cat, kind of like a pet form of dialysis. all we have to buy are fluids and she can do it, so it cuts down on the cost. the vet also said that cats that have this can either go real quick or real slow. b/c of her age he didnt think it would go slow. i had another cat like this and he lasted for a few years but he was a little bit younger.

so for the past few weeks, she was pretty good. but this past week, i noticed it on saturday, that she wasnt that good. she falls asleep in the litterbox and barely eats. her teeth are getting worse as well. the vet also said that that can affect kidney disease more. today was worse. she got up once to walk across the house, but she isnt making it to the litter pan, b/c she has really bad arthritis. i am bringing her to the vet 2morrow, to get her kidney levels checked. it kind of seems like a waste, but i think i need a vet's opinion, b/c i think it may be coming to that time.

i have had 4 cats in my life and i have never had to make this decision before. i had my other cat die last month (never get animals around the same time) so this is making the decision even harder. how do you know when it is the right time to do this? i personally dont think just quite yet, b/c she is aware, she looks at me, and doesnt have that 'gaze' in her eyes. i have been tearing myself over this and i just feel so sad.

how do you know when the time is right?

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

Wow, that is the toughest decision. I don't think anyone can tell you when the time is right. I had a dog who, at 19 had to be put down becasue he was in alot of pain. You need to look at her quality of life, if she is in pain, I would end her suffering,

I am sorry for what you are dealing with

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

I am very sorry But think of the cat... how is her quality of life? For her sake, I would put her down before the pain/condition is worse I know it's easy for me to say as I'm not in the situation,but I don't think it's fair for her to suffer. On the positive side, you won't have to see her at her worst and have that as a memory.

Good luck!

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

i just dont know if she is in pain, that is the thing. she is just acting old. and then this morning and last nite she crawled up next to me, and started purring. it is so confusing. i have a vet appointment in a few hours. i am hoping they will give me insight.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

I just had to put my 11 year old dog to sleep last week. I struggled with the decision, actuallly made an appt. for it about two weeks prior to actually doing it, then cancelled. I did find, I knew when the time was right. I could not allow my doggie to suffer, I loved him soooo much, but when his quality of life was crap.....I just knew. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but at the same time, I felt relief, that he was resting, and not suffering anymore. It's a fmaily memeber, and the greif is very very real, but in the end you have to do what is right for the animal, only you can judge that right now...and the Vet.

Hang in there, I'll be thinking of you during this hard time.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

Im so sorry

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

so we went to the vet today. this is kind of gross and gory, but this is what happened. yesterday something came out of her mouth. i thought it might have been her tongue, but dismissed that really quick, b/c i have never heard of that. my dad then came in to look and said that it was probably food or maybe a tooth. her mouth has been in really bad shape. we brought her to the vet last month and they gave us antibiotics did all sorts of tests and came to the conclusion that her kidneys were going, but yet there was a high white blood cell count. so as in my above post you can see that she declined.

so today we brought her in and he asked us questions how she was doing all around, then took a look at her mouth. part of her tongue did in fact rot away and fell off (sorry for the gory details). he then said that she had a form of mouth cancer and flat out said that she cannot live like this. i am kind of glad that he said that and told me right away, it made the decision easier. he also said that she could not eat or drink with her tongue like that and that she was way too old to do any kind of surgury on her tongue. he had one case like that before and the cat was 10. he did surgury to reconstruct the tongue but after a few months it got worse. so i wanted to spend the nite with her then go in the morning and put her to sleep. tonite is going to be really sad, but i know that i am doing the right thing. she was 18 and had a really great life. this is one of the first major problems we have had with her. i dont think i could watch her suffer while she starved to death.

this will be the first time in my life of 28 years that i have not had a cat or any animal. i cant help but feel so sad.

but i know i am doing the right thing.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

You are doing the right thing. Your baby will be much better off.

Edited to add Hugs:

Message edited 1/4/2006 9:03:12 AM.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

Very sad but just but the good thing about pets as opposed to people is that we can make that decision for them so they don't have to suffer.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

Realllllly big hugs to you!!!

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

..times a 100

You are doing the right thing, and its nice that the Vet confirmed this, no guilt, just love her tonight, best wishes for tomorrow, it will be rough, but you are doing what is best for her!

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

it was done today. i am happy that it is over and that she isnt suffering anymore, but it still hurts, and i will miss her in my bed tonite.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

I'm so sorry

Just remember you did the right thing. I know it hurts right now, but think of the hurt she was going through. She will be watching over you.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

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Posted by Tina120206

I'm so sorry

Just remember you did the right thing. I know it hurts right now, but think of the hurt she was going through. She will be watching over you.

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Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

I'm in tears for you... I'm so sorry you have to go through this. It's the worst part of owning a pet, probably the only bad thing. It sounds like you are really doing the right thing.

I sent this to someone else on here, you may want to check out this site - it's for pet loss/grief...

http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

It was sent to me when I love my dog a few years ago. I have a tribute to him on there... 6 years later and it still hurts to have lost, but there were many years of joy that you had with your furry friend. She's in a better place.

Re: putting pets to sleep (kinda long)

I am so sorry you have to go though this. I had a simialr situation about 2 years ago. My cat was also 18 and I had to have her put to sleep. It is the best thing since they won't be in anymore pain but it was one of the hardest thing I ever had to do. To make matters worse I had to do the same thing to my dog that I had for 17 years the year before that.

Good luck with everything.