It is so hard decide when it is time to let your baby go.

[avebury]

Cookie is a 18-19 year old cat that I have had for 15 years. She is the one that taught be to love cats. I fear her time is growing short. She is starting to have occasional seizures (accidentally biting be last week in the process of one of them poor thing). Now she is spending most of her time lying in the litter box which is not a good sign. She is still eating and drinking and using her litter box but she is becoming more solitary which indicates to me that she doesn't feel good. If I took her to the Vets they would want to conduct all kinds of tests and I just don't want to do that to her. She is pretty frail at probably less then 5 pounds now and when she scratches an itch she has been known to fall over. I don't want her to suffer and I am not sure that she is quite ready to go yet but it will be in the near future. I can't decide if I should go ahead and have her euthanized now before her situation becomes critical or wait a little bit longer.

[warrior1]

1. I'm so sorry

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. If you don't think she's enjoying her life...

Then do the merciful thing, and euthanize her at that time.

They rely on us to take care of them...

It's a tough place to be.

I've always thought that they should not suffer if it is at all possible...

[angstlessk]

17. enjoying her life??? like only playful kitties get to live...

The cats that allowed me to care for them died in my arms at home...they were JUST OLD..

If they suffered, they never let me know...they just kept slowing down.. and being really needy...I gave them real tuna fish and they ate a day or two before they died...I only cared for them while I knew they were dying....and they died in my arms.

[narnian60]

3. "Better a day early than a day late."

Found this quote on the internet when I was trying to get info on when to put a beloved pet down. It was the right advice for me at the time, and I decided to let my 17 year old cat, Pepper, go the next day.

[avebury]

6. That is kind of the way I am leaning.

I never realized how sick my other cat was until it was so obvious that even I couldn't miss it. I felt so bad that I let him suffer so long. Cats are really good at covering it up when they don't feel good. I don't want to make the same mistake with Cookie.

[onestepforward]

4. It's one of the hardest decisions for sure.

I've always considered that if they are eating, drinking and eliminating without problems a good thing. The next big question is are they in pain and how is their quality of life?

It's tough. I've got an 18 year old cat that I'm watching too. So far, his quality of life is still good. I'm like you. I don't want him to suffer. We just have to watch and listen to them very closely. They will let us know.

[avebury]

8. What makes it worse is that I have to be in class

Tuesday-Thursday (with a certification exam on Friday morning) and absence from class/test is not an option. I just prey that she will be ok through this coming week. If it were not for the class I would not be as obsessed over her condition, I would just take it day by day and act when the time is right. She is still eating well, peeing & pooping and able to jump up on the card table in the living room which indicates that she seems to have a decent quality of life still.

[onestepforward]

11. It sounds like she'll be okay for now.

Taking things day-by-day is always a good outlook and really, it's all we can do anyway.

Best wishes on your classes and test. I hope all goes well!

[a la izquierda]

5. Talk to your vet...

while you know the animal's personality best, they know what is best for the animal...if it's a vet you trust. We had an amazing vet in Oklahoma, and luckily since we've moved to West Virginia, we found a good one here as well. They know.

ETA: I'm terribly sorry you're dealing with this. I know exactly how you feel (but with dogs, not cats).

[Goalie49009]

7. SO sorry to hear that

[Vanje]

9. That is hard.

Hard decision, but 18-19 years is a real good run.
I would bet she's in renal failure.

[avebury]

10. That is exactly what I am thinking. nt

[Jenoch]

12. I'm sorry about your cat.

The hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life was to bring the family cat to the vet and have him put to sleep. He was 20-1/2 years old and we got him as a kitten when I was 7 years old. His kidneys shut down after he was quite lethargic for a little over a week. I knew the time was coming because he wasn't able to groom himself for several months before he died.

Best wishes to you and your cat...

[hopemountain]

13. put yourself in your kitty's place

if all you could do was lie around in the litter box, you would be grateful if your human took you to the vet and be relieved for the pain and discomfort to be over.

i know it's very hard. thankfully, i had a vet who came out to my vehicle and put my 17 and 16 year olds to sleep and then euathanized them while they were in my arms. i miss them terribly. but, i realize now they had been suffering for longer than i was willing to acknowledge. and for this, i am still shamed and regretful to this day because they were the best, most loving companions a person could have the gift of knowing.

[angstlessk]

16. Old age does not mean pain..my cats were fine till the day they died...in my arms

They never indicated pain... just slowing down of every function..no reason to euthanize them....let them live to their last breath

[hopemountain]

23. unless

they are in pain. you speak truth that old age does not mean pain- for every critter. but it does for some and these are the some i reference.

[Raven]

14. Been there. It will be in her eyes. You will know. n/t

[angstlessk]

15. I knew when my cats were dying..and I just held them till they passed..no vet involved

My dog I had put to sleep because he has spinal cancer..but my cats died of old aged..so I just held them till they passed...

[sammytko]

18. If you can't decide at least make sure she is in a safe place and can't get out

My sister had an old cat - 22 or so - and it got disoriented and ran off. They found it, and decided to put him to sleep before he made another escape attempt.

Poor thing had many lives - run over at least twice - operations, hospital stays - a real trooper. But it was time.

[avebury]

19. She is strictly an indoor cat and

shows no interest in going out. After cuddling up to me this evening she has curled up in shoe box that I have on my card table that I use for puzzle pieces when working on jigsaw puzzles.

[cliffordu]

21. IF she can jump up on a card table I'd say in spite of her frailty

she still a player.

When she cannot get to you because she is too frail, well, then, it's time to think about it.

I've owned several cats, had to lay down most.

It is one of the hardest goddamned things we ever had to do in this life.

But I wouldn't trade a second with any of them to ease my pain of letting them go.


Peace to you.

[lastlib]

20. my cat went thru something similar late last year......

We took her to the vet, and he said the seizures would likely continue, and possibly worsen, until one of them stopped her heart and killed her. We decided she shouldn't have to suffer thru that, and had her put to sleep. I know it's never easy to say goodbye--you just have to make peace with the idea that sometimes it's better to do it for your kitty's sake, and not prolong things needlessly for yours. I do wish you and your dear friend all the best, and my deepest condolences.

[murielm99]

22. I am so sorry. We just went through this.

We had t euthanize our sixteen-year-old cat. We had her for fifteen years, too.

If your cat is not very happy any more, it is time. That is what we decided. It is very hard.