My cat has cancer

[CheshireCat]

My kitty, a 12 year old torty whom I love more as much as any human in my life, was just diagnosed with cancer in her mouth.

The vet says she has two weeks to two months left. My heart is broken. I am hoping that she will recover from the surgery the vet did to remove her upper teeth on the right side, so we will have at least a few weeks together, but I have no intention of letting her linger in pain.

When the time comes, I want her to be euthanized at home. she hates the doctor's office, but the vet says she cannot give me the meds to do it because they are controlled substances.

Is there someone on this forum who knows what I could give her to make her death as painless and quick as possible?

Please help me out. I hurt so bad that I cannot think.

[Lavender Brown]

1. I'm so sorry, CheshireCat

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm sure there's an animal lover here who does. :hug:

[benny05]

23. My kitty's heart is next to you

She is nearly 13, appears to be healthy, but hard to say. Cheshire Cat, you are a beautiful one for being around your human. Hang in there!

[JanMichael]

2. I don't know what area you are in, but

there are vets that will come to your house to take care of this.

I am so sorry; I dread the day my Stinky gets to be an old kitty with health problems.

[trotsky]

3. Do NOT try to euthanize her yourself.

Call around. Find a vet who will make a house call to allow you to say goodbye to your friend the way you (and she) want.

So sorry to hear about your kitty.

[Left Is Write]

4. I'm so sorry. Losing a beloved pet is tough.

Especially when they are in pain.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

5. Meow, neow!

I was always lucky that my best friend is a vet tech and she snuck out some meds (she could have been so nailed-bless you, Celeste) to euthanize my two late kitties at home. I don't know what to tell you, except look on the net. I'm sure someone has figured out a way around this by now. :hug:
:cry:

[radwriter0555]

6. ooo make sure her last hours are filled with CAT pleasure! Think of the

treat she enjoys the MOST, a piece of fresh salmon or trout, the one SINFUL thing she can never ever have and craves the most.... and let her have it!

I have a friend who's dog had to be put down due to a serious, fatal illness, and on the way to the vet she bought the dog a 1 lb bar of chocolate... now THAT'S the way to go.

Celebrate her life... sounds like she was a great kitty cat.

[gulfcoastliberal]

7. If you have a gun, preferably a shotgun,

One quick blast to the head is as painless as whatever lethal cocktail the vet has in store for her. I had to do this once for a dying feral cat my grandparents took care of in their backyard. It was hard for me to do, but the cat was suffering terribly.

[kedrys]

8. I'm very sorry

I know how you feel. We had to say goodbye to our oldest kitty (15 and a half years old) last Thanksgiving, after the vet said there was nothing more that could be done. :cry:

Ask your vet to recommend a vet who makes house calls, or call around to find one. We had one come out to give vaccinations to one of the outdoors cats who wouldn't stay put, much less allow himself to be caught or carried, and the vet did a great job.

Good luck. :hug:. Take care.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Look...

I know you hurt right now. I have felt the same pain. I had to recently give up the only love in my life, the parrot that is my avatar. It was for her own good. My life is in incredible flux right now and I could not give her the stewardship that she deserves.

I did it out of the love I hold for her. I miss her so much.

That said, I used to have a karate sensei who bred German Sheperds. He loved them like life itself. But sometimes, he had to have them put down. After a few times, he decided upon the simplest and most effective manner:

A .22 short to the head.

Trust me: he did it out of love. I saw him cry afterwards.

Then again, he was a sensei and one of the bravest individuals I have ever met. In ways few of us will ever know.

[swag]

10. I'm very sorry.

I'm looking for some resources for at-home pet euthanasia in Columbia, SC. I wll let you know if I come up with anything. I will be calling an at-home euthanist when the time comes for my cat.

Take care.

[CheshireCat]

11. She is the best

I already give her everything she wants. I fed her shrimp and hamburger by hand last night.

I have always brushed her for at least an hour a day. Yesterday, when I got home from work, I brushed her til we both fell asleep.

She slept in my arms all night, but we have slept like that every night but a few for 10 years.

The only vet that makes housecalls in my town says she will not take new patients, but I haven't begged her yet. Will call her again tonight.

I can't imagine staying in this world without her.

[swag]

15. Perhaps one of the veterinary offices will be persuaded to pay a visit

Sounds like it might be tough in your town, but it's worth a try. Here's a bit of text from a much longer page. Best to you.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/euthanasia.htm

IN HOME EUTHANASIA

All pet owners want their pet's last moments to be as comfortable as possible and as stress free for themselves and their pet as the situation can be. The natural question is "Can the veterinarian come to our home to administer the euthanasia solution?" The answer is Yes. However, there are a number of things for you to consider.

First: What will you do with your pet after euthanasia?

Second: Will your pet require restraint so that the needle can be carefully placed into a vein? In the animal hospital, the staff is trained in gentle restraint procedures which allows for proper administration of the euthanasia solution.

Third: The veterinarian will most likely have to schedule the home visit after regular office hours. Are you willing to pay for an after-hours in-home visit?

Fourth: Do you understand that often, as the pet is euthanized, there will be an emptying of the bowels and bladder? In an animal hospital setting this is not a problem.

Fifth: Understand that in the animal hospital most animals are willing to accept that they are not in their own territory and they become less defensive than they would be in their own home. This realization by the pet actually allows for easier handling of the pet in the hospital than the same handling as taking place in the pet's home.

Sixth: Are you willing to have your pet sedated prior to attempts to place the needle for euthanasia? Sometimes the process goes much more smoothly if sedation is given prior to the visit. Sedation is a good topic to discuss with your veterinarian to lessen any stress on your pet prior to an in-hospital or in-home procedure.

There are veterinarians who have made it a policy never to euthanize a pet outside of the animal hospital setting. They have some very good reasons for this policy. However, if you must have your pet euthanized at home, don't be reluctant to make some phone calls and you will be able to find a veterinarian who will accommodate your wishes.

[gypsy11]

12. I'm so sorry

I don't know the answer to your question, but I wanted to offer my condolences. It's very hard to lose a beloved pet. I've been through it. She will always be with you in your heart. :hug:

[CheshireCat]

13. Thanks, everyone.

I don't think I am brave enough to shoot her although I know it is suppose to be painless. I have bouts of severe depression and there are times when having access to a gun would be dangerous for me.

I will call the vet that is not taking new patients tonight and beg.

Thanks for the kind words.

[Delarage]

17. I am so sorry....

I had to have a great old cat euthanized and it was extremely difficult--I cried in the vet's office--but it was very quick, painless, and peaceful. It's difficult to watch your pet suffer but it's difficult to make the decision to end it. With all due respect to the gun-toting members who recommended shooting your pet, I think that's horrible and I would never do that. The stuff the vet gave my cat worked almost in an instant. The pain, for me, lasted for quite a while. Friends talked me into getting another cat a year later and I still resisted, but now I love my new cat, too. You can't expect any new animal to take your pet's place--it's not fair to either of you--but you just have to accept the new animal as its own being and you will bond with it over time.

Hang in there.

[NoSheep]

19. I was fortunate enough to have a vet who lived nearby. Still, saddest

day of my life. You're in good comapny with many who have been where you are. :hug:

[WeRQ4U]

14. You're gonna make me cry....

Bless you. When my pal Lazzie has to go I'm not gonna handle it well either. Best dog ever. She hates the doctor too and I'll probably have to go through the same process. Here's giving you some good vibes.

[Lorien]

16. I'm so very sorry.Do you have any holistic vets in your area?

I don't want to sound too optimistic, but a friend of mine has a pug that was diagnosed with incurable cancer two years ago. She tried an alternative medicine vet as a last resort, and her puppy is still with her today.

If all else fails, please look into a mobile vet who can make a house call.

:hug:

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. I am so sorry *hugs* I have known people to put their kittens down

by putting them in a plastic bag and taping one end of it to their car's tailpipe so that the CO puts them down. But I can't imagine that working for an older cat unless it was unable to thrash around.

I am so very sorry this is happening. My cats just turned 11 and they don't seem at all old enough to be done with life yet.

*sad hugs for you and kitty*

[nicknameless]

20. I'm so sorry...

I have no idea how to make a kitty's death less painful.

Would you be willing to try to help her be stronger?

NK cells are a huge part of the body's defense system. My holistic vet recommends 4Life Transfer Factor Plus. It strengthens NK activity (over 400%) and is said to be a good cancer-fighter.

It retails for about $55, but can sometimes be purchased on eBay for less.

I don't know what else to offer. I'm so very sorry for what you're going though.

[Zomby Woof]

21. :-(

I am sorry to hear this. :cry: :hug: I know how cats are family.

[Lauri16]

22. I am so sorry

:(

[VOX]

24. CC, ask around your area for someone who will perform euthanasia at home..

There are many more qualified individuals who will do this now. Ask various vets, rescue shelters, etc. I'm sure that someone can connect you.

I'm so very sorry that your tortie's time is limited. These little "fur people" are such magnificent gifts, and they can leave us as quickly as they appeared, not that that's much comfort. When the time comes, just know that you did *everything* possible to give her a terrific life.

Spend as much time with her as you can, and celebrate your special cross-species bond. It is so unbearably hard to say goodbye, but at some point, you must.

Carry her with you in your heart, where she'll always have life. :hug:

[u4ic]

25. I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty

-companion - friend. :hug:

[driver8]

26. So sorry to hear about your kitty...I had to put my 11 year old Border

Collie to sleep this past Sunday.

There are vets that will come to your home. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life...but I knew my friend would no longer suffer and that I was doing the right thing. (Doesn't make it easier, though.)

I held my dog's head as the vet gave him the shot. It is very quick and painless...he went to sleep and that was it.

[nicknameless]

28. I'm so very sorry for your loss

of your precious fur-baby. :hug: :cry:

[driver8]

29. Thank you...

I cannot believe how much I miss him.

[KittyWampus]

27. Am So Sorry. My Beloved Had A Vet Come To The House At The End

call every vet in the area and find one who'll come to your house.

There will definately be someone.

[Piperay]

30. I'm so SORRY

perhaps the vet would make a house call and come to you. My vet did that for me when my dog was very sick, she brought a hypodermic needle with the stuff in it. What the vet told you about the substance being controlled is true because that is what my vet said and she said she was very careful driving over because she was afraid of getting into trouble if she was stopped by the police.

[NMMNG]

31. I'm so sorry :-(

I've gone through the process so I know how painful it is.


I wouldn't recommend trying the euthanasia yourself. Even when the "professionals" do it occasionally things can go wrong and the pet can suffer (the drugs may not take effect in time, or the initial dose may not be sufficient). You'll want to have the vet on hand in case there is a need for further assistance.

If you know a vet who is willing to make a "house call" perhaps that is an option?

[roguevalley]

32. I am so sorry. Please don't do this yourself. You will be in more pain

than you feel now I promise you. Find a vet who will come. Please. Then take a lot of pictures, hold your baby and know you gave her all that she ever needed. Hugs from someone who put down her baby, Tippy, in March.

[China_cat]

33. Check to see if there's a home care vet

in your area. We have one here and the biggest part of their practice is just what you want. Ask your vet...he/she may be willing to send out a tech to do it if there's not a mobile where you are.