Getting cat PTS - am I doing the right thing?

blue_monkey_2

I've been putting off going to the vets because of this but I definately have to go this week.

We have an old girl, 15 that we know of but she came from the shelter so could be older, I've had her for over 13 years now.

She has had diabetes for the last 5 years or so, the last year it's not been so good and they cannot stabilise her sugar levels. Last October I said I'd only take her back another one time for the tests, which she has had, and I took her back again last month and it is still too high. So it is going to need another 2-3 visits at least to get her stabilised.

The level they wanted me to give her made her levels too low last time, there is no 'inbetween' because of the amount she has.

However, she now seems to be incontinent and her bed is wet and smells of wee within 24 hours of it getting put back.

She sleeps all day curled up in a ball in the back of the room - does not seem to notice I am there if I go in, she gets up for food, water and a wee. That is it. I now put the water outside to ensure she gets up at all, otherwise she would not leave the room, even for a walk or fresh air.

Hubby and I have discussded it and feel it fairer on her if she is PTS. We have another cat who is going to be lonely and I feel so guilty for even considering doing this. When I mentioned to the vet before about getting her PTS if her levels did not stabilise after the last stay they made me feel awful because 'she purrs and seems happy enough' but at this time she was not incontinent. I have got to tell them this when i go back.

Is there ever going to be a 'right' time? Am I doing the right thing? What does anyone else think please. I'd value a 2nd opinion if I could. What would you do if this was your cat. I am going to get some Insulin to tide me over for a week si tge kids can say goodbye to her but I feel so guilty.

trudij

IMO - the right time is whenever its right for you and your family. Its never an easy decision to make, and from the sounds of things,her quality of life isnt all that great - cats are clean animals,and I cant imagine its nice at all for her being incontinent.

Its not something you have rushed into and the only people who have to be happy with your decision are you and your family. Im a big believer in better a day too early than a day too late, letting her go with dignity and as painlessly as you possibly can is the one thing that you are able to do for her....

hope that comes over right, good luck

xx

soupdragon10

This is the hardest thing about owning pets, having to decide when their quality of life is so poor that you want to take the kindest way out.

It's an awful decision, and you will know when the time is right and giving your children time to say goodbye is so thoughtful, rather than whisking her away and telling them after the event.

If you don't want to take her to the surgery to be PTS you could find out how much it would cost for them to do this as a home visit. To be honest our last two dogs were both PTS at home, it was so much less stress for them, and was worth the cost of the house call to be honest.

wornoutmumoftwo

I lost my old boy last year (17). He died at the end of an operation for an overactive thyroid.
I didn't have the courage to get him put to sleep until I had done everything I could for him.

Had I chosen to have him PTS, I would have asked about the home visit to have it done.

I really feel for you, I know how hard it is and still miss my boy now, but I think at the end, he 'knew', and I still feel him around me.

spike7451

The is never the right time,my old mate Orbit was very ill Sept 09 & I was facing the decision to have him pts.He must've known as the last night he was with me,he slept on the bed,I didn't sleep as I knew it was time, & he passed away at 0755hrs the next day.

blue_monkey_2

Thank you all for taking the time to reply and share with me your thoughts. You are right, this is the hardest descision I've had to make, never had to have a big pet PTS, although it is the inevitable part of it. One of our rats was very poorly so we did have him PTS but this was obvious. it's so hard to just watch her lying there all the time, not even wanting to get up. She still looks 'normal'.

Can I ask what happens 'after'. Sorry. Putting her in the garden is not an option because we have dogs and I - and the kids - would be horrified if they were digging her dog or could not leave that spot alone. I was wondering about cremation and how that works. Not where they all are put in together for a communal cremation but how would that be done. Do the vets get it done, or do I have to arrange it.

I feel sick about this and have a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I need insulin and am scared to go to the vets, it's going to make everything final I guess, but I have to go but I do not feel it fair for them to start messing around again, taking bloods arranging for her to be kept in for tests if it is only going to mean she is miserable for longer.

So hard to do the right thing. And did anyone else have another cat that was left afterwards. I do not want to get another cat really but I am worried about our other cat being too lonely. They always sleep together. Because of allergies they cannot sleep in with us or the kids so it has to be in the cat room but I am so worried and this is half of the reason i am putting it off, each time I go in and see her huddled next to her - but if I am honest, I don't think she even knows that she is there, they used to have their arms wrapped around each other IYSWIM, but now she is always in a ball with Millie up against her.

I am off to bed, will check in tomorrow sometime. Thank you again for sharing with me.

spike7451

blue_monkey wrote: »

Thank you all for taking the time to reply and share with me your thoughts. You are right, this is the hardest descision I've had to make, never had to have a big pet PTS, although it is the inevitable part of it. One of our rats was very poorly so we did have him PTS but this was obvious. it's so hard to just watch her lying there all the time, not even wanting to get up. She still looks 'normal'.

Can I ask what happens 'after'. Sorry. Putting her in the garden is not an option because we have dogs and I - and the kids - would be horrified if they were digging her dog or could not leave that spot alone. I was wondering about cremation and how that works. Not where they all are put in together for a communal cremation but how would that be done. Do the vets get it done, or do I have to arrange it.

I feel sick about this and have a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I need insulin and am scared to go to the vets, it's going to make everything final I guess, but I have to go but I do not feel it fair for them to start messing around again, taking bloods arranging for her to be kept in for tests if it is only going to mean she is miserable for longer.

So hard to do the right thing. And did anyone else have another cat that was left afterwards. I do not want to get another cat really but I am worried about our other cat being too lonely. They always sleep together. Because of allergies they cannot sleep in with us or the kids so it has to be in the cat room but I am so worried and this is half of the reason i am putting it off, each time I go in and see her huddled next to her - but if I am honest, I don't think she even knows that she is there, they used to have their arms wrapped around each other IYSWIM, but now she is always in a ball with Millie up against her.

I am off to bed, will check in tomorrow sometime. Thank you again for sharing with me.

Orbit is buried in the garden however we now have badgers coming in from the building site over the way,that used to be open country,so I've had to put slabs over his resting place now.

You will go thru the whole range of emotion,guilt,loss sadness the works.I myself had to get out of the house.I just could'nt stay in as the was something missing,like the soul of the home had gone.I couldn't bring myself to throw out the litter or his food for a day or so & every time I went into the kitchen,I broke down into tears.
Honestly,I never felt grief like it since Dad died.

I went over to the ASSISI where I had a look at the cats,the same day as Orbit went.I was in tears there too & Daisy chose me.I had always intended to get another cat as soon as Orbit died,

In all honesty,go & get another puss as soon as you are able,give a puss in a sancturary the chance of a forever home.It will help the grieving immensly.

Merv

wornoutmumoftwo

I've had three in total. When my first cat died in an accident, I thought the old boy would be lonely as he was only 3 and used to sister's company -HA!- he did NOT appreccaite his new brother...fast forward a couple of years and they began to tolerate one another and if you were quiet, sometimes you'd catch them sleeping together (but not if they thought you were watching) and yes, old boy pinned for cat number 3 when he went.

When cat number 3 died, we showed him to the old boy so he 'knew' he'd gone, and yes he moped and was over affectionate for a while but he was alright. I would love right now to get another cat but OH is so against it, I'm petless at the moment and I hate it.

When the time comes for your girl to go, allow yourself time to grieve, and your other cat too. I rushed in a little too quickly I think and time is a good healer. You'll never replace your 'girl' but you already know that. I very nearly didn' get cat number 3, but someone said to me that I should give my love to another and I did, and each cat has broken my heart but I wouldn't change it, and I'm waffling aren't I?

Re cremation. It can be done, I have no experience of this though as my cats are in the back garden in different places.

My thoughts are with you at this difficult time.

nurse1980

Hi,

I'm sorry about the difficult decision your in the process of making.

I had to do it last Sept for my cat who I had for almost twenly years. It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make as I was so attached to him.

I just knew it was time for him, he too became incontinent on his last day. Also on his last two days he was really stuggling to walk, not eating/drinking etc, hanging around his water bowl, looking very pale and we just knew it was time. He had kidney failure which we knew was only going to get worse.

We didn't even ask the vets opinion (he just agreed with us) as we knew him better than the vet and he was on as much medication that he could be on.

We had him out to sleep at home, in his favourite spot with his family around him. It was the very peaceful.

With regards to what to do afterwards, we had him at home for about an hour after he died and then we drove him to the crematorium ourselves and I collected his ashes the next day.

Like other people have said, it was so heartbreaking and I've never felt pain like it. But we did it for the right reasons and he had the most fantastic long life. It does get easier with time but I do still get upset.

You know your cat better than anyone and like I said earlier I just knew it was time as he was clearly suffering and I actually felt relieved for him after he had died and thanked the vet. As he was no longer suffering. I do miss him dearly though.

I also have another cat, they were sworn enemies though! But on his last night my cat sat with my other cat (the one who has died) which he had never done in 15 years of knowing him. He must have known how poorly he was. We showed him his body afterwards and he was there when he was put to sleep. He did become clingy afterwards but is fine now. I'm sure he now enjoys the peace!

Good luck with everything, and like another poster has said, I sometimes feel him near me too.

Yolina

It's never the right time but at some point you have to decide... I had 2 rescue moggies (they came as a pair) and about 6 years ago one started having serious kidney problems when he was only about 11. I syringe-fed him for months, spending pretty much all my evenings making sure he was getting enough food - as long as he was happy to let me do so then I kept on going. Eventually, he pretty much didn't want to eat anymore so I had to book him at the vet. I didn't want a "home visit" as I thought it might really unsettle the other one. Like Mike's cat, he must have known because he died at home early on the day I was supposed to take him. As for "after", well I took him to the vet to be cremated as I don't have a garden, (you can ask for an individual cremation if you want the ashes back - personally I didn't). I swear I heard the bell from his collar jingle about a week later, the other cat was with me on the sofa and heard it too cos he went to "investigate" and he spent 10 minutes looking everywhere in the flat.

Even though my 2 cats didn't like each other *that* much, after a few months of being on his own the other one was really clingy and mopping about the place so I ended up getting another kitten. They adore each other and she definitely keeps him on his toes

geri1965_2

It is a hard decision and one that most pet owners will have to face at some time.

My cat Spook got cancer the year before last, and there was nothing that could be done for her apart from giving her painkillers. We had to go back to the vets every three weeks for injections and in the end it became too much - she was wasting away, and losing her appetite, and I felt that the time was coming. OH came to bed one night and said she had been lying on the table in front of him and he noticed blood coming out of her behind. When I got up the next morning I honestly thought I would find her dead, but she was still with us. I wanted to take her that morning, but he wasn't ready so I said I would decide when I got back from work. He rang me a few hours later to say that her legs had given way and he'd had to carry her into the house, so we decided then that we would do it that evening.

We went down to the vets (it didn't stress her out particularly as she was used to it by then) and I held her while the vet did the injections. It was very, very quick and peaceful, which was a big relief for me. We didn't pay for her to be cremated separately as I didn't want to keep the ashes (I find that a bit morbid, but some people find it a comfort to have them).

Whatever you do, you are doing it with love and your cat's best interests at heart.