very sick cat

cazziebo

Sadly our 14 year old cat was diagnosed with terminal cancer yesterday - it was a bit of a shock as she was only ill for a few days. The vet says there is no chance she can recover and offered to put her to sleep. It was all a bit sudden so she gave her a steroid injection and said to take her home for the weekend and bring her back Monday.

She is obviously very ill, but not unhappy and doesn't seem to be in pain. would it be wrong not to take her back on Monday? We are at such a loss what to do.

HelenDaveKids

Really sorry to hear about your cat. Wheres the cancer?
Our previous cat "Eric" was about that age when we had him put down. He too had cancer, I noticed him drooling and took him to the vets, the second she opened his mouth I realised he had a mouth tumour. They said he'd probably make 4 weeks and he was bizarrely virtually to the day. I only took him to the vets to be put to sleep when I felt he was suffering. I was absolutely gutted and still now a few years later when I think about it, it makes me feel sad as they are a real member of the family.

I think (personally) that you need to decide when to put your cat to sleep, at the end of the day your the ones who know them. It is a horrible time and my thoughts are with you.

geri1965_2

We went through this a couple of years ago with Spook, and it was very hard. The vet didn't give us much useful guidance, and every time we went there he would say she was still looking reasonably bright and give her another set of injections (there was something to slow down the growth of the tumour and I can't remember what the other ones were).

We decided that as long as she was still interested in food and able to go to the toilet easily, she still had some quality of life. However, it was putting a great strain on us emotionally, and the time between vets visits was getting shorter and shorter. She was wasting away in front of our eyes, and eventually I couldn't take it anymore and I told my OH it was time to let her go.

The next night she was lying on the table and blood was coming out of her bottom. I fully expected her to die that night, but when I got up she was crouching by the door. OH didn't want to take her to the vets, so I went to work and told him to call me if he changed his mind. He rang me later that day to say that she had gone into the garden to go to the toilet (she wouldn't use a litter tray even though we put one down for her) but when she came back in, her legs had given way and she couldn't get up the step, so he had to carry her into the house. I arranged to leave work and he met me at the vets with her.

You know your cat better than anyone, and if you think it is not yet time, then go with your judgment. I will say though that it's better a day too soon than a day too late, so keep a close eye on her, and be strong. You will know when the time comes.

HelenDaveKids

Eric was also put on steroids to help his appetite as much as anything else. What made me decide the time was right was when he started to bleed out of his mouth and was clearly struggling to eat. It was really hard because he still purred when stroked.

Gloomendoom

OP I'm so sorry.

We had exactly the same problem. Our cat had been uncharacteristically down in the dumps for just a couple of days so we took him to the vet. The diagnosis was kidney cancer with no hope of a cure. The vet offered to put him to sleep there and then. I was stunned.

We didn't take him back on the Monday and I tried to convince myself that he would last a few more months but his condition rapidly deteriorated to the stage he couldn't eat. By the Thursday it was obvious that having him put to sleep was the kindest thing to do.

It is the hardest decision I have ever had to make so I really do sympathise.

Like others have said, I think you will know when, and if, the time is right.

spike7451

I am so sorry to hear this,The same thing happened to Orbit & the vet,again offered to put him to sleep.(He was diagnosed with Renal & Heart failure) however I could not bring myself to do it.As far as I was concerned,as long as he had a quality of life & wasn't in pain,I was going to give him his life.In the end he lived on for another year & the night I decided to have him PTS,after he went downhill quite quickly,the little !!!!!! got the last word & took the decision from me.It was very hard to watch him die but he died at home,in his time & in familier surroundings.

Sorry,but just typing this has made me cry at the memorys..later.

orlao

So sorry to hear this.

Would it be easier to cope with if the vet came to the house to PTS?

I'm a great believer that in cases like this that better a week too early than a day to late.

gettingready

OP - sorry to hear about your cat big hugs to you.

My 10 yo Tiger (on avatar with Zara) was dignosed with kidney cancer and given 3-6 months to live - he lasated almost 8 months.

Only when he stopped being able to go to the cat litter (peeing under himself and calling us to change the cushion he was lyng on) and lost interest in food we have decided to call the vet to come home and PTS in the flat here, did nto want to stress him with vet visit.

We also opted for individual cremation and have him in a little casket on the shelf now.

He was young for a cat, only 10 but cancer is cancer....

cavework

Oh OP this is a tough call.
As others have said , you know your Cat better than anyone but animals do not show pain like us humans.
One of my cats was a rescue cat which we had had for about 8 months and we took her to the vets because her stomach was bloated, her eyes were an odd shape and she purred all the time.
They diagnosed FIP on the first visit and although we couldn't see the pain she was in , she was slowly drowning in her own body fluids . (it is a horrible disease but rare)
Best outlook was 2 weeks but I made the decision that it was time to stop her suffering there and then and she was PTS.
I was left feeling really guilty but I know I made the right decision.
As someone has said , better a week too early than a day too late.
xx

nikflo

op i'm so sorry to read about your poorly cat, in fact all these posts have bought a tear to my eye. im sure whatever decision you make it will be the right one for you and your beloved cat.

cjmumto2

I have to agree with cavework, cats do not like to show weakness or pain so it is really hard to tell how much pain their are in. You have to think are you keeping them alive for your or them. If you were in pain and dying slowly I am sure you would choose to end it quickly and painlessly or atleast I would. My cat had cancer and had to be put to sleep, yes maybe he could have survived a few more weeks but just didnt see the point as it wasnt doing him any good. It is awful to lose a pet but you have to think of them.