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Taking the old cat to the vet to be put down

joko104

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:(

About 4 years ago we came home to see an old, starved dead gray cat 10 feet from our front door - only turned out to not be dead. The old girl had been declawed - a death sentence to an outside cat - and clearly had been very abused for her reactions - and clearly by a woman. We fed her, she disappeared for a couple days and then came back. This went on for a couple months, as we slowly coaxed her inside to eat - but letting her out when she wanted.

We named her "KitKat" so her name sounded different from our other 3 rescue cats, but should have named her Ms. Grumpy. To merely reach for her and she'd hiss and swat - and would go nuts if one of the other cats got near her. I saw her make an amazing 10 yard open ground dash actually catching a squirrel but couldn't hold it with no front claws.

Then one day I heard a cat fight outside our door. A tomcat had her pinned against the wall, her screaming. I chased the Tom away shouting at it. When I returned, KitKat ran in the house, jumped up on the coach where I sit and stared at me - for hours. That was the end of her outdoor days. Slowly - across the next 3 years! she warmed up to me, though never could stand reaching over her head, being held, picked up or stood over - and would freak out at the word "no." She did come to tolerate my wife fairly well.

The vet couldn't figure how hold she is - just really old. A couple months ago the vet said her kidneys were shutting down. Got some prescriptions for her, including morphine.

Friday night it was clear her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and was losing control of her back legs. In the last 2 years I've watched a dog and another cat die of old age - their body shutting down. It starts with their back legs - increasing losing body control - and then across hours or a couple days loses more body control and finally all body control. She's barely able to walk, having to half drag and half swing her back legs just to move a few feet. MOSTLY, I know she's in pain because she cries if I pick her up gently - meaning she hurts. She is so weak she's just limp if picking her up, and she's starved for not eating. When she stopped drinking we knew it over - though we have forced enough liquid into her to stay alive - plus morphine to ease her suffering.

In 45 minutes I'll be at the vet up the road to put her down. I said I would be present, but am deciding not to. This is going to be hard. I've held that old cat or her laying beside me thousands of hours - ever night. She laying beside me now. I am the one living creature - the only one - she trusted. That's almost like an honor - but it is a trust I put a great deal of time and patience into earning with her. I'll bury her beside my mini-pom I had from puppy to old age and this is reminding of that, though my pom died in my arms - peaceful. But she wasn't suffering and KitKat is.

This isn't easy to do - taking her to have her killed. But she has only a few days of pain and suffering in front her if I don't. So it has to be done. The grumpiest, least friendly pet I've ever had - but she won her way deeply into my heart and it seems I into her's - at least earning her trust.
 
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Just read the title, can't read the rest. Hugs
 
:(

About 4 years ago we came home to see an old, starved dead gray cat 10 feet from our front door - only turned out to not be dead. The old girl had been declawed - a death sentence to an outside cat - and clearly had been very abused for her reactions - and clearly by a woman. We fed her, she disappeared for a couple days and then came back. This went on for a couple months, as we slowly coaxed her inside to eat - but letting her out when she wanted.

We named her "KitKat" so her name sounded different from our other 3 rescue cats, but should have named her Ms. Grumpy. To merely reach for her and she'd hiss and swat - and would go nuts if one of the other cats got near her. I saw her make an amazing 10 yard open ground dash actually catching a squirrel but couldn't hold it with no front claws.

Then one day I heard a cat fight outside our door. A tomcat had her pinned against the wall, her screaming. I chased the Tom away shouting at it. When I returned, KitKat ran in the house, jumped up on the coach where I sit and stared at me - for hours. That was the end of her outdoor days. Slowly - across the next 3 years! she warmed up to me, though never could stand reaching over her head, being held, picked up or stood over - and would freak out at the word "no." She did come to tolerate my wife fairly well.

The vet couldn't figure how hold she is - just really old. A couple months ago the vet said her kidneys were shutting down. Got some prescriptions for her, including morphine.

Friday night it was clear her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and was losing control of her back legs. In the last 2 years I've watched a dog and another cat die of old age - their body shutting down. It starts with their back legs - increasing losing body control - and then across hours or a couple days loses more body control and finally all body control. She's barely able to walk, having to half drag and half swing her back legs just to move a few feet. MOSTLY, I know she's in pain because she cries if I pick her up gently - meaning she hurts. She is so weak she's just limp if picking her up, and she's starved for not eating. When she stopped drinking we knew it over - though we have forced enough liquid into her to stay alive - plus morphine to ease her suffering.

In 45 minutes I'll be at the vet up the road to put her down. I said I would be present, but am deciding not to. This is going to be hard. I've held that old cat or her laying beside me thousands of hours - ever night. She laying beside me now. I am the one living creature - the only one - she trusted. That's almost like an honor - but it is a trust I put a great deal of time and patience into earning with her. I'll bury her beside my mini-pom I had from puppy to old age and this is reminding of that, though my pom died in my arms - peaceful. But she wasn't suffering and KitKat is.

This isn't easy to do - taking her to have her killed. But she has only a few days of pain and suffering in front her if I don't. So it has to be done. The meanest pet I've ever had but she won her way deeply into my heart, and it seems I into her's.

Very sorry. She was lucky to have stumbled on your doorstep to realize what a good life could be like for her and her senior years. You did good by that.
 
Sorry to hear about your cat, but it's great you rescued her and gave her a good life at the end of her life. :peace
 
I hesitate to read after seeing the title, too, but I feel an obligation to be a witness to your testimony, joko. Dammit, I cry every single time, because I know the acute pain and suffering of letting go of a beloved friend is indescribable. And I too have shared with online fellow travelers who can relate to my innate love of pets as children.
KitKat got lucky the day she found you, and it was meant to be.
You're in my thoughts.
 
It broke my heart when we had to euthanize or old cat - he was 20 yrs old. You're doing the right thing by ending the suffering.

If its any consolation, we had the vet come to our house to euthanize. It was a very peaceful process . . . the vet first gave the cat a sedative to make him sleep. "Gato" dozed off pretty fast while sitting in wife's lap. When it was clear he was asleep, the vet then gave him the mega-dose of sedative.

It was very humane and peaceful.

Thanks for taking care of KitKat.
 
Very sorry to hear this. Kidney disease is tough on animals, and the prognosis is always the same. At least both of you knew the love that only comes from the bond that formed between you. RIP KitKat.
 
:(

About 4 years ago we came home to see an old, starved dead gray cat 10 feet from our front door - only turned out to not be dead. The old girl had been declawed - a death sentence to an outside cat - and clearly had been very abused for her reactions - and clearly by a woman. We fed her, she disappeared for a couple days and then came back. This went on for a couple months, as we slowly coaxed her inside to eat - but letting her out when she wanted.

We named her "KitKat" so her name sounded different from our other 3 rescue cats, but should have named her Ms. Grumpy. To merely reach for her and she'd hiss and swat - and would go nuts if one of the other cats got near her. I saw her make an amazing 10 yard open ground dash actually catching a squirrel but couldn't hold it with no front claws.

Then one day I heard a cat fight outside our door. A tomcat had her pinned against the wall, her screaming. I chased the Tom away shouting at it. When I returned, KitKat ran in the house, jumped up on the coach where I sit and stared at me - for hours. That was the end of her outdoor days. Slowly - across the next 3 years! she warmed up to me, though never could stand reaching over her head, being held, picked up or stood over - and would freak out at the word "no." She did come to tolerate my wife fairly well.

The vet couldn't figure how hold she is - just really old. A couple months ago the vet said her kidneys were shutting down. Got some prescriptions for her, including morphine.

Friday night it was clear her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and was losing control of her back legs. In the last 2 years I've watched a dog and another cat die of old age - their body shutting down. It starts with their back legs - increasing losing body control - and then across hours or a couple days loses more body control and finally all body control. She's barely able to walk, having to half drag and half swing her back legs just to move a few feet. MOSTLY, I know she's in pain because she cries if I pick her up gently - meaning she hurts. She is so weak she's just limp if picking her up, and she's starved for not eating. When she stopped drinking we knew it over - though we have forced enough liquid into her to stay alive - plus morphine to ease her suffering.

In 45 minutes I'll be at the vet up the road to put her down. I said I would be present, but am deciding not to. This is going to be hard. I've held that old cat or her laying beside me thousands of hours - ever night. She laying beside me now. I am the one living creature - the only one - she trusted. That's almost like an honor - but it is a trust I put a great deal of time and patience into earning with her. I'll bury her beside my mini-pom I had from puppy to old age and this is reminding of that, though my pom died in my arms - peaceful. But she wasn't suffering and KitKat is.

This isn't easy to do - taking her to have her killed. But she has only a few days of pain and suffering in front her if I don't. So it has to be done. The grumpiest, least friendly pet I've ever had - but she won her way deeply into my heart and it seems I into her's - at least earning her trust.

You can only do your best for your animals and stand by them and you have ticked both boxes. It's a very sad time but you are making the right decision for the cat.

Kudos to you for being kind to animals :)
 
I feel your pain brother. Ive had to put down two dogs in my life. The first lives on in my screen name. Both were dying of cancer, both should have been put down before they actually were, and in both cases I was sure I was ready to let them go. Yet in both cases I cried like a baby. At first I wasnt sure I wanted to be there when the second one was put down, but as heartbreaking as it is to watch them go, I coulndt let him die alone.

:peace
 
Been there my friend. Rough decision, always difficult, and my best wishes to you and yours.
 
So sad, but you did good by her by stopping her pain and suffering.
God bless you!
 
Been there done that a number of times. It's tough. But that's an intrinsic part of the deal.

They give us all of their affection for all of their years with the implicit expectation that we won't permit them to suffer when the end comes.

The immediate hurt eventually fades, and the fond memories remain as a lifelong comfort.
 
Done. She didn't suffer and went peaceful. On the way there she softly but sadly talked to me, burying her face in my arm. It would have been cruel to let her just suffer a few more days - if she even had that. Over the weekend she had lost nearly all control of her back legs, plus not eating or drinking meant her time has come.

This makes room for another rescue, so her death will soon equate to another cat's life saved. For that I feel ok about this, but for the first time in years I didn't walk in the door to KitKat climbing down from a perch we made for her to meet me on the couch.

I just realized our other 3 house cats are not in their usual places. All 3 hiding under our bed. They know the pet car carrier always leads to something bad happens, ie going to the vet. We take them in once a year or sooner if needed. Animals remember stuff like that.

Thank you all for your kind comments. :peace
 
It broke my heart when we had to euthanize or old cat - he was 20 yrs old. You're doing the right thing by ending the suffering.

If its any consolation, we had the vet come to our house to euthanize. It was a very peaceful process . . . the vet first gave the cat a sedative to make him sleep. "Gato" dozed off pretty fast while sitting in wife's lap. When it was clear he was asleep, the vet then gave him the mega-dose of sedative.

It was very humane and peaceful.

Thanks for taking care of KitKat.

That is what the vet did to KitKat. First a sedative/pain killer and then not too long after the lethal injection. She didn't suffer.
 
That is what the vet did to KitKat. First a sedative/pain killer and then not too long after the lethal injection. She didn't suffer.

Sometimes I wish we could be that kind to our suffering humans.

Before someone goes off on a death squad, I am talking about those with imminent death by disease or organ failure.
 
i'm really sorry that you lost your friend, Joko. Rest in peace, KitKat.
 
Sometimes I wish we could be that kind to our suffering humans.

Before someone goes off on a death squad, I am talking about those with imminent death by disease or organ failure.

I agree. "We wouldn't treat a sick dog that way" as the expression goes for how some people's lives come to such a slow and inevitable terribly protracted end.
 
I have a dog. He’s 5 years old. I can’t imagine the day that he will not be around. The thing with animals is that most come with an expiration date. I imagine also that owning a pet can add up to a time frame of your life. It really is tragic. RIP KitKat you are loved.
 
:(

About 4 years ago we came home to see an old, starved dead gray cat 10 feet from our front door - only turned out to not be dead. The old girl had been declawed - a death sentence to an outside cat - and clearly had been very abused for her reactions - and clearly by a woman. We fed her, she disappeared for a couple days and then came back. This went on for a couple months, as we slowly coaxed her inside to eat - but letting her out when she wanted.

We named her "KitKat" so her name sounded different from our other 3 rescue cats, but should have named her Ms. Grumpy. To merely reach for her and she'd hiss and swat - and would go nuts if one of the other cats got near her. I saw her make an amazing 10 yard open ground dash actually catching a squirrel but couldn't hold it with no front claws.

Then one day I heard a cat fight outside our door. A tomcat had her pinned against the wall, her screaming. I chased the Tom away shouting at it. When I returned, KitKat ran in the house, jumped up on the coach where I sit and stared at me - for hours. That was the end of her outdoor days. Slowly - across the next 3 years! she warmed up to me, though never could stand reaching over her head, being held, picked up or stood over - and would freak out at the word "no." She did come to tolerate my wife fairly well.

The vet couldn't figure how hold she is - just really old. A couple months ago the vet said her kidneys were shutting down. Got some prescriptions for her, including morphine.

Friday night it was clear her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and was losing control of her back legs. In the last 2 years I've watched a dog and another cat die of old age - their body shutting down. It starts with their back legs - increasing losing body control - and then across hours or a couple days loses more body control and finally all body control. She's barely able to walk, having to half drag and half swing her back legs just to move a few feet. MOSTLY, I know she's in pain because she cries if I pick her up gently - meaning she hurts. She is so weak she's just limp if picking her up, and she's starved for not eating. When she stopped drinking we knew it over - though we have forced enough liquid into her to stay alive - plus morphine to ease her suffering.

In 45 minutes I'll be at the vet up the road to put her down. I said I would be present, but am deciding not to. This is going to be hard. I've held that old cat or her laying beside me thousands of hours - ever night. She laying beside me now. I am the one living creature - the only one - she trusted. That's almost like an honor - but it is a trust I put a great deal of time and patience into earning with her. I'll bury her beside my mini-pom I had from puppy to old age and this is reminding of that, though my pom died in my arms - peaceful. But she wasn't suffering and KitKat is.

This isn't easy to do - taking her to have her killed. But she has only a few days of pain and suffering in front her if I don't. So it has to be done. The grumpiest, least friendly pet I've ever had - but she won her way deeply into my heart and it seems I into her's - at least earning her trust.

Its a tough day when you have to do that. I've done it twice. It's the right thing to end the suffering.
 
:(

About 4 years ago we came home to see an old, starved dead gray cat 10 feet from our front door - only turned out to not be dead. The old girl had been declawed - a death sentence to an outside cat - and clearly had been very abused for her reactions - and clearly by a woman. We fed her, she disappeared for a couple days and then came back. This went on for a couple months, as we slowly coaxed her inside to eat - but letting her out when she wanted.

We named her "KitKat" so her name sounded different from our other 3 rescue cats, but should have named her Ms. Grumpy. To merely reach for her and she'd hiss and swat - and would go nuts if one of the other cats got near her. I saw her make an amazing 10 yard open ground dash actually catching a squirrel but couldn't hold it with no front claws.

Then one day I heard a cat fight outside our door. A tomcat had her pinned against the wall, her screaming. I chased the Tom away shouting at it. When I returned, KitKat ran in the house, jumped up on the coach where I sit and stared at me - for hours. That was the end of her outdoor days. Slowly - across the next 3 years! she warmed up to me, though never could stand reaching over her head, being held, picked up or stood over - and would freak out at the word "no." She did come to tolerate my wife fairly well.

The vet couldn't figure how hold she is - just really old. A couple months ago the vet said her kidneys were shutting down. Got some prescriptions for her, including morphine.

Friday night it was clear her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and was losing control of her back legs. In the last 2 years I've watched a dog and another cat die of old age - their body shutting down. It starts with their back legs - increasing losing body control - and then across hours or a couple days loses more body control and finally all body control. She's barely able to walk, having to half drag and half swing her back legs just to move a few feet. MOSTLY, I know she's in pain because she cries if I pick her up gently - meaning she hurts. She is so weak she's just limp if picking her up, and she's starved for not eating. When she stopped drinking we knew it over - though we have forced enough liquid into her to stay alive - plus morphine to ease her suffering.

In 45 minutes I'll be at the vet up the road to put her down. I said I would be present, but am deciding not to. This is going to be hard. I've held that old cat or her laying beside me thousands of hours - ever night. She laying beside me now. I am the one living creature - the only one - she trusted. That's almost like an honor - but it is a trust I put a great deal of time and patience into earning with her. I'll bury her beside my mini-pom I had from puppy to old age and this is reminding of that, though my pom died in my arms - peaceful. But she wasn't suffering and KitKat is.

This isn't easy to do - taking her to have her killed. But she has only a few days of pain and suffering in front her if I don't. So it has to be done. The grumpiest, least friendly pet I've ever had - but she won her way deeply into my heart and it seems I into her's - at least earning her trust.

So sorry to hear about your situation joko104, my wife and I will be there soon.

We have a 22 year old cat who's always lived indoors. She's on arthritis and kidney meds and sleeps most the day (or is that normal?). When I brought up the subject of euthanasia a while ago, my wife pointed out that since we don't do that with grandma, why Rusty?

It can't go on like this for much longer and when she goes it'll leave a big hole. She's been by my side or on my lap almost everyday for a third of my entire old life...

It broke my heart when we had to euthanize or old cat - he was 20 yrs old. You're doing the right thing by ending the suffering.

If its any consolation, we had the vet come to our house to euthanize. It was a very peaceful process . . . the vet first gave the cat a sedative to make him sleep. "Gato" dozed off pretty fast while sitting in wife's lap. When it was clear he was asleep, the vet then gave him the mega-dose of sedative.

It was very humane and peaceful.

Thanks for taking care of KitKat.

Thanks for mentioning this, I didn't know about it. It sounds like it would be the least stressful for all concerned...
 
A heart wrenching story for sure. So sorry for the loss of your kitty.

We just went through a loss of our kitty who was 22 years old in March. He took a rapid down turn and was gone. It feels like a good
friend is missing. It will take some time to readjust to our new normal with out him. He is buried in the back yard under a tree with flower
planted around the area. Pets play such an important part in our lives!
 
So sorry to hear about your situation joko104, my wife and I will be there soon.

We have a 22 year old cat who's always lived indoors. She's on arthritis and kidney meds and sleeps most the day (or is that normal?). When I brought up the subject of euthanasia a while ago, my wife pointed out that since we don't do that with grandma, why Rusty?

It can't go on like this for much longer and when she goes it'll leave a big hole. She's been by my side or on my lap almost everyday for a third of my entire old life...



Thanks for mentioning this, I didn't know about it. It sounds like it would be the least stressful for all concerned...

Yes, sleeping nearly all the time is normal it this situation.

I had to step away from asking would I have her put down if she was human, but that is not a fair comparison because a human can tell how they hurt and this allows figuring treatment, plus humans function largely by communication with others, which a cat or dog can not do. In generally, I try to avoid humanizing animals because they are not human and, candidly, it is not right to treat them as some species they are not. Humanizing an animal would be about me, not the animal. Let the animal be what it is in reference to itself.

Unless you think the cat is suffering, there is no need to put the cat down. Does your cat growl of fuss if you pick her up indicating pain? Is she starving, refusing to eat or drink? Unless there are indications of suffering there is no reason.
 
Ah, man, I'm sorry. The decision to put your friend down is a lot tougher than when they go on their own.

Take care.
 
Yes, sleeping nearly all the time is normal it this situation.

I had to step away from asking would I have her put down if she was human, but that is not a fair comparison because a human can tell how they hurt and this allows figuring treatment, plus humans function largely by communication with others, which a cat or dog can not do. In generally, I try to avoid humanizing animals because they are not human and, candidly, it is not right to treat them as some species they are not. Humanizing an animal would be about me, not the animal. Let the animal be what it is in reference to itself.

Unless you think the cat is suffering, there is no need to put the cat down. Does your cat growl of fuss if you pick her up indicating pain? Is she starving, refusing to eat or drink? Unless there are indications of suffering there is no reason.

We wouldn't want do delay the relief of any real suffering of course. She's doing ok so far and we take her to the vet regularly. She's not walking as well these days, but she's still eating and with her kidney problem drinks like a camel.

I guess it's a question of degree. I don't like my arthritis much, but it's better than the alternative. When it is time, I'd like to use the method SkyChief mentioned...
 
We wouldn't want do delay the relief of any real suffering of course. She's doing ok so far and we take her to the vet regularly. She's not walking as well these days, but she's still eating and with her kidney problem drinks like a camel.

I guess it's a question of degree. I don't like my arthritis much, but it's better than the alternative. When it is time, I'd like to use the method SkyChief mentioned...

That also is how KitKat was put down and it is standard practice for vets - a sedative/painkiller first.

When you know the end is close is if your cat loses significant control of the back legs - or refuses to eat. KitKat also was drinking a LOT of water for her kidney's failing.

I decided not to be in the room and stepped out after she had been given the sedative shot. I understand the idea of trying to comfort her and being there the last seconds. But while death is almost immediate, it is not instantaneous. Maybe this is weird, but I didn't want her last thought of me to be one of a sense of betrayal. What if when given the lethal shot she looked to me for help or tried to get to me to protect her - as I had done so many, many times from the other cats bothering her?

I've been told sometimes a cat or dog will really cry out when given the lethal shot, but KitKat didn't (I was just on the other side of the room across the hall. In addition to the sedative, I have given her a syringe of morphine before leaving to the vet, only a few minutes away, so she had double pain killers before the lethal shot.

My last moments with her were cooing and petting her, she even slightly purring. That was the final memory I wanted her to have of me - and visa versa. Positive, not negative. It's a personal choice of course.

There is NO rule you have to take your cat in. If not suffering, don't. I didn't take my mini-Pom in, though knew her end was coming soon. However, unlike KitKat it was across hours, not days. My mini Pom lost control of her back legs, then front legs, and then all body control. I held and cooed her for hours that night. She went peaceful but curiously. Having lost all control of her body, even eye movement, she stopped breathing.

After a few seconds, she did what I was told is called the "death run." I slightly shook her and called out her name loudly. She suddenly started running her legs like trying to run as fast as she could - just for a couple seconds - and then it was over - like a last instinctive effort to live, to run from death itself.

So if your cat isn't suffering, let her pass peacefully at home. If she is immobile, won't eat/drink and/or is in pain, then consider ending her suffering via a vet. While you could force liquids including nutritional into a dying pet to keep it alive, at some point that seems cruel. A clue your cat knows her time has come will be if the cat finds a dark place to curl up in alone. It is defensive as the cat knows it is hurting and defenseless, having lost body control and overall too weak to put up a defensive fight.
 
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