# I've had the keycat my entire membership here...it's time to say goodbye to her. \[Goodbye\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 22, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416 "2016-10-22T23:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/21 "2016-10-24T19:31:08Z")
Sorry to hear about your buddy. It’s never easy to put them down but the right thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/22 "2016-10-24T19:34:52Z")
My heartfelt sympathies. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/23 "2016-10-24T19:35:06Z")
I’m so sorry to hear that. You gave her a good long life. She’ll be frisky and waiting for you at Rainbow Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/24 "2016-10-25T18:34:25Z")
Sorry to hear about your cat, **IdleThoughts**. We put down our elderly cat last year and it was so hard to decide when it was time to let her go. I don’t know if this is common with vets, but our vet seemed to want to keep pushing treatments on our cat instead of being reasonable about the fact that she was an old and declining cat. We tried a couple of things the vet recommended but in the end we felt it was kinder to put her down. Good luck with getting your cat to a vet and with your decision. It’s hard. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/25 "2016-10-25T19:31:56Z")
Cats are really good at hiding their pain. It really sounds like it’s time. We just had to put down our 20yo cat, and our only concerns afterwards were 'did we wait too long?". It’s a sad thing to have to say goodbye to a friend who has been with you so long. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/26 "2016-10-25T20:26:45Z")
Sorry to read about this, Idle. It’s never easy. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/27 "2016-10-26T01:19:06Z")
**Idle Thoughts** - Please, let me loan or donate money towards this kitty’s care. She shouldn’t suffer. When and if you can pay me back, or pay it forward, is up to you. StG ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/28 "2016-10-26T03:12:19Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Idle Thoughts** - Please, let me loan or donate money towards this kitty’s care. She shouldn’t suffer. When and if you can pay me back, or pay it forward, is up to you. > > StG ^This. I had to put my two girls down in the last year or so. They were born in my bed. Momma kitty decided it was my problem to fix when she started giving birth. With both of them I waited longer than I probably should have even though they were not hurting. I held both of them and told each of them that they kept me going through my dark days, that they meant the world to me and that I loved them. It hurt like hell, in fact I am crying a bit right now thinking about it. But both of my girls, after the vet gave them a pain shot, looked at me with a look that is hard to explain. It was something like ‘I feel better now and you are here and it will be ok because you are here’. Then they simply slipped away. I had my girls cremated and put the ashes under a tree I planted n my back yard. My sons will hear stories about them and others I have lost through. the years, both human and animal. They shaped my life and made the world more joyful. It hurt like hell to lose them but it was the least I could do after all they did for me. PM me if you need assistance. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/29 "2016-10-26T03:30:27Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Idle Thoughts** - Please, let me loan or donate money towards this kitty’s care. She shouldn’t suffer. When and if you can pay me back, or pay it forward, is up to you. > > StG Put me down too. No loan, just a gift for someone in a place I’ve been more than a few times. More than anything, I don’t want the poor kitty to suffer. I’ve been guilty of holding on too long and it still bothers me to this day. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/30 "2016-10-26T04:02:05Z")
Me too. Not a loan–just some help because I love kitties and hate to see any of them suffer. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/31 "2016-10-26T10:21:00Z")
I appreciate the offers, but I just couldn’t do that. We have an appointment made tomorrow to put her to sleep. I wish I was a little more sure there actually was a problem that was unfixable, but judging from her behavior, she can’t be happy and her quality of life is pretty much reaching zero. As for money, I’ve got it handled with a payment plan per month, so it shouldn’t be bad. I can foot the down payment and monthly payments from there. But again, thanks for the offers anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/32 "2016-10-26T12:45:02Z")
I’ve been staying out of this thread because they are always so hard to read, but when I saw you had posted I knew the time must have come. Thank you for helping her, and I’m truly sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/33 "2016-10-26T16:45:23Z")
I am so sorry, we just lost one too. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/34 "2016-10-26T19:13:16Z")
So sorry for your keycat and family **Idle Thoughts** - I hope you are able to move things forward smoothly and your kitty can get some relief. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/35 "2016-10-26T21:45:34Z")
I just don’t know what to do. We have the appointment today in a few more hours, but she’s walking around and been active and strong and aware most of the time. She just…she’s very restless, she’s constantly cry meowing, she’ll have these spells that will last a few hours (sometimes) where she just wants to seem to hide or go into a corner, she’ll have these shorter spells where she’ll just face a wall like a stone for a few minutes, she’ll pace in circles for hours, she’ll then (sometimes) pass out for hours…sleeping…and can’t be woken even by picking her up, her back legs are not working more and more, and lastly, she doesn’t use her litter box any more. But other than that…I don’t know. She seems like she has energy. She’s aware of stuff and still curious about things. She knows when someone is around and will sometimes still greet them. She’ll yowl in surprise or protest if scared from behind or if someone picks her up without her expecting it, she responds with affection toward attention, she’s still eating. Man, does she eat. As soon as we put the food down she’s there filling her face. I’d think if she was really sick, she wouldn’t be eating. Oh and she’s not throwing up any more either. I’m half betting we take her today and the vet refuses to put down what appears to be a mostly healthy (but just old, feeble, blind, dementia-filled, and arthritic-filled) cat. I hope that’s what happens, in fact. Man, I wish I was more sure there was an unfixable problem. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/36 "2016-10-26T22:01:28Z")
Be strong. It’s for the best. Cats hide their pain. My vet agreed with us, even tho both he and his assistant were tearing up as he had been such a good patient over the years. We all stood around and petted him and he went to sleep. Gotta go, something in my eye… ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/37 "2016-10-26T22:09:05Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > she doesn’t use her litter box any more. A few weeks after my old cat stopped using the box was when I took her into the vet. At the very end she lived next to her food and water bowl and would just crawl a few feet crap and then crawl back to the bowls. > [@](#): > > what appears to be a mostly healthy (but just old, feeble, blind, dementia-filled, and arthritic-filled) cat. That does not sound like a healthy cat. My vet told me what DrDeth said. Cats hide their pain. It’s a survival thing. And by the time they are actually showing their pain they’ve been in pain for quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/38 "2016-10-26T22:55:03Z")
Idle, it’s time to let her go. All of this: “old, feeble, blind, dementia-filled, and arthritic-filled” is unfixable. Back legs working less and less? Not using the litter box? Unfixable. I don’t mean to sound harsh. I know how much it sucks, I’ve had cats all my life. I still tear up when I think of my all-time favorite cat, Willy, and she’s been gone 15 years. You’re not doing her any favors keeping her around. Let her go, Idle. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/39 "2016-10-26T23:24:47Z")
Even though this is a sad thread, you know the rules **Idle** , pictures!🙂 They could be recent or from keycat’s better days. Take Care ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416/40 "2016-10-26T23:43:30Z")
Damn, sorry for you, **Idle** , this story reminds me of losing my Nefurtari last year at 17, which has made me start crying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-had-the-keycat-my-entire-membership-here-its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-her-goodbye/769416.md?page=3)