In many previous postings, I’ve mentioned my 14 y/o diabetic cat. We’ve not gone the insulin route, mainly because we’re unable to commit to having this become an absolute life necessity and would have to inconvenience others if traveling to dose the cat. I’m also squeamish, so the needle ick factors in. Yes, many of you have mentioned that the shots are no big deal, but for me, ick.
Anyway, this morning I awoke to find several (like 6) blood spots on the garage floor. It appears that she’s leaking urine (has been for awhile, it’s what prompted me to have her medically evaluated) that is tinged with blood.
She doesn’t appear to be in pain, but I’ve heard that cats often mask their pain due to instinct from being wild at one time. She doesn’t groan/wince while urinating but she’s doing an awful lot of it over the past few days. I’m going through a 14lb box of litter every other day or so.
I really don’t want her to suffer. If it were you, would you put her down now or wait until she goes into shock and then humanely euthanize her? Remember please that insulin/evaluation will not be considered. She’s on a prescription diet now for diabetes management. Again, I don’t want her to hurt. She’s been for the most part a very good kitty, though since I had kids I haven’t given her the attention she would have liked. She’s very affectionate and would sit on a lap all day if the opportunity arose. In other words, she’s been a real sweetie.
Help me please with this monumental and ethical dilemma. I know we’ve got lots of cat people here. I appreciate any input you might have from either side of the fence.
I’m sorry. And, I’ve been where you are several times in my life with elderly and ailing pets.
I would not wait until she goes into shock, or gets so ill that she stops eating. I think that would be cruel, and she’s probably in pain now. However, if it’s just a bladder/UTI, that is easily and quickly treatable and may give her more comfort and time.
However, if you have decided that you don’t want to put an older, already sick cat through more pills or treatment, I believe there is no shame in helping her pass. Better that than let her carry on with little joy in her life.
It has been my experience and my opinion that death of a pet is so scary for many people, that they wait too long. I don’t believe in “You will know when it’s time.” IMHO that is a platitude and makles it easy for people to put off doing something that is sad and upsetting (for the human, not the animal. I waited too long with a very old dog and feel terrible about it to this day.
Just my thoughts and I wish you luck with your decision. It’s never easy.
PS, and this may be neither here nor there. But I have come to regard the passing of a pet as an opportunity to give another one a good home. Preferably through rescue or a shelter. YMMV and all that.
If you won’t treat her disease for whatever reason, she’s going to die. And it’s not going to be a pleasant death. She will slowly starve to death because her body is unable to use the food she eats.
Please folks, I need more input. So far we’ve got one vote for putting her out of misery; one vote saying she will die unpleasantly; and one for seeing the vet, which I’ve already done twice. Not for a UTI though.
I guess I need to actually say (write) it out loud. I am not in a place right now to afford the expensive evaluations and boarding/such to stabilize her and get her on a med schedule. I recently was laid off and hub’s salary is budgeted pretty tight. I’m sorry. Honestly, sincerely sorry.
If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. Diabetes isn’t terribly expensive to treat once the first curves and things are done, but it can be extremely expensive if you have a cat who is hard to stabilize. We went that route and it took many hundreds of dollars.
I don’t know what else to say. I am very sympathetic to money issues and like I said, it can be (not will be but can be) a huge money commitment.
In your original post, you said you didn’t choose to treat her. That’s something different entirely and not a position I have any sympathy for whatsoever.
If you can’t afford treatment and she is failing and no one wants to take her from you, you will need to have her put to sleep. There’s nothing else to be done.
Agreed. If you choose not to treat her and dither along until she dies, that is cruel and unfair to her. If you can’t afford expensive treatment, there is no shame in that, but there would be shame in letting a cat suffer on and on because you don’t want to put yourself through an unsetting experience, which would be selfish.
Unless you have decided to just throw in the towel on your cat, get her checked for a UTI! It’s inexpensive. If you’re really strapped, call your Humane Society…most cities have low-cost vet clinics, and some vets will work with you on payments.
Honestly, you don’t have that many choices to consider, but whatever you choose should put easing your cat’s suffering one way or the other above all else.
