He’s an enormous 14 year old orange tabby cat, weighing in at 13 pounds (well, he did when he was healthy). I’m 17 years old. The Cat is my oldest friend.
For the past couple of months he’s been having “accidents” all over the house. This was strange because when he used to get sick he would go in the bathtub or the sink, as his way of letting us know something wasn’t right. We attributed his new incontinence to senility and got him a litter box (he’s an outdoor cat). This worked fine for a month or so.
Last month he started losing weight. He has lovely thick fur so it didn’t show too much, but I figured something was wrong when I could feel bones through his skin and he lost the little swag of loose skin under his belly. As I said, he’s an enormous cat, but he’s never been overweight. Now he’s rather seriously underweight. We called the vet because I thought it might be intestinal worms, and they confirmed he hadn’t been treated in a while. Still, it’s been more than two weeks since he had the pills, and he hasn’t gained any weight.
The other night he peed in the house again, even though the litterbox is still in the kitchen. He cries at all hours of the day and night to be let out, as if he knows he won’t be able to make it to his litterbox. I feel so bad for him, because it’s happened so quickly, and he’s not otherwise decrepit.
So we’re going to put him down. I don’t want to see him suffer. I want him to go with dignity, not crawl away somewhere to die alone. I’m still holding out hope that the vet will tell us it’s fine, that he’s just a little bit sick and he’ll get better, but I don’t think he will. He’s old, plain and simple. I don’t know if I want to be there when he dies or not. It seems like a betrayal to kill him and not even be with him when he goes, but I don’t want to watch him die.
Anyway, continue with your regularly scheduled program. Sorry for the intimate details.
Harbinger, all I can say is that there are probably damned few Dopers, if any, who have not gone through what you’re going through. My heart breaks for you. Losing a pet is one of the suckiest things on earth.
Harbinger
My heart goes out to you.
We lost our 20 year old calico (she was much smaller than your big guy) in similar circumstances this past June.
I will never get fully over it; I had that little kitty before I had my second child.
It is obvious your cat is suffering–and you too. Whatever happens, please know I am thinking about you and your kitty.
I’m so sorry about your poor kitty. My heart aches for what you must be going through right now. I hope you can take some small comfort in knowing that you’re doing the right thing in not letting your pet suffer.
I wish you the best of luck. Try to focus on the positive memories, and when you’re ready, honor his memory by giving another cat a loving home.
It’s very quick and painless: for the cat, I mean, not for you. I had both Lillian and Dorothy put down w/in the past two years, they were also very old and their health was failing. The vet puts them on a pad, you get to pet and kiss them (again, the cat, not the vet), and with the first injection the cat just slumps over. I had to ask both times, “is it over?” because it’s so quick and subtle.
Lillian actually died purring, as I brought her favorite brush with me.
And yes, it’s hard, but you’re doing the right thing. I just wish it were legal for someone to do as much for me when the time comes!
As man times as I’ve gone through exactly what you are now, I still get sad holding one of my three and knowing that someday, it’s going to be their turn too.
It’s obvious you love the big fella, be assured he knows this too.
I’m very sorry. I hope you can find the strength to be with him in his last moments. It will be the last kindness you can do for him. Our Miss Emily’s passing was not as easy as it could have been if she had been at the vet’s instead of in the van as we raced to get her there, but we are still grateful that she died in her best friend’s arms, rather than alone or with strangers.
It will be hard at the time, but you will not regret it later.
It almost sounds like diabetes, which can be managed. Is he drinking a lot of water? That could account for the accidents and not being able to get to the box on time. I gave twice daily insulin injections to my dog and it wasn’t that hard.
Thanks, everyone. Boscibo, We had him tested for diabetes just a little while ago and it came up negative. I don’t know how quickly it can develop, but I think the Cat is just old. My rational brain knows that he’s lived a good long life and it’s his time to go, but my irrational brain will not accept it!
We had to take our Angel kitty to be put down in March, she was only six, but had been badly hurt as a kitten and her body wore out too quickly. Our vet gave her a sedative shot before the euthanasia medication, and we were able to hold her as she quickly slipped away. You are performing such a kindness, at the expense of your own loss. Know that there are those of us who will be with you in thought.
Please don’t feel apologetic for sharing the hard things, It is difficult to share these things, but better to share than to lock it inside.
My big beautiful white cat Mr. Popo was incontinent for a long time, and my parents finally had enough of messes around the house (and knowing he was probably suffering) and put him to sleep. Of course I was away at school at the time, and they didn’t tell me until I came home for Thanksgiving… it was not a happy one for me, needless to say. He was almost 16 years old, close to 20 pounds and he WAS diabetic, so it was a merciful thing. But that was in 2001, and I’ve missed and thought about that cat every day since. It will hurt, but it’s a good and necessary thing you’re doing.
As long as the vet agrees that its time, you are doing the right thing. My ancient kitty’s weight plummeted recently, and it turned out to be a bad thyroid, which is infinitely treatable.
Best of luck to you in this difficult time, but let me second those who say that euthanasia is very peaceful and kindly.
I went through this last year when my fat sassy best friend Sammi started to fail badly (she passed away of her own accord at the vets when they were keeping her in to try to treat her) if she hadn’t passed on her own I was going to ask that she be PTS because I couldn’t watch her suffering the indignity of not being able to eat/drink and messing on the floor any more…
I had her cremated and keep her ashes in a casket on the window sill so she can keep an eye on the garden like she always used to… Ocassionally my [un latched] bedroom door will open of it’s own accord and I say “hello Sammi”
Well, it’s over and done with. I wasn’t able to be there with him. My mother took him in early this morning with our neighbour. She was going to leave him at the vet’s office where they would bury him (not just dispose of his body), but my brother went and got him to bury him at home. I’m glad he did, but I wish I hadn’t seen the body. It was terrible, it looked nothing like the friend I had known and loved. God, I wished I had been there when he died. We planted some flowers on the grave and I put stones on and around the grave.
R.I.P. Hell Cat Warrior, AKA Pudda, Pooksies, Kiss Cat, Honey Bear, Cat, and a myriad of other names.
1992-2006
When I was 17 we had to put down, under very similar circumstances as HofCD, the most wonderful 19 year old Siamese that was my lifelong companion. She would sleep with me every night, sit on my lap. The interesting thing is, e had three cats at the time and the other two wanted little to do with me. Until we put the one cat down, then our black cat Tigger started sleeping with me, as if to say “It’s alright, I am here to comfort you.” Yeah corny. You have my deepest sympathy HofCD.
