In this thread I wrote about needing to euthanize one of my cats, and asked advice on how to address the subject with my 3 YO granddaughter.
Many thanks to all who responded, and for the suggestions.
Well, we did the deed today, amidst great feelings of guilt, but we just couldn’t manage any more with cat pee gradually taking over our home despite every effort to persuade the cat to restrict himself to the litter boxes. He had a final meal of all the tuna he wanted and lots of goodbye petting and chin scratching.
It’s only normal that you feel sad. He was a part of your family. You gave him a better and longer life than he might have had with other humans, and you did the humane thing by having him euthanized. You’re a good pet person.
It’s the hardest thing a pet owner ever has to do. I am sorry your kitty is gone, but it sounds like he went happy. I hope my Toby and Vladimir get to meet him now.
We are having the older cat put down on Sat. Technically, he is our daughter’s cat, but she didn’t take him with her when she moved out 7 years ago. He’s 15 and has litter box issues too, and dental problems (I’m not about to spend $$$ on his teeth when I’m saving for my own dental work that needs to get done) and scratches holes in the rugs & chairs, and gulps his food down then barfs it up - which we then step in. He’s lived the life if Riley, so I don’t feel bad about our decision.
My husband and I cried together for a while afterwards.
We’ve had to euthanize entirely too many cats and dogs because of illness of one kind or another. This felt more wrong because in his own way, he was still enjoying his life as far as we could tell, while making ours smelly, unsanitary, and inconvenient. The others were all miserable before we took the final step and while we were also very sad, it was at least ending their pain.
The only thing that made it easier was that yesterday morning he found yet another new place to pee – the kitchen chairs.
Today I told my granddaughter that he had become very sick, we took him to the cat doctor, who was unable to make him better, and that he died. She wanted to know why he got sick and I just told her I didn’t know, that sometimes these things happen, that he was very old and had a good life before he got sick. The vet had actually opined that it could have been some sort of early onset dementia, but I think she just told me that to help me feel better.
I’m glad you gave him a “last good day,” as I’ve come to call it. (I first heard the term here on the SDMB.) A feast of tuna and lot of petting and skritching–it sounds like you gave him a fine sendoff. I’ve done the same for my cats, when the time has come; and IME, I know they appreciate it.
It is always sad when a pet must go. I will give my cats extra treats and skritches in honor of your little friend.