should i euthanize my cat

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catlover1o1

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My cat shiloh is 16, I've had her since I was 3, now I'm 19.
She has cancer, She won't eat and drinks very little. I tried giving her; her favorite food tuna and she would'nt eat that either. She can walk but her back legs seem weak and she will fall over and have to get back up. some times she breaths hard for no reason, she just laying there and starts breathing hard she has lung cancer that may be why. And she sleeps alott
I dont know what to do, I love her so much I dont want her to die but i also dont want her to suffer. Does it sound like she is suffering to you? and should I think about euthanasia her? and she still purrs when i pett her.
 

goldenkitty45

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I had to make that same very tough decision with my first cat Mitten. He was only 13 but dying of cancer. He got to the point where whatever he ate just went right through him. He couldn't make it to the litter box in time and he would just look at you like "I'm sorry I did that".

I knew I could not let him suffer any more. He purred when you pet him; tried to follow you around, etc. But he just gave you that look like "I'm ready to go".

You know the answer in your heart and in your cat. It will be hard and you will probably miss her the most as she's been in your life a long long time. Mitten's been gone now since 1983 and I STILL miss him at times! He was a very special cat.
 

natalie_ca

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Only you can decide that, but it does sound like her quality of life has deteriorated, especially if she is falling over when walking. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is to let go.

*hugs*
 

mews2much

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Have you talked to the vet about it?
Its very hard to decide what to do.
She sounds like she is near the end to me though from what you describe. My Yoshi would not eat or drink when he was pts last Jan and I went as far as I could with him.
 

althekitty

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I think that you should speak with your vet to see what options you have. Vets do have the animals welfare at heart (most) and I am sure that they would advise you if your kitty was suffering. There could be alternatives but it does seem that at some point if not now but in the future that that will be a decision you will have to make. It is heartbreaking, I know, but kitty doesn't want to suffer. The vet will be able to advise you best on what to do, take care.
 

booktigger

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I would speak to the vet, but it is sounding like it could be her time - I am sorry you are in this position, it isn't a nice place to be.
 
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catlover1o1

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Does it sound like she is suffering? thats what i want to know. My mom talked to the vett when we got the test results back a few days ago.
She said that theres nothing they can do and that the vet gave her a few weeks to a few months to live.
 

sarahp

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It's hard to say without actually seeing her. But if she won't eat, barely drinks, and falls over when walking (I assume she's having trouble making the litter box in time?), then it sounds like she may have a very slow, painful decline, and euthanising her may be the best option.

But only you and your mum can answer if you think she's suffering.
 

mews2much

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I do not tell you what to do but I can tell you how it was with Yoshi.
He kept losing weight and would not eat or drink at all.
I tried everything but he got worse and worse.
He was still alert when he was pts.
That was the hardest part.
 

whiteforest

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Originally Posted by catlover1o1

Does it sound like she is suffering? thats what i want to know. My mom talked to the vett when we got the test results back a few days ago.
She said that theres nothing they can do and that the vet gave her a few weeks to a few months to live.
A vet cannot tell you whether or not to euthanize your pet, and neither can anyone here. Most vets will simply advise you on her prognosis, but they do not live with the animals so they cannot decide what their quality of life. When my dog had cancer our vet asked a series of questions.

Is she eating and drinking normally?
Is she using the litter pan consistently?
Is she getting around okay?
Is she showing interest in people, toys, etc?


With our dog, she was making it outside to go "potty", she was still in good spirits and she was still eating, but she was clearly very weak. [Her food was going straight through and she wasn't absorbing any nutrients.] We chose to put her down before she suffered any further. In these situations it's up to us to step outside of our own emotions and decide what is best for our pets. In my opinion, if you can't answer yes to those questions, I think it's fair to say her quality of life is no longer good. I'm sorry that you have to go through this.
 

booktigger

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IT is hard to say without seeing her, but it isn't sounding good to be honest, you really have to work out how much quality of life she has with barely being able to eat, drink and walk
 

tortiefan23

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I'm sorry about your cat.. my cat lived to be 21 years old. She was the same age as me.. so I had her my whole life.. and from old age, she would just be in terrible shape.. she would have seizures, and fall out of nowhere... we let her die at home, where she was most happy.
 

blueyedgirl5946

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You are the one who must make that decision. Three years ago, I had to make that decision for Max, my soulmate cat. He developed acute renal failure and went down fast. He had lived as a very dignified cat and I didn't want to see him reduced to suffering and being pitiful. There was nothing to be done for him as his blood work was almost off the charts. He was 13 years old. I had him 12 of those years. As hard as it was, I knew it was time to let him go. I wish you strength to make the right decision for your cat.
 

happilyretired

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You have received some very good advice from previous posters, but I wanted to add my own experience because it is so recent.

In April, I had to make that decision for my cat, and we had been together for 18 years. She was a stray who literally adopted ME when she was about a year old.

I wanted "confirmation" that it was the right thing to do, but I had to make that very, very difficult decision, and it was not easy. In my internet searches for information, I noticed that the only regrets people had about making this decision is those who felt that they had waited too long.

It's very difficult to know when a cat is experiencing pain, but my vet told me that they also experience psychic pain from a low quality of life--i.e., unable to move freely, eat, etc.--that is just as bad for them as physical pain.

My vet was wonderful, and the process of her passing was beautiful; I held her the entire time.

One comment that I received that I want to pass on to you: A peaceful death is the final gift we can give to our cherished cats.
 

hwc

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I had to put our 18 year old cat to sleep in May. It had been coming for a while -- renal failure.

I think that once you've reached the stage where it is inevitable, they you have to be careful not to hang on too long.

I would also recommend jumping right back in the saddle with a new kitty (or two).
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by catlover1o1

She has cancer, She won't eat and drinks very little. I tried giving her; her favorite food tuna and she would'nt eat that either. She can walk but her back legs seem weak and she will fall over and have to get back up. some times she breaths hard for no reason, she just laying there and starts breathing hard she has lung cancer that may be why. And she sleeps alott
Originally Posted by catlover1o1

Does it sound like she is suffering? thats what i want to know. ey can do and that the vet gave her a few weeks to a few months to live.
Yes, to me it sounds like she is suffering.

And if you want my really, honest opinion despite what I said above, if she were my kitty, I would make the painful choice of having her PTS. She's essentially dying a slow and painful death from starving right now, and whatever nutrition she is getting is going to feed the cancerous tumors instead of the rest of her body. Yes, I do believe that she is suffering


Sometimes we just have to put our feelings aside and do what is best for them.

*hugs* that you make the right decision for not only you, but also her as well.
 

lorie d.

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I had to pts my cat 17 year old cat Snowball just one month ago, so I know exactly how painful this decision is for you to make.

Have the vet evaluate the cat's condition and tell you what the options are. I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you about my cat. In Snowballs case, he had been diagnosed with early kidney disease 7 years ago and I was told he was now in the end stages of the disease and would need daily fluid injections, he was also developing serious problems with his bladder; he was loosing substantial weight and was given only weeks to live. I knew this would result in more suffering, so I made the decision to end his life, and stayed with him until his heart had stopped beating. I miss him terribly.

I firmly believe that when an animal is suffering and the situation is hopless, euthanizia is the greatest act of kindness that can ever be given, but like others have said, you are the only one who can make this decision.
 

libby74

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I've been in this position several times myself, so I understand how you're feeling. A couple of times I just couldn't bring myself to make that final call to the vet; iin hindsight, I wish I had. A couple of times I knew the time had come and I planned to call the vet the next morning, only to have my kitty pass away during the night. And 3 times I've taken that awful ride to the vets', crying the whole way. Each time I tell myself that I have to do what's best for my baby but it's easier to say it than to actually make that call.

You know deep down that your kitty is suffering---she has cancer. As someone else said, the best final gift you can give your kitty is to end her suffering.

I'm so very sorry you're going thru this. A (((big hug))) to you and a gentle head skritch to your baby.
 
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catlover1o1

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Originally Posted by catlover1o1

My cat shiloh is 16, I've had her since I was 3, now I'm 19.
She has cancer, She won't eat and drinks very little. I tried giving her; her favorite food tuna and she would'nt eat that either. She can walk but her back legs seem weak and she will fall over and have to get back up. some times she breaths hard for no reason, she just laying there and starts breathing hard she has lung cancer that may be why. And she sleeps alott
I dont know what to do, I love her so much I dont want her to die but i also dont want her to suffer. Does it sound like she is suffering to you? and should I think about euthanasia her? and she still purrs when i pett her.
She also has mouth ulcers i for got to put that in, she was on prednisolone but i dont guess it worked
 
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