I have a cat thats about 17 and i love him. Though it looks like he is reaching his time. He is blind at this point and lately has have had trouble breathing. He doesnt do much. I dont know if he is suffering or not bc he talk but i suppose he is. Should i take him to the vet and go ahead and let him rest in peace? i would like your opinions bc at this point i dont really know what to do. thanks
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should i put my cat down?
- Thread starter diegot143
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Can you find out what is making him breathe like that?
Sometimes the vet can help.
Does he have any other problems besides being blind.
Sometimes the vet can help.
Does he have any other problems besides being blind.
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That is always an option. Given his age. Somethis its just the humane thing to do.
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I would take him to the vet and get their opinion, perhaps his breathing troubles can be treated.
I had the same problem a few weeks ago with my 18 year old cat, Tim. I believe that animals or people should be allowed to die with dignity and as much as possible without suffering.
My vet said that had I not taken him in to him I would in a few days found him dead under a bush or somewhere. His time had come and his life was ended his life qickly,peacefully and with the dignity such a wonderful animal and friend deserved.
My vet said that had I not taken him in to him I would in a few days found him dead under a bush or somewhere. His time had come and his life was ended his life qickly,peacefully and with the dignity such a wonderful animal and friend deserved.
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I second the going to the vet and asking /...
Sometimes it is in fact time but there may still be some options for you and kitty...
Sometimes it is in fact time but there may still be some options for you and kitty...
Gosh, thats terrible, discuss it thoroughly with your veterinarian and others that also love your kitty.
I would take him to the vet as well. My late cat was diagnosed with kidney disease in early September and was doing well for a time, but he developed problems breathing too. When we brought him into the vet's, they said there was nothing they could do and that they believed he was in some pain. We decided to end his suffering. He was 15 and we dearly miss him.
Perhaps there is something your vet can do for your kitty. Many cats of advanced age have heart issues and may do well on medication. Blindness in and of itself may not be an issue unless it is recent and your kitty feels isolated because of it.
In any case, it always helps to have someone with expertise to talk with when the issue is this important. You may have more options than you know. Good luck!
Perhaps there is something your vet can do for your kitty. Many cats of advanced age have heart issues and may do well on medication. Blindness in and of itself may not be an issue unless it is recent and your kitty feels isolated because of it.
In any case, it always helps to have someone with expertise to talk with when the issue is this important. You may have more options than you know. Good luck!
I don't put my cats to rest until death is really close. Maybe I wait to long but I really have a tough time with making that decision. My last cat that I had to put to sleep was almost 18 and had CRF. We gave her Sub-q's and kept her going for a year. She was dying when I took her in to the vet. You really need to talk to your vet and see if there is a treatment for your cat.
I try to go as long as I can with my cats also.
I had to have Stormy pts last Dec had age 5 because her kidneys were gone. It was very sudden and I told the vet give her one more day to see if anything would help but it didnt. Yoshi was pts last Jan but we knew he was sick.
He had 2 weeks to live at the most and it was hard to decide what to do with him. I know it will be hard with you.
I had to have Stormy pts last Dec had age 5 because her kidneys were gone. It was very sudden and I told the vet give her one more day to see if anything would help but it didnt. Yoshi was pts last Jan but we knew he was sick.
He had 2 weeks to live at the most and it was hard to decide what to do with him. I know it will be hard with you.
I had to put my beloved Kiki PTS when she was about 19. She would just lay around the house. She was no longer drinking water as she should and had an unusual odor about her. When we took her in to the vet, the vet came in with an intern and told him that the odor was because her kidneys had completely shut down. We knew something was wrong and couldn't afford treatment to prolong her life. We did the best thing for her, and I was with her as she took her last breath.
A little background on our precious Kiki. She was the kitten of our neighbor's cat that she brought home when she and her brother were about 6 weeks old. They had never been around humans before, so they were wild. I was trying to tame both of them but they wouldn't have anything to do with us. Until her brother got hit by a car. I slowly and patiently made friends with Kiki. She was about 6 months old when I was able to pet her. She became an indoor/outdoor cat. I confess that we were irresponsible pet owners then and allowed her to have several litters of kittens. Her last litter of kittens were all born dead over several days, the last one being deformed to the point the kitten's intestines were on the outside. At that point, she was spayed. She was about 8 or 9 then. She mourned that last litter. She became a totally indoor cat by that time. You never could tell she was once a wild cat. She loved everybody but she loved DH the most. He always said that I tamed her but they he stole her heart.
My point is, sometimes the best thing you can do is to let your kitty go. He knows you love him. And sometimes love means saying goodbye. He is suffering and will thank you for it as he plays happily over the bridge.
A little background on our precious Kiki. She was the kitten of our neighbor's cat that she brought home when she and her brother were about 6 weeks old. They had never been around humans before, so they were wild. I was trying to tame both of them but they wouldn't have anything to do with us. Until her brother got hit by a car. I slowly and patiently made friends with Kiki. She was about 6 months old when I was able to pet her. She became an indoor/outdoor cat. I confess that we were irresponsible pet owners then and allowed her to have several litters of kittens. Her last litter of kittens were all born dead over several days, the last one being deformed to the point the kitten's intestines were on the outside. At that point, she was spayed. She was about 8 or 9 then. She mourned that last litter. She became a totally indoor cat by that time. You never could tell she was once a wild cat. She loved everybody but she loved DH the most. He always said that I tamed her but they he stole her heart.
My point is, sometimes the best thing you can do is to let your kitty go. He knows you love him. And sometimes love means saying goodbye. He is suffering and will thank you for it as he plays happily over the bridge.
Yoshi had that same smell and so did Stormy.
The smell was very bad.
The smell was very bad.
Originally Posted by sharky
I second the going to the vet and asking /...
Sometimes it is in fact time but there may still be some options for you and kitty...
If it's treatable, that's the option I would choose. If not, you'd be doing the humane thing by ending your kitty's suffering. I know it's a difficult decision to make b/c I've been there too, but in your heart you'll know you're doing the right thing if nothing else can be done.
I agree with everyone who has suggested taking your kitty to the vet.
Putting him to sleep is the *last resort* and should only be done when you are 100% certain that he is suffering and absolutely nothing can be done to help him.
Your kitty can live with being blind as long as you're there to continue to love and care for him. But you should find out ASAP why he has difficulty breathing. It may be something that's easily treatable, or it could be something serious. The point is, for your peace of mind, and for the sake of your cat, take him to a good vet that you trust and find out what's going on, without delay.
All good thoughts and wishes to you & your precious cat. I hope he'll be fine and you'll have more time together.
Putting him to sleep is the *last resort* and should only be done when you are 100% certain that he is suffering and absolutely nothing can be done to help him.
Your kitty can live with being blind as long as you're there to continue to love and care for him. But you should find out ASAP why he has difficulty breathing. It may be something that's easily treatable, or it could be something serious. The point is, for your peace of mind, and for the sake of your cat, take him to a good vet that you trust and find out what's going on, without delay.
All good thoughts and wishes to you & your precious cat. I hope he'll be fine and you'll have more time together.
I agree about the vet's opinion - and, if your cat is not a happy traveler, and you've a regular client of the vet, I'd ask if the vet could make a house call to evaluate the sitaution. Many practices can accommodate the request, but you won't know til you ask.
Prayers for you both.
Prayers for you both.
My mom and I put one of our two cats that I've had since I was a kid down this fall. He was 13 and had been wasting away for the past few years. It was one of the saddest moments of my life. But I take a bit of peace in the fact that he's not in pain or suffering anymore. I don't know what your situation is but no matter what the situation is you'll know when the time is right. We all have doubts if it is the right time or not, but only someone who has cared for the animal and knows it will know when it is time to bring the life to a close. Let your cat tell you. If you feel that you can make his or her life pleasurable with treatment then so be it. If not, then you know that their time has come.
We want answers but this is one question where there's a lot of personal choice. By coming on here and asking I trust that you are a responsible owner who will make a heartfelt and caring decision. Good luck.
We want answers but this is one question where there's a lot of personal choice. By coming on here and asking I trust that you are a responsible owner who will make a heartfelt and caring decision. Good luck.
