I'm new here and am having a hard time. I have to put my beloved tabby Abby to sleep tomorrow morning. She's 5 yrs old and we knew she had a heart murmur when we got her as a 5mth old kitten. She had been a stray when I adopted her through the humane society. To make a long story short she has developed an arrythmia and also has a neck leison on her one tooth. The vet would not do any dental on her til at least 4-8 weeks to make sure the heart meds had taken affect. So we've been giving her atenol(transdermal) for her heart, pain meds for her tooth and an appetite stimulant to keep her eating. Well she hasn't been eating well and is losing weight. She's always been a picky eater and would only eat dry food and yogurt. She has always loved to eat yogurt when I would have it but now she doesn't even want that. The vet said the she would have to have an ECG to see if she could undergo the anthestic and even then she has a higher risk of dying because of the heart problem. I looked at her tooth this morning, it's the big tooth on the left front bottom, and it looks like it has broken off so no wonder she is in pain. I hate to see her in such pain and so I've made the deceision to have her put down and end her suffering. I'm going to miss her and I'm sure our other cat Callie, a domestic longhair calico, is going to miss her too. 
UPdate: Abby got a reprieve this morning when we took her to be put down. The vet looked at her tooth and said she would like to remove it first, before we put her down. They had wanted her to wait4-8 weeks before doing any dental work to see how the heart meds would work. But the tooth has broken off and she is in alot of pain and that was part of my reason to have her put down because I didn't want her to suffer anymore. The vet wants to do it monday and if Abby should die during the procedure, because of her heart, then at least we have tried. The vet said they would eat the cost of the dental if she doesn't make it through. I am happy if she can live longer but also scared if she doesn't make it through but at least I will have given her the chance. If she does make it through I am going to switch her to another vet near us because she was made to suffer so much by the vet we are now using. I think it was cruel and mean. Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.
UPdate: Abby got a reprieve this morning when we took her to be put down. The vet looked at her tooth and said she would like to remove it first, before we put her down. They had wanted her to wait4-8 weeks before doing any dental work to see how the heart meds would work. But the tooth has broken off and she is in alot of pain and that was part of my reason to have her put down because I didn't want her to suffer anymore. The vet wants to do it monday and if Abby should die during the procedure, because of her heart, then at least we have tried. The vet said they would eat the cost of the dental if she doesn't make it through. I am happy if she can live longer but also scared if she doesn't make it through but at least I will have given her the chance. If she does make it through I am going to switch her to another vet near us because she was made to suffer so much by the vet we are now using. I think it was cruel and mean. Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.
I'll be thinking of you both tomorrow, but maybe after you've let Abby cross over you could put a thread in the bridge with her picture so we can see her?
I'm so sorry that circumstances have forced this decision on you. May Abby cross peacefully, feeling all the love you have for her.
