Am I being cruel?

Some of you may know of my Tom's recent problems with his kindeys.
Unfortunately, I've been suffering from depression and anxiety since 2001, when I lost my first cat Tabby after 16 years.
Right now, I am overwhelmed with Tom's illness
I actually get sick to my stomach worrying about him day and night.
I've even lost my appetite since this happened.
What I am getting to is that I want to find a good home for him.
I feel that someone without my health problems may give him a better, longer, healthier life.
I hate myself for it but I am just thinking of what is best for him.
I can only keep him in the garage and it breaks my heart that he gets bored and may feel trapped in there.
I live with my parents and pets have never been allowed indoors.
Again, I just want to give him a better life.
I am under antidepressants and other medication which affect the way I function.
Please give me your advice.
Thank you.
Angie

I think honestly his chances of being adopted are slim. Not many people are willing to take on a cat w/ health issues. Many people cannot afford the prescription diet, either.

So what can I do?
Do I take my chances and let him be free like always and wait for the unevitable?
I just want him to be as happy as he was, when he was free to be outside.
I feel so guilty about him being locked up in one place.
He meows like he's desparate to get outside.
I would not hold anybody responsible for the adivce about his food.
What can I feed him that would be tolerable for him aside from the diet food?
I read somewhere that there are alternatives.
He's not eating as well. With that I also feel that he'll become weaker.
I can't afford to give him different prescription foods.
I am so desparate.
I am the type of person that gets too emotionally envolved with pets which caused my depression when my Tabby passed away. This has caused me to a point which I can't function like I did before.
Sorry for my venting.

To be perfectly honest chances are very very slim for him to be adopted, I personally would not adopt a cat in kidney failure. When I was looking for another cat for Nuts I was looking only a a shelter that didn't charge a set fee for FeLV+ cats or at a foster cat since I didn't want to pay over $100 for a sick cat. Take that as whatever you want it to, but that is just me personally, but they can't even get rid of healthy cats here, much less sick ones.

I understand mental health concerns but I'm bi-polar and I wouldn't give up one of my babies, especially a sick one. As long as he is healthy enough to get around I would allow him to live him regularly scheduled life and if he has always been outside I would continue to let him do so until you felt he was no longer healthy enough to do so. Trust me my emotions were all over the place when Attitude was really sick(and were once I had to take her for her final visit for the 'final shot') but I just couldn't see giving her up.

If you can't do that then maybe then it might be time to perform the final kindness. I don't know how sick he is, if he isn't that sick(beginning stage) then ignore this sugestion.

If you decide to do this then please find a no-kill selter/ rescue that will put him in a foster situation, I think he would do best to not be in a cage.

I would also talk to your vet about this and see what he/she has to say about it. If there are less expensive foods to try and if they think he would be ok continuing to live outside. Also, what they would tink his chances would be of you were to give him up. That will be your best guide on what the right thing to do in this situation is.

Taryn

Thanks Taryn.
I think that I will let him be like he was before.
I just let him go outside and he looks very happy.
He has the beginning of KD.
They were able to take his blood levels to normal so I don't really know how long he can survive.
Like I've said, I love my cats so much. I just want them to be happy.

I am sorry you are so sad and down, and wish you could keep Tom. Sometimes our cats will help pull us through terrible times. At least for me, I should not speak for you and I am just sorry you are going through this. I agree that it will be next to impossible to find another home for a sick cat, older cat. I understand you wanting to just let him back outside (I am not familiar with your and Tom's history), but I can say that even though I have cat's outside that I have TNRd, I still worry about them. So I think you still will worry about Tom, but he might be happier outside then in the garage for sure. For you and Tom you have to do what's right for him and make him happy.....

That's what I want for him.
To be happy.
He's been outside all day.
The thing I am worried about is that he won't eat his prescribed food.
He just doesn't like it.
I tested him with his old food and he quickly ate that.
I just don't know what to do.
He is in the primary stage of kidney problem so I don't know what to expect.
Thank you for your kind words.
Angie

Has the vet talked about how much time he will have if given the rx food vs what hes on now? Id ask about that.

IMO Id rather a cat be happy and full of life for 1 year then stay alive locked up(im for cats in house but if toms happy outside thats what matters in your case) and Forced to eat food he hates and make it a few years longer.

When you look back 10 years from now what case can you live with better...what happpened you would have loved to change about other cats passings(waited to long chancged to much enviromentaly to enjoy the life they grew up enjoying...

Does he like wet food? It's better for cats with kidney problems because of the extra water. I've known cats who lived for years after being diagnosed with CRF who received no "treatment" except switching to all canned food.

It makes me very sad to read this both for you and for Tom. Tom is sick and he needs you. He needs you to be strong for the both of you. My friend's beloved cat passed away from CRF after a long illness. I saw what the disease did to the cat and what it did to my friend.

If you don't feel like you can be there for him, then perhaps it is best that you do the right thing and find a good home for him. It will be very, very difficult though.

It's not just water, food or a place to roam. He needs medical attention and someone who can care for him round-the-clock. As the disease advances, it will ravage his body. If there are no alternative, then the kindest you can do is to let him leave this world peacefully and painlessly.

Tom seems to be ok.
He wants to eat but not the presciribed meal.
I saw him running today.
I did give him some canned chicken and he ate a bit.
Unfortunately, he went outside and ate some of the dry food.
Can I feed him ocean fish canned food?
Thanks.