Is it inhumane to allow your cat to die naturally?

Good to know.  Thank you.  Blessings, Star*

There should be no doubt in your mind your pet wants to go.  That's all.

I agree.  Doctor Kevorkian was a hero.  And you sound like one too.,   Blessings, Star*

Hugz, Luv* 

Kelskey, she was 19 years old.  You were a wonderful Mom.  Hugz sweetie.  Star*

"And if I'm in pain, I'd rather linger in pain and have my mind"

I have a problem with this sentence... First, you've obviously never experienced what chronic physical pain feels like. If you did, you wouldn't want to live with the pain for too long without some type of intervention (drugs). Second, people aren't euthanized because it's illegal. Also they're given tons of drugs to reduce the pain. Animals are given low doses of pain drugs because we can't gauge their pain to properly give them the correct amount. Third, animals hide their pain. They don't always wail and scream if they're in pain. They hide, retreat, become lethargic, act totally different or listless. It is the humane thing to do to put down an animal who won't get back the quality of life it used to have.

I wanted to share my experience of trying to decide whether to have my Maggie put to sleep. She was my baby, a yellow lab I raised from 6 weeks old and loved like my own daughter. She was my best friend and we did everything together. She went to college with me and came to work with me at the bar some days. Everyone knew her and loved her. Maggie was a humanoid, the smartest dog I have ever met and full of personality. She meant everything to me and I know I made it through my darkest days because of her. This may sound melodramatic, but it is the truth: there were times when I had nothing to live for and the only thing that kept me here was worrying about who would take care of my Maggie if I was gone. I couldn't leave her. Things eventually got better and my life stabilized, and she was still there for me, as always.

When she was 13, she started to show signs of hip dysplasia. By the time she was 14, her back legs stopped working. For a short while, she scooted, dragging her back legs straight out behind her. She behaved like nothing was wrong and it didn't bother her. She still played frisbee, I just had to throw the disc directly to her. She was happy, healthy and acting like herself. We went to the vet, of course, and they said as long as I was willing to take care of her, what we were doing was fine. She was cheerful and she was not in any obvious pain. On cold, rainy days, she would get a prescription pain killer because she would get a little stiff. Otherwise, her hips didn't bother her an she was the same dog she always was, she just couldn't walk. Eventually, as her hip joints became more misshapen, her back legs turned forwards, so she was sitting flat on her bum with her legs in front of her. She couldn't scoot anymore. I couldn't afford a doggie wheelchair, so I carried her. She enjoyed doing the 'wheelbarrow,' when I picked up her back end and she walked on her front legs. We took a walk like this everyday so she could sniff and check out the perimeter of her yard.

We continued like this for a year. Then she started to go downhill and I refused to see it. Hindsight is 20/20. Because of her posture, she could not void her bladder properly and constantly got bladder infections. She was on antibiotics the whole last year of her life. I had to help her pee by placing gentle pressure on her abdomen. My husband started talking about her quality of life at this point, but I denied that the bladder issues were a big deal. She was still thrilled to see me when I got home from work and loved to snuggle. I still carried her outside to lay in the grass and watch the bugs. Then she couldn't sit up anymore without help. I won't go into more details because now I am crying, but it had been about a year and a half since she stopped being able to walk. Once she couldn't sit up, she started to die, but it took about 8 months.

By the time we got to the end, her life was crap. I didn't, or wouldn't, see it at the time. She laid in bed and that was her life. She ate because I fed her and she snuggled because I snuggled her, but she was not living a true life. Now I can see that I was being selfish and refusing to let her go- for me, not for her. I loved her so much, I couldn't stand to think of life without her. Not having the courage to have her put to sleep and die with dignity is one of the biggest mistakes of my life (and I have made some whoppers). She was just a shell of her former self, but her heart kept beating, so she was alive. I really feel like I dishonored my baby with my selfishness. She gave me love on top of love and would have done anything for me, no questions asked, but I didn't do right by her. I regret it so much. She passed away almost 5 years ago and she is still the first thing I think of every morning when I wake up. And then my second thought is crushing guilt about the decision I refused to make in time. It shouldn't be this way.

One night, I came home from work and she was unresponsive. Her body had started to slowly shut down and she most likely had a stroke. She was comatose, in that twilight area between life and death. My sister in law is a mobile vet, so we called her to come over to put her to sleep. While we waited for her to arrive, I really looked at Maggie and reality hit me. She was so thin and frail. I looked at her wasted body and cried. She should have had a better end. I could clearly see all her ribs, her spine, and the contours of her skull. She gave me so much, she gave me everything she had and I let her linger and waste away for weeks, if not months. She must have been so miserable and depressed. There is no way she wasn't in pain, and she had been in pain for months at this point, I had been in complete denial and refused to see it. I held her and cried and apologized and told her I loved her while Krisi gave her the shot. Then she was gone.

If I could go back in time and redo one thing, it wouldn't be doing better in school or not dating the guy who introduced me to hard drugs or any of the other stupid, ruinous things I have done. The one thing I would change is having Maggie put to sleep when her life quality of life turned bad. She deserved better than to waste away on a bed for weeks and months until her body gave out. My selfish actions destroyed what should be beautiful memories of the best friend I will ever have. I am so sorry.

So, yes, I think it is inhumane to let a pet (or human) suffer when their life can end peacefully and with dignity. Selfishly keeping my dog alive for me and not doing what was best for her is the most unintentionally cruel thing I have ever done and I am ashamed.

Healthy Maggie, a few months before her legs stopped working:

In the scooting phase:

About 8 months before she died. This is the last photo of her, I didn't take any more. After I saw this photo, I cropped most of her body out and continued with my denial. She lost about half of her body weight in this photo over the next 8 months.

I have chronic, knock down, drag out pain.  And Doctors have never treated it correctly.  I could go into stories about my pets, but they're too many and too long.  Vets are even worse than Doctors as far as diagnosing and treating pain. 

I'm an athlete and use to hiding pain. , they never think I'm even in pain.  I learned "Send me in coach" no matter what.  Imagine what they do or don't do for animals.  Watch the animal, they'll tell you.

I liked a great page on Huffington Post about cats.  I put it on face book.  You might like it.

Blessings, Star*

I'm crying now.  I'm so sorry.  I wish I could have done what you did.  I keep thinking of Terry Shiavo..she wanted to live because she was surrounded by love.  Your baby went when she was ready,  a lucky baby to have that kind of love until then end.  Have no regrets.  Nothing can replace that kind of love.

Love is a natural pain killer.

Blessings, love and hugs..

Star*

@ happybird, I am crying my eyes out reading this but this is a case where I agree in a pet being pts. But just know,even if she were in pain she had the best life with your love! Xxx

@ star, what did your friend cure? Was that to me?
Im in Australia

I've signed a consent form twice for the vet to end my cats life first with Lily and then Merlin . It was a difficult decision on both occasions but it was the right decision .

I took on the responsibility of having cats in my life and I love having them in my life they are wonderful creatures to be around .

But It's a contract of love and responsibility I have entered into with my cats and I understand I am their next of kin just like my parents and my brothers are my next of kin, these decisions however difficult and upsetting have to be made , just as I trust my family would make the right decisions for me I trust myself to make the right decisions for my much loved cats.

I don't mean to come across as been cold here and all legal sounding with words like signed consent ,contract and next of kin , I am a warm and caring man and love my cats deeply.

But I take my responsibilities seriously as a pet owner and however upsetting the decision is to end your cats life is, you must put their welfare first .

My memories of Lily and Merlin are among my most cherished memories , their passing can never take away the years of love we had together and it's because I loved them I did the right thing by letting them go.

My heart go's out to you Kelskey and your beautiful cat

She cured a lot of things.  You should really talk to her.  Yes, it was to you hon.  There's also a book called "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louisa Hay.  It's my 2nd bible.  You'd love it.

I see you're in Australia, check out her Web Site, Body Glyphix in Wales, New York.  She was a big help to me.

blessings and Love,

Star*

you will do what is right for you both. 

@ star...cool thanks will do

Happybird,

You have sat with your grief and self torment for too long now. By no means am I telling you to "let it go" because "it" is all you have left of your beloved Maggie. But,the only way you can keep Maggie alive is in your heart. So please let the place she lives in (your heart) be filled with light and love and the warmth of the sun. Please do not keep Maggie in a dark bitter hurting heart that will never forgive.  It is late and I hope that makes sense.

We all feel like what ever choice is made that it is the wrong one. I have worked over 30 years in vet hospitals. I have done emergency, cat specialty, and internal medicine and surgery specialty for the last 10 years. I state that because I want you to know that I have had allot of experience. Every single euthanasia decision I have had to make I have second guessed myself and blamed myself afterwards. Every one that died I have done the same. I have witnessed so many people do this as well.

Humans have trouble dealing with the fact that very bad things happen to very good animals for no reason and no fault of anyone. Humans need to blame and find fault. Anger is so much more comfortable to most people than gut wrenching grief. So, humans find fault, some with others, some with themselves and they can turn that grief to anger. But you have really attacked yourself and I think you are not allowing yourself to really grieve due to how angry you are at yourself.

We all make mistakes. We all have selective memory. You must forgive yourself and bring back the happy Maggie into your heart and memories. Of course always easier said than done. But please try to forgive yourself. You are not the one to blame here. You loved her and you tried your very best. Sadly sometimes your best (or my best) just isn't enough. Sometimes nothing is enough to save them. But you tried and you loved her. She loved you. That is obvious from the pictures and from your story. Maybe she didn't want to die? Most don't. What ever you did you did for love and it is time to stop beating yourself up for something that was never really in your control.

I hope I get across what I am trying to say here in these disjointed statements. It is late.

Please forgive yourself. Maggie's pictures show a happy well cared for loved dog (in all three photos)

I hate reviving this old thread, but I have gone both ways with this. I put my 17 year old Keeshond down mainly because he was unable to get up and down the stairs to go outside. He was also collapsing a lot and just urinating where he was. He had dementia. I couldn't deal with it.

A year later my 15yo Keeshond who suffered from seizures started having daily seizures. I took her to the vet who suggested trying another med. We ran her panels and she had some decreased liver and kidney function, which the new med might make worse.

We had three good weeks with her. Than one morning we woke to her making a horrible crying noise. She was unable to move. I took her to the vet and she was PTS.

I am not sure I did the right thing by her, but I had guilt for not fighting harder for my boy. We did have three good weeks on the new meds, but the fact that she was ever in that kind of pain was very hard on me.

During those 3 good weeks no one could have predicted that she would wake up one day like that, and you did the right thing and quickly.  If you want to talk someone there are trained counselors here with the ASPCA grief hotline:  I've talked to them and they were helpful and kind, and its free.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-loss

ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline at (877) GRIEF-10. (877-474-3310)

Yup.....Once I hear that pain, I know it's time,,,sigh.....But, not until.    I go 4 days with that kind of pain before I even will see a Doctor for myself.  But, not an animal.  You did right.

Blessings, Love and Hugs.           

Along with being a TNR/rescue person, there was a time when I was brought home shelter cats with FIV that were symptomatic so that they could know a home before dying. I've seen a lot of illness and death, some natural, some with euthanasia. 

I've never found  a "good" answer. Every illness and every pet has been different. And since I can't really know for sure what the animal would choose for themselves, or what they are experiencing physically, I have to try to calm myself, listen to my gut, and research what other pet parents have witnessed, vets have advised, and humans have experienced with similar illnesses. And I journal so I can go back and have an accurate record of what happened when.I can't rely on my sense of time or reality at the end of life.

It's hardest for me, but a personal moral imperative, to let a pet die naturally if I don't see evidence of distress. 

The distress that I've witnessed that led me to euthanize:

- Sudden frantic shrieking, dashing around, and convulsing. 

- continuous labored, open mouthed breathing.

- continuous vomiting/retching.

- seizures combined with end stage cancer

- fast failing in a kitten, then convulsions.

I'd like to share part of a poem in the hope that it helps someone a little bit -

Fragile Circle

 "We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.We cherish memory as the only certain immortality."

Irving Townsend.