I think my cat is dying and I don't know if I should keep forcing meds down her throat

4 nights ago I noticed she hadn't eaten and was having trouble breathing.  I brought her to the vet Wed and she spent 2 nights at emergency ER for congestive heart failure.  She has SAM and SAS.  She's been home for a day and I'm struggling to give her meds, she gags and now it seems to drool out of her mouth.  I don't want to traumatize her at ER again if there's not much else that can be done.  I'm seeing my regular vet again Monday.   She sleeps all day.  She hasn't eaten in 5-6 days.  Her breath is terrible and she smells like urine.  Her breathing is shallow and short but it doesn't seem labored.  She was drinking a lot but not much anymore even though she's on a diuretic to remove fluid from her lungs.  It's totally tearing me up but she seems peaceful.  Especially if I gently pet her nose or forehead while she's resting. I don't know if I should just leave her be or keep forcing the meds down her throat.  I'm just sitting here waiting for a sign from her to help or leave her be.  And i'm just destroyed. 

I am so very sorry you and your girl are going through this.  I really have no words of wisdom except to listen to your heart and your kitty.  Maybe someone else will come along soon with more help.

Oh, I'm so sorry.  I wish I knew what to say.  

I'm sorry to hear about your cat. How old is she?

If she hasn't eaten in 5-6 days, I regret to say that is she is most likely in fatal liver failure on top of her other ailments. Does your vet know that she hasn't eaten in this long? Most vets familiar with cats would have advised assist-feeding or a feeding tube by now.

Cats are masters at hiding pain, so what may appear to you as peaceful could be very well be pain for her.

Just going by your description above (not eating, now not drinking, shallow breathing, soaked in urine, fluid in lungs), it does sound like she is dying.    None of us can tell you want to do, but you may have a decision to make soon. Just remember to keep her best interests in mind.

I'm so very sorry you're going through this. 

Perhpas she needs to be reaccessed. It does not sound good at all. Honestly, the kindest thing might be to let her go and have her  euthanized. She sounds extremely ill and without major intervention (IV and critical care) she will probably pass on her own. I am sorry you are going through this. It is torture to watch a loved one struggle. 

If you feel she in not in distress, then perhaps keep her comfortable and give her love as you have been. "hugs"

I really feel for you and it's a horrible decision to make! Only you can make it though. It certainly sounds as if she's nearing the end of her life bless her!
Our 14 year old cat had lost an incredible amount of weight and was eventually diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She got tablets from the vet on the Friday but getting them into her was a total nightmare. Two days later, on the Sunday morning I was giving her the tablet she needed and she had a massive heart attack and died in my arms. I've often wondered if it would have been better to let her go at the vets two days earlier but that hadn't even been suggested. The other side of it is though that she died at home. Nobody can tell you what to do but if your little one is peaceful and not in pain I would let her pass peacefully at home. If she becomes agitated though I would advise that final trip to the vet!
My thoughts are with you and please keep in touch!

Thank you all for writing.  My poor kitty is only 6 1/2.  I brought her home yesterday and she ate a couple of morsels of food yesterday and today but not nearly enough.  It's actually been more like 4-5 days. I did notice her drink a  little more water earlier but still less than yesterday.  

The vet said they could put a feeding tube in but because of her heart it's not advised she go under general anesthesia.  They suggested I could wait a day and see if she starts eating more since she is stressed and exhausted from the hospital stay.  I don't think she will but I really don't want to bring her back to ER. I feel in her state it will do more harm than good. Other than her breathing, she's so much worse than when I brought her there.  I think it really took a toll.  Although she's obviously extremely unwell she doesn't seem to be dire or majorly distressed.  I hope I'm right about that.  She's fairly alert and walks around (albeit only from one resting spot to another) and is even able to jump on the coffee table.  She's not listless.  But I know it's time and I hope she goes peacefully in her sleep or can make it until Monday when I'll sadly speak to the vet about letting her go  My poor girl. 

I don't know if I should keep giving her meds until then to keep her breathing stable.  She's so miserable taking them.  Do you think I'm causing her great pain if I don't go to ER tomorrow and wait to see my vet on Monday?  I'm so sad and worried for her.  I just don't want her to be in pain or be stressed if she's not home.  She's a bit high-strung and I'm afraid the trip to ER alone might send her over the edge. I guess I'll have to see how tomorrow goes.  Thank you again for listening!  I'm sick to my stomach and totally broken hearted.  She was her fine self last weekend. 

All I can do is give my opinion and it isn't necessarily the right one. My Holly got terribly stressed taking her medication and if I had known that by giving her that last one that brought on her fatal heart attack, I wouldn't have given her any more and she might have died peacefully in her sleep. I genuinely thought I was doing the best for her! For that reason, if your fur baby isn't in any distress it might be better withdrawing her medication if you think it's too stressful for her and there is genuinely no hope for her. I'm no expert and I'm not suggesting that's what you should do. I know how you are feeling and it's such a difficult decision to make. My heart is breaking for you!

Like the poster above, I'm just giving my opinion for what it's worth.

My kitty did not have major heart problems, but she did have hypertension combined with a heart murmur (along with a million other things). She became extremely distressed when I tried to pill her, sometimes to the point she seemed to be having a hypertensive attack. I was worried about what this would do to her heart.

I decided it wasn't worth it. The terror and the pain of the attack was just not worth it. I told the vet it had to either be liquid (easier to get in them without so much stress), or crushable to put in her food (she was still eating).

But this sounds more dire than that, especially if she's not eating. I would be worried about the stress it puts on her not only psychologically, but in terms of her cardiac issues as well.

Gotta remember something. They don't know why you're doing all this stuff to them. And their mental health is just as important to their comfort and well-being as their physical health.

If chances of recovery were good, maybe it'd be worth it. But sadly, it doesn't sound like there's any hope for that, from what you say.  I hope I'm mistaken though.

And when I try to think like a cat, this is the conclusion I reach.

Sometimes when our cats are ill -- especially very ill -- I think it is kinder to prioritize their mental health above all, even if that means stopping treatment. I did eventually stop treatment all together with my elder cat when everything got to be too much. I was sent home from the last vet visit with a million new things, including a fluid IV, but I knew she would not recover, and that I would rather her be comfortable in her last days than getting stuff poked down her throat or in her skin. So I just stopped, and had her euthanized at home with me.

Being scared isn't a good way for them to spend the end of their lives. I'd rather they be comfortable and as happy as possible, rather than try to eek a couple more days out of their lifespan by forcing meds.

Beautifully put!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.  It helps b/c I've never gone through this before and don't know what to do or expect.

Amazingly, I just went to the store and picked up a bunch of different foods and she ate a little bit of the Newman's Own!  Maybe a tablespoon or two.  Then she drank a little water, urinated in the litter box and went under the bed again.  She still is weak and resting but her eyes are open and she seems fair considering.  I still haven't given her meds yet because I want her to gain a little strength but I think I will the next time she gets up.  I don't know if she'll eat again today and I don't want to get my hopes up but it was a better sign than I've seen all weekend.  I'm not making anymore trips to ER.  I hope I'm right about this but since she ate a little I feel like she might be able to get through this without another emergency visit and if not, then it just isn't and I'll see my vet tomorrow.

BTW I did that yesterday too but including buying cooked chicken, tuna and beef and she didn't really touch anything.  But I just figured I'd try again today.  

Is she on furosemide (Lasix)? If she has fluid building up, then the Lasix will really help. What about hiding the pill in a pill pocket? Soft treat or cheese? I think you can crush it and syringe it if needed, but please check on that first. If you can get that pill in her, I would. Diuretics go a long way in helping CHF.

I understand that some cats are just not good patients. I've had to make the decision before to put my cat to sleep because she really was a terrible patient. Another cat I had, a terrific patient and I moved heaven and earth to save her. Only you and your vet know what's best here, and I'm sending many vibes your way.

Thanks for keeping us informed and maybe she might be turning a corner. That would be wonderful! Thinking of you both x

She is on Lasix and Plavix and I'm supposed to be giving her Enalapril when she starts eating well. I'm trying to give her the Lasix bc it's liquid and easier to get down but the Plavix is a pill and tougher. I try to hide it in a little food but she's eating so little. She doesn't eat treats or cheese or any of the other stuff that most cats like- Shes always been a finicky eater.

She ate another tablespoon of food around 8pm but that's it. Then she wanted up on the bed and hung out with me there for 30 minutes which she hasn't done since I got her home. I felt hopeful but I just got up at 3am to try and feed her again and she smelled the food and gagged and turned away.

When I brought her to ER she was breathing poorly but acting normal. When I got her home her breathing improved but now she's like a dying cat. I don't know what happened. She's weak and I'm so concerned about her eating. But she is alert and has her wits about her. I'm just going to keep trying to feed her every few hours. The gag reaction didn't seem like a good sign to me. I'm afraid she's in liver or kidney failure. I just don't want to give up on her.

I have a vet appt tomorrow morning but I'm afraid of what the stress will do to her. I hope the doctor can help give me some answers.

So sorry that you're going through this. Sounds like nausea. Is she licking her lips a lot?

Thank you.

Not really unless I put food in front of her mouth or after eats.  After she takes a bite or two she keeps opening and closing her mouth like there's food in there.  I think she's salivating.  She ate a fingertip of food this morning - I think it made her nauseas - now back under the bed.  I regret letting her stay 2 nights at the hospital.  I really think it did her in.  She's a total mess. I wish they could've just given me the Lasix to give her at home. 

At this point, is it even possible for her to recover?  She's barely eaten in 5 or 6 days.  Poor little thing.

My dear Grey (RIP) had a bout with fluid on her heart once, and it took some time for her to get back to normal. I suspect that she had undiagnosed diabetes at the time too. Grey was a good patient so I didn't think twice about treating her. But I turned down a thymectomy years later due to her age.

It's hard to know what to do sometimes. I wish I had some answers for you.

It's possible that although the pills may say do not crush at this stage I say crush them and try to get them down as gently as possible or as had been suggested just let her go to rainbow bridge when she's ready. My lotto more or less told me he'd had enough poor baby. I could see it in his eyes when he looked at me. I sent him to R.B.
I know how you are feeling. I think we all know. Will she sit on your lap if you put her there?
I pray she goes comfortably.

I would talk to the vet before crushing medications. Crushing medications changes how they are absorbed.