so fast/ put down/congestive heart failure

moms cat 14 years old looked fat for a while now. At one point she seemed  a bit congested but that seemed to clear but she kept drinking tons of water, Today went to moms who is ill with dementia, Her cat would greet me at the door and I would give her and her brother  a snack.. She hid though i noticed her dragging her rear leg... Called the vet.. Perhaps a leg pull... Then I noticed she was trying to walk room to to room and try to get comfortable but her breathing was awful.... I called the  vet and said this looks serious.    She took an xray and said  many things going on... The xray showed tumors around the kidneys and her intestines were being shoved down. Plus an enlarged heart which was causing her not o breath . What was more odd I kept telling my mother she is very overweight so stop feeding her so much as my mom has dementia... ONLY to find out when I told the vet she is very overweight in reality she was not!!! she was distended from the tumors. She would drink tons of water and ate alot.. I just thought my mother was over feeding  her.. But it seems her beloved cat had a bigger issue at hand and even detected early may not have been good enough. Heart failure  is heart failure and she hid it well till today. I had to put her down as the vet said she never would make it through the night... I feel so sad but it had to be done. Mom with ALZ I tried to tell as I was crying but it was so hard for her to understand... Now the cats brother is all alone.I fear for him.. Only solice I have that her cat was trying to tell me something "get me help"   I felt it in my GUT.. But No matter how good or bad it is... IT HURTS 14 years and now her brother has no one..... I am blown away!!!

It's something that is never easy to do or even easy to forget. You did absolutely the only thing that could be done for something that would only cause suffering and pain. Your mother and that sweet baby are blessed to have someone like you in their lives to do what needs to be done. My heart goes out to you, it is so very lonely and hurts so bad in those first few days, we seem to dwell on the death and not the happiness and love that gave us years of pleasure. Kiss that sweet brother for me, he will miss his sister dearly and needs extra love and attention right now. Your mother will mourn the loss of that faithful companion too, in her own way. I pray you are blessed for your kindness. I'll keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, I'm so sorry you have to go through all this. Take care of yourself too, sometimes that is so hard to do when you are the caretaker of others. RIP little one, you will live on in the hearts of those that loved you!

That's such a difficult situation to deal with. My condolences for you and your mother. :cross: that her brother can cope with losing her, too.

So sorry to hear this, I am glad though you were able to help her, you let her go, sometimes, thats all one can do. It doesn't really make it any easier but its true. Run free little kitty. If you take her home, rub a little towel on her and put it in a bag and bring it for her brother, it may help him understand she has passed on. Also if it wouldn't upset your mother, but I think it will, it would probably be best to have a little wake for him with her in the room and he can tell she has passed on, but the blanket idea might be best in this case.

I am so so sorry.  

What a thoughtful person you are. I am so sorry to hear about your mom's cat. You did them both a great kindness and I applaud you for having the courage to take that huge step alone. It will be painful for her brother for a while, but he will adjust. Rest easy knowing that you did the right thing, the only thing, you could do in the circumstances.

Best regards.

Thanks to all but still cannot believe it. Mom who has alzheimers does not even notice she is not there, but asks how may cats do i have I said one which was a big mistake. I am the only caregiver for my mother and responsible for the cats as well . she feeds them as she does not live with me but forgets.. She had 5 cats and we are cat lovers.. I had to put her other cat down last january as he had cancer and was all bones but he kept by her side and still knew us. It was so difficult but the vet said do it . With moms cat nemy she was so pure. When I went over to make mom a salmon sandwich Neme would always be there wanting salmon. It was too quiet yesterday.... Its also hard that I cannot talk to her about the cat due to her illness so I'm feeling the pain and I am sure mom would if she could remember.. To have this happen so fast and having no other choice is mindblowing but she lived a good 14 1/2 years. Her brother seems okay I play with him and give him a lot of attention, I had two set of brothers  and sister. One lived to 20 years old then when he died his sister died 6 months later she was sooo heartbroken and kept looking for him.  Then my other two he died from kidney failure 5 years ago and I said watch his sister go.. She did 7 months later and that was horrible she got ascites her abdomen  was distended and she would not eat. Vet thought just constipation a week went by and I said its not that. brought her back did xray all fluid. No one knew what to do, I was so upset. eventually after an ultra sound which seems useless I went for a second opinion to my old vet. My cat was still so alert and sat so close to me in fear. He said put her down.... I said cant you do anything. He said it was probably fip wet form!! whatever so I put here down on the spot.......   After all of these things you have no heart left. Losing an animal is so painful!!! Guess they get sick and pass on like we do but they are  so innocent and I like them so much more then "most" people...

I'm so sorry but maybe its best she doesn't remember, it would hurt too much. You did the right thing, you let her go.  I know its so incredibly painful but for me, its better to known them and loved them than rather to not ever have met them at all. 

Touching moment today. I have been giving nemes brother a lot of attention. He keeps meowing like saying where is she. My mom does not react that much when I tell her due to her illness, otherwise she would be hysterical... I look at recent pics of her her face seemed thin compared to her others but hind sight is 20/20. Anyway, boodah was sitting on a chair where his sister always slept. I sat next to him.  Then he started meowing mom was playing her version of solitaire at the table, Booo jumped up plucked himself right in front of her and just looked at her then went to sleep. I said he needs attention and your love since his sister passed. I was in awe to see how cats are. He was trying to comfort her and himself. What amazing animals

They definitely are, I hope you all can take comfort in each other, and in your precious memories.

I'm s sorry for your loss my thoughts and prayers go out to you during this difficult time.