Is it time?

My Missy (see avatar) is over 18 and in the past week has declined in health.

Two Sundays ago, she vomited all day, but then started eating again, and I started giving her smaller meals more often and she was good all week.  Then the past Sunday, she vomited up everything she ate and didn't want to eat.

I called the vet and made THE appointment for Tuesday, but then Monday night, she ate wet food and I heard her out in the kitchen crunching on dry food twice later and ate treats.  When she ate breakfast on Tuesday morning, I called and canceled.  I just couldn't do it.  She is drinking water and using the litter box (pee and poop).  I took her to the car and sat in the front seat with her, and she was yelling at me and trying to get out.  I just didn't think she was ready.  I came home for lunch and fed her and she was up using the scratch cardboard thing.

Today is Wednesday and she barely ate much for breakfast.  I held her for a few minutes, but she wanted to go back in the bathroom.

Lately, she just stays in the bathroom and lays on the toilet seat all day. 

This is killing me, too, as I love this cat so much.  I'm almost 59 and I've had her since I was 41 years old.  She's been through a lot with me.  I got her when she was 8 weeks old as a present for my niece, but she didn't like my niece, she chose me.

I guess I need to talk and write this out.  How can I make this tough decision.

Also to note, if you look at my past posts, in the past two months, I've taken a Mama cat and kittens in and the Mama cat died and I had to give up the kittens, and then my Sammy was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma and had to be put down.  He was only about 11.    That was unexpected and devastating to me and I haven't gotten over him leaving me. 

It's been very depressing and stressful over everything going on.  Now Missy.  I'm having a hard time deciding.

aww i'm sorry to hear about all this. 18 is a good, long life though, and it sounds like you've given her a special one.

I'm sorry to hear about Missy.  Does she have a diagnosis of anything?  It sounds like she has some good periods and bad periods and I would find it very hard to make such a decision without having some medical evaluation first.  While 18 is a good long kitty life and I wouldn't want to prolong it if she is suffering with nothing to be done, it's possible there are simple things that could give her some improvement and have more good periods and thus more time.  Maybe you already know she has something terminal, and if so I am sorry you have reached this point in the progression.  If not, though, in short, I don't see how it's time yet.

I agree with what 2bcat posted. I wonder if she has some kidney issues that can be treated? Kidney issues are not uncommon in older cats, it actually is common. Can you have some bloodwork and urinalysis done to give you a general idea?

I'm sorry to hear Missy is having issues.  She's a beautiful girl  Have you had her to the vet lately and had bloodwork done?  Panels can be expensive, but they can tell you a lot of info and that info can help with your decisions.

When it comes to "is it time", I tell clients to think of 5 things that your pet LOVES to do.  If your pet can't or doesn't want to to do at least 3 of those, then your pet's quality of life is not very good anymore, and you should use that as something to help your decision.  Animals have simple needs and if they can't fulfill those things and do those things they love, it is not a good life anymore.

Too many times, we keep our furbabies here for much longer than we should because WE want them to stay, and it isn't always in our furbaby's best interest.  But we can't let go.  Or we think that they will pass gently in their sleep when its time, and that rarely happens.

We have the ability to give our furbabies a huge gift, which is a gentle passing so they are no longer suffering.   Since they have given us 100%, unconditional love for their entire lives, we owe it to them to give them that gift, and not keep the here because WE need them here.  

If you don't want to take her into the vet and add to her stress, you can also call your vet and ask if there are any vets that will come to your home when it is time.  There are vets out there that do just that.

I hope this helps you in some way with your decision.  It is not an easy one.

I am going through the same thing with one of mine, and I have decided that the time will be when she is suffering. I have to feed mine many times a day by hand, but she is comfortable as long as I give her fluids weekly. She has end-stage renal failure. I've gone back and forth on this: when the fluids no longer work, it will be time.

The criteria for me, t hen, is the cat's welfare.

I decided to have her checked out at the vet today.  If, for nothing else, my own peace of mind.  She's been eating and drinking water and pooping and peeing.

She down to just over 4#.  She's always been a petite cat, but last time she was weighed she was over 5#.

So, she is there now.  I'll go later to talk to Dr. Jen. 

She ate breakfast and also meowed loudly the entire drive to the vet this morning.

Oh and yes she has a thyroid condition and is on meds, and those meds can cause kidney issues. 

While she was at the vet, she was awake and pacing in the cage and meowing at everyone. Heidi gave her some food and she chowed down she said. Then she meowed the whole way home. I opened the cage and she walked around in the car. Then I pulled over and put her back in the cage. She laid down, but kept reading me the riot act. When she got home, she's been more active than usual.

Dr. Jen did some bloodwork and is send it up to Ann Arbor. I'll get the results on Tuesday. She said Missy is in decline, but she's still doing okay based on her interactions today.

She said she's lived a really long life for a cat and when it comes time, I should not feel guilty.

I know that, but she is still my baby. Anyway, she's doing as good as she can do I guess. I'll find out more Tuesday when the thyroid and kidney tests come back.

You did the right thing to get her checked out at the vet's office. Her long life is a wonderful testimony to the loving home she has had. I hope nothing serious will show in her blood work. I wonder if maybe she just needs an adjustment of the thyroid medicine. Did they do a thyroid panel to check that again.

In the meantime I would say this. Love her, hold her, sing to her, cuddle with her and enjoy every single minute. Too soon, they are gone. Good luck.

Update:  As I type this, Missy is staring at me like PAY ATTENTION TO ME!

Her thyroid levels were a bit high.  Kidney functions were acceptable, but not perfect.  Dr. Jen said we could try adjusting up her thyroid medicine and see if that increases her appetite and energy levels.  The trade off is that the thyroid meds affect the kidney functions.  She left the decision up to me.  At first, I didn't want to increase the meds, but then I thought about her appetite and energy so I ended up increasing it.  Well, it's been four days into increasing her meds.  She does seem to have more energy and is eating a bit better.  She LOVES Blue Buffalo treats!  And I figure if she wants to eat them, I'll give her as many as she wants.

She has been crawling on my bed and walking on me to wake me up, which I don't mind, lol. 

All in all, I'm glad I took her to the vet.  She said we can check her again in SIX months.  I said really?  She said, just love her and give her attention.  She's lived a long and good life and that she hopes to see me in six months, not sooner. 

Me too.