Is it time to give up?

I have a 12 year old cat who is super ill and I'm not sure if its time for me to give up on him.  I'm so sad and I just don't know what to do.

He has heart disease which he was diagnosed with about a year ago and its been controlled by lasix and enalapril fairly well.  He's only had one really bad episode 3 months ago where we had to up his lasix dosage because he had too much fluid build up.

He also has hyperthyroid but he's had that for at least 7 years and that's been controlled very well with his methamizole.  

This past Monday night, I noticed him acting a bit weird but didn't put too much thought into it, because he was eating, pooping, peeing and playing normally.

Tuesday, he stopped pooping and he wouldn't eat.  I tried to give him some canned tuna and he did a little of it.  

Wednesday, I took him to the vet where my vet ran blood work and took xrays.  His xrays showed that he had fluid build up again.  And blood work came back showing he was in the beginning stages of kidney failure.  And it also showed exposure to the choronavirus.  The vet gave him lasix injections and we upped his lasix dosage again and he sent me home with medicine for his kidneys.

Thursday, he wouldn't eat anything at all, not even the canned tuna.  He was still drinking water and peeing but was very lethargic.

Friday, I went back to the vet.  Took more xrays, and the fluid had cleared up.  Not completely, but alot better than before.   Because he hadn't popped, vet gave him an enema.  When I brought him home after the enema, he threw up immediately and then pooped.  He threw up a bunch more times during that night.

Today, Saturday, the vet called to check up on my Gargomel and I let him know that he was throwing up but he said that may be a side effect of the enema and told me to come pick up some nausea medicine which I did.  He also told me I need to force feed him.

NOW, this is the part where I'm unsure what to do.  Before all this he was still going to his litter box but now he just pee's all over the house and sits in his pee.  He's never done this before.  I read on the internet that when cats do this, it means they have given up.  Also, ive been force feeding him with a syringe but because he's throws it all up 10 minutes later.  He is not drinking any water (because he's so nautious I think).  He's not eating and he's not getting any nutrition because he throws up anything I syringe feed him.  I feel so sad, I dont know if its time to give up on him.  He still tries to lay next to me wherever I am, but he seems so sad and depressed and ill.  I just dont know what to do.  

It sounds like he has been through a lot and right now the quality of his life is not good.  Sometimes by treating all the illnesses that befall an aging cat, we actually get in the way of their dying process.  If he were my cat, knowing he had all those problems that are not likely to get better, I would spend some quality time with him, keep him comfortable if possible, and if not possible I would give him the gift of freedom from his failing body. If eating makes him throw up, why make him eat?  He knows his body is failing him, so help him.  I did that just a week ago with one of mine.  It hurts to say goodbye but it was the only kind thing to do.  She purred as I stroked her face as she went to sleep in my arms ......

I don't see it as giving up at all.  I see it as helping them make their transition as painless and easy as possible.

I went through a similar situation with my RB kitty, Callie.  The one and only thing I can think of left to try is something for nausea.  You can get a shot (Cerenia) from the vet and then try a Pepcid daily.  However, if he's not feeding on his own, you will have to continue to force feed him.  I am wondering if he might have a urinary tract infection.  Did the vet culture his urine to test for an infection or crystals? 

As @Red Top Rescue mentioned, you do have to look at his quality of life.  I would try one last time to see if there's something that could help him, but you have to decide what kind of "heroic efforts" you want to put your kitty through to keep him with you.  When we were going through this with Callie, we had to consider if the heroic efforts would increase her quality of life, extend her life and if so, for how long?  If it extended her life, what measures would we have to go through daily to keep her alive?  Lastly, would she want us to do all that for her??  The thought of pilling her daily, force feeding her daily, and giving her sub-q fluids wouldn't really work for her because she never liked to be confined or held.  It would be a constant battle with her.  Did I want her to spend her last days/weeks/months with that?  These were the questions we wrestled with.  In the end, we decided to love on her for a couple of weeks and then, when it was time, we let her go.  Looking back, because you know vision is 20/20 on the other side, I wish we would've let her go sooner and not prolonged her life the couple of weeks that we did. 

I hope this helps.

Thank you both for your replies.  Ive been going back and forth all day and night.  

Stephanie, I'm not sure if he tested for a urinary tract infection.  When I googled "peeing outside his litterbox", that did come up many times.  Would that show in a blood test?  I think he only took blood work and xrays.  

My cat seemed to be doing a little better last night, alot more alert and responsive but not anymore this morning.  He is not unable to hold his urine or poop at all.  It just comes out as he's walking.  I tried to use a hypo allergenic wipe to clean him up and it seems like he is in pain when I wipe his butt.  I just made an appointment with a vet that is open today.  I'm hoping that he will have some miraculous cure but my heart tells me there's a great possibility that he wont be coming back home with me today.  

 I am so sorry  

Quote:

Stephanie, I'm not sure if he tested for a urinary tract infection.  When I googled "peeing outside his litterbox", that did come up many times.  Would that show in a blood test?  I think he only took blood work and xrays.   

Click to expand...

@SuzieeQ, no it wouldn't show up on blood work.  The vet should actually take a urine specimen either by a needle draw or by expressing his bladder and then run a culture of it.  When my cat started urinating outside the box, that was the first test the vet ran.  You can also do a regular urinalysis, but the culture is a better test in my opinion.  You might want to get him to an ER vet for that today, if possible.

Update: Gargomel didn't make it

Sunday: Took him to the vet.  The vet said she could take more xrays and more blood work but it would only show what we already know (that he had heart failure and kidney failure).  She also said if we wanted, we could do more extensive testing that would show us exactly what was wrong with him but it would cost a fortune and that just because we knew what was wrong with him, didn't mean it would be fixed.  She said he didn't look too good and recommended he be put down.  She gave us some time to think about it, but as soon as she left the room, he tried to jump off the table and started showing signs of fighting as if he wasn't ready yet, so I ended up taking him home with the hope that he would turn around

Monday: He was lethargic and just laying around in the morning again so I called a vet that comes to our house for home euthansia.  Of course, after I called, he started getting exhibiting signs of not giving up again.  He followed me on to the porch where we bird/bug watched for an hour and he walked around following me and even used his litter box for both peeing and pooping.  I thought he was getting better so I called and cancelled the home vet 2 hours before she was supposed to come.

Tuesday: He as lethargic again but his normal vet was finally open again! He has known Gargomel for years and he told me it was touch and go.  We would have to take it day by day but he wanted to give him fluids because he was dehydrated and to monitor him for a few hours.  However, he called me a few hours later (I knew it was bad news for them to be calling me).  He told me Gargomel wasn't doing well.  After the fluids, he should have more energy but in fact he was doing worse.  No reflexes and just laying there.  He advised that I come down there to see him because he thought that Gargomel was going to pass on his own within the hour.  So I left work and rushed down there.   And with a heavy heart I decided to put him down so that he wouldn't suffer anymore.

My heart hurts so much right now.  I miss him already.  He would always wake me up with kisses a few minutes before my alarm went off and this morning, he wasn't there.  My house feels so empty without him..I feel so empty I just dont know what to do with myself.  

I am so sorry. My heart is breaking for you.

Gargomel lived a long life full of love.  I hope you can find peace from that in the coming days. it will take some time, maybe a lot of time, but eventually you'll recover from the hurt and pain. Take care.

My deepest and heartfelt condolences for your loss of angel Gargomel.  I have been where you are more times than I want to think about, most recently on 29 June when we lost our beloved Rani angel at age 19.  No words will take the pain away; only time will help to make it a little more bearable, though for me, it never goes away.  

Often, loved ones will rally right before they pass.  I do not know the medical/scientific reasons for this, but I do know it has happened in my life before, with several loved ones.  It can be very painful for those of us who are trying to do our best for our loved ones.  

I also want to mention that kidney issues are very common in older cats and that we have gone through this before with one of our beloved ones, who was diagnosed with kidney failure some years back.  I was given the option at the time of learning how to administer Sub-Q (subcutaneous/under the skin injections of Ringer's solution, which is given to cats, people, etc. to bolster their fluids).  I learned and as a result, we had 7 good months with our beloved little girl that we would not otherwise have had.  She was placed in her carrier with the top open, and I would give her her fluids.  She was very brave about it and very patient.  I would encourage anyone who loves cats to ask for this training if and when kidney issues are occurring.

Again, my deepest condolences.  I hope you share my belief that Gargomel is watching over you and that you will be reunited in due time.  

So very sorry for your loss.  It sounds like you and Gargomel put up a tough fight together.  Losing a pet has to be one of the hardest things in life to have to go through, even if it means they are now free from pain.  I hope you have the support of friends or family who understand what Gargomel meant to you and can share memories of him with you during this very sad time. 

So sorry for your loss. As you have experienced, the worst thing is the next morning when they are not there. Gargomel would not want you to be unhappy. Just remember all the good times you had together.

I am so very sorry.  You loved him well and he had a wonderful life with you.  You were so fortunate to have him such a long time.

I'm very sorry to read this news.  On behalf of the TCS Team, we offer our condolences.  We'll lock the thread now out of respect for your loss.  We invite you to place a tribute to your sweet Gargomel in our Crossing the Bridge forum.