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- Jul 2, 2013
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I had my cat euthanized yesterday and I am really afraid I made the wrong decision.
As a backstory: he has always been somewhat aggressive, though generally fine with me and would come sit with me, allow me to pet him and sleep beside me at night. About 2 years ago, he started having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. He was on medication twice a day, but still had occasional seizures.
A year ago, I had a baby. Unfortunately, I could no longer allow the cat into the bedroom at night, which didn't make him happy, but life moved along.
The aggression ramped up over the last few months and he attacked my son as he was sitting in the living room playing. The attack came out of nowhere and I was shocked. I took him to my vet who suggested it sounded as if he likely had something wrong with his brain, though only an expensive brain scan could confirm that. She also discovered a heart murmur, but I don't know if that could be as a result of stress from being at the vet's office. She said euthanasia would not be the wrong choice at this point. However, she gave me Feliway as well as some gabapentin to try for 2 weeks to see if that helped.
The aggression seemed pretty extreme over that 2 week period and there were many times where I would walk across the room and he would lunge at me out of nowhere. He spent a lot of time growling and biting. He also lunged at my son as he was sitting playing in his crib and got his leg. He fought taking the Gabapentin, so I don't know if it would have made any difference to him.
When he wasn't attacking, he was largely absent and he had himself hidden away somewhere, but I am still not sure where that was. I know cats sleep a lot, but it did seem extreme.
I sat with him yesterday afternoon and was with him when he died. It was the first time in months that I was able to hold him or pet him without being attacked.
I worry now though that I should have gotten the brain scan. Maybe there was more I could have done for him. I should have paid more attention to him. Should have played with him more. Maybe Prozac or an anti-anxiety medication would have helped?
He was only 5 years old, so I feel like I should have done something to help improve and prolong his life.
There is nothing I can do now, but did I make the right choice? Because, I really worry I just gave up on him and I can't stop picturing him just sitting in a freezer somewhere totally alone. I am so devestated.
As a backstory: he has always been somewhat aggressive, though generally fine with me and would come sit with me, allow me to pet him and sleep beside me at night. About 2 years ago, he started having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. He was on medication twice a day, but still had occasional seizures.
A year ago, I had a baby. Unfortunately, I could no longer allow the cat into the bedroom at night, which didn't make him happy, but life moved along.
The aggression ramped up over the last few months and he attacked my son as he was sitting in the living room playing. The attack came out of nowhere and I was shocked. I took him to my vet who suggested it sounded as if he likely had something wrong with his brain, though only an expensive brain scan could confirm that. She also discovered a heart murmur, but I don't know if that could be as a result of stress from being at the vet's office. She said euthanasia would not be the wrong choice at this point. However, she gave me Feliway as well as some gabapentin to try for 2 weeks to see if that helped.
The aggression seemed pretty extreme over that 2 week period and there were many times where I would walk across the room and he would lunge at me out of nowhere. He spent a lot of time growling and biting. He also lunged at my son as he was sitting playing in his crib and got his leg. He fought taking the Gabapentin, so I don't know if it would have made any difference to him.
When he wasn't attacking, he was largely absent and he had himself hidden away somewhere, but I am still not sure where that was. I know cats sleep a lot, but it did seem extreme.
I sat with him yesterday afternoon and was with him when he died. It was the first time in months that I was able to hold him or pet him without being attacked.
I worry now though that I should have gotten the brain scan. Maybe there was more I could have done for him. I should have paid more attention to him. Should have played with him more. Maybe Prozac or an anti-anxiety medication would have helped?
He was only 5 years old, so I feel like I should have done something to help improve and prolong his life.
There is nothing I can do now, but did I make the right choice? Because, I really worry I just gave up on him and I can't stop picturing him just sitting in a freezer somewhere totally alone. I am so devestated.