did i euthanize my cat too early??

[di and bob]

I have never heard of one. When a cat gets cancer, whether in the kidneys, bowels, or elsewhere, it is usually so far advanced and has spread to the lymph system that it is fatal. Cats are SO good at hiding pain and sickness that everything they get is advanced. Even when the cancer tumor is removed and radiation/chemo is administered, it usually just buys a short amount of time. And to tell the truth, the stress of all the surgeries and procedures is not helpful either. When any living creature is existing and not really enjoying life anymore, please find it in your heart to end that pain. Thank God we can. I have witnessed MANY humans suffering at the end of life.

 

[Purr-fect]

So it all started 3 weeks ago, when we went to the vet. My cat schould have had an leg operation but the vet noticed, that our cat has in BOTH kidneys tumor.
It may already spread as it also had problems with the right eye, we werent sure. He told us that he cant help our cat and its the best we comfort our dying cat.
The last 2 weeks we cared for our cat, we gave him food which the vet said its ok, we gave him medicine. The cat was feeling okay and it went outside every day altough it could run that fast and idk where it went outside im not sure. After 2 weeks everyhintg changed. my cat stopped goung outside and didnt went outside from last friday. till saturday 5.2. it was under my bed hiding and almost didnt eat. on sunday or monday im not sure it moved to the basement where it had its toilet. i think on sunday it was near our doors of our house , but it couldnt go outside, it was just watching the door, i think it didnt have the energy. on sunday it went then in the basement and stayed there. it was hiding in a room under a shelf and it came a few times per day out of the room to eat, to go to the toilet.. on monday 6.2 it couldnt go on the toilet it had problems so i gave blankets so it could easier climb in to the toilet. the same day and the next day were pretty the same. it ate ,it did drink water more frequently and it stayed in the basement. he was or under the shelf or near the toilet. it never went upstairs. we wanted to euthanize him on 5.2 because till 5.2. it passed more than 2 days and it didnt eat, but it started eating then. and yesterday at 16:30 we euthanized him. i feel guilty and think that it was to early but i dont know. it did eat and drink and could go to the toilet but that was it. all other time it was spending laying under the shelf or sleeping, it didnt go out for 5 days. our cat usually spent his day almost outside, it came only to eat and sometimes to sleep at nights. what are your toughts? was it too early? sorry for my english, im from slovenia.

No I dont think it was too early.

I think you acted at the perfect time. Life was no longer pleasant for your cat. It was struggling to survive, likely in pain, unhappy and no chance of getting better. It was not too soon, nor too late.

If you wanted longer, I think it would have been cruel and selfish. True love is putting the needs of another ahead of your own. It would have been much easier to wait longer and delay the pain you are feeling now. You did not do that. You put your cat first. That is love and responsibility. You did not let your cat down. Always be proud of that.

 

[epona]

I think you did the right thing for your darling cat at the right time.

Although we shouldn't, I do think it is normal to feel some guilt and regret and wonder if we made the right or wrong decisions for them - it is because you cared and loved so so much that you have these thoughts, and healthcare for our beloved cats when they are unwell, especially end of life decisions and care, are such a huge, massive responsibility.

It always weighs heavy on us, because we care so much. You feel terrible because you loved and cared - and that love is also what gave you the strength to do the right thing for your cat at the end.

Much love to you.

 

[stribor23]

thanks everyone for the kind words and replies. I was just thinking how different everything would be, if my cat would be an indoor cat.
we had neighbours and their cats were old and were outside cats, and I saw on the internet that outdoor cats live 3-5years on average
but indoor cats live 12-18 on average. and im just sad that we didnt know that fact before. i was wasting time on the internet with stupid games and other stuff and couldnt even look up some facts about cats. i was stuck in my life and i regret it so so much. i have a feeling that i was a bad parent to my cat.
and I remember he was vomiting also a few times. but we would then bring him inside and he would sleep and in the next day he would feel totally normal and we had no idea, that it was probably the start of his cancer. we always taught it was maybe bacause he ate something dirty. how different everything could be, if we were more careful. i was stuck in my own life, i wasnt thinking at all about what could happen. we always said after me and my sister finish highschool my mom would take care of my cat. and then 1 day after our birthday the schocking news came and changed everything forever. and until that day, I was stuck in my life, wasnt thinking about others or how my cat is feeling or anything. i just wonder why did he get cancer and not me. i would be so happy if my life could be shorter only so that my cat could have a longer life or that i would get the cancer insted of him. i would pay the price always. i stopped eating meat and fish and became an vegetarian since my cats death. it is just so ethically wrong to eat animals. im carefull now when i walk i look at the floor to not kill ants. i dont kill spiders or insects anymore. i dont know why did my stupid brain come to the conclusion that my life is more important than from someone else. and that it is okay to kill insects or spiders or ants. how wrong i was and unaware of how i was ruining lifes of many small animals. i just hope and pray to god and everyone that my cat is now at a place, where his pain and suffering is long gone and that he has new friends and adventures. i really do hope i will pay the price how i was mean to everyone. hopefully my path will cross way with the path of my cat someday ofcourse if my cats want that and forgives me. i dont even know why am i still alive after all the pain i caused to others.hopefully you are at peace my dear friend.

 

[fionasmom]

When you wrote your first post, you said that your cat had cancer in both kidneys. You did nothing to cause that to happen. Please try to stop yourself from reliving everything that you did with your cat. For example, when he vomited and then came inside and slept and then was fine the next day....that may have been exactly it. Upset tummy, not serious, rested, felt better.

You have no price to pay for not having insured that your cat did not pass away. I have had cats live to over 17, and I have had them pass away at 2 (not from accidents). We don't know what our bodies might be susceptible to, just as we don't with our animals. Being a vegetarian is fine, as is being concerned for other forms of life, but you are blaming yourself for something that was completely out of your control. You are also blaming yourself for having done anything other than pay complete attention to your cat. You were a good pet parent to him and nothing that happened to him was your fault.

Guilt is one of the first and strongest emotions that accompanies pet loss.

Pet Loss Support
Grieving the Loss of Your Cat

There are numerous online pet loss support materials. Not all apply to everyone, but you might find some comfort in reading some of them.

 

[di and bob]

There are many of us here that would gladly take on what our cat went through if we could. But as time goes by, and we realize the past cannot be changed, and that our little one would NOT want perpetual grief and tears for us, things change. We all learn things from our mistakes, but loving as much as you did is not a mistake.
Not one of us is perfect. Go forward into the future and live it as you would want your little one to live it, seeking life and more love, because THAT is love. You gained so much from that precious cat. Don't let grief and sorrow ever take away from that. You gained something few do in this world. A cat's love. Held in its eternal place in your soul. It is meant to be shared, to grow even bigger and more precious.....

 

[Tik cat's mum]

I have to agree with others on here, you couldn't of done anymore for your cat. Believe me guilt is part of greaving. But you should try to remember that nobody can see into the future. I used to have indoor/outdoor cat's when I was younger, then my daughter got a cat. And I was surprised she wasn't letting that cat outdoors she sent me a link to show her reasons and I now have indoor only cat's. I also lost my indoor only cat Tik at 2 years old there are no guarantees even with indoor cat's. We can only act on the information we have at the time. None of us can control what the future holds we can only do our best at the time, and you did that so be kind to yourself you have nothing to blame yourself for.