Hi, I'm new to this site. I was sent here by someone who was kind enough to listen to my current problems.
I have a beautiful black cat, who is my son. He's a couple of weeks short of celebrating his 8th birthday. Which I'm afraid he won't make it to his birthday this year... Salem had a blockage not too long ago. I rushed him to the vet to learn he has stones blocking his male part so he was unable to pee. He was whisked away to the back room so the vet could begin treatment. He had to stay for a while because he's one of those I'm not going to eat, drink or use the litter box while I'm in a strange place.
He did come home and was fine for a total of 9 days.
He had to be taken back to the vet on Friday because he started squatting and couldn't pee. My heart started breaking again because I knew it was going to happen again. He stayed over the weekend and my dad brought him home Monday afternoon.
But before Salem was released, my dad told me what he had been told by the vet. This problem with the stones is going to keep happening and each time Salem is going to suffer. I have two options, one is to let Salem go so he won't have to suffer anymore and two is to have major surgery which would pretty much turn him into a female. Although in my dad's words. "How do you feel about having another female cat?" As I have a 9 month old calico.
I started to think while Salem was away at the vet's office that the kindest thing I could do for him the next time this happens is to let him go.
Since I was directed to Google this condition I'm starting to see stories where people have had their male cats go through the surgery and seem fine. (Though the recovery time is long)
From what my dad told me, the surgery is major and Salem might not live through it and if he did he might not live very long afterwards. And if so he's be in a lot of pain. Which just about brought me to tears. I shook my head knowing I wouldn't want to make him go through that kind of torture.
I'm no vet or certified cat expert. I do know my cats better than anyone else they are my babies after all!
It's not my fear of him being turned into a "female" I assume to my dad that's what it sounded like I know Salem would still be male. It's the fear of forcing him to suffer unnecessarily because I'm being selfish. Right now I'm really confused. Over the weekend I accepted this situation and accepted this is what has to be done. Let me tell you, it's a different world without Salem around and I knew I'd have to get use to it.
What should I do? I've always wanted what's best for Salem and I don't want to second guess myself. I want to know whatever I decide is the right thing.
Sorry if this is just a big jumbled mess of text rambling. I'm having a very difficult time right now.
