Help on putting my cat to sleep

[HOOT]

This thread made me tear up a bit

My little guy is going to live forever, right?

[Ironhorse]

I've gone through this before a couple of times, with different vets. My condolences to you, but you're doing the right thing.

All good advice thus far in the thread.

I would add that you ask your cat be given a bit of a sedative first. One of our prized felines was not given this privilege, and he fought the lethal injection the whole way -- certainly not the way we wanted him to pass from this world.

[Caged Great]

What is it with Cats today. My cat that I've had since I was 7 passed away today, She was 18...

It sucks.

[spydermal]

Sorry to hear about each of your cats.

[MRCboicgy]

This talk always gets me teared up. Condolences.

I have a silly story: The day I got my kitten a few years ago I held him tight, being my first pet I was so happy. Then I realized that in 15 or so years I'd be doing what you must be going through--terrible thought I know, but it's really helped me enjoy every day with him. I hope I can get many years with him.
I think what kills me is when he goes for his annual checkup he looks at me like I betrayed him, then when I take him home he holds on to me like i was his saviour. I don't think that I'll be able to survive that last day...

[jayocal]

+1 teared up

[Madrox]

I must be the only one opening this thread expecting it to be about an insomniac cat. Very sorry that you're at that stage, and hope that it's at the end of a long and satisfying companionship.

[bigtmac19]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

What is it with Cats today. My cat that I've had since I was 7 passed away today, She was 18...

It sucks.

So Sorry!!

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Despite that, the one of those 5 cats that is mine decided to eat a spool of thread the other day. I am fully expecting to have to be in your shoes shortly if he can't work it out himself. The surgery is just something we cannot really afford.

I worried about when that day comes for one of my cats. At some point the cat is going to have a medical condition that can be treated with surgery that I just cannot afford. If a vet told me that surgery was going to cost $1,500 I'd tell them I just cannot afford it. And it's true. With the mortgage, bills and other commitments, I'm more likely to declare bankruptcy than to find $1,500 for a cat that swallowed some string. Actually, my costs are more likely to be age related... one cat I'm sure is developing cataracts and I've seen costs like $1,100 per eye.

If you cannot afford the surgery, giving them away is not an option since nobody wants to take in a pet that will immediately need $2,000 worth of medical expenses - will the vet put the animal down for you? I mean, it seems incredibly wrong to put a cat down because it has cataracts - but what option is better? Putting it down or making it live blind? And will the vet even do it - and will they make you feel like a schmuck for asking?

[jeremywilhelm]

I've lucked out over the years, most of my pets seem to just leave when its their time. I live in the country too, so i think my animals are more in tune with nature, and they realize that when times up they go off to be alone.

I usually sit for a couple days wondering where the heck my cat went...

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

This talk always gets me teared up. Condolences.

I have a silly story: The day I got my kitten a few years ago I held him tight, being my first pet I was so happy. Then I realized that in 15 or so years I'd be doing what you must be going through--terrible thought I know, but it's really helped me enjoy every day with him. I hope I can get many years with him.
I think what kills me is when he goes for his annual checkup he looks at me like I betrayed him, then when I take him home he holds on to me like i was his saviour. I don't think that I'll be able to survive that last day...

A few years back when I had to put my dog of 15 years asleep she made it easy on me. She always fought going to vet. I had to carry her in. I had to hold her on the table.

On that final time she gave me a gift of walking in on her own. Walking as well as she could that is. She was happy and said hello to everyone and then walked with the vet into the back. The vet had taken care of my dog for about 10 years so I knew she was with somebody who loved her at those final moments. I couldn't be with her as she feel asleep that final time. She was such a good friend for all of those times.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Dion

"A Pets Prayer"

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this, the last battle, can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand,
Don't let this grief than stay your hand,
For this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship stands the test.

We've had so many happy years,
What is to come can hold no tears,
You'd not want me to suffer, so,
When the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end,
And hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.
It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail, it's last has waved,
From pain and suffering I've been saved.
Don't grieve that it should be you,
Who decides this thing to do,
We've been so close, we two, these years,
Don't let your heart hold any fears.

Smile for we walked together for a little while.

OMG man, talking abouit being broadsided, lol. Just sitting here scrolling through a thread and next thing I know I have tears swelling up my eyes.

[redforever]

Take me where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end,

Try really hard to stay with your kitty in its last minutes. I think you owe your companion that much and in the end, at least in my experience, it will give you closure.

But, it is not easy, not in the least, in fact one of the hardest things I have had to do.

Some good suggestions have come up though. I think it should be a requirement to give your pet a sedative prior to the final procedure. And talk to your vet, about his office procedures under these circumstances as well as any lasting memories you may wish to choose, like perhaps a ceramic paw imprint, stone etching, whatever.

My vet had us come in immediately, no sitting in the waiting room, my son and I went right to the back, sedative was given, we held Jessie during the procedure and then my son and I were given private time to ourselves after it was all over. We were told ahead of time, that a bill could either be sent out in the mail or we could come in another time at our convenience and pay. I paid when I picked up my paw imprint and Jessie's ashes.

I paid around $350, but that was for the procedure, for the cremation and a paw imprint.

[enthused]

Very sorry to hear about your cat.

I had to put my dog down in January, she was 14. She had stopped eating for a few days and kept throwing up everywhere. I took her to the 24-hour vet hospital in Deerfoot Meadows (near Cosco) because I had no idea what was wrong with her. They kept her overnight and ran a bunch of tests, and the next day when I came in to see her they told me that she had a mass the size of a fist in her chest, many small tumors in her bladder, and that her liver was failing, among other things. They said they could try to treat some of the things, but basically it would just be prolonging the inevitable. It all happened so fast, and I basically had to decide to put her down that same day because it seemed like she was in so much pain. Anyways, I definitely recommend that place I went to, they were very nice there and took really good care of my dog while she was there. When I decided to put her down, they took care of everything ahead of time, I paid my bill and made the arrangements for cremation so that I wouldn't have to deal with it afterwards. They gave me a private room to spend some time with my dog before they put her down, and gave me lots of blankets and stuff so that she could be comfortable. They were good about not interrupting or rushing me, I was basically allowed as much time as I wanted with her before going through with it. When I was ready, the vet came in and explained everything, and was really nice about it. Watching my dog "fall asleep" for the last time was really hard and sad, but since she had been so sick I knew it was for the best. After it was done they gave me some more time, and then since everything was all paid up, I was able to leave when I was ready. A few weeks later they called to let me know the ashes were ready.

Anyways, it was definitely a really really hard thing to go through, but the clinic I went to tried to make it as good as they could. I'd recommend them for sure. Hope you get to spend some good quality time with your cat before you have to go through with everything.

[Rathji]

Scott Adams (Dilbert Cartoonist) recently went through the same situation and posted about it on his blog.

http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/my_cat_again/

Yesterday all of her systems reached their limits. The vet explained the options to my wife and me. I asked the vet what she would do in this situation if it were her cat. She wisely refused to say. I asked my wife. She wisely refused to say. This was my decision, and Sarah's. That is how it had to be. I looked at Sarah and asked her if she was ready. Her eyes told me she was, but the pain of uncertainty was unbearable.

Sarah had a history with the vet. Her chart had a big warning: She's a biter, and she has all of her claws. No one touched this cat safely but me. She was a vet's nightmare. And so the vet explained how this would come down. If Sarah allowed her leg to be shaved, and the injection to go in, without fighting, this would be the best alternative. Otherwise they would have to use some sort of cat gas chamber. That option seemed unthinkable. But it would be worse to try one method, fail, and go to the second. Again, it was my decision. And I was in no frame of mind to make decisions.

I opted for the injection, and hoped for the best. Sarah still had some fight left in her, as we learned minutes ago while the vet checked her vitals. But somehow she knew this was different. She knew it was time. After 19 years of fighting veterinarians, she let the vet shave her leg without the least resistance. And in so doing, she told me I made the right decision. I looked in her eyes as the life drained out of them. I was devastated.

But today I am happy, even more than usual. I think about how much Sarah enriched my life and I am grateful. I think about how much I learned from my relationship with her, and even from her passing, and I am thankful for it all. Today everyone in my life seems more precious. I'll always carry Sarah with me, and I know I am better for it.

[Flames89]

This is a good thread to make all your troubles and annoyances seem paltry and insignificant.

[Huntingwhale]

I feel for you man. Some of my freinds think i'm a wee bit obsessive with my cat (and right fully so lol), but at the end of they day they are your companion, friend and a fixture in your life. I feel for you, I really do.

[pylon]

I feel for you man, I have had to put a few cherished four legged family members on the other side of the needle and it is never easy. But we ahd one dog that went out in an absolutely poetic fashion.....

We had a Yorkshire Terrier that was 15, and she was basically on her second year of 10% kidney function. It was amazing she made as far as she did. She was an incredible dog in every aspect as far as intelligence and compasion went and I am not saying this just because she was my dog. I have yet to have a pet this astute and connect with humans. Anyway, for basically her last 6 months all she did was sleep pee herself and hobble around, the only reason we kept her going was because she just seemed to love the family so much and we felt that to her was more important than the suffering. Then one day she perked up like a champ and dug out this crappy old balled up garden glove out of her toy box she used to chase up and down the hall for hours at a time when she was younger and had unlimited energy. It was her favorite thing in the world. She wouldn't stop growling at my dad to throw it, so my dad started to because she wouldn't leave him alone. After about 20 minutes she stood at the end of the hall, looking at the whole family, then darted into the bedroom. About 10 minutes later my mom went to go look for her and she had died under the bed with her chin in that crappy glove. Even to this day I think back at how sad yet how poetic it was for her to go out that way doing the thing she loved best, as meanial as it may have seemed to everyone else.

As I write this 10 years later, I still tear up at the loss of a great family member. It is never easy losing a pet but what they give you in return is always worth the pain of losing them in the end, even if it is their natural time.

My condolences dude.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by pylon

I feel for you man, I have had to put a few cherished four legged family members on the other side of the needle and it is never easy. But we ahd one dog that went out in an absolutely poetic fashion.....

We had a Yorkshire Terrier that was 15, and she was basically on her second year of 10% kidney function. It was amazing she made as far as she did. She was an incredible dog in every aspect as far as intelligence and compasion went and I am not saying this just because she was my dog. I have yet to have a pet this astute and connect with humans. Anyway, for basically her last 6 months all she did was sleep pee herself and hobble around, the only reason we kept her going was because she just seemed to love the family so much and we felt that to her was more important than the suffering. Then one day she perked up like a champ and dug out this crappy old balled up garden glove out of her toy box she used to chase up and down the hall for hours at a time when she was younger and had unlimited energy. It was her favorite thing in the world. She wouldn't stop growling at my dad to throw it, so my dad started to because she wouldn't leave him alone. After about 20 minutes she stood at the end of the hall, looking at the whole family, then darted into the bedroom. About 10 minutes later my mom went to go look for her and she had died under the bed with her chin in that crappy glove. Even to this day I think back at how sad yet how poetic it was for her to go out that way doing the thing she loved best, as meanial as it may have seemed to everyone else.

As I write this 10 years later, I still tear up at the loss of a great family member. It is never easy losing a pet but what they give you in return is always worth the pain of losing them in the end, even if it is their natural time.

My condolences dude.

That is a great story.

[SteveToms]

I am taking her in tomorrow afternoon, I don't know how I able going to be able do so, I was barely composed on the phone.

Thanks for all the thoughts guys and gals.