Should I put my cat to sleep?

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not with hypnotism, to death.

My cat's 14 years and has cancer, she has a massive tumour hanging down from her belly, about the size of a grapefruit.. but it doesn't seem to affect her that much, she still does the 1 metre + jump to get on the kitchen counter (which she's not allowed to do)and seems quite happy. She still has quite a large desperate appetite. She sleeps most of the day, and all of the night in my bed. My mum says she has seen her throwing up, not a hairball.
I nearly caused a riot in grade five when I said I love my cat more than i love my parents. My mum thinks she's in pain, but she's said that before when she was excessively licking, but I found out it was fleas and not pain. Has anyone been in a similar sitch?

― nellie (minna), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

wow nellie, that sucks. I have two kitties i love desparately and can't imagine how hard your position is.

What does your vet say?

― That Girl (thatgirl), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel guilty, like I'm keeping her alive when she's in pain. She still loves Kraft singles!

P.S. these are the same requirements I'm going to keep when I take the feeding tube out of my husband

― nellie (minna), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

My vet said that as long as she's still eating and not in obvious pain, that she's ok. but I can't tell if she's in pain or not. She purrs loads, mostly when she's eating kraft singles. sometimes when she lying on my bed/lap/belly. I can't tell.

― nellskies (minna), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

If she seems to be acting normal, not lethargic, not losing her appetite, then I would think she is not suffering.

With cancer though it might get to this point so maybe you need to work on a plan for when it comes time to make the decision.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Our dog had a bowel tumor, so that was a lot different. He was passing a lot of blood, etc. Horrible experience. I wouldn't wish it on anyone else.

After he'd lingered for several months and seemed particularly bad one weekend, we took him to the vet to see what he thought... and he refused to 'recommend' him being put to sleep -- he said he didn't appear to be in undue discomfort and that we should monitor his 'quality of life.'

FWIW, one thing he told us that would indicate a lot of discomfort and pain was if he was always moving around and fidgeting. Never staying in one place too long. I'm not sure how right he was about that -- right until the end, the dog tended to be very sluggish and didn't do much at all in the last months.

I don't trust vets much anymore, but that's me being irrational. Maybe you should ask their opinion on it. They're *supposed* to know what they're on about.

― ChristineSH (chrissie1068), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

well, she sleeps loads but she's old and my other old cat slept loads to. but he had a tumour behind his eye. and I didn't notice until it went massive and balloonny! and he yowled every night, in pain.

― nellie (minna), Monday, 5 May 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

This sounds horrible, nellie! Good luck in deciding what to do! My mom's cat had to be put to sleep due to cancer, but she had gotten terribly scrawny. She wouldn't eat and she didn't have any energy to do anything but sit in her box and purr. I think if you're cat is still active you don't need to put her down.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I put my cat down in '98. She was 14 too, and had developed a tumour on her jaw. She could no longer close her mouth and drooled constantly. I'm getting very sad thinking about it.
The vet could have removed the tumour, but would have had to have removed most of her jaw at the same time, which would have greatly taken away from Wanson (or Wants-in)'s enjoyment of life (namely killing birds).
I miss her, and have often thought about getting another cat, but am wary of entering another doomed relationship like that.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

But then, Horace, 14 years is a long time. You can get a lot of enjoyment out of a pet during their lifetime.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I know. It's irrational and quite childish.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with That Girl, that it might be good to have a plan for what will happen down the road. It sounds like she's still happy and not in pain. If you have a good vet, he/she will recommend euthanasia when the appropriate time comes.

My dog had cancer and it was hard to let him go. He was living with my parents, who had him put down. I didn't entirely agree with their decision, but I didn't see him as much as they did. He coughed a lot at night sometimes, but still had his usual terrier cheerfulness. They insisted that he was really uncomfortable.

Losing a pet is so sad. And making the decision about euthanasia is wrenching. Sorry to hear you're going through all of this.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

nellie, were you being serious about your husband???

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Cats barf even when they're not deathly ill, so I wouldn't worry about that too much, especially if the cat is purring loads, still active and eating. That said, feeding your cat Kraft singles sounds extremely unhealthy.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

People eating kraft singles=unhealthy as well.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, as long as the cat's eating, you've got a happy cat.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 5 May 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

It does sound as if your cat feels okay at the moment. I think you can only go on that. Also, you have my sympathy.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 5 May 2003 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, sympathy from here too.
Cats are fine and noble companions.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 5 May 2003 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

im sorry to hear this too, and agree that as long as she is able to do the things she enjoys ( like eating kraft singles ) and can move about without pain etc she is 'ok'.
go wth the advice of your vet, i hope she remains in a good-ish way for a while yet.

― donna (donna), Monday, 5 May 2003 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

It doesn't sound to me like the time has come, but purring isn't a good indicator, as cats often purr to calm themselves down when stressed, frightened, or in pain.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 07:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I wouldn't put the cat to sleep unless she is really obviously not having a good time of it at all. I kind of resent my parents having our dog put down essentially because he had become rather incontinent and also was no fun because he slept all the time. but I don't resent their decision that much as they were the ones cleaning up after him. Still, if they ever become no fun, my decision will be clear.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 10:43 (twenty-two years ago)

We had the same problem only a few months back. Our hush puppy / basset artesien dog (9 yrs old) had a brain tumor (or his brain was just deteriorating rapidly). He was in constant pain. We kept him alive for a few more days witnessing his pain. Then we decided to put him to sleep. It is a difficult decision but one that has to be made. Ultimately you have to realize that he's in too much pain. It would have been selfish to keep him alive.

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

thanks everyone for your sympathy, I think she'll be ok for a litle while yet.
She says this; uyk.
****XCSDSDG(.
which means 'arggh, Nellie! don't put me on the keyboard. Hello everyone and thankyou for not deciding to kill me. Now I am going to lick myself in an inappropriate place'

Purring is crap, it doesn't tell you anything. I'm sorry for all your pets, it's a crudbucket. Yes, Sarah I was serious about my husbands life criterion especially if he has a fetish for kraft singles.
n.b. Flora is only allowed one single per day so don't call the rSPCA just yet.

― minna (minna), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

(hey everyone! that was nellie not me. just clearing things up.)

― minna (minna), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I just took my cat to the vet. Thankfully everything's cool, she's just got a little infection, but on the way back I was surrounded by Hasidic kids who wanted to see the little "katzeleh."

― slutsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Awwww.

nellie, your cat still sounds happy and active, so that is good. Licking herself in inappropriate places is good, too, it's when cats stop washing themselves that you should start to worry.

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

I had to put my dog to sleep due to cancer but she lived an amazing 3 years with it. It only seemed to hamper her quality of life in the last week or so. I know a happy cat and your cat sounds happy.
I knew it was time to put my dog to sleep because she could no longer walk and the cancer had spread to her lungs making breathing very difficult.

― John Doe, Thursday, 26 June 2003 05:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Aww what a sad thread. I had to flush a fish down the toilet this morning (it had died!!) but obviously I havent really thought much about it since. But real pets like cats & dogs, putting them to sleep sux, def. Not a nice experience at all!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)

yes. the cat is in pain.

― doom-e, Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

My cat is going through a mad phase of biting and scratching constantly (she's about 9 months old). I've heard of a pill called Megacat, is this a kind of cat valium and if so will it help to calm her down and make her less aggressive? Any suggestions?

― Gatinha (rwillmsen), Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

yes. put her to sleep.

― doom-e, Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck off doomie

― minna (minna), Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, put doom-e to sleep. yes.

― doom-e, Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

we had to put our cat to sleep 4 years ago, he was completely healthy and happy but suddenly got ill in 2 weeks, the vet seemed to think he had possibly had antifreeze, of which only a small amount will do serious damage. it wasnt an easy decision to make, especially as it was so sudden, but he lost all enthusiasm for life, and was obviously very tired and poorly. he knew he was going, when he was taken to the vet, and didnt resist the injection, and he died in my mums arms. we buried him in the garden.

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

(I love cats but Doomie just made me snort coffee.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

if you want to stop that dan, may i suggest putting your cat to sleep?

― doom-e, Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

it was the right thing to do because he was in pain and had lost desire for life. if the cat is ill but is still enjoying life, then dont do it, but if the quality of the cats life is too little it isnt fair. i wish we had been able to do same for my grandmother instead of seeing her decline the way she did

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 26 June 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

About two years ago, we had our old cat James put to sleep. He was 16, diabetic (I gave him insulin shots for two years!), had various other problems and finally it was clear that he was just not having a good time. Our vet (a wonderful woman) came to our home & gave him the shot, he was asleep before he even lay down.

It was a decision we dreaded, but when the time came it really was obvious that it needed to happen. James was a wonderful cat, very affectionate, used to wake me up in the morning by licking my face -- I'll always miss him. (snif)

Be good to your cats and your dogs and your various beasts, O ILXers, because when they're gone you'll be glad you did.

Now, of course, I've got a pug dog named after Calvin Johnson, who pisses on my leg...

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Thursday, 26 June 2003 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Nellie, the same thing happened to my cat about 4 months ago. The tumor was on the same place, eventually she had tumors all over her in about a month. It was awful, she seemed fine too. Took her to the vet and we got the bad news. It had spread throughout her body and her lungs, she was weezing. We made the decision to put her down. It was awful, but she is in a better place now.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Friday, 27 June 2003 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

My cat's still alive and still really good actually, she's a trooper.
I'm sorry for all your stories.
She got sick last month and threw up in my cupboard and I told my mum to have her put down then, but the vet said she was ok. But I'd like all other family members to note; if you throw up in my cupboard you're going to 'the farm'

― Nellie (nellskies), Saturday, 28 June 2003 07:16 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

Just came across this page. My 12 year old cat Ginny has diabetes and has a tumor too. We thought we were going to lose her because she had stopped eating. The vet said she could go home with us and we had all the family round to say their goodbyes. We still gave her the insulin - well it seemed to improve her quality of life by a smidgeon. Now three months later, we still have Ginny. She has become thin although she does have a voracious appetite. We do give her what she wants when she wants as she is not going to get better and she is certainly not putting on weight. Our other two cats seem to have accepted that extra food and milk is for Ginny only. We are just taking each day as it comes and have mapped out a corner in our back garden for her, like we did with our rabbits and goldfish. Her voice is very quiet but occasionally she still does her loud 'clear off' yowl out of the window to my neighbours tom cat. She is glaring at me just now - knows I'm writing about her. Going to give her a cuddle. Best wishes to all pet owners out there.

― Moira, Saturday, 17 April 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

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