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should I put my cat to sleep ?
My cat has always been healthy and enjoyed a very active life living mainly outside (out of choice) but now she is 16 and a half she has had to come in the house permanently because she has lost pretty much all her body fat.. she feels really skinny and skeletal, she can't groom herself and is very doddery... We took her to the vets a while ago (when she wasn't as bad as she is now) where she had blood tests done for thyroid, liver and kidney function etc... every test was either negative or inconclusive... The vet said she could have a hidden cancer but obviously that is hard to test for.... But that was a 2-3 months ago now... and she is a lot thinner now and has terrible matted fur but because she is so fragile there is nothing that can be done for that..
However on the positive she is still eating, she is using the litter tray so she isn't incontinent and she sleeps in her bed...
I'm at a loss... I love her and don't want her to do die any sooner than is humane but also I don't want to prolong any suffering.
Thanks for any replies.
Thanks for you answer Dark but my cat is extremely ill and old... Her mating days are very much long gone.
Thanks to everyone who took time to reply... Sadly my poor old cat died today when I was out. RIP Smudge.
9 Answers
- Anonymous9 years agoFavorite Answer
Hey,
My parents just put their cat to sleep a couple of months ago. He was almost 20. Same exact thing you described. Matted fur, lost tons of weight and his spine was showing, really skinny and didnt eat much. They took him to the vet and they informed them that his liver isnt processing protein normally anymore because he is so old. He is essentially starving. The vet told them to give him boiled chicken and only wet food if he will eat it. They also took the cat in and got his matted hair shaved. He lasted about 6 months after they did that. Good luck to you, hope this helps.
- Anonymous5 years ago
The drug used to put animals to sleep is actually an anaesthetic agent for horses and cows. Basically the put-to-sleep procedure it to give an overdose of anaesthetic - the animal literally falls asleep as the anaesthetic takes effect, and then dies while asleep. It is a very peaceful process, truly the best way to go. The 'first shot' people are talking about is a sedative. This isn't always given, just sometimes if an owner requests it. Is usually unnecessary, as a sick animal will not be active and will hold still for the intravenous injection. I've attended literally hundreds of euthanasias. The only time animal ever react to the injection at all is if they're old and maybe scared, sometimes feeling suddenly sleepy makes them feel weird and they might jump around a bit. The injection is so quick though - once it's in the blood (and it is injected directly into the blood) it takes literally seconds to take effect. There is no pain in the process, the drug doesn't sting. Chalice
- 9 years ago
My late beloved kitty lost much of her body fat and got very skinny (but she seemed to be able to groom herself okay), lost her appetite, etc. I understand this happens as cats age. Thyroid issues are also common in elderly cats, and my cat was on thyroid medication, then blood pressure medication, then the medications plus sub-q fluids. However, she was still affectionate and seemed to be in good spirits so I just cared for her as best I could.
A few weeks before I had to put her down, she began lying in my laundry hamper. And something gave me the feeling she was near the end, but, again, she didn't seem to be suffering, so I tried to get her to eat and kept an eye on her. When I came home one day and she started meowing oddly, my boyfriend, who'd come with me, said that we needed to get her to the vet. And I knew going over that we wouldn't be bringing her back.
As it turns out, she did have cancer. And while it hurt like hell, letting her go was the right thing to do. She was 18, and I gave her some good years (I adopted her when she was 3).
You will know when the time is right to say goodbye to your baby.
Dark: Don't be ridiculous. First of all, you don't mate a 16-year-old cat. Second of all, if she gets to the point where she wants to have another cat, she should go to a shelter, like I did.
- 9 years ago
Once she's eating and everything's she should be fine. Here's what to do get a bottle of cat shampoo from the pet store. Make sure it says its good for fleas, ticks, etc. Usually the red bottle ones are really good. Also get her worm medicine. Give her two spoons of worm Med every month. And also get fish oil pill and poke a hole in it and squeeze the liquid out into her mouth. Do this once a week. For her age make sure the wet food ur feeding her is senor cat food. Also get the temptation cat treats that says hair ball control. Feed her at least 10 treats a day and make sure she have a bowl of ice and cold water. She should be fine.
- cat loverLv 79 years ago
She doesn't groom herself, and is unsteady which are two negative signs. But she eats, uses the litter box, and sleeps all right, so those are three positive signs.
You are right, we never want their life to be one minute too short, or suffer one minute too long.
Unless she become lethargic, she gets my vote for life. You can consider helping her out with getting rid of matted fur, which certainly must be uncomfortable.
At the vet I used, they had a very senior cat that had to be shaved due to mats, and he wore a knitted sweater for the last months of his life.
- Anonymous9 years ago
Sry about your cat but one of the worst thing that can be done is having it die in your some were house Im about twelve and have had 3 of our cats die in our house and don't want to harm your choice but if there in pain or anything you can that may be painful you may want to consider it
Source(s): Me - 9 years ago
I had the same thing. My cat use to be fat and then she lost all here weight and you could make out he spin and rib cage. If she seems like she is in pain put her down. Best of wishes to you and your cat.
Source(s): life experience - Anonymous9 years ago
mabye her time has come sorry if my answer upsets u if she hasnt been fixed have her mate that way u will have some desentents of her
- 9 years ago
im so sorry. i really think its time. i would never recommend putting an animal down it it was unnecessarily.
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