Old, sick cat. Thanksgiving. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Sigh. I don’t think there’s a right answer here. I need some advice

My cat is 17, will be 18 in May. He’s been vomiting a lot lately and so we took him to the vet. He has kidney disease and his heart enzymes are extremely elevated. We just learned this today. It’s not that surprising, he’s lived a long life. The vet suggested bring him to a cardiologist but said that would prolong his life maybe a year depending on what exactly is going on with his heart. I should note, there wasn’t an acute reason we went to the vet, just the observation that he seemed to be vomiting more than usual, which has been happening for a few months. But the vet did say that a blood clot or congestive heart failure could happen at any point.

We’re supposed to leave for Thanksgiving on Monday, flying across country to see my family. My Dad is terminally ill so just canceling isn’t really an option. We have always left the cat alone with a cat sitter coming 1-2 times a day (in our case a neighbor’s teenager who feeds and changes the cats water). We have a litter robot so that part is taken care of. It’s never been an issue but I know it’s stressful on the cat to be left. And I’m scared he’s going to pass away or have a blood clot and be paralyzed while we’re gone. The thought of him suffering breaks me.

And I wouldn’t want to put that burden on my neighbor. My vet doesn’t do boarding and the few places I called are full. I also think boarding him would be even more stressful.

I just don’t know what to do. I’m almost thinking it would be more humane to put him down now than have him potentially die while we’re gone. But then I think that’s cruel to kill him just because we have to travel.

I just don’t know. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Can you find a cat sitter who’d stay in your home? At least this way the cat wouldn’t be alone?

[Anonymous]

You pay the cat sitter more and tell the teen the cat is not doing well, and may have a medical emergency, in which case he or she is to call you immediately. Tell the teen they have to visit more frequently to check on the cat.

My daughter is our neighbor's cat sitter, and she would totally do this for you.

If the worse happens while you are away, you need to have a plan in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you find a cat sitter who’d stay in your home? At least this way the cat wouldn’t be alone?

I’m not really comfortable having someone I don’t know stay in my house when I’m not here but may need to think about it. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Find an adult to stay with the cat if you can and pay the teen because you reserved them. You put him down because he's suffering, not because of your trip.

[Anonymous]

I think it sounds like he is suffering and you should probably do the brave thing and have him put to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Board him at the/a vet. This is the only answer.

[Anonymous]

I would not leave the cat.

[Anonymous]

It's time for kitty to cross the rainbow bridge. He is ancient and suffering. Let him end his wonderful life as pain free as you can. I'm sorry for you loss. Losing a pet is so sad, but what I find much more heartbreaking is when people refuse to let a dying pet go and make them suffer because it's "too hard" to end their suffering.

[Anonymous]

You see your dad. Your spouse stays with the cat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it sounds like he is suffering and you should probably do the brave thing and have him put to sleep.

+1 a 17 year old cat has had a good life.

[Anonymous]

what I find much more heartbreaking is when people refuse to let a dying pet go and make them suffer because it's "too hard" to end their suffering.

I'm not sure you're yet at this point, OP. But I agree with PP and it seems many people keep their animals alive longer than is kind.

There is nothing cruel about euthanizing a 17 year old cat who vomits frequently and is ill and has a bad heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I don’t think there’s a right answer here. I need some advice

My cat is 17, will be 18 in May. He’s been vomiting a lot lately and so we took him to the vet. He has kidney disease and his heart enzymes are extremely elevated. We just learned this today. It’s not that surprising, he’s lived a long life. The vet suggested bring him to a cardiologist but said that would prolong his life maybe a year depending on what exactly is going on with his heart. I should note, there wasn’t an acute reason we went to the vet, just the observation that he seemed to be vomiting more than usual, which has been happening for a few months. But the vet did say that a blood clot or congestive heart failure could happen at any point.

We’re supposed to leave for Thanksgiving on Monday, flying across country to see my family. My Dad is terminally ill so just canceling isn’t really an option. We have always left the cat alone with a cat sitter coming 1-2 times a day (in our case a neighbor’s teenager who feeds and changes the cats water). We have a litter robot so that part is taken care of. It’s never been an issue but I know it’s stressful on the cat to be left. And I’m scared he’s going to pass away or have a blood clot and be paralyzed while we’re gone. The thought of him suffering breaks me.

And I wouldn’t want to put that burden on my neighbor. My vet doesn’t do boarding and the few places I called are full. I also think boarding him would be even more stressful.

I just don’t know what to do. I’m almost thinking it would be more humane to put him down now than have him potentially die while we’re gone. But then I think that’s cruel to kill him just because we have to travel.

I just don’t know. Sigh.

You're not "killing him" because you have to travel. You are relieving his suffering. If you leave him, he will suffer. If you stay with him, you will never forgive yourself for not spending time with your father.
You know what you need to do.

[Anonymous]

Pretend you weren’t traveling. Would you decide to let him go, or would you see a cardiologist to discuss options? I personally respect both decisions if he seems to still be feeling okay, I.e. if he’s eating, still likes being around his people or doing gentle activities he enjoys like bird-watching or following a warm sunbeam across the floor, and doesn’t seem to be confused doing things like yowling at nothing in the middle of the night.

If you would pursue treatment with the cardiologist, hire a very well-reviewed sitter to stay in your home on Rover and reassess when you get back. Let the sitter know what’s going on and that they need to stick around the house and close by, not be gone all day. Give specific instructions for what you want to happen if there’s an emergency. It will most likely be fine, you’ve noticed the vomiting for months now and it’s not acute right now.

If you wouldn’t pursue treatment, make the appointment for the vet to come to your house.

[Anonymous]

Definitely do the euthanasia.

We all wait too long. The cat is suffering. It’s okay if the timing isn’t “perfect.” There’s no such thing anyway.