Am I a terrible person for considering putting our cat down?
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Anonymous
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She is 15, in renal failure, receiving subcutaneous fluids and Rx meds (by me), and is having more and more trouble with just about everything. But I feel guilty considering it. Truthfully, it’s not just that her problems have gotten tougher to deal with, they’ve gotten too tough to deal with while raising young children and working full time. (And DH works some long hours.) She’s not to the point yet where it’s cruel to keep her alive, but we’re nearing that phase.
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Anonymous
| No, you're not a terrible person. It's a heartbreaking decision. |
Anonymous
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No you're not. Your pet does not have a sense of the future they way we do. We might want to endure that ourselves, but I don't believe, just imo, that pets are the same in that way.
Just make sure that the vet super-sedates them first. (You wouldn't believe it but some don't do that or skimp on it for some reason). Also, you can have a vet come to your house. More expensive, but maybe less anxiety for you and/or your beloved pet. I'm sorry about your kitty! :l |
Anonymous
| No, it sounds like it would be the kindest thing to do at this time. Just let her slip away gently. |
Anonymous
Really? I never heard of this. This would be an ideal way for my kitty to pass since he hates leaving his familiar surroundings. 
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Anonymous
| Yes, I did this in Loudoun. They even returned the ashes to me a few weeks later. |
Anonymous
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I think this is who we used:
http://www.companionpaws.com/services.htm It's been years, though, so my memory might be off. |
Anonymous
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We experienced this with our cat. It got to the point where she would hide and we'd literally have to chase her to administer her sub-q fluids. When I look at pictures she was a bag of bones and really suffering with nearly zero quality of life but it was still hard to make the decision. Ultimately we euthanized her before a family trip because the thought of boarding her was more than I could bear to do. I wish we had done it sooner.
Please don't feel bad- you're not euthanizing a cat because she's inconvenient - she's ill and probably suffering more than you think. Good luck |
Anonymous
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You are doing the responsible thing. Try to get a vet to come to your house if possible. If you live within his service area, Dr. Perl is a good choice:
http://www.housecallsforpetsinc.com |
Anonymous
| It is the right thing to do. And I can honestly say that I hope someone does this for me when I am too old and infirm to enjoy life. |
Anonymous
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Yeah. We've owned a lot of dogs and as we got to be more experienced we euthanized earlier -- not to save trouble, but because we realized that by the time we were ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY sure, we had let an animal who trusted us struggle way too long.
I still feel guilty about how long it took us to put down our first dog. You know what you need to do, OP. I'm sorry. |
Anonymous
| P.s. Absolutely find a visiting vet. It makes it so much more peaceful. |
Anonymous
| Condolences, OP. It's the merciful thing to do. I'm sorry. |
Anonymous
| When YOU are ready. That is the right time. Putting her down - anytime now - is a reasonable decision. Don't over think this. |
Anonymous
| We had a cat that had kidney disease/renal failure. He was hanging on for us and when we went away for a weekend our neighbors ended up having to take him to the vet to be put down It was heartbreaking for us. If your cat is declining like that, even if it is a few months before they are really suffering, you aren't a horrible person. It might be the kindest move for all involved. There are vets that make house calls. I'm sure Google can help you out there. |