Putting Down a Pet
 

Just found out from the vet that my cat only has 2-4 weeks left before we should seriously consider putting her down. She is 15-16 years old and has bone cancer. The cancer is getting progressively worse and she is struggling to eat. This sucks. I like her more than 99.9% of humans. Does anybody have any experience with putting a cat down? When do you know it's the right time? Do they show any signs that indicate they are in great pain? I had to put my dog down 5 years ago but have yet to put a cat down. Just wondering if cats are any different. Thank you all.

Sorry for the position you find yourself in right now. This is never an easy choice.

My wife and I have to do the same thing today with one of our dogs, his system is just shutting down after his immune system went into overdrive and started killing all of this red blood cells. We've tried everything but to no avail.

The way you can tell if it's time is that your pet will stop doing anything, eating, playing, etc., that it normally enjoys. So if your cat loves to play with string and stops doing so it's a good indication that it's time.

Considering that she is not eating would indicate that she's ready to go. This is never easy and I wish you and your family the best in this tough time.

That sucks, dude...sorry. If she's struggling to eat that probably means she is (or will be soon) suffering. I wouldn't delay too long, for her sake.

Sucks to lose a friend.

Yeah, don't let her die in pain. Quicker the better for her.

A friend of mine just went through this with his 16 year old cat. Brief periods of chemo pills, but it stopped eating.. and that was the clear sign that it was time. Do the right thing, and don't let the poor thing suffer. I have had to have 3 of my dogs put down over the years... very hard to do.. so I sympathize. Focus on the good in its life that you gave it instead of the sudden loss.. :(

god...I don't even want to think about that day with my dogs. I have 2 that are 10 and 11 so they're getting 'up there'. I'll be a mess.

hang in there bud

Thanks for the support it means a lot. I'm hoping for the best and am trying to think of the last 15 years opposed to this shitty last month of her life.

when mine have to go, I 'hope' I'll be aided by the fact that he/she have giving me unconditional love for X-years and that it would be selfish of me to keep them alive if they're in pain, simply so I 'feel' better than putting them down.

Don't let her suffer Mr. Giggity...At least in humans, bone cancer is an excruciating disease.

I know it breaks your heart, but you have to think of your old friend first.

I'm very sorry you have to face this...My condolences...

My deepest condolences

I had to do this with my good pal Mr. Kitty. We got him as a stray, and found out early on he had liver disease. Vet told me he'd probably live six months. He made it six years. At the end he was weak, too wobbly to make it to the cat box. the last few days I was feeding him baby food through an eye dropper.

Having to take him up and sit in on the procedure was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It still makes me want to cry just thinking about it.

But he was in a lot of pain, and wasn't going to get better. Sometimes you can keep your beloved pet around for selfish reasons, which is tortuous to the pet, because they just want to be released from the pain.

You'll know when the time is right. You just have to sack up and do it. You'll feel terrible for a long time, but eventually you'll be able to reconcile it because its the humane thing to do.

Picture of my old friend Mr. Kitty attached. I still miss him. He was my pal.

:(

I agree with Mikey.

At this point, you know what's going to happen. Prepare yourself emotional and then go ahead and do it. There's no sense in prolonging your cat's suffering.

Very sorry you have to go through this.

Great post. We got the okay from the doctor to keep her alive for 2-4 weeks as he seemed to believe she wasn't suffering. We went in with the mind state that we may have to put her down today. Obviously if it worsens we will do the right thing and end her suffering. Just a shitty situation all around.

I hate these threads. :(

Without meaning to derail the thread, I always think it's funny that the overwhelming opinion is that it's cruel to make the pet suffer in situations like this, while we force humans to hold on to the last possible second no matter how much they suffer.

Anyway, hang in there OP. I don't look forward to the day when I have to make that decision with my cats.

This!

For me the time is when I see my pet suffering. If my pet is suffering and there is no hope it is time. Anything more than that is being selfish, understandable we love them very much and they love us too.
Sorry to hear about your beloved pet.

I have always thought it was odd as well that most humans don't have as much humanity towards humans as they do towards pets. I am not sure which is actually the lesser of importance in those people.

My yorkshire terrier just turned 8 recently and this has been on my mind . :(

I miss my cats.

I had to euthanize both of them due to illness or quality of life, and you know at some point that it's the right thing to do. It doesn't make it any easier, though. I still have guilt about my older one, because I think, "Maybe I did it too early. Maybe he could have had a little more time." It's hard to judge quality of life. But as a pet parent you have to make that decision at some point.

ahhhh :( :( :( :(

one thing that'll be hard for me during the process is that I'll insist on being their next to them as they pass on and take their last breath. I know some folks can't do it, but I owe it to them.

Yeah, I wouldn't do it any other way. I want to be there with them.

Me too, I want them to feel some comfort in me being there rather than just afraid because the vet is doing something they don't understand.

I've always taken care of it at the first sign of suffering.

My 16 year old cat showed no signs of pain, but animals don't. They don't whine and mope like humans. They just soldier on in crippling pain.

My cat was eating, drinking and peeing enough matter for 3 or 4 cats, new litter boxes were constantly soaked. I couldn't even pet him anymore, probably due to pain.

Mildest and best lap cat I ever had. I have had cats that disappeared the moment they were done eating, not to reappear until their next meal. No clue where they hid out all day. This guy was the kind that had to be near me constantly and in my lap was even better to him. A great little winter bed warmer. Warms the lap for winter reading in the easy chair as well. Cat hair be damned!

The shelter was THRILLED to put him down. They have been destroying so many young cats since the economic Depression began in 2008, that they were overjoyed to see one that had made it to 16 years old and dying of natural causes.

I was socializing my rescue German Shepherd who had been neglected for 2 years by previous owners when he up and bit a small neighbor kid - his 2nd bite after accidentally biting me while pulling him apart from a stray dog. 2nd bite required me to surrender him. They said he would be adopted but they put hom down, claiming he was guarding his kennel and food dish. I dont buy it.

Anyway, that dog had me wrapped around his paw within a week of adopting him. After 2 years with him, he was really becoming comfortable and fit me to a Tee. Then he bit the kid.

I still havent gotten over my love for that wonderful animal. My latest adoption is a far better, milder, friendlier pet and everybody just loves him. He is much lower maintenance, and much easier to live with. He is getting under my skin, but not like my 4 year old GSD They put down.

I still miss that dog. He was a partner.

Just got back from the vet, had to let our lab-chow go. His immune system went into overdrive and started killing off all his red blood cells. His liver shut down, he turned yellow and would not eat or get up. My wife and knew it was time.

Dang this day sucks.

GD dude. I'm sorry.
at least it was apparent, so you won't have doubts of if it was too soon etc.

:(

I'm sorry KCL. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. It was the hardest thing ever to put my dog down. Keep your head up.

Thanks, our vet is great. He let's you know if it's time to let a pet go.

Sad thing is our dog was only 3 years old and this came out of nowhere.

uuuuggggh. that's rough.

I had to have one of my cats put down last week. One of the hard parts of deciding it was time is that my parents are both going to be 75 this year and my mom is declining. Trying to balance when was the right time for the cat while thinking about what parents are going/will go through made it that much harder. I do believe it was the right time for him but that doesn't mean he is not missed or that reading this thread didn't make me tear up yet again thinking of him.

well said

We had to put one of our cats down last fall. Towards the end he never played with any toys or chased the laser pointer, he just slept and laid around being grouchy. Going up and down the stairs became a chore only to be attempted a few times a day. He was pooping around the house on blankets and stuff. We tried new foods, steroids, pain meds. Nothing really helped and he hated taking the stuff. As much as we loved him it was pretty apparent that this was not normal and that it wasn't ever going to get better. It was a tough decision, but I'll admit it was a relief to know that he was finally at peace.

I also agree with other posters that you should be there with them to the end. It's tough, but I didn't want him to be alone and scared when it was time to go. Sorry you have to do this.

I got a puppy for my birthday when I was 6. When I turned 17 he had to be put down. Don't think I've ever cried so hard in my life. He was absolutely my best friend. 20 years later I still miss that dog. When my current dog goes, I think I'll be just as big a wreck. Thoughts are with all of you going through this now.

MrGiggity I know how much this can hurt and my prayers are with you because people that don't have pets just don't understand how much it hurts. I have been in your shoes and have no wise or magic words for you.
I will leave you with this. I used to work from home and Marty my maine coon would spend all day with me while I was working. I was devastated when he died but today all I have is happy memories of him. The pain will dull and you will be left with happy memories that you will have the rest of your life.

To OP
Not eating , having a hard time walking or even standing that is the time.

Sorry to hear it bud, having to do that to a pet always sucks. I was on a roll last year and the year before pertaining to having to put pets down and it never gets easier. The vet ****ed up and gave my wife's one year old Australian shepherd the wrong meds and killed it, which was the worst one of them all. That was one sweet dog and I almost whipped the vet over it. The dude felt bad and was crying after the fact.

In any event, best of luck with the inevitable call down the road.

KC Lee, Mr. Giggity, sorry for both of you and your situations. I've put one down and lost one in the past 5 years or so. It's terrible. I know it doesn't help much, but try to take solace in the fact that whatever time you gave them was always the best time ever in their eyes. Pets like nothing more than being with their humans. Dang, sorry.

Holy Shit I would of snapped. Australian Shepherds are amazing dogs. If the vet killed any of my pets for incompetence. :(

This thread scares the crap out of me. My dog just had surgery to clean up some cell mass. I find out on Monday if it is malignant or not. Had to put my last dog down because of cancer 2 years ago. It never gets any easier thinking about no matter how much time has passed.

Sorry to hear of it, Mr. Giggity. I feel your pain - we are at that point with our dog. She was a pound rescue and we've had her for fourteen years. Some sort of Heeler mix, just the sweetest dog. She's deaf now, looks to be in pain when she gets up, and is starting to not be able to hold her potty anymore. We're most likely doing her a disservice by letting her live like that. It sucks hard when pets get to that point. Good luck to you.

Had to put our cat down last year. 17 years old. Blind and no control of her bladder. Decided I would be the one to do it. Used a .357. Quick and painless for the cat but not for me.

I don't think it was incompetence, I think it was a pure accident. And it seems like the vet was extremely bothered by it.

I had a vet tell me when my dog was 11 that we should consider putting him down after he had back surgery. He had a horrible time walking. But he liked being around people, loved sleeping, and was energetic when he ate. Glad we didn't listen.

When he was 15, he stopped eating. The day we put him down, even though we hadn't made the decision yet, he knew what was coming and was clearly in peace. It was an unbelievably hard decision to make, but also an unbelievably easy decision to accept.

If your cat stopped eating and your vet says he's not going to get better, it's time. Make a firm decision, pick a day soon, and commit to it. Not just for the cat. But also for your emotional state.

This is how I will do my cat when it's time. It's truly the quickest way to do it.

Both of mine got shots/IVs, and it was very quick and I presume painless. They got a heavy sedative first and then the infusion of something that stopped their heart. As noted earlier in the thread, it made me hope that humans have that option when my time comes, because I'm going to have a hard time convincing a doctor to shoot me with a .357.

I put a cat down last week. I just figured i'd like my cat to do the same to me when the time came.

Our cat made it easy for us. Some kids spotted him crawling down the sewer.

He was always an asshole.

Damn dude... .357?
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It is, but not an easy thing to forget. IMO still better than terrorizing them by taking a trip to the vet.

Sorry Mrgig. Letting go is so hard to do. Going through it right now with my husky, well it's really my mothers husky but we got him when I was still living at home. Anyways, poor guy can barely get up and move on his own. I feel it's a matter of weeks at most before I have to make a move. What makes it worse is I don't think mom realizes the weight of his loss. Its one more memory that remains of my father as she and him picked him out together.

I feel your pain though. Be strong buddy.

My current dog is a chow chow mix. His body is yellow short hair like my yellow lab was. Can you please post a picture of your Lab Chow Chow mix to compare?

Thanks!

Don't any of you own a .22? I cant imagine the mess a .357 would do to a feline. There would be nothing to bury.

Unless being Shogun you would use a Katana. :D

They will let you know.

UPDATE

She is rapidly shutting down at this point. Not eating very well, isolating herself and just not being real playful. The crazy thing is she loves going outside lately. In her first 15 years she would never set foot out there. Now she is out there for 30+ minutes. It is very good to see. However, Wednesday we will be taking her to the vet and it very well could be her last day. Doesn't look like we are going to get to the month :(


Thank you all for your comments and thoughts.

I fought 3 weeks holistically to keep my dog around before I pull the plug. He had pain pills. He lived longer than vet said he was going to live. He was living to keep happy me in the end.

That's kinda what Bubba (my 40lb weiner dog) did. Didn't act like he felt good for a while then one morning he acted like he felt like a pup again. Wanted outside, hung around, ate well. An hour or so later went to let him back in the house and he had laid down under the porch and was gone. Hope I'm so lucky.

We had to put our black lab (Dixie Snowball) down on Thursday. She would have been 12 on the second of June, so she lived a pretty full life for a lab. She had cancer as well, and had lost quite a bit of weight over the past couple of weeks and Tuesday and Wednesday she seemed confused.
We took her to the vet, and even though it was the right thing to do, it sure as hell didn't make it much easier.,
We had had her (or she had us rather) since she was two weeks old.

The "funny" thing is at the vet, she seemed at peace, like she knew what was going on (of course that's probably wishful thinking). I have had more than a few folks I was close to die in the past 7 years or so, (including one of my best buddies literally die in my arms in Iraq) but I broke down and balled like a damn baby at the vet.

RIP Dixie Snowball

I called it on my lab Razor about 13 (not my name), Sonia my mom's dog she was around 20yrs old, and Murphy last October about 8. It is always hard and it should be. Remember them.

.

My condolences. My girlfriend and I lost one of our 2 dogs last month completely out of the blue - they were litter brothers. Spent yesterday driving to pick up a new pup I reserved from rescue shelter to surprise her.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/26/9e8ebeqy.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/26/qurevu5e.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/26/yty9yje8.jpg

The little princess is now in kitty heaven. We both knew it was time. Thank you for all your comments and thoughts.