| Paw Colors | Points |
|---|---|
| Grey | 0-49 |
| Red | 50-149 |
| Orange | 150-299 |
| Green | 300-599 |
| Magenta | 600-1499 |
| Purple | 1500-4999 |
| Blue | 5000-9999 |
| Brown | 10000-24999 |
| Black | 25000+ |
My beloved cat Felix (formerly feral Felix) seems to be coming to the end of his life. He has feline aids and a heart murmur. He’s stopped eating at all (today) even the most tempting treats such as liver and chicken, and is skeletal. He sleeps all the time but still enjoys my lap. He doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but who knows- he might be hiding it.
He had an up day yesterday, but has sunk again today. I can’t decide what I should do? It seems like I should take him to the vet for euthanasia. But I don’t want to make that decision unless it is the right one.
Keywords: Euthanasia
Answers to this question
4 Answers
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I won’t lie to you. This is a very tough decision to make. Unfortunately, only you know when the time is right. If he has been to the vet recently, I would call my vet and ask for advice based on his current circumstances. If he hasn’t been to the vet recently, take him in for an evaluation. Together you and your vet can decide if now is the right time. If it isn’t, you can figure out what should you look for to let you know when the time will be right.
Ask yourself this question: If I do nothing, am I prolonging his life or prolonging his death?
When you know the answer to that, you will know what to do. For your own sanity, do what you think is right then try to have peace about it. When you lose peace about a decision like this, you lose the ability to deal with it and move on. And don’t confuse peace with grief. You will still grieve whether at peace or not. At least that’s what I took away from my first euthenasia experience in March.
After your beautiful kitty has passed, some people are helped by kitty funerals, online support groups, etc. Don’t be afraid to do this. Losing a pet is losing a member of the family. Your grief will be reasonable and justified. Peace be with you as you make this decision.
Comments to Answer
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Excellent answer, Tonklady. It is such a difficult decision to make. My vet always told me, I would know in my heart when it's time. My heart goes out to you, Libster.
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This is such a diffucult decision to make. If your cat looks like it is enjoying its life, then I would not euthanize it.
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Thanks you all,
It was the words “… am I prolonging his life or prolonging his death?” that caught my attention. So he went to the vet this morning and she, my husband and I decided he’d be in a better place if he went to kitty heaven to join all our other beloved pets. He is in kitty heaven now. Kudos to TonkLady for the answer and thanks to you all.
Comments to Answer
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Libster, I am SO sorry to hear about what you are going through!!! I just lost my beloved Torti Cleo to feline Aids, so I understand what you are feeling. (This cat was so wonderful, she would hug you when you picked her up!) I took her to the vet when she started to loose weight and drool more than usual. She was still acting okay, eating and what not, but these were red flags to me. My vet said that she had lost a lot of her muscle mass, and had sores in her mouth. He suggested Euthinasia even though she was only 8 years old. After much crying (on my part), I went with his decision. It tore me apart though because he said that I could bring her back home to pass there, but since I have another cat, it could be dangerous to him. (I guess it’s mainly transferred by blood, but I didn’t want to take a chance with Earl.) She is also in Kitty heaven, but I miss her every day.
This happened last July, and I have tears running down my face as I write this. Lets hope our two cats are getting to know each other! My thoughts and prayers are with you in this tough time!
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