Sick pet - worried about the owner

[gyzmo]

A friend of mine has a cat that I think may have to be put down (well he's quite old, been bringing his food back up for past couple of days and is listless for half the time. He also has a big lump on his shoulder though no difficulty walking and usually plays like a little kitten!).

He's very attached to the cat and I have tried to get him to take him to the vet but he's too scared of losing him. I also fear that he wont be able to cope with the death. When I bring the subject up you can see the tears in his eyes and I think the death of his cat would probably be as bad to him as the death of a close relative to you or me.

does anyone have any advice / experience on what I can do for him? He does not have any family and few friends really to speak of that are close.

(please don't include comments such as "he should get a grip" or "its only a cat". That is not helpful and quite untrue).

Thanks peeps.

[TheChancellor]

Very difficult but he needs to realise that sometimes a true friend has to make difficult decisions (in this case for the good of the cat if it should prove to be in pain).

He needs to see the cat's welfare as being the top priority not his own needs or feelings.Plus if it goes to the vet it might have a chance of being helped, if he waits too long it might be too late.

[Lula]

I truely know how your friend feels as a person owned by 6 cats myself, I really know his pain, I have been there and done that, but you know, if he really loves his animal, the kindest last thing that he can do is to help put the poor animal out of its misery, it is clearly suffering, does he want to be the person who continues the suffering of the thing that he loves? He knows that he needs to do this, and then whilst he will miss and mourn his friend, he will know that he stopped the pain.

[gyzmo]

Thanks peeps.

Have got him to take the cat to he vets today and going down with him. Fingers crossed!

[The GodMother]

good luck gyzmo.

I know this is not the same as the cat but do u have a animal charity near u that he could offer a good cat a new home to.

It might help him to have another cat to care for but then again it may not. See what the vet says and then maybe bring the subject up in a few days or summing.

[Paintball]

My 15-year-old cat has been diagnosed with a sarcoma this week and was operated on to remove a lump on his throat. I inherited the cat from the person I bought my house from and have become very attached to him, he's a lovely pet!

I'm devastated to learn of his illness and I know that the lump will come back fairly soon. The vet has told me he will not be able to operate again on my cat as it would be too dangerous.

I've cried buckets over this but am resigned to the fact that I'll have to have my cat put to sleep when he becomes ill, which he inevitably will.

So, my commiserations to your friend Gyzmo

[Ell-enn]

Know how you must feel - my poor old puddy cat (16) died in my arms 3 weeks ago, I cried like a baby

[bottomburp]

Our 14 year-old cat has a lump between his shoulder blades, it appeared suddenly in March. The vet diagnosed cancer.

The options were - x-ray to see how far it had spread followed by operation (if it hadn't spread), medication etc etc and a very ugly looking patch where he'd been chopped about - oh, and an estimate of £1,000 provided there are no complications - or - nothing and he may live for a few days or a few months.

As he's 14 and wasn't expected to live much past 6 (due to kidney failure during a stay at a kennels - it seems they didn't leave out water over a hot 3-day weekend) we decided not to operate etc. Since then he's been on a lo-salt diet and has been fine - except when "kindly" neighbours feed him (he's not allowed salt and has to eat special lo-salt biscuits)

Anyhow, it's now October, the lump has grown a bit and is unsightly but doesn't bother the cat. He does throw up from time-to-time - and we've have two or three whole days (one at a time) where he hasn't been able to keep anything down. What we've done is soak his normal biscuits in hot water and let them get completely soft and then feed him very little, but often. So far that's done the trick and he's been up and about and his normal self pretty much straight-away.

The sun's been out here so he's been sun-bathing in the conservatory all morning...

[Paintball]

Originally Posted by Ell-enn

Know how you must feel - my poor old puddy cat (16) died in my arms 3 weeks ago, I cried like a baby

Oh Ell-enn, I'm so sorry to hear about this ...

Originally Posted by bottomburp

Our 14 year-old cat has a lump between his shoulder blades, it appeared suddenly in March. The vet diagnosed cancer.

The options were - x-ray to see how far it had spread followed by operation (if it hadn't spread), medication etc etc and a very ugly looking patch where he'd been chopped about - oh, and an estimate of £1,000 provided there are no complications - or - nothing and he may live for a few days or a few months.

As he's 14 and wasn't expected to live much past 6 (due to kidney failure during a stay at a kennels - it seems they didn't leave out water over a hot 3-day weekend) we decided not to operate etc. Since then he's been on a lo-salt diet and has been fine - except when "kindly" neighbours feed him (he's not allowed salt and has to eat special lo-salt biscuits)

Anyhow, it's now October, the lump has grown a bit and is unsightly but doesn't bother the cat. He does throw up from time-to-time - and we've have two or three whole days (one at a time) where he hasn't been able to keep anything down. What we've done is soak his normal biscuits in hot water and let them get completely soft and then feed him very little, but often. So far that's done the trick and he's been up and about and his normal self pretty much straight-away.

The sun's been out here so he's been sun-bathing in the conservatory all morning...

Glad to hear he's back to normal

But my Q now is, at what point do you decide when to do the kindest thing and have your pet put to sleep?

[Ell-enn]

To be honest I was almost at the point of making that decision, as he was getting very slow and at times he was very lethargic and looked sad - however he was still eating quite well and wasn't sick, but I knew he was failing and going downhill daily.

I had been told by the vet that I would know when the time was right as he would stop eating and just curl up - it didn't get to that though as I think he had a major stroke in the end.

[bottomburp]

Originally Posted by Paintball

But my Q now is, at what point do you decide when to do the kindest thing and have your pet put to sleep?

When he's uncomfortable, isn't enjoying life, isn't walking around, isn't eating, and MOST IMPORTANTLY isn't washing - the moment they stop grooming you know that the time has come.

[gyzmo]

sorry to hear about all those stories. Just got back from the vet who seemed somewhat vague. She's given tha cat an antiemetic, antibiotics and a nutrient jab and has to go back on saturday.

The vet said that there was some concern as the cat is housebound, so the vomiting cant be put down to something he's caught off other cats. Operations / tests were discussed but said better to see how the cat gets on over next few days, though it did seem like the vet was saying such things were not worth it.

Anyhows, owner feels a bit better (probably because he came back with the cat).

[The GodMother]

well glad everything is kinda ok.

hope u feel better about it now gyzmo.

[hilaryfrances]

I had my much loved cat, Tabatha, put to sleep earlier this year. No one could have loved their cat more. Her heart gave out, she was about 15, as soon as she stopped eating I knew it was time. I reluctantly went to the RSPCA to adopt another as I missed her so much. I came home with a scruffy looking alley cat with half an ear. His name is Jake and I love him to bits, we needed each other I guess. I know it seems hard but there are so many poor pussy cats looking for homes it is not worth letting an animal suffer. I think we keep them going for us not them. Anyone who has lost and loved a pet should go and see who else needs a home.You may be surprised.

[gyzmo]

Originally Posted by The GodMother

well glad everything is kinda ok.

hope u feel better about it now gyzmo.

Its my friend I'm worried about but thanks !