My cat just fell out the window...

I will have to see what happens. But if I choose my cat to be killed it would be more about me not being able to deal with his pain rather than him not dealing with pain. They're stronger than we think.

(I believe in rebirth so death is a very important transition to me. No need to debate on this btw!)

They're stronger than we think.

no. no they're not. they're animals who have little to no way of communicating pain other than millions of years worht of instinct, which in a cats case usually involves finding a quiet place and sleeping a lot, waiting to die - possibly in unimaginable, silent pain. take him /her to the vet, they'll know what's best - your personal proclivities regarding this mortal coil asside, you need presume their opinions are a lot more well informed than yours. sad but true :(

/goes home and gives kitty extra scrintches tonight

they are stronger, but also less able to communicate how they feel, and we can't make them understand pain in the way we do. it is also not natural for an animal to have a long lingering death - it would never happen in the wild. we have domesticated them and have to take responsibility for that.

i would want a lethal injection if i was suffering - it's like an anaesthetic overdose - amazing feeling!

i do however believe in getting the vet to come to your home to do it - expensive but much less stressful for the animal.

I will have to see what happens. But if I choose my cat to be killed it would be more about me not being able to deal with his pain rather than him not dealing with pain.

My experiences with euthanasia were the opposite of this, lots of putting the options out there for the owner with resilience coming back in the form of "so there's a chance?", "how long would they last?", etc, basically anything that would let them spend more time with their pet as they slowly nursed it to death. Animals shouldn't (and wouldn't in the wild) have to deal with such torture/pain and it's more about our own inability to deal with the loss (in my opinion).

When I was pretty young I kept a pet rabbit of mine alive for days with lectade as I was convinced it would pull through... I then learned (working with an experienced vet) that there was zero chance of recovery, I felt pretty stupid/mean after that and wish I'd have known better.

Ask your vet for all the options and try and make an emotionless decision that's best for your pet.

i do however believe in getting the vet to come to your home to do it - expensive but much less stressful for the animal.

Agreed.

No offense, but you should have taken the cat to a friends place or straight to kitty daycare. I know it's difficult, but that would actually be hell for the average cat and stress = illness.

I wasn't really thinking with the whole bolier exploding, fire fighters telling you to get our of the building at 6am in the rain/ hail.

she's staying at a place in soho, $80 a day that I will be subtracting from next months rent (if we don't break our lease due to habitation issues)

My previous cat (George) had a tumour under her tongue, she was given barely a month to live by the Vet, she was only 10 years old. We fed her liquidized cat food and the prescribed morphine drops on her tongue. She was dancing round the garden chasing invisible butterflies - not because of the morphine, wasn't strong enough - but she was still thoroughly enjoying being a cat.

Once a week we'd take her to the vet for a check up and another prescription of morphine. On the last visit (about 10 weeks after inital diagnosis) she had deteriorated and had reached the point where she was no longer enjoying being a cat and so she was put down.

I was actually in the middle of a 3 week trip to Borneo when she died - she had been staying at my Mums for about 6 months prior to becoming ill. I found out about 4 days later when I came back from a jungle trek, but it provided an explanation as to why I was totally out of sorts for a day in the middle of the trek.

Strange how you 'know' something has happened ...

Her ashes are scattered, along with her brother's, in Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. RIP Georgie.

Molly went back to the vet this morning for checks. A tiny part of the incision is slightly open so it's back to wearing the lampshade so she doesn't lick it. Very grumpy cat.

With regard to the lump it's not so good news. We haven't got tests back and while it was completely removed, for what it was and where it was (large and under her mammary gland) it's an 80% chance that it's a nasty tumour..

We are looking at the 20% side of the situation though.

:-)

Here's hoping that she'll have many happy years yet. It's good that it was removed, keep her loved and happy.

Here's hoping that she'll have many happy years yet. It's good that it was removed, keep her loved and happy.

Hoping too LaW.. AT present she's as happy as can be (despite the lampshade around her neck). In fact there wasn't actually anything wrong with her per say.. I found the lump while brushing her rather than her acting "ill"

Safe to say anyone on this thread will understand the level of love and attention she'll get will be ridiculous.

Thanks Longandwinding.

It all depends of the circumstances so obviously I don't know what I will do.

I have a friend who seems to attract animals in distress and rescues them wherever she goes(including sick pigeons on the street) so will consult with her what she thinks.

And good luck to Molly!

Has anyone kept their cat (other pet) to the end rather than get the vet to kill them (I find the "put to sleep/down" expression very silly). I am seriously thinking of never choosing that option but make my cat as comfortable as possible until he is ready to die.

Yes VeeVee, thanks for the lesson in straight talking. Five days ago when I had to make this very decision I knew that I was telling the vet that, yes, I agreed with her decision to kill my beloved cat. If I want to say she was put to sleep or put down then I don't bloody well need someone who believes in fucking reincarnation telling me I am being silly.
It wasn't a choice, by the way: she had a tumour the size of an orange inside her. I could have taken her back home where she would have continued to be in discomfort (or maybe that is another euphemism of which you would disapprove) and be unable to eat, as she had been for the previous couple of days. I could have let her die a 'natural' death when she was 'ready'. And maybe in her next life she would have come back as a vet so she could tell me what a deluded and selfish bastard I was for making her suffer a little longer than she had to.

And good luck to Molly!

:-)

Cat thread.. Meet Molly..

... adorable ... x

So. Results were as we thought. It was/is a malignant tumor. But, it was entirely removed thanks to the vet taking so much tissue out around it. Although the lab is deliberately vague with regard of chances of it returning (they just say what it is and would never say it’s totally gone never to return) it is only a medium risk (50/50)now. Poor thing has to keep the lampshade on for another 10 days though..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzNl6NKAG0

genuine LOLs

Sorry to hear about your kitty

Thanks. She's cool.. Just grumpy about the lampshade. The cancer? Well, if it comes back it comes back.

Yes VeeVee, thanks for the lesson in straight talking. Five days ago when I had to make this very decision I knew that I was telling the vet that, yes, I agreed with her decision to kill my beloved cat. If I want to say she was put to sleep or put down then I don't bloody well need someone who believes in fucking reincarnation telling me I am being silly.
It wasn't a choice, by the way: she had a tumour the size of an orange inside her. I could have taken her back home where she would have continued to be in discomfort (or maybe that is another euphemism of which you would disapprove) and be unable to eat, as she had been for the previous couple of days. I could have let her die a 'natural' death when she was 'ready'. And maybe in her next life she would have come back as a vet so she could tell me what a deluded and selfish bastard I was for making her suffer a little longer than she had to.

Do you know what the tumour was?

Found out one of my cats has lymphoma yesterday. She's not eating very much (almost nothing, until today, where she's done a great job of eating most of her regular breakfast - although I put the cat food right next to where she's resting). She's been losing a lot of weight over the last month or two, and 0.2kgs in 3 weeks or so. You can feel her spine in a way you couldn't before when petting her. For a month, possibly longer, she's been putting herself under blankets, behind couches, in boxes (well, she always loved to be in boxes), and just resting/sleeping. She's clearly does not have much energy and is a bit more clumsy in her movements.

The options are pretty lame. Chemo to add 4-6 months, some drug cocktail to add 4-6 weeks, or let her go. Reading about it online, life expectancy is 4-6 weeks from diagnosis. The vet didn't notice the tumour when I brought her in 3 weeks ago, but did yesterday - and he said it's quite advanced. I have no idea where this leaves us and her in terms of time.

Not at all sure what to do. I don't think she's suffering (the vet said it's not a particularly uncomfortable sickness), but is certainly not living the fullest of lives right now. Fucking sucks ass.

Shit, sorry mate.

Oh thats really shit marky. :(

Fuck H.. I know where you're at.. Really feel for you.

Cheers guys. Not really looking for condolences, but if anyone has any advice, that'd be cool.

I don't know what to do - wait until she's clearly suffering (or passes on her own - which sounds pretty hard to deal with as well), or take her to be put down/to sleep/euthanized/killed before it gets really bad, considering the time frame is so short.