Should I keep my cat alive?

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unixzip@yahoo.com - 31 Jan 2006 16:03 GMT

We had a cat that ran off a few years ago and is now semi-wild. He is
15 years old and comes around about once a week. I suspect some other
neighbors feed him. During winter, he never comes inside our house any
more and I have no clue where he sleeps.

I do take him for rabies shots and during recent visit he was diagnosed
with diabetes (it cost me $250 for tests). The vet says I need to give
him insulin shots and keep him on a special diet. I'm assuming the
insulin treatments won't be cheap and I have no way of controlling his
diet since he runs around all the time. He lost a lot of weight and
looks like he doesn't have much time left. What is the proper thing to
do? I can't bring myself to take him down and have no easy way of
treating his diabetes.

Thanks
Ron

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Bobblespin - 31 Jan 2006 20:40 GMT

unixzip@yahoo.com wrote in news:1138723384.390557.37580
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> We had a cat that ran off a few years ago and is now semi-wild. He is
> 15 years old and comes around about once a week. I suspect some other
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Thanks
> Ron

Do what is best for the cat's quality of life, which will be going
downhill without treatment and proper diet. It's never easy to put them
down, but it's even harder to know they are suffering and it sounds like
you know the time is near for the deed to be done. God bless you for
doing what is right.

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PawsForThought - 31 Jan 2006 23:57 GMT

unixzip@yahoo.com wrote:I do take him for rabies shots and during
recent visit he was diagnosed

> with diabetes (it cost me $250 for tests). The vet says I need to give
> him insulin shots and keep him on a special diet. I'm assuming the
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> do? I can't bring myself to take him down and have no easy way of
> treating his diabetes.

Hi Ron,
It's never easy making these kinds of decisions. Can you adopt the
kitty and bring him into your home? At least ask the vet about the
cost before you make a decision to not take him in. If he is not taken
care of, he will die and suffer, maybe even go into diabetic shock. If
he can't be cared for, the kindest thing to do would be to have him
euthanized.

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Mr Tibbs - 01 Feb 2006 02:02 GMT

> I can't bring myself to take him down and have no easy way of
> treating his diabetes.
>
> Thanks
> Ron

Hi

What you have done for him is very generous.

I think you will know when it's time, meanwhile if he's walking
and shows not discomfort, I'd let him live.

When he barely makes it in the door one day...
you will know better what to do. That day may never come for you.

Part of the reason you are torn is because he is healthy enough
to come and go.

Later

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Charlie Wilkes - 01 Feb 2006 07:13 GMT

>We had a cat that ran off a few years ago and is now semi-wild. He is
>15 years old and comes around about once a week. I suspect some other
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>Thanks
>Ron

You're an adult, Ron. You have to make hard choices.

If you don't put him down, he'll hole up somewhere and die by slow
increments, or else get torn apart by predators.

Charlie

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Mr Tibbs - 01 Feb 2006 12:20 GMT

> You're an adult, Ron. You have to make hard choices.
>
> If you don't put him down, he'll hole up somewhere and die by slow
> increments, or else get torn apart by predators.
>
> Charlie

I wouldn't put him down yet

yes, he's losing weight, and getting slower

I would try to keep him inside and I would also find out how much the
shots cost
(if it meant that much to me)

Ron just assumes the shots are outrageous and understandably so, (he
just paid out 1/2 the vets car payment or something)

Are these shots available online?

would a proper diet negate the neccessity for shots?

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