I think you already know the answer. You've had your pet long enough
that you'll be able to tell when she just doesn't have the strength to
go on.

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:40:22 -0400 from David McCracken
<davidmc@nospam.mcmccracken.org>:

I would not take advice from your friends on this.

I think this is something to discuss with your vet. You may not be
aware if your pet is suffering in a non-obvious way. Your vet will be
involved n the actual euthanasia, when the time comes, so it makes
sense to prepare in advance with her.

Again, this is something to ask your vet. For example, my Dexter the
Wonder Cat had progressive kidney failure, but the vet assured me
that he was not in pain. He gradually developed some stiffness in
walking and jumping, and then finally one Saturday morning he took a
very dramatic turn for the worse. Because I had discussed this with
the vet in advance, I knew what it means and she had me take him in
to the office.

Well, maybe you'll just know, but maybe you want to be forearmed with
some medical knowledge so you know what to look for.

My favorite cat had lymphoma and it was just real hard to tell when it
was time. He was taking prednisone alternating with a chemo drug, the
name escapes me at the moment. Luka something I think. Anyway, from
the time he got sick he seemed to be ok once on chemo, but he never
climbed the cat tree again. He used to sit on the bottom level where I
put a very soft pad for him.

I think that was a clue that he was always a bit dizzy and not really
feeling well. I went with the treatment (and yes, the whole thing was
very expensive) because I was told that he could live another 18
months with a high quality of life. He didn't. He lived maybe 5 months
and I'm not at all sure that he had much of a happy time at the end.

Cats do cover up their pain and discomfort very well so it can be
tough to know what to do. Unlike dealing with a human daughter, cats
can't talk and you can't euthanize a human even though we might want
to.

I hated the daily struggle to get him to take his pills. It got easier
as it went along but he knew it was coming and always put up a
struggle. I ended up getting them compounded into a cream that I could
just put in his ear. Not as effective perhaps, but less trouble.

I don't think you're at the point of euthanasia yet. If she's still
doing the things she always did, then let her keep on. I did wait too
long with Nico though. If you notice that she no longer climbs the cat
tree, or that she is losing interest in things that used to attract
her, then it's getting close. It's the toughest part of pet ownership.

-------
David, I'm so sorry...:-( I just went through this (again!). In the last
three years, I've also gone through this with a dog and another cat. Like
you, I treat my animals the way I would treat my children. IMHO, the time to
euthanize is when the animal is actually feeling pain and suffering. You say
above that your kitty doesn't have pain. She's affectionate, eating, using
the litter box, etc. I agree with you that it sounds like it's too soon.

We waited too long with the dog. He was 15, but he had a sudden event. The
doctor wasn't sure what was wrong, maybe a stroke. His mentation was gone,
and he no longer seemed to recognize us. And his back legs kept giving out
on him. We kept him at the vet over the weekend. We should have euthanized
him right away, but we decided to bring him home. Big mistake. He suffered
overnight, and we were watching the clock for the last couple of hours until
our regular vet hospital opened to bring him.

With Molly, I didn't want a similar event. She had advanced chronic renal
failure. She had gotten to the point where she was very wobbly on her feet
and drooling profusely foul-smelling saliva. But I had been told that the
sign was when she stopped eating and using her litter box. She was still
eating (albeit only out of my hand) and using the litter box. Nevertheless,
she seemed so sick, and I still felt guilty that we had waited too long with
the dog, so I had the cat euthanized before she got to the point where she
had stopped eating entirely/using her litter box. Then, I felt guilty for
months afterward (that maybe I had done it too soon). I finally came to
terms with it, and now I'm glad I didn't wait. I think I did it at the right
time.

Two weeks ago, I had Alex euthanized when he had stopped eating and was
curled up in the corner 23 hours/day (he had multiple serious medical
problems). He had lost 2 pounds in three months and was not grooming himself
at all. I don't know if he had pain at that point, but the vet tech told me
that when animals stop eating, it's often because they have pain. I think I
euthanized Alex at the right time.

I have a relative whose vet told her that the "right time" is when the
animal is in respiratory distress. I think this is a travesty beyond words.
The poor cat spent that last month of his life curled up in her bedroom, so
weak he could barely pick up his head. She thought she was doing the cat a
favor.

So, my opinion (you did ask for opinions) is that the "right time" is when
your kitty is barely eating or drinking, stops grooming, stops using the
litter box, looks up at you and you can see how sick she is. Once she's
gone, she's gone, and you can't bring her back, so there's no rush. But if
and when it seems like she is suffering, don't wait too long (for her sake).
Don't listen to your friends. Listen to your kitty.

Purrs and hugs.
Best regards,
--Cindy S.

I want to thank all of the people who have replied.  I very much appreciate
the insight.

Thanks,
David