Poor old pussy's legs have gone all wobbly and she keeps inadvertantly doing the splits with her back legs...

[Tanzie]

She is over 20 and has renal failure. The vet told me over a year ago that she wouldn't last much longer, she would intoxicate her self and go into a coma. ("How will we know?" asked DH. She is not an active cat...) She is incontinent and in the last few days her back legs just sort of splay out behind her and she can't walk properly. Despite this, she insists on going outside - is outside now and won't come in, even though it's really cold. Do you think the time has come to get the vet to put herto sleep?

[Janh]

Does she seem unhappy, Tanzie? It's so hard to know what's the right thing to do if they're not in a lot of pain or upset.

My neighbour's cat - not very old but never particularly healthy or bright - developed a kind of dementia, never seemed to know where (or even who) he was or what was going on, used to cry a lot and seem completely confused by life and she had him put down, even though he was still healthyish, just because he was so unhappy.

[Tanzie]

Oh yes, forgot to add, she is senile as well! Knocks on all the neighbours' doors and miaows for food. She has trodden a path through next door's garden and round ours, which she walks every day. But sometimes she gets lost and confused and I see her sitting in the middle of the road washing herself and have to go and bring her in before a car hits her (she is deaf as well).

She doesn't seem to be in pain, just looks very pathetic, a bag of bones and weighs under 2 kilos. I've had her for half my life and she was my first "friend" when I moved to Poland in my early 20s and she's been dragged here there and everywhere with me since.

[Janh]

If you can't keep her in, and there is seriously a chance that she might get hit by a car or come to some other harm, then maybe you should...terribly painful for you but a nice gentle slipping away for her.

[Tanzie]

Poor old pussy has now disappeared - has not been seen since yesterday morning. I fear the worst.

[Janh]

[pussycatmomma]

tanzie, just wanting to give (((((hugs))))))) to you, hope you have found your pusscat and she is well x

[Tanzie]

She came back briefly on Weds morning, but has gone again now.

[mumatuks]

Did Puss come back? Is she alright? Your thread brought a tear to my eye.

Hope everything is as good as it can be. She's done extremely well to reach 20!

[Tanzie]

I got the torch this evening to go out and look for her and she was sitting on the back door step looking very confused. I had to bring her in - she wouldn't walk in on her own, just sat there looking bewildered. She had a lot to eat and drink, peed on the hall floor (but I forgive her, I am so grateful to see her back) and has fallen asleep in her usual "warm spot". Her back legs appear to have got worse and I really don't think she can go on for much longer like this.

[Janh]

Glad she is home and safe now, but you have to make a decision, Tanzie

[suedonim]

Oh, poor Puddy Tat. How is she managing to get around outside, Tanzie, with her wobbly legs? Could she use a litter tray indoors so you can keep her in? It's so hard to know when it's time to call it a day.

[Cratchit]

Oh Tanzie. I had a cat just like her, she was my first real friend and I loved her sooooooo... She was a second-hand, saved cat and she adored me and I her. V v tough decision you're facing, and one I've faced too, you owe it to her not to rush into it, she'd understand and it's what I'd want if it were me. The small pleasure in life are the best so if she still seems happy more rather than less of the time I'd levae her to it. when I faced the same tought stuff, she saved me and went on her own the night before the vet was due.

Oh dear, poor you, enjoy and love her.

[mumatuks]

I'm glad Puss has come back to you.

I had a cat once, she had Kidney failure and kept weeing everywhere. She was forgetting to clean herself and she'd never been like that. When she went to the vets he said it was kinder to put her down. She had done well for 16yrs though, and the comfort was knowing that she hadn't died in any more pain.

Its a hard decision, but it will be the right one, you know her more than anyone else does. x

[biglips]

that happened to my dog who back legs gave away and she couldnt stand up ever again, Dad took her to vet adn they has to put her down cos she had a kidney failure

as your cat keeps on disappearing.. its possibly she had gone somewhere to die

[NomDePlume]

Tanzie, tbh it doesn't sound like she has much quality of life . I'm a real cat person and I think it may be kinder to let her go now.

I know it sounds awful, we had a similar thing with our old cat, he went into total organ failure and we had to make the decision. It seemed more cruel to keep him alive just because we didn't want to let him go yet, than it was to let him have a bit of dignity and shuffle off in relative peace. Makes me very sad to think about it, but it was the right thing to do.

[Tanzie]

Suedonim, she has a box, but won't wee in it! Around it, in another room...anywhere but. She does climb in it with her front legs and wees over the side (maybe she can't get her back legs in).

I had heard that cats do tend to go outside to die and wondered if that was why she keeps wanting to go outside. She went out today, but just sat in the garden near the house. It was a nice day. She is now curled up on the landing. She seems to still like being stroked, but I don't think she is aware of very much. She has trodden a path down the side of our house, along the grass verge, across the neighbour's front lawn and back into our back garden through a hole in the hedge.

I also chopped some knotty bits out of her fur today and she looks a bit tidier. Next door said she went in to see them yesterday and weed on their kitchen floor, so I don't think she'll be welcome there again.

Obviously I don't want her to die, but it would be good if she could just go in her sleep, curled up in her usual position. But I do think we will have to consider getting the vet to come round and put her to sleep. I wouldn't traumatise her with another car journey, I'd ask the vet to come round and do the deed.

[suedonim]

Bless her, Tanzie, she's a real old lady, isn't she? Ikwym about missing the box when they pee - our old cat got to that stage as well. I must admit, if it was a choice between a pet going off and dying somewhere unknown or of her passing away gently in my arms with the help of the vet, I think I'd chose the latter. But everyone has different ideas on what's right and best, which is what makes the decision so hard.

[tatt]

If she was my cat I would call the vet because I would be worried a car would hit her or she might stay out and freeze and she might suffer before she died. Best to go gently. If the vet can come to you it will just be like going in her sleep.

We used to be visited by a cat who had similar problems. I didn't know the owner, none of the neighbours seemed to know whose it was and I thought of taking it to the vet myself.

[Cratchit]

Hi - If you do ever get there, a trip like this is one of the only reasons our vet will make a home visit, so the animals get to go quietly and untraumatused ast home. I bet your vet's the same. Hope you're both ok. x

[Tanzie]

She keeps disappearing for a few days and then coming back. Her legs seem a bit better now, but she is still peeing everywhere. Vet will definitely come to the house to put her down. He was booked a year ago when she started to deteriorate, but I couldn't go through with it. So she has had a year of "borrowed time" already.

[Tanzie]

We had Puss put to sleep on Friday morning. She deteriorated so much over two days - couldn't walk, wasn't eating or drinking, just lay on her blanket in the kitchen. The vet came first thing in the morning and agreed that it was the best thing to do. I stroked her face as he gave her the anaesthetic, and she purred (for the first time in weeks) as she slept. Then he gave her the injection to stop her heart stop.

It was peaceful, but I am so sad.

[Miaou]

Aw Tanzie, I was wondering how she was doing (but couldn't remember who was the OP ). I'm glad she came back to you and you were able to be there for her at the crucial moment. I remember when I had my first cat put down - I knew it was the right thing to do but it just made me feel soooo sad.

((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))

[JanH]

Tanzie.

Sweet about the purring. I bet she slipped away in the middle of a nice dream.

[biglips]

but she lived a good long life though

[edam]

Oh Tanzie, I am so sorry. Agree that the purring is lovely. Bless her (and you).