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DCat's last days

13 replies

TheSilveryPussycat · 09/05/2015 13:43

My lovely DCat, 19, has been on Benefortin for heart murmur (for last 7 years) and progressive renal failure (diagnosed a year ago). She has stopped eating her food (with ground up meds in), but will eat prawns and Dreamies, and is drinking.

Last evening I found her with pupils fully dilated, seemingly blind. She got off sofa and lay on the floor, panting weakly with mouth open and tongue out. Yoweled 3 times. I thought she was dying there and then. I rang ooh vet service, but decided an hour's drive to them wd not be kind, and during conversation cat rallied a bit. She ate some prawns and dreamies from my hand.

This morning, she was (relatively) better, eyes back to normal, able to sit and walk. We went straight off to the vet's, where she got a steroid injection, and vet wondered if she had something going on with her brain. She's booked to return Weds, and I have Practice Owner's number, in case it all becomes unbearable for her in the mean time.

Just after some advice as to how to make (what must surely be?) her last few days as comfortable as possible.

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chockbic · 09/05/2015 13:51

I would be guided by your vet. Old girl had a few episodes before she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Those went on for a few months, before we made the decision to pts.

In her last days, she had lots of treats, cat milk and smelly food to entice her to eat.

19 is a good age to reach. Hard decision though for sure Flowers

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RubbishMantra · 09/05/2015 14:49

Oh, bless you. I can't even begin to imagine how sad and awful this is for you.

Difficult decision I know, but it may be better to pts now, it seems she is confused and possibly in pain. Cats are very good at masking how they feel.

Flowers to you and your lovely girl.

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TheSilveryPussycat · 09/05/2015 16:20

Thanks, she is resting quietly and has had a few prawns.

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timtam23 · 09/05/2015 18:56

Very sorry to hear about your cat. I'm not sure if this will help at all but I was in the same situation almost exactly a year ago with my beautiful 18 yr old boycat. He was blind due to high blood pressure but was happy enough, sadly he then developed tongue cancer and although we tried steroids he did go downhill relatively quickly (over about 3 weeks).
Having had my other old cat die the previous year, and definitely leaving it about 24-48 hours too late with the decision to PTS, we decided to give boycat one really lovely last weekend & then take him to the vet on the Monday morning to be PTS. The weather was gorgeous so he sunned himself outside as much as possible, he had whatever he wanted to eat, (he was struggling to eat very much at all unless it was very well mashed) we gave him so many strokes & DH took him on plenty of escorted walks poking around the back yard & alley. It was awful having to ring & make the final appointment with the vet but it felt much more comfortable than with the old girl cat because there was no rush, no panic and we kept control of the decision when enough was enough. I still cry when I think about him but I'm glad we didn't hang on too long & risk a sudden crisis. The vet was very good and completely on board with the plan for palliative care only. It is such a hard decision to make - thinking of you & your cat.

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MissingKittyCat · 09/05/2015 19:59

I like timtams way. Definitely agree, don't leave it too late. I saw our kitten suffer and I hate it. I hate that I didn't intervene but everyone said she'd get better. I learned a very harsh lesson. Take the vets advice with a pinch of your own intuition. I believe you'll know when Dcat has had enough.

So sorry for what you're going through.

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Mrsjayy · 09/05/2015 20:06

Jaycat went down hill on the friday we took her on the monday just let your cat rest eat what it wants jaycat was just liking the jelly from cat meat and drinking not much its heartbreaking it sounds like your cat had a siezure mine did near the end i was hoping she would die at home but she was PTS im so very sorry about your cat it is so very sad e

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Miss60 · 09/05/2015 20:19

Thinking about you. I'm watching my old Amber kitty get very frail. So sad when they begin to decline :(

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TheSilveryPussycat · 09/05/2015 21:40

DD (24) has just been. DCat v happy to see her and her bloke. DD doesn't want me to pts Sad - DCat seems fairly comfortable, had a few more prawns but won't eat dreamies, has had a drink.

We'll take it a day at a time.

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cozietoesie · 10/05/2015 01:33

I'm so sorry, Silvery. I decided to take it a day at a time with my Darling Twoago and I wish now that I hadn't because it .....stretched. I think now that you have to distinguish between what is for you and what is for the cat. It may be hard but the cat must come first - I'd always let then go nowadays when the sun was still shining a bit for them.

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TheSilveryPussycat · 13/05/2015 11:17

Just got back from the vet. DCat did have a comfortable few days, never lost her dignity, ate prawns and chicken pate, it was a privilege to share her life, and to help her slip away.

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cozietoesie · 13/05/2015 11:23

Not easy for you yourself though. I'm so sorry.

I have this to face myself - probably very soon as well - so thinking of you.

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timtam23 · 13/05/2015 19:41

So sorry OP it is always heartbreaking to have to let them go. But when they are old & ill it is the kindest thing to let them go with dignity. Flowers for you

Sorry to hear Seniorboy is not so well cozie

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cozietoesie · 13/05/2015 19:58

He's not too bad, timtam - just gently fading as an old old boy does.

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