Is it time to say goodbye..? 😢💔

[igotdemons]

My Dcat is an old girl (somewhere between 15 and 19 years old) - she is hyperthyroid and now keeps getting random facial swellings every so often, which the Vet cannot identify the cause of (although it only happens when she has been outside briefly.)

Last night she came in and seemed to have something wrong with her mouth. Her throat looked and felt swollen, she couldn’t close her mouth fully and had also ‘lost her voice’. Took her to the Vets who said they would need to sedate and X-ray to check for foreign bodies (as this is what I initially thought had happened). We left her there and were going to pick her up an hour later but the Vet called me and said he wanted to keep her in as her mouth and throat were so severely swollen he was worried he might have to intervene overnight but he’d given her pain relief and a steroid injection and she was comfortable.

They called me this morning and said she was OK, hadn’t eaten so please pick her up ASAP so she can eat etc.

I’ve brought her home and she won’t eat or drink and has no interest in anything other than lolling around with her head on her paws (head keeps drooping but she had a general anaesthetic so not too worried per say). Called Vet who isn’t overly concerned but I have to take her back tonight anyway for another steroid injection as she gets stressed being tableted.

The problem I have going forward is that she is elderly, underweight, hyperthyroid, isn’t interested in food generally now, her meds are the ear gel because she gets stressed being tableted but the maximum dose isn’t going to be enough to keep her levels stable, she hates the Vets, being taken there and generally being manhandled. I could stop her going outside to prevent this happening again but then she would be depressed because she loves going outside. So after seeing how she is this afternoon (very unhappy) I am thinking that when I take her back to the Vets tonight it is time to say goodbye as she has been through so much over the last 6 months - repeated visits to the vets for bloods etc and also this swelling business and I just don’t think I can put her through anymore. I certainly can’t keep going through it myself as it’s making me ill.

Is this the right decision? My heart is breaking... 💔😢

[Fluffycloudland77]

It sounds it, she doesn’t sound like she’s enjoying life does it?.

I’m sorry, I know how hard it is to lose them.

[igotdemons]

Thanks Fluffy. No, she’s not been happy on and off for the past 6 months but I’ve been persevering because she’s had good moments in between the bad but I’m thinking this latest vet stay has pushed her to the edge and she’s given up 😢 It’s absolutely heart breaking 💔

[TheLongRider]

I'm so sorry but I think you're doing the right thing for her. It's never easy.

You are being the best person for her by making the decision.

[catzrulz]

Oh OP, it sounds like the time has come. Someone said to me better a day early than a day late when we had DCat put to sleep recently.
It's awful to have to make the decision, but I think it is the last kindness we can do for our wonderful pets.

[igotdemons]

Thank you, she’s been home now for nearly 3 hours and she’s just took herself away upstairs ☹️ Still hasn’t eaten or drunk anything and she’s always been my shadow, always by my side even when she’s been poorly so I think she’s given up 😢 I’m leaving her to it at the moment as I don’t want to keep annoying her but then I feel guilty 😢 I’m sitting here alone, keep bursting into tears and thinking about how empty the house is going to be without her 💔

[isamonster]

It sounds like you had given her a very lovely life and unfortunately the worst part of pet ownership is doing the right thing for them at the end. She may perk up a bit or she may not but i think you know that she's not happy and suffering. She's your darling cat and you are making a tough decision. But it sounds like the right one. Be kind to yourself - it hurts.

[Toddlerteaplease]

I agree. You know her best, and you just know when it's time. Has she had more bad days than good recently? And Is she getting any enjoyment out of life anymore? When my cat stared hiding I knew it was time. Hugs. It's awful. X

[igotdemons]

She’s had a very small drink and a wee but still won’t eat anything (not even her most favourite food, tinned tuna, which she only gets very very rarely). She usually loves to go outside to drink rainwater but all she wanted to do this afternoon was curl up in the hedge in the cold, which isn’t like her at all. She came in and went straight back upstairs when I disturbed her- no fuss, no food, no nothing ☹️

[Fluffycloudland77]

I’d keep her in if I was you, you don’t want her disappearing off.

What will you do?.

[isamonster]

See how she goes overnight maybe? Are there other people who need to be involved and maybe be part of saying goodbye? I suppose I'm suggesting you make sure you're ready.

i made the decision after months of umming and arring with my old boy when his back legs wobbled badly. Then I spent 24 hours with him as my preferred vet wasn't immediately available. My vet was lovely, it was all very peaceful, and I knew it was for the best. My vet even said she'd expected me to bring him in sooner but I'd given him a really great life so I should be proud. Sounds like you should too.

[igotdemons]

Her suffering ended Tuesday night 😿💔

Something was very wrong as she didn’t even look like her and as she still wouldn’t eat by the time we had to take her to the Vets, it was over 28 hours since she’d last ate something. I didn’t want to potentially watch her starve to death so I know I did the right thing for her, as heart breaking as it was 😿 The house doesn’t feel the same without her though 😿

[Fluffycloudland77]

You did the right thing, it’s an awful decision to make. The house is so empty without them isn’t it?.

I’m so sorry you lost her.

[SingingLily]

I'm so sorry, igotdemons. A cat life well-lived and a member of the family well-loved. 💐

[CatChant]

Letting her go without suffering was the last gift you could give her. It was the right decision. But how one misses them. Be kind to yourself.

[isamonster]

I'm so sorry for you. There's no harder job but such an important one. Sounds like she had had enough and you did the kindest thing for her. i've been thinking about you. I remember it so well. That awful cat-shaped hole in your house and your life, the way you can still see them out the corner of your eye...

Give yourself an easy time. Spoil yourself. And if you need support the litter tray is always open.

[igotdemons]

Thank you ❤️

I’m wondering whether the anaesthetic did something to her as she couldn’t seem to hold her head up properly and kept laying down to rest it on her paws (but keeping her eyes open, so not like she was just trying to nap it off). Her face also looked lopsided to me. It was so distressing to witness 😿

I’ve bought some lovely cat themed photo frames that I’m going to fill with pictures of her so I can still see her beautiful face everyday 😻 I’ve also been watching the videos I made of her over the past 12 years... she really was such a comical character ❤️

[Toddlerteaplease]

So sorry, she was gorgeous. But i think it was the right decision.

[igotdemons]

Thanks @Toddlerteaplease - she really was... ❤️

[TDogsInHats]

So sorry for the loss of your dear cat ♥️

[Fluffycloudland77]

She’s a very pretty girl, very unusual white patch on her little cheek.

[CatChant]

What a lovely face.

[pinkhousesarebest]

I’m so sorry. The missing is so hard..

[Itwasntme1]

She was a gorgeous girl and it sounds like she had a really happy life. 💐

[igotdemons]

Thank you ❤️ I had a call from the Vets last night to say her ashes are ready to be collected... 😿

[Fluffycloudland77]

What will you do with them?.