AIBU to not seek further treatment for my cat?

[Tinklewinkle]

I have a cat who has just turned 15

She's been relatively healthy over the years, nothing serious healthwise, although she's started to slow down a bit the last couple of years and her days are mostly spent snoring.

A few weeks ago, she was taken ill. We came down one morning to find her quite distressed, she had collapsed and seemingly lost about half her body weight over night. We rushed her to the vet who discovered she was also almost, if not completely blind

Over the next few weeks she regained her weight and has been happily pottering round the house, mooching around the garden and generally getting on quite well. She hasn't regained her sight but we've lived here 10 years so she knows the house, we're careful about always putting food/litter trays, etc in the same place and she seems to be coping fine.

We've had some blood tests to rule out anything simple and easily treatable which have all come back clear, so the vet thinks she has a brain tumour. The only way to confirm it 100% is to have an MRI scan, then if the scan confirms it she would need an operation followed by chemo.

We had decided (with the full support of the vet) that we would manage any pain/discomfort but seek no further treatment - she's getting on a bit, such an operation followed by the chemo would be too much for her to cope with at 15, there's no guarantees that any of this would work and it would be cruel to put her through it. We also decided not to have the MRI - there is no scanner locally so she'd have to travel some distance and she'd have to be sedated, so we came to the conclusion that if we wouldn't be going for the op/chemo there would be no point in the scan.

However, DH has since changed his mind and wants to go for the scan/op/chemo.

The cat is insured so ££ isn't a consideration here, I personally believe that it's not in the cats best interest to but her through the treatment

We went to a specialist for both cats (cancer then heart disease) - in both cases they were referred by the vet.

If you're in the SE PM me and I'll dig out the details. xx

Thank you but I don't live in the SE

I'll give the vet a call tomorrow and get them to refer her.

I think you are making the right decision. It's so difficult though, isn't it? Our dog became very ill at 17 (he was a Japanese Spitz, was a good age for his breed) and we had him treated for a long time. We thought he was doing okay(ish), until we went back to my Mum's after a meal out (was our family dog, at my Mum and Dad's house) and he had an horrendous seizure, collapsed in my sister's arms, and vacated his bowel and bladder all over her. The on call vet recommended we put him to sleep, as he was suffering horribly.

It was a very tough decision to make, not least because my Grandad adored him, insisted on walking him twice a day, and always sat with the dog at his feet. They were famous around our town, the snow white dog walked by the man with the snow white hair. Really, they were best friends. Even my Grandad agreed that it was for the best though.

I really feel for you, it's so bloody difficult. But I really think you are doing what is best for your beloved kitty. When we had our darling doggy put to sleep, I bawled for days, but I knew it was for the best (although I'm getting a little teary-eyed now). Good luck (and un-MN-y hugs).

Your posts make it very clear how much you love your cat and there is no doubt in my mind that you will do what is best for her. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an animal put to sleep to avoid future suffering - it's the one last kindness we can do for out pets.

I don't think your local vets have done anything wrong or anything other vets would not do, but once things get complicated you really need a specialist otherwise you are not getting correct information.

Large specialist practices include the Animal Health Trust in Suffolk and the University of Liverpool Small Animal Hospital in Cheshire (Leahurst, Wirral). We've been to both (with dogs though) and they were both great. They may also give you contact details of further specialists, e.g. I spent an hour on the phone with a cardiac surgeon discussing the option to operate on my dog even though she was not his patient and he never charged me a cent (lovely man!).

Just a final thought: once you have a precise diagnosis more options open up even from searching on the internet. I wouldn't recommend self-diagnosing with the internet, but, for example, when our dog was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy the vet said there was no test for the disease. Five minutes on the web discovered a genetic test trial in the US, a few weeks later we had results.

Anyway I am rambling now, but the point is that if you and the cat are not ready to give up just yet there are options worth pursuing.

Thanks all!

I've spoken to our vet this morning and she's going to find a specialist for us. We have an appointment this week for a check up anyway.

Hopefully it'll make the whole thing easier to decide.

She's happy enough at the moment so we're not thinkingnof having her PTS just yet, hopefully the specialist will make it clearer when the time comes.

Thanks!

I was in a similar position with my cat recently. She was of a similar age too - in the end she died under the sedation itself - within seconds of it being administered. She was just so much weaker than we ever imagined.

Fingers crossed for you all.