to put my healthy cat down

[chocolaterabbit]

I have a cat who is now about 17 years old but still in good health - glossy coat, all teeth etc.

DH's cat died recently of natural causes and the two animals had been living together for 12 years. Since DH's cat died, my cat has started crapping all over the house, particularly in hard to reach areas like under the kitchen units/ behind the sofa.

I've shut all the doors etc but the cat flap leads directly into the kitchen and her food is there so can't shut her out. Came down this morning to find a sloppy poo under the kitchen table and against the legs of DD's highchair. It is absolutely revolting and horrible to have to clean up, also not exactly healthy for the DCs.

So. Would I be unreasonable to ask the vet to put my cat down because of this?

YANBU.

One of our elderly cats recently took to pissing and crapping in the hall during the month of snow we've just had.

So, for the sake of one poxy cat, we have had to throw away a huge chunk of carpet and underlay, will have to recarpet the hall and living room and now have to keep the door to the hall shut meaning DD, the cats and dogs are all now confined to the living room and kitchen.

A litter tray is an option, but will have to separate it from the dogs and DD, meaning even less rooms for them to wander in.

In all honesty, the cat was probably one day away from a one way trip to the vets over New Year. As a family, for us it just isn't worth keeping an incontinent cat due to the knock-on effects on everyone else.

LadyBiscuit, if you'd like to contact me at the email given I'll see what I can do to help (will explain what I do, offer you info to check up on me etc then).

I may not respond until tonight though as I've got to do some work, as much as I feel like taking a day off!

You shouldn't have got the cat if you weren't prepared to look after it in sickness and in health.

Neither shuld anyone else on here who dumped their cat when it got too much trouble

Sorry, losing the plot! I stupidly thought that LadyBiscuit was the OP!

I'll start again - LadyBiscuit, I agree that it isn't easy. Part of what I do, day in day out, is find rescue places for unwanted/abused/at risk animals - mainly dogs but I handle any animal when required to.

Luckily I know a lot of rescue owners across the country, a lot of sanctuary owners, have a lot of networking friends and know a lot of foster carers, so, not to be rude, I have the edge over the average owner who wishes to rehome their pet.

Vallhala - I will write down your email address, thanks. I'm not in need at the moment - I did manage to find somewhere to take my cat in the end but it wasn't easy. I have another elderly cat though so it's good to know there is somewhere else to get advice

The cat will be going to the vet tomorrow. If the problem is physical, I'll see if the vet suggests any treatment and what the prognosis is. If it is emotional, DH and I will have to have a serious think about what to do. We can probably deal with it for the moment and try some strategies to get her continent again but I'm not sure we can have an incontinent cat in the house when DS starts moving.

Thanks for the email Valhalla, as I said, I didn't thinmk rehoming was a possibility - partly due to the attitude of the vet before. If that looks like the way we need to go, I'll get in touch.

You shouldn't have got the cat if you weren't prepared to look after it in sickness and in health.

Putting a miserable and decrepit cat down IS looking after it.

I'd treat my own mother in exactly the same way.

Although I hope I won't need it and this cat will carry on thinking she's a kitten and getting on well with my DCs until she comes to a natural end (she is 17 now but very sprightly )

She doesn't want to put it down because it's not well!!

It's because she's sick of cleaning up cat shit!

It says that quite clearly in the op.

Yes I'm sure you'd rather euthanise your incontinent mother than change her nappy

When you do take him tomorrow, if he advises to put down then do that, end of story.

I'm sure there are alot of cats and dogs that get put down for lesser crimes!

Trying to rehome a 17 yr old cat is ridiculous.

"I have a cat who is now about 17 years old but still in good health - glossy coat, all teeth etc"

That is not a sick or decrepit cat.

Yes I'm sure you'd rather euthanise your incontinent mother than change her nappy

When my children are changing my nappy, I'm buying my ticket to Switzerland

MP you are norty.

Slight tangent - I was listening to Jeremey DM Vine yesterday and they were talking about rescuing dogs from drowning. A woman called in and actually used the phrase "my boys" about her dogs and also said "I would jump in to save my boys, but I wouldn't jump in to save another person or their child"

Actually, I confess that my main retirement plan is to get my hands on a cianide pill I can use by the time my quality of life is such that life is not worth living. The only idea of baing abandoned by a family I don't have, in a place full of strangers when I can not even clean my own bottom, certainly freaks me out. I would preffer to be put to sleep, thank you.

op yabvu, yet again another empathy filled mummy at mumsnet.What a nice lady....

I think your cat is bereaved

he knows his friend died.

I would keep him in one room and give him a lot of attention - in a small room he is much more likely to use a litter tray. If you give him a lot of sympathy and attention he might recover from the trauma.

17 is old and she is probably ill.Surely you love your pet after 17 years.Please talk to the vet.Can she sleep in a confined space for now.We bought a little oil filled raditor[£19.99]and put it beside cat bed in porch.There is food,water and litter tray there and my 2 elderly cats sleep there at night.

oh gosh! maybe i shouldn't comment but i just wanted to say op YANBU i'm sure your cat has had a good life, it is humane to give him a peaceful death. probably inhumane to keep him alive if he's that miserable anyway

children come before pets imo, its not healthy to have cat poo everywhere

My cat did this when his kidneys began to fail. We did the same as pranma and put a heat lamp in the porch.
Please take her to the vet.

My old cat started doing that, she'd gone senile

Her coat etc were perfectly healthy, but her quality of life was awful because of the senility and there was nothing more we could do for her.

chocolaterabbit I hope the vet can help. Keep us updated

My cat did a wee on the bed every time she got cystitis, so it would be a good idea to take her to the vet. She might be trying to tell you something is wrong. My friend's cat did the same thing. It might be because she is old and doesn't want to go outside in the cold. The vet will know.

LOL at Morningpaper's comment re animals as snacks...

I guess I'm in the minority YANBU camp -- although obviously try a few other things first. A cat with this bad habit will be impossible to rehome, and living kennel like in some cat shelter is not really an acceptable quality of life either. As near as I can tell pets are there for our pleasure. If they become impossible to live with, it is reasonable, imvho, to put them down humanely, even if otherwise seemingly healthy.

And if you disagree with that then you better tell me you're a full-on vegan, too.

Poor cat, she is grieving, and is marking her territory, in her total cunfusion of what , she only knows as soemthihg being really wrong.

Cats are sensitive animals, and she is trying to fathom out her new world. Just like some cats get upset or go awol if there is a new baby.

I would go to vets, she may well have a good coat etc, but a check up is required. She, like you said has prob forgotten how to use a little tray.