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?

tiredlady- is'nt a house with small dc, full of shit by definition anyway. what difference will a cat poo make amongst all the rest of the crap anyway nappies etc in the big scheme of things,

dark do your DC shit on the floor? I'd try retraining them if I were you.....

pooexp- Oh we have all manner of fun and games here.In fact my 3yrold before never made it to the toilet and peed on the kitchen floor.In fact he makes my cats antics look small time.He once when just turned 3, did a turd in a toy car and stashed it poor cat ,dog everyone got blamed until the mystery unfolded.

I think you should give your cat to the CPL (cats protection league) as they can either give your cat a new home or if unhomeable keep comfortable.

I have two cats one of which had a similar problem but was weeing everywhere. At the time she was stressed as we had moved house but with patience she is now back to normal.

I think it is a bit extreme to put the poor cat down

I apologise for my really rubbish punctuation.I had said 3year old climbing all over me.

It seems to me that both you and the vet are being very negative about this cat.

Whereabouts are you? I will take the cat on.

darkandstormy - as a general rule, aside from accidents whilst potty training, most children's shit ends up in a nappy or down a toilet. I don't think most people's dcs shit on the carpet as a matter of course.

OP, if you decide to pet your cat to sleep, don't let people on here make you feel bad about it. You've obviously cared for this animal well and appear to have given it a good life.It won't suffer.

I am shocked at the vet too fab. If the animal is healthy what is he doing offering to PTS?

Fab:I have a nearly 3yo who doesn't sleep during the day and a 3mo who doesn't sleep at night so I'm not feeling terribly positive about anything just at the moment.

As I said, if there are no signs of improvement in a month or so my dsis will take her because she will be able to spend a lot more time and attention on the cat than me but isn't living in the UK yet.

Do you think that the cat will start missing you as badly once it has been ' relocated' ?

Did any of the people who are saying the OP is being unreasonable read my posts:

• Felliway didn't work
• the CPL, the PDSA and 7 other sanctuaries would not take my cat

I loved her very much - I got her and her sister as a kitten from the CPL. But like the OP, I was young and single when I got my cats and never imagined that I would be put in a position where I felt I basically had to choose between my children or the cats.

One of the two has been fine and is still with me. The other isn't. Giving her away was horrible and not a decision I took lightly. I fully expected to have both of them until they died of natural causes but life isn't always that simple.

Can I just throw into the mix that a significant number of cats aged 17 will have arthritis and joint pain (which is not as obvious or easy to diagnose in cats as it is in dogs). I think I'd be considering bloods to check her organs are working OK followed by a trial on an anti-inflammatory painkiller if they were fine. Coupled with ensuring her litter tray is suitably shallow and easy to access, perhaps by providing a step or ramp.

Of course, although we find euthanasia for reasons of convenience distasteful, it doesn't make any difference to the cat, because being a cat they are oblivious to the moral and ethical debate that surrounds it. They get an injection and they go to sleep. It's not like the cat will suffer if you decide to go down that road.

But maybe call your vet (or get a second opinion) and ask about the joint pain thing. You might well be very surprised at how well she responds to treatment.

Oh sorry, meant to add, good luck with it all OP - hope it goes better for you than it did for me

tiredlady- is that right? yawn

Mathew Wright was right after all there are some right hormonal harridans on here.Wonder if their looks make up for lack of humour?

YABVVU!!! Just rehome her - if she is happy.

Have you done anything to find out WHY she is feceally incontinent? to make things better for her?

I am not "daft" when it comes to animals, i would put an animal to sleep at the blink of an eye to prevent suffering of if it was aggressive (i am an ex vet nurse so speak from expereince). I have had to assist in the euthanasia of too many healthy animals to have any sympathy for owners who want to destroy their animal just because it has become too much work

darkandstormy toxoplasmosis

Morningpaper is genius

And good luck OP - YANBU.

what letmeatthedogs said (except that I am not a vet nurse

this is all part of having a cat. Take responsibility.

dita-very rare so probably more likely to catch something shitty at the rugrat groups.

Should pregnant women not go to parent and baby groups then?

Yes, and all be hormonal harridans together

Disclaimer Not read the entire thread.....

I think getting the vet to check the mog out first and foremost before making a decision.

Could be that the moggy is stressed at losing its companion and it will obviously take some time to readjust.

Go to the vet.

my friend is a vet
it is heartbreaking when asked to put healthy animals to sleep...it does happen
have to do what owner wants after making all options clear to them

Hope the cat stops pooping everywhere and is happier. FWIW, I'd rather be cleaning child shit from my garden that the neighbours' cat shit. My garden (front) stinks of it where I can' t get to where the cats have pooed and weed. THEY are not mine and I resent their poo.

I am choosing not to have a cat (mainly cos allergic), but I can't be dealing with cat shit. Give me shitty nappies any day. I'd even wipe my husbands backside if need be, but scrubbing cat shit from furniture? NO! (I clean too much of it from my back garden too).

That said, I'd not kill a cat JUST because it pooed everywhere... I'd hang a bucket under its tail. A small one. It worked with the DC

Mrsdoasyouwouldbedoneby - as you are in the fortunate position of having a DH you can sort your cat problem by getting him to wee whereever the cat is doing a poo - will put them off. It works better though if you wee there when the cat is actually doing it, so piss ON the cat!