Is it time to say goodbye? Is she in pain?

[sockadoodledo]

22 year old cat, thyroid issues but she won't take tablets so she lost a lot of weight but now seems stable.

-Is quite sicky - at least a couple of times a week
-Pretty old and stiff - no probs walking but never sprawls out like she used when she lies down
-Now her purr sounds like shes smoked 50 a day
-toilet issues but may be as we've just moved to a new house with a yard, shes a countryside cat. Still using her litter tray but fair few accidents this last week
-her hearings pretty much gone

She's never been playful or cuddly but still like a scratch behind the ears, and she's eating & drinking.
She was at the cattery when we moved house and the lady there said she didn't expect to see her again

If the end is near I'd hate to cart her to the vet - she hates her carrier, the car, other people etc. But I'm worried shes in pain and hiding it? Wish she's passed on before we moved from the country really. She's also fast losing favour in the house due to her sickness and soiling. Sobbing writing this

Oh, you poor thing. No idea if she is in pain, hopefully someone will come along who knows a bit more about cats.

All I know is that when our cat was ready to go she stopped eating and drinking. I guess if she is still taking food and water then she cannot be too uncomfortable.

Could you phone your vet and ask for advice?If you think she needs to be put to sleep many vets will make a house call if going to the surgery would cause her more distress.

Sorry you are going through this, it is never easy to part with a much loved friend but I think you know in your heart when they have had enough, and it is all you can do for them to let them go.

no advice sorry but hugs to you. do what you think is best for your cat. i'm glad my mum and dad were able to make the decission fo rmy cat. he was 17 and i cried for about a week( i was in my 20's to!)

Also, when my cat had to be put to sleep in April due to kidney failure he didn't seem very ill and I felt terrible for not getting him there sooner, The vet said I mustn't reproach myself as cats are not pack animals and have nobody else to look out for them if they are ill, therefore they tend to hide signs of illness well to avoid predators seeing that they are weak. I think you need to get her assessed by the vet really, though I would agree that as long as she is still able to eat and drink that is a positive sign.

Just written about my own cat having to be pts soon so all sympathy to you on this. Can you get a house visit to see if the vet thinks she is in pain? Do you think she still has some quality of life that is worth hanging on to for a little while? Maybe while you get used to the idea that she may need help to go in the future? She may pass peacefully at home in the meantime.

Also depends what kind of person you are, you may feel better acting soon rather than later & having it hanging over you.

I have to say that cats will purr when in pain (which is confusing for us) so if the purr is different from how it used to sound that might be the case.

I think asking the vet for advice over the phone is a good plan. Sometimes it is better to give our pets a dignified end before they are in real agony and have no quality of life. The vet may be able to prescribe some pain relief if they could examine her, but if she won't take it it obviously won't help. The incontinence and sickness can't be nice for her either.

I'm so sorry for you, I hope you can do what is best for you and your cat.

I'm really sorry, I have no real advice I can offer, but I want to say how awful I feel for you. I'm a pet owner, I've been in this positions a number of times (with dogs though, hence the reason I can't really advise) and it's horrible.

Will be thinking of you and your cat.

Really big hug :).

Thank you for all your advice and kind words.
I didn't realise about the purring in pain but it would make sense, I do hope she isn't She has had a spray painkiller before which is much better than tablets.
Having just moved we need to find a new vet which is unfortunate but I'm on the case.

maybe it would be kinder to put her to sleep

Hi my old cat almost made it to 20 despite many health problems.I am sure he had a good quality of life as he managed a short (wonky) stroll round the garden once a day and still ate all his food (and wanted more) but the end came for him when he had a (further) stroke and was laying paralysed on my kitchen floor.The local vets came and put him to sleep and took him to be cremated.
We did everything for him as you would an elderly relative for the last few months - it is so sad when you have them for so long but deep down you know when the right time is to call the vet.
They generally don't show pain but another cat used to lay/sleep in a different place than usual when ill so there are signs to look for.
Best of luck - hope all goes well.