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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Am I being ridiculous or is it time to let FABCat go?

156 replies

fabwoman · 27/02/2012 10:03

Just discovered she has weed in an empty plastic tray under the stairs - at least she is trying to do it in an okay place. She is 17, has several illnesses but to me still has quality of life as she still plays and is clever enough to hide behind the sofa when she has sneaked back in or make me move stuff off the bed so she can sleep in the sun. She has been weeing in the wrong places for several weeks now. She has access to a big garden and hasn't had a litter tray for years except for when she had to be kept in, but she doesn't like them.

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haggisaggis · 05/03/2012 17:39

I have to say we put up with the weeing (and pooing!) for weeks before we had last cat pts. Had puppy pads everywhere and was buying the cleaner that's meant to remove teh smell in bulk. I think the problem with cats - compared to dogs - is they just keep on going. When we finally decided the time had come and got teh vet out, they expected it to take a while but in fact she passed away almost as soon as they put teh needle in. It was like she had been hanging on waiting on us making our mind up. Remember though that cats don't like smelling (and she will be if she's peeing everywhere). Ours was eating ok right up to teh day before - and still purring and looking for cuddles.

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fabwoman · 05/03/2012 17:46

I honestly don't think her quality of life has gone down. We used to always put her away when we went out as she set the burglar alarm off and she has been put away when not in, or we can't cat sit her for about 2-3 weeks now so she is used to it. And often she has the run of the house still just not the lounge and if I am upstairs for more than 10 minutes she comes looking for me anyway and curls up on the bed.

She went on the litter tray after tea and completely missed but she tried. Don't tell anyone but I have her some left over roast chicken and she is now wshing herself while curled up next to me on the sofa. It was awful without her next to me last night.

I went to the vets today to get her meds for her arthritis and the receptionist said maybe FABCat is hanging on for LovelyVet to come back. She couldn't tell me what a cat does to let us know she is in pain, if we stand on her tail it is obvious of course. She also wondered if it was neurological. She does have hypoestesias. FABCat, not the receptionist.

FABCat is like FABBoy, even when poorly food is still had!!

haggisaggis - I am sorry for your loss . Don't say if too painful but could you tell me what happens when an animal is PTS please as I have only had a hamster pts and I wasn't with him.

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BeattieBow · 05/03/2012 17:52

well I can only say what I've done which was have my cats pts when they started doing it (they were 18). They were pooing and weeing in inappropriate places at least once a day. It was disgusting. It could be on the beds, sofas, kitchen counters, hob anywhere. I am heavily pregnant and i was worried about the safety for me, and for the children, and the final straw for me came when they poo-ed on the front doormat for the second day running and I couldn't bend down to sort it out, and because it was bristly I couldn't get all of the shit out.

I put up with it for over a year and finally gave in. The cats weren't ill, but seemed to have got dementia. I had both of them pts because they both did it and I thought that one would be very traumatised if it was left alone. the Vet offered to do it for me over a year ago, but I held on.

It was foul. the house smelled, it was unsafe, it depressed me. I did try to find a charity that would take them in, but none would.

I feel guilty but my overwhelming feeling is one of relief. Relief that I can leave bedroom doors open, that I can walk in and not be greeted by the smell of shit, that I can walk in the dark in barefeet and not stand it it. It was horrible.

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fabwoman · 05/03/2012 18:27

Things certainly aren't that bad here.

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evilgiraffe · 06/03/2012 09:15

It sounds like her quality of life is ok, FAB - it's not like old cats tend to move around much anyway, I know ours sleeps most of the time! She might be a bit put out at being restricted, but she's somewhere she knows is warm and safe, so she'll be ok.

The only animal I've seen PTS was a horse who was in extreme pain from colic. I've never seen pain like it, in animal or human, and being given the injection was so clearly a huge relief - he just relaxed, and then died. It was slightly unsettling that we could see his ribs moving for a while after he'd died as the muscles were doing whatever it is that muscles do shortly after death - it looked like he was breathing, even though he was gone. On the whole though, it was a huge relief for an animal in pain - it was a mercy for him, poor thing. I suppose a small animal being PTS in a non-emergency situation would be quite different, but the relief might well still be there.

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 10:48

Poor horse .

FABCat is eating really well at the moment and is currently having a wash next to me. She now has 2 litter trays.

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ExitPursuedByaBear · 06/03/2012 11:16

Fab - when we had our old puss pts the vet came to the house, she was sat next to me on the window seat, the vet had to shave a little bit of fur off her paw, then they put the needle in and her head just dropped slowly into my hands. Her tongue was sticking out a bit, which was odd looking, but we just left her lying there until DD came home from school so she could say goodbye to her.

It was very calm. I cried a lot. But a huge relief - but she had completely lost the plot and had collapsed the previous evening.

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 11:24

Oh I am so sad to read so many people have had to have their cats put to sleep . Mine has started sleeping very still which scares the life out of me. She still looks so well. Her coat is glossy and her face looks like a kitten's face. Hard to reconcile with all her illnesses. She has recently developed ging-something with her teeth.

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haggisaggis · 06/03/2012 16:59

fab - when Sophie was put to sleep the vet came to the house (really recommend this when the time comes - yes it's more expensive but when you add up how much love your cat has given you over the years, it is very worth it). Sophie was sleeping and I was stroking her - they just slipped the needle in and she slept away. It was very peaceful. They wrapped her in her blanket and took her away and we got her ashes back a few days later.
There was no rush and I was able to stroke her as long as I wanted.

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 17:20

Thank you for telling me haggisaggis, I am glad it was peaceful. Did the vet stay with you until you had stroked her as long as you needed too?

I don't know if they offer the come to your house service. I wanted her cremated with other cats so she wasn't alone but then in life she wants to be on her own and is scared of other cats so I am thinking she should be cremated on her own . But then we are not sure we could cope with having her ashes on the mantelpiece so don't know what to do.

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ripsishere · 06/03/2012 17:33

I've had three PTS. All were peaceful and necessary. A someone else said, the vet slip a needle in and the animal drifts deeper into sleep.
I would certainly like to go that way if possible.

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 20:39

FABCat has had a nice sleep next to me and not she is wandering around wanting her supper . It isn't time until 9pm!

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Jux · 06/03/2012 21:20

She sounds like she's doing really well FABwoman, and that there is no rush. You've got her for a while yet, I should think.

We've had quite a few cats pts in my time. It is a really peaceful way to go, and as ripsishere said, I'd like that for me, please!

DH's cat was pts at home. He sat curled in DH's lap, and the vet gave him the injection there; DH held and stroked him for ages after he'd died, then the vet and the nurse took him away. We didn't get the ashes - no idea why as we could have had them if we'd wanted them.

With the 2 old girls, they were both pts at the vet's, but it was the same only I couldn't have them on my lap. With both of them dh asked for the ashes. I would rather have done it at home for whatever that cost and forgone the ashes (which was hugely expensive). I now have the ashes of 2 cats and 2 people in my house. It's all rather macabre, but for some reason dh likes it

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 21:24

I don't what to do for the best in terms of the children. I just want it to me, the vet and my lovely, funny, naughty, stroppy, clever FABCat.

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fabwoman · 06/03/2012 21:24

I don't think she was weed where she shoudn't today .

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ExitPursuedByaBear · 06/03/2012 22:39

All my cats have been buried in the garden.

Planning on doing the same with the horse when her time comes.

Not sure about the dog....

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Jux · 06/03/2012 23:28

You could have him come over while dh takes the kids out? Don't you think they would want to say goodbye though?

Hooray for FABcat getting through a day without weeing in the wrong place!

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fabwoman · 07/03/2012 07:44

She tried to use the tray and got the floor as well but she tried. She has 2 trays, one small and one bigger. She has sneaked onto the sofa and dd says she is pretending to be asleep but peeks now and again to see if anyone has seen her .

Exit - why not the dog?

I am finding all the options so comfusing. It is probably nicer for her to fall asleep in her own home but then the vet would take her away. But then if it happens at the surgery I would have to leave her there and bring an empty carry case home . I have to do what is best for FABCat though clearly she hasn't heard the diagnosis of all her illnesses and is going to live to 92 .

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ExitPursuedByaBear · 07/03/2012 11:55

Re the Dog - There is quite a lot of him and it would be a bit, well, ungainly, getting him to the hole, iyswim. The cats are easy for DH to carry alone, and the horse will be dealt with by someone else with a digger (or pts next to a hole - eek, doesn't bear thinking about).

And the dog - I feel I should scatter his ashes on some of his favourite walks.

Last time I was at the vet with the dog a couple came in and went to the receptionist who went out the back and returned with a little carrier bag, with pawprints on it, and they looked inside and both burst into tears - clearly their dog's ashes were in their.

Very

Hope Fabcat is having a good day.

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fabwoman · 07/03/2012 12:13

I was at the vets when a call came in from someone needing to book a put to sleep appointment and it had me in tears.

FABCat has been busy. There is torn up newspaper all over the hallway. She has been crying at me but won't tell me why and I have just found her curled up on DS1's dressing gown which he left on the floor. She has a weird look on face that seems to say I-am-not-really-on-this-and-don't-even-think-of-moving-me.

No accidents this morning and I have just cleaned all her room and put down 2 fresh litter trays.

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fabwoman · 09/03/2012 18:16

Bless her, she tries but she is missing quite a bit. Fed up of clearing it up but don't mind really. All good practice for when DH is old .

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Jux · 11/03/2012 15:40

Perhaps a nice carpet of newspaper extending out from the tray about 6 inches?

Good girl FABcat for trying

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fabwoman · 11/03/2012 16:16

Tried that. Just makes more wet mess to tidy up and has no effect. We put down new litter last night and have cleaned up 2 puddles already today. She stands on the edge of the tray and wees and doesn't seem to care realise she is missing the tray. Fed up now tbh but have to just get on with it.

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fabwoman · 12/03/2012 08:00

She missed the tray again overnight. DH wonders if it is to do with her back end. She has bad arthritis in her back legs and I agree that could be causing the missing the tray incidents???

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glitch · 12/03/2012 08:22

Can you put the tray, with litter in, into a larger tray with newspaper or a puppy pad in the bottom. It might help to catch it when she pees over the side.
I'm assuming you can't use one with a top on? We use that with the door taken off (mine won't do cat flaps!!)
Very sad reading what you are going through with fabcat. My old cat has just been diagnosed with CRF so we too have a wee and sick problem!!

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