I think my darling cat is reaching the end.. but euthanasia during lockdown...help!

[YouAreTheEggManIAmTheWalrus]

I posted back in December as my cat (13) was really very poorly plus had end stage heart/thyroid issues and eventually he had been booked in to be PTS the week before Christmas as the outlook seemed bleak. I’d planned with the vet for her to come to our house to do it, however the day before he was due to go he made a miraculous recovery and for the last few months has been the best he’d seemed in years, almost like a kitten again its been astonishing.

The last couple of weeks however he has began to refuse food most of the time (even Sheba, gourmet, ham and turkey) and is now visibly losing weight. I end up following him around the house with a plate, hand feeding him little bits just to get something down him which he does happily eat, it’s almost as though he’s just forgotten how to do it himself. The vet said last week he’d only lost 5 grams and perhaps the loxicom is irritating his stomach so put him on a cat equivalent of Gaviscon. Well he utterly hates this as I have to pin him down and force it into his mouth and because it’s a similar texture to the primula/squirty cream/lick e lix which I hide his meds in he’s also started to reject those which is compounding the issue. This is all damaging the bond and peace between us as he runs away when he sees the stomach medication and sulks with me for a while after. I’ve also had to start giving clopidogrel with a pill gun and thats making him hate me too. I don’t want the last weeks to be a fight, but I’m desperately trying to keep him going until the vet can come to the house. When we were there last week there was a lady having her cat PTS in her car in the carpark with the vet knelt just outside the car door and from a purely selfish standpoint I just can’t. Can anyone offer any advice please? I just don’t know what to do. I should also add his prognosis was 9-12 months from last May so he’s definitely on the way out, but as I had a home euthanasia planned for him it’s awful to think he will die in a car park or alone without me. It’s actually breaking my heart.

If he is suffering you need to call the vet to ask how they can help. Do you have s garden they could visit. I am sorry your cat is poorly. They are very dear to us.

Oh op that sounds heartbreaking, you clearly love your cat very much.

What would happen if you stopped the meds? Taking away the stress of trying to get them in him? Or even just the gaviscon to get him back liking the lick-e-Lix again?

@HappyHammy I’m waiting for a call back from the vet, I suppose I just wanted to have things clearer in my mind before I speak to her as don’t want to do something hasty I’ll regret.

@Seasprayandsunshine I have been alternating the gaviscon and clopidogrel every other day, but it still means I’m shoving something down his throat each day. Maybe I should give then both the same day so it’s all over and done with then give him a days break. I absolutely adore him, I’ve been a single parent his whole life and he’s the only one (out of DS, him, dog) that hasn’t given me any strife! He’s my comfort and my peace but sadly I know his time is almost up.

Lots of extra cuddle time and we took some of our beautiful cats fur which I put in a locket.

It's really unfortunate timing. So sorry you're going through this now with your lovely cat. I think I'd speak to the vet again, as you've planned to. The poor little things become so wary of us when we have to give them meds. Does he like any kind of cream cheese or lick-e-lix that you could disguise his medicine and tablet in? I know it's not healthy food, but it might help. One of my cats could only stomach lick-e-lix at the end of his life. I hope you're doing ok

It's so hard to know what to do for best. Cats are notorious for masking pain, however in my experience with one of mine it did become blatantly obvious when her illness switched from a minor upset to something serious.

Obviously he has no idea that the medication is to help him. Can the gaviscon be mixed with anything? Or is it an empty stomach job?

What would happen if you stopped the gaviscon completely and just kept going with the thyroid/heart meds? I crush pills and have been known to use cream, soft cheese, sandwich spread, pate - anything that can be mixed.

I think all vets are working on the car park type model for the foreseeable. I have to take one of the dogs tonight and they will take him from me in the car, treat him inside, bring him back and then call me to discuss. However it's definitely worth a phone call to discuss if there are any other options. Maybe they have an indication of when the restrictions are to be lifted or at least relaxed.

You know him the best and will know when the time is right. Although it's far from ideal, as long as you are with him I'm sure it doesn't really matter where it is.

Thank you so much for your replies, it’s really nice to have some support here, I’ve felt so lost, as a single parent I have nobody to bounce things off. Obviously everyone has their own worries right now too and I haven’t wanted to bother anyone, so thanks again.

@Want2beme I was always disguising his water tablets and thyroid medicine which he has twice a day in either Primula, Lick e Lix or squirty cream (not ideal I know, but needs must sometimes). But because the gaviscon resembles all the above, as of today he is refusing all of them and isn’t getting his vital meds. I’ve spoken to the vet now and she has said leave the gaviscon and hopefully he’ll come back around to the Primula etc. She has prescribed an appetite stimulant as well, which is yet another tablet but she said its tiny, should work fairly quickly and is only needed every 3 days. On balance I think it’s worth a try.

@Seasprayandsunshine the gaviscon has to be on an empty stomach twice a day, although I have in desperation tried to mix it with other stuff but he’s too astute and turns his nose up. The vet has said to stop giving it in the hope he comes back around to the primula that I disguise his other meds in. It really is terrible timing and I’m just hopeful the appetite stimulant she is prescribing will work. She did say that it should be very effective and will get him to a point where they can come and put him to sleep at home. I’m feeling much more hopeful about things and with a bit of luck we may just avoid the car park euthanasia.
I hope your dog is ok, it’s all very difficult at the moment isn’t it.

Your vet sounds great. Fingers crossed that'll keep him comfortable and you can de-stress a little bit

Does he like pate as I give mine his Vidalta in pate. When he gets fussy with that I try cheese, cheddar or philly.
I know my cat is nearing his end. He is getting funny with eating. Knows how to beg from us, but food on his plate is a mystery. He also has gourmet food, as long as it's a pate form otherwise he just licks the gravy off the tasty morsels and asks for more. I hope he lasts the summer, if only so my ds can see him (he's having to move into his gfs parents house due to shielding in both our houses, while they are back from uni) as he is his cat and there has always been a bond. I would hate for him not to see him again.
If you can try those other foods for giving meds and see how it goes. I hope he lasts longer, but I have heard cats can sometimes have a burst of youth before the end for you.

Have you tried hiding meds in a fishy flavour of fancy feast? It's got quite a texture which means you can pile it into a mound unlike a lot of other fishy cat food which just flakes. The fishy smell is supposed to mask a lot of the medication taste. I did heaps of personal research and online suggestions and fancy feast seemed to be the most recommended and it works for us.

I have a heart cat. I put clopidogrel into a gel cap and put it into the fancy feast with his other meds and he woofs it down. It tastes disgusting so without the gel cap I wouldn't be able to put it in food.

longtompot do you send videos to DS of DCat? Hope they get to see each other soon

YouAreTheEggManIAmTheWalrus hope DCat & you are ok today🐈

That's a great idea @Want2beme I shall start doing that

Thanks for your input everyone, @Want2beme my vet is great, an absolute star, she even dropped the meds off at our house for me on her way home so I didn’t have to go out.
He’s doing ok thank you, I gave him the med, it’s mirtazapine a human anti-depressant that evidently stimulates the appetite in cats! There were some strange side effects though and I’m reluctant to give him another dose unless absolutely desperate but it did the job, he got ravenously hungry and ate everything I put in front of him. He’s still eating on and off so I’m ignoring the “take every 3 days” and will give as and when.

@itstrue I have to give clopidogrel too, I crush it and decant into a tiny gelatine capsule then use a pill gun. I hate doing it so I will try what you have suggested thank you. I’d never heard of Fancy Feasts and don’t recall seeing them anywhere, where do you buy them?

@longtompot he does like pate yes I will get some and try that thank you. I have never heard of cats having a last burst of youth, thats really interesting and could well explain why ours seemingly turned into a spring chicken for a few months. I really hope your son gets to see his cat again, its such a special bond kids have with their animals. That a really lovely idea to make and send videos in the meantime though. I have been taking videos of mine purring, because I know I’ll miss that sound once he's no longer here. And taking so many photos. I just wish we could keep them forever.

My cat hated the gaviscon too, the vet changed him to famotidine tabs and he tolerates them well.

My boy will be PTS tomorrow, they said 1 person is allowed in at the end.

Here's to your lovely vet👏 Hope DCat is comfortable and you're coping. I think it's just about doing our very best for them and being guided by the amazing vets we have.

My boy will be PTS tomorrow, they said 1 person is allowed in at the end.

Many condolences GingerKittyKat. It's very sad how even these final moments are different because of coronavirus

@Gingerkittykat I’m so sorry

Thanks, I'm so glad I got to hold him at the end so I could reassure him and I saw how calm and peaceful it was.

They took him from the car inside and fitted the catheter, then I was allowed in and the vet had an extension which allowed her to stand at the other side of the room while she administered the medicine.

Sorry for your sad loss Gingerkittykat. I'm so glad you were able to be with him