How do you cope with knowing you don’t have long left with your cat?

[Mybeautifulcat]

My wonderful darling cat is in heart failure - I don’t think it’s quite time to say goodbye to him yet but it probably won’t be long. How do you get through the last weeks and months? I feel like I’m grieving already- I just can’t stop crying all the time. He’s stopped following me around the house all day and I miss it so much (even though it used to annoy me when I was trying to work!). I know it sounds pathetic but he’s my best friend- he’s been with me through so much and we have always had such a lovely bond. It’s breaking my heart to see him withdrawing now as he starts to fail. I honestly don’t know how to get through this ☹️

It's OK to grieve now, allow yourself this - don't feel that it isn't allowed until the moment of loss. Spend as much quality time with your lovely boy as you can and take lots of photos. The grieving process doesn't have a fixed start and end point, it will be what it will be - don't try to resist it, let it take its course.

I planned exactly how I wanted the end to be. And what I wanted to happen. So that when the time came, I didn't have to think, and when it did come, I knew it was the right time. My girl surprised me when she had heart failure, she did really well for months. And only went down hill when her kidneys failed.

Hi @Mybeautifulcat
I'm so sorry about your cat xx
Our cat passed away a few months ago. We had her for 10 years. The last few months my cat was not herself, she was always a happy, vibrant and active cat. It was a very hard time but just knowing she was not struggling anymore and was in a good place made it easier.
The loss is very painful but time is a healer. For now i would just enjoy every minute with your cat ❤ xx

I'm so sorry OP. Currently going through the same with my beautiful girl, who was diagnosed a month ago with advanced cardiomyothapy & congestive heart failure 💔 It's so hard not knowing when that awful moment will come. My girl is also really inconsistent taking her meds which obviously isn't helping. All I can say is enjoy your time together and at least you have a diagnosis so when the inevitable happens you can at least be more prepared for it. Sending you both lots of love 💞 xx

My lovely sweet Ellie developed stage 3 kidney failure.I was so upset.She wouldn't eat the renal diet, and lived on fresh air.It was a good day when she managed to eat 1 pouch per day.She was constantly drinking and weeing.
Eventually the vet said feed her what she will eat regardless, and we had 2 good years before she had to be PTS.It was awful.
I"m so sorry about your darling boy.All you can do is enjoy him while you can
It's never easy.I used to look at my girl and feel so sad and cry even before she died.
She was ok and suddenly collapsed one morning, by lunchtime she was gone.It was such a shock even though I knew it was coming.The vet said it's sort of like they are running round the rim of a crater.Most of the time they are ok, suddenly they slip, and are gone.Hard to explain but you get what I mean

It’s just the hardest thing ever. I’m also going through it with my girl, she’s 11. She started breathing really hard and rapid a few days ago. Yesterday we were told she had fluid in her lungs, probably caused by a tumour somewhere, making it hard for her heart to work as it should. We had the fluid drained, and are trying steroids, but even if they work, the vets thinks we have just 3 months with her. Her breathings still fast and although she’s eating and purring she’s also so tired and clingy. I desperately want the extra time with her, but I suspect she only has weeks left.
I’m trying to be with her as much as I can, I’ve spent all tonight on the bedroom floor with her as that’s where she wanted me.

Oh these posts are so sad, yet so much love shining through, we want the best for our feline overlords/ladies and it is so hard to see them slip downhill, we would take the suffering for them if we could. unMumsnetty hugs to you all 💐

We’re going through this with our cat Monty. He’s been such a wonderful cat, never been any trouble and such an important part of our lives. He is nearly 7 and started breathing rapidly so we took him to the vet. He had huge amount of liquid drained from the pleural cavity and has been diagnosed with heart failure. He has always spent the day with my husband whilst I’m at work and they are like a little team. It’s so heartbreaking to know that we don’t have long with him.

My beautiful girl is going to rainbow Bridge tomorrow. I am heartbroken

Thought about you today.

We lost her at 10:30 this morning. She had cancer and had got so thin and was being sick daily. I have spent most of today in tears. It was the right thing to do but it hurts so much

I'm currently going through this. I've got an appointment Wednesday for My 16 year old Poppy. It's time now, she's blind, incontinent and just sleeps all day (apart when she's asking for food) I was heartbroken just making the appointment. She's been with me longer than I've been with my husband. One of the hardest decisions I've ever made 😭😭

I went through the same a little over a year ago - all you can do is make the most of every day for both you and them. An easy ending is the best gift you can give any animal, and remember a week to soon is better than a day too late.

I planned Boycat's end to the nth degree, and booked the day provisionally at the vets a month in advance - with the option of course to bring it forward if needed. I made sure it would be his favorite vet, the one who had cared for him throughout his illness. I booked time off work and DSis booked time off to take me.

Then I spent every spare minute I had just fussing him and caring for him, though obviously not ignoring his sister who clearly knew something was up with him.

When it's clearly the end coming up, forget the special foods and the meds they hate taking - it won't stop the inevitable and to be frank I know if I were dying I'd prefer to enjoy my last few weeks or months rather than be miserable to extend a life where I'm not happy.