Handhold please - and advice on how to talk to my teens about cat’s poor prognosis

[Kittybelle123]

My beautiful 3 year old has just been diagnosed with an enlarged right heart. His breathing was not right and he was off his food, they have drained the fluid from around his lungs, scanned him and given him an echocardiogram. He’s been started on diuretics. The vet has been in touch with two cat cardiologists and we will be going to collect him shortly for discharge - either to home or to take him to overnight care (our vets don’t have it on site).

My dilemma is this: the prognosis is not good. My two beautiful DC (one is autistic, the other has had huge mental health struggles) are both currently away. Both have been hugely attached and helped by having this beautiful kitty in our midst. How do I have this conversation with them sensitively but openly? They are older teens but their struggles have been great over the years. I’m devastated to have to have this conversation but need to get it right.

I’m off to the vets now for discharge but any advice you can offer, and perhaps a little handhold for me, will be hugely appreciated. I’m feeling so broken by this 😔

So sorry to hear this. You have to be honest with them and say puss has got a life limiting condition. That his heart is likely to fail. That you now owe it to him to look after him as well as you can and then when the time comes to let him go so he can be free of pain and discomfort. Remind them that he has loved them and helped them lots in a difficult time so we now have to look after him properly in return.
I had this recently with our old puss and younger teen and was just very honest that we have a duty of care which means we do not let them suffer. But it’s horrible, be honest that it hurts and feels awful, don’t try and shy way from that side of it. Hugs

Thank you @Pashazade for your kind response. It is really helpful and will help me phrase it in a measured way. I know I won’t be able to hide my emotions but I hope I can get the words out.
I’m sorry to hear you have gone through this recently with your dear old puss and your teen 💐