Community Chat

[Mominohio]

On 5/31/2014 Sammycat1 said:

I have had many cats and of course had to put them to sleep eventually -- most had kidney disease, some had arthritis. I learned a lot from caring for them. They were all geriatric cats like yours when diagnosed It's a very difficult decision and I don't respond to your caring post about your beloved cat lightly.

That being said, letting your cat "pass naturally" from kidney disease is the cruel option. It's like depriving a person with kidney failure of dialysis. It will be a protracted and painful passing as the toxins in her bloodstream slowly build over the months and poison her. Cats are famous for hiding their pain, so you won't necessarily see its effects until its final stages, but it will happen all the same and she'll feel miserable the whole way. You sound like you love your cat and would not want this for her.

If you're willing to do the fluids, there are additional treatment options for your cat, from a change in diet to supplementing what she has with potassium (cats with kidney failure often have low potassium....but you have to get it via the vet...it comes in tablets or a paste). You can have years with your cat yet to go with these options + fluids. Over a longer period of time, these things won't work anymore, but it's very much worth a try for your cat's quality of life. My cats were diagnosed when old and had several good years after diagnosis with fluids + treatment.

The biggest mystery is why your veterinarian is not treating her for her arthritis pain beyond her taking cosequin or glucosamine...that's what stumps me in your post. It's difficult to treat cats for pain because the meds don't react the same way they do in cats as in dogs, but there are meds and supplements. Also, a heated pad for her bed or where she likes to sleep also will work wonders -- not a human heating pad, the heat is too high on that, but one designed for pets.

Why not treat her with the fluids and see how she responds? It may also improve her arthritis by having her body properly hydrated. This gives you more time to do research and consult your vet on the arthritis, etc. In the meantime, she'll feel much better.

I hope this helps you -- it is never an easy decision. There's an excellent website that talks about kidney disease and failure, www.felinecrf.com. You may find some helpful tips there.

Don't despair! It's obvious you want what is the very best for you cat.

I echo these sentiments completely. I have had to treat cats with fluids as well, and withholding it and allowing natural death is cruel. I, too, have had to put down several pets, and while never easy, I feel so much better about them passing with no pain and struggle.

Deciding the time is worrisome, but you will know when the time is right, just trust your vet and your instincts. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

[CamilleP]

Personally, having had pets for 52 years, everything from cats to horses to a dairy cow and sheep, I would never consider a "natural" death if an animal had an illness. I have had to euthanize when cancer treatments failed, when organ systems failed, and when the painful effects of extreme age became too great to ask an animal to bear. If you are not going to treat the kidney failure, Madisson, then you should euthanize immediately, IMHO.

[kze]

I am sorry for what you are going through. I'm definitely not a cat expert as I've only had one cat who I had to euthanize about a week ago. It was heartbreaking. Her vet is one of the top feline specialists in the country and he said that they are masters at hiding their pain and discomfort. He strongly believes in quality of life although he knows how hard it is for us to give them up because we love them so much. Listen to these ladies for they are true experts but I thought I'd add this little bit of information I learned last week.

[lizzief]

Madisson, first, I feel for you. The day you take ownership of a pet you always know the day will have to come when you have to make "the" decision. Few of our babies pass naturally. The sentence that got me was when you said "She is in pain all of the time." For me, that would make the decision clear. In the past I've allowed my pets to live a lot longer than was fair to them - I vowed I won't do it again. The vet won't make the choice for you. Know in your heart what kind of quality of life your baby is experiencing now. You've given your baby a wonderful life. and all of the love in the world. It's such a difficult decision, just be sure you are making it for kitty and not for you. Not meant to be a guilt trip - really - I've been there and will be again soon enough for my own pooches, and my tears are flowing for you now as I write this. Sending virtual hugs!

[deb5555]

On 5/31/2014 CamilleP said:

If you are not going to treat the kidney failure, Madisson, then you should euthanize immediately, IMHO.

I agree with this 100 percent, this is the same thing we did, no suffering.

[kittymomNC]

Madisson, I'm so sorry for your situation with your baby. I haven't responded sooner because I've been struggling quite a bit with my own little 16-year old girl, Baby Cat, who has had kidney disease for three years and has been doing very well until the last 10 weeks. The recent events have been a roller coaster ride, emergency hospital visits, medications, going from 2X weekly fluids to 3X weekly. She would get worse and then rally and get better, and I've been so certain several times that I was going to have to make that decision. But my vets (whom I've been going to for 25 years - all female and wonderful) have said not yet. They and I are very much in sync about "quality of life". Some of the things that have happened have been reactions to meds, but the most recent events have been discovered to be a kidney infection, which is treatable, and now we've found that she apparently has high blood pressure, which is common in cats with renal disease and is also treatable.

The reason I'm giving you this background is because there are so many things that can be treated and your cat does not have to be in pain--treat the things that can be treated and see how it goes. Mine is better now with the antibiotics taking hold on the kidney infection, and she is on blood pressure med--we will check that again in two weeks. It's not that common to check a cat's blood pressure (it's not that easy to do), but since it is a common thing with kidney disease, maybe you might suggest that to your vet to be on the safe side. If it goes undetected, it can cause additional problems, and I don't know how long Baby Cat's has been high.

You've been given some excellent advice by some very knowledgeable people, especially Sammycat--I think most posters here consider her an "expert" and so very willing to share what she has learned through her own experience. As I said, although Baby Cat has had some very low points, she is much better now and acting more like herself than she has in a while. She is old, and she has a disease, but as with people, many things are treatable. And I agree that allowing yours to die naturally would be the worst way to proceed - when mine was at a very low point, I was scared to death that she would die naturally without me with her (I even slept on the floor when she was hiding behind a chair). I think I've made the right decision for now, but I know that can change at any time --I just treasure every day I have with her. Good luck to you.

[bells4me]

I've never had a cat, but have had several of my dogs put down & even a horse. It's not easy, but when they are suffering, it's bearable. I hope whatever decision you make you will find peace in it. Bless you and your furbabies.

[Jeremiah 2911]

Since you are a nurse and are able to give the sub-q fluids without a problem, why not try giving your cat the sub-q fluids and see how she does?

Is it possible that your cat limps but is not in extreme pain?

We have a rescue cat who limps and I had a 21 year old cat that limped for 12 years before she died (at 21 years of age. ) Both of these cats exhibit(ed) normal behavior for their age and have/had yearly examinations by our vets and neither of our vets believe(ed) that either of these cats were/are in pain.

I guess I need to add that while our two cats were determined to not be in pain -- other cats with the same symptoms might be in pain.

Hard to tell if a cat is in pain if they are not exhibiting the more obvious signs of being in pain; such as agitation, hissing, biting, howling & crying, panting, unusual aggression, unusually withdrawn, lethargic, drooling, hiding, running from us, not eating, not drinking, etc.

I realize that cats hide their pain and that could certainly be the case with your kitty, but is it possible that she isn't in pain from the arthritis --- but needs hydration in the form of being treated with sub-q fluids?

Just some thoughts I had after reading your post. I believe that you'll come to the right decision concerning your kitty.

[apple1964]

You sound like a great pet mom and I just know you will make the right decision when the time comes. Never a easy situation for any of us. Godspeed to you and kitty.