Putting my cat to sleep...Will he know?

Question

My cat has leukemia and hasn't ate anything in a week and the Vet and I were trying him on antibodies to see if it help and still not improvement. It is very hard for me today because I'm sad and I don't want to let him go...Will he know he is being put to sleep and not going to wake up? This is the first time in my life I have had to do this..
How do I know I'm making the right decision...

Answer 1

I am so sorry! I have had to do this three times in my life. I know how it hurts. You are asking the same question that I and many have asked, "am I doing the right thing", your cat will just go to sleep and will not know or feel anything. You are being kind to him/her by helping end the suffering. As hard as it is it is really the best for him/her. The anxiety will subside for you after followed by sadness, but it will get better. I wish you all the best, and as an animal lover I know how you feel. Good luck!

Answer 2

Usually if a cat is not eating that is the "gold standard" for determination to use euthanasia.

It is a difficult thing to do and cats don't think in terms of the future and he will not know that he will not be waking up. It is really the kindest and loving thing you can do for him as he is feeling terrible and will die of dehydration or starvation soon.

I do feel that that is the best decision for him and I unfortunately have had to do it a number of times now. The vet will give the first shot and your cat will drift off into a wonderful sleep - that takes about ten minutes and you will have time with him to hold him and tell him of your love for him and all the happiness and love he has given you over the years. In the ten-minute time frame the cat will be deeply asleep and the vet will return to give the final shot that stops the heart. I have learned that I personally don't want to be present at that time and that is your decision.

I am sorry that you have to lose your great guy and be assured that you are doing the best thing for him.

Answer 3

First, let me say how sorry I am that you have to go through this. It's one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do.....

No, he won't know. It's quick and painless for him, just the opposite for you though. :-(

You're making the right decision if his quality of life has diminished and he's suffering. Not eating means there's something wrong and if there's no improvement after a week, then it's safe to say that his quality of life would be going down hill rapidly. You're doing this because you love him so much, even though it's killing you.

You will probably be asked if you want to be in the room with him. I always have been when this time comes. It's a personal choice though, you may not want to be.

The vet may allow you to bring him home for burial in the back yard. If that's not an option for you, you can always have the ashes back if you'd like.

Prayers to you during this tough time.....and prayers for your kitty.

Answer 4

I'm so sorry for you and your cat...this is such a difficult decision. At various times when our cats were so sick and weren't going to get any better, we've had to put them to sleep. It is so hard, and no one else can make this decision for you. Only you know when the time is right. Most people thought I waited too long, but as long as I thought my cats weren't in pain, and were getting some pleasure out of living, I didn't put them down. But when I sensed that they were completely miserable and not going to get any better, I knew the time was right.

Each time after they were put to sleep, I looked at them on the table and they looked so peaceful, I knew we'd done the right thing. They weren't suffering anymore. We'd had a wonderful life together and I felt good about them not being in any more discomfort.

Your cat knows how much you love him and he'll always know that.

Answer 5

This is one of the kindest things that you can do for your cat, when the time comes that they do not have any quality of life. They will just quietly go to sleep. I would suggest that you hold your cat , and pet him and talk to him, and usually the vet will give him a shot to make him relax, before giving the final shot. Tell him you love him etc. It will be hard to do, as I know from experience, but you will be at peace knowing that he fell asleep in your lap, with you talking to him for the last time. If your vet says there is nothing else that you can do, and you trust him, you will have made the right decision. My heart goes out to you at this very difficult time!!!If you are going to get a another kitty, I would suggest for you not to wait. You will NEVER get one to take the place of this one...but you will get one that you can love equally, and it will ease the pain of not having this one any longer...Good luck.

Answer 6

Your vet will be able to counsel you on what is best for the cat. You may want to ask about the quality of life your cat will have if you decide to not have it put to sleep. If it sounds really bad and you don't want your cat to suffer, you should have it put down.
It is a rough choice but hopefully you provided your cat with a happy life while it was with you. That should give you some comfort.

Answer 7

Your cat is suffering and will probably be glad for it to end. I had to do the same thing last week. My cat had FIP and was not eating and could barely move. Feline leukemia is very bad and if your cat has stopped eating it is best to put him to sleep. I know how hard it is for you, but it the best thing for your cat. It is so hard to say goodbye though. If you think you are able to, get a new kitten to replace the void the loss of your cat creates. It may make things easier for you. Good luck and I am sorry for you.

Answer 8

I belive you cat will not know that he is being put to sleep.. I had a older cat that had fiv..I had adopted him when he was 8 and i had two good years with him , when i found out he was carring Fiv..

It was The hardest thing I every had to do..and he was so weak he screemed when they injected him..but the doctor said that was only becouse of the tenderness of his skin at the time. But As I held in my arms ..I knew that I did the right thing..It was only a matter of a few days before he would have died anyways..but he was in so much pain I could not be so selfish as to let him suffer...As others have Responed..Your cat will not know he is dieing ..only that the pain is going away.
You would be doing the very best for him.
My heart goes out to you.

Answer 9

When I was deciding to put my ferret to sleep, people told me that when the time was right, I would just know. And believe it or not, they were right. I held on to her until one day I just knew. At that point, she was just alive, but she wasn't happy. She was in pain, and I think she knew it was time too. One thing that has helped me a lot has been my choice of veterinarian. I've had a few pets put to sleep since my ferret. And having a compassionate, understanding vet makes all the difference. The most important thing to me though, is to be with my pet when he/she is being put to sleep. I want my pet to feel as comfortable and safe as possible. It is VERY hard to be there, but it's the best thing. I worked as a vet assistant for a while, and I gotta tell you, a lot of compassion gets lost when strangers are putting your pet to sleep. It turns into a business, they don't give the love that you would give. They just do it, and that's it. It would make me cry b/c they wouldn't even talk to the pet or give it a few last loving strokes. I always tried to go to those animals who were left there without their owners so that I could talk to them softly and pet them as they were drifting off. Please keep that in mind.

Answer 10

The cat may know something is wrong since you are so emotional about the decision. Animals can sense our feelings - especially if you two are around each other a lot - and sound like you've had the cat for years. But, if the cat is sick and will not recover, it is best to take the cat out of it's pain.