My cat was four and a half years old. He had a history of unrinary tract infections. A couple of years ago, he started spraying and I had him tested thoroughly. The vet said that aside from having a propensity to have UTIs, that my cat's urine crystalized, but that there was nothing that could be done about that. On Monday night he seemed really sick, so I took him to the vet on Tuesday. I thought it was a UTI, but they said it was a very big blockage, and that his bladder was really distended. The surgery was going to be $1200-$1400 and there was no guarantee he wouldn't block again. Especially because of his history. Given that history, I thought the best thing to do was to put him to sleep. Was there anything I could have done to prevent this from happening? And I am wondering if the surgery would have been a better choice and if that would have really fixed him totally, or was it just a temp measure? The vet couldn't tell me.
2007-06-15 10:19:27 · 18 answers · asked by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
First of all, you need a new vet, $1200 to $1400 sounds a little high for this surgery, of course that could be the norm in your area. I'm sorry you had to make this decision. It's a really hard one and one that can be difficult for a long time afterwards. I'm sorry for your loss. Lots of people have to put a beloved pet down due to the cost of treatment and suffer guilt afterwards. They, and you, shouldn't. The cat is out of it's misery and if the choice is to go in to debt and hope that the problem never happens again or to put the animal to sleep the choice is obvious.
2007-06-15 11:49:25 · answer #1 · answered by CatMom 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hard to say if there was anything you could have done to prevent this. Some cats are just prone to certain diseases, and there isn't much we can do about it. I can honestly sympathize because I will be getting my 5 year old cat put to sleep in about a week or so. He has kidney failure and I just took him off of the SubQ fluids that are keeping him alive. He hates the treatments and is just miserable, so I figured it'd be best to give him a few days where he doesn't have to go to the vet and get stuck with a needle. It's not fair to him. As soon as he starts to go down hill, which won't take long, he will get put to sleep.
You have to draw the line somewhere. Spending so much on surgery when there is no guarantee it will cure his problem, is not fair to him. Getting him put to sleep probably would be the best option, especially if this has been such a chronic problem for him. He would never live a normal life. Sometimes it is best to just let them go and end their suffering. That is what I am choosing to do for my cat. Love him enough to let him go, you will be with him again one day. That is what I keep telling myself even though this decision is breaking my heart. He will go to a better place where he is not going to suffer anymore.
Sorry I don't have more answers for you, I haven't had any experience with UTI's, but I know what it's like to have to "play God." It is the last act of kindess we as owners can give to our beloved pets. My thoughts are with you.
http://petloss.com/
http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm
2007-06-15 10:39:45 · answer #2 · answered by Very Confused 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats live for the here and now. What matters to a cat is the current quality of life, not its life expectancy - cats have little concept of future time. An illness may be temporarily treatable, but ultimately reaches a point when the cat no longer enjoys life.
You were his owner and you knew him better than anyone else. Even your vet couldn't guarantee the outcome of the surgery, so please don't beat yourself up about the decision you made. It takes courage to make the decision to end a beloved pet's suffering, and it is the final loving act of kindness that you can perform for them.
I found the article below helpful when I had to have my cat put to sleep.
http://rainbowsbridge.com/stories/Lynn-BreakingThePowerofGuilt-632963483160948750.aspx
2007-06-15 11:48:47 · answer #3 · answered by Michele the Louis Wain cat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi
This isn't your fault and I don't know what could have been done or if surgery would have been successful.
it's not the vet's fault because the only things m,ost have learned about nutrtion is from the cat food companies themselves
You are obviously a caring person and this is advice for ther future.
Please do not feed your cats dry foods. I know, they even prescribe some garbage dry food for this but the fact of the matter is that dry food may be the reason that this kept happening. The passage needs fluids and most of the moisture is zapped out in the process of making dry foods Cats normally get all of their water needs from eating their foods and are not big drinkers..
Dry foods can lead to many other disease besides what your cat experience including diabetes and kidney disease.
I am sorry for your loss
http://www.catinfo.org/
http://www.felinefuture.com/nutrition//bpo_ch4.php
2007-06-15 11:23:47 · answer #4 · answered by Ken 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
First of all...I am so sorry for your loss! That is such a tough decision to have to make and you are so brave for doing it. You have incredible compassion being able to put aside your feelings of sadness and do what was best for your kitty. This would likely have been a temporary fix - and the next time, it may have been even worse. Take comfort in the four and a half years of memories. You did the right thing. I just wish it didn't have to be such a hard, painful decision to make. Be well and good luck.
2007-06-15 10:31:40 · answer #5 · answered by Zoecat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had a cat (male) who developed this (UTI); the vets at the time hinted that dry food and not enuf water could be the culprit.
I had the vet do a surgery that cleared the problem (1,100) and it gave him about three more years before he passed from a heart attack.
You made the right decision Time will help heal your heart.
Love
2007-06-15 10:28:41 · answer #6 · answered by Dragonmistress 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry about your cat,you made a brave decision,but its you that has to live with that decision and by the sounds of it,you made the right decision for yourself.and your cat
if your decision was based on the money side of it then i really don't know,i sometimes think with animals because they cant talk,we really don't know how much pain and suffering they can take.
if it had been me i would of had the surgery other wise i would of been forever wondering what if,but you made a brave decision,and just look at it like this,you cant turn the clock back and your cat is at peace now ,don't beat yourself up over it,just remember the good times you had with your cat
2007-06-15 10:32:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
One of my cats had a similar thing, and I elected to have the surgery. He was fine afterwards and the condition never came back. You can feed cats a special diet that prevents UTI. I think you need to find a different vet.
2007-06-15 10:29:20 · answer #8 · answered by wendy m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's tough, sorry you had to do that. And at that point it was better for the cat too. I had a cat with the same problem but I was able to buy him better food. Science Diet for UTI, expensive but it helped. That kitty was almost 16 before he went nuts and we had to put him down. He kept attacking my mothers feet while she watched TV, Like a lion in Africa going after a gazelle. I found it funny but Mom didn't, Besides he also kept falling down the stairs. That was funny to but I felt bad.
2007-06-15 10:37:20 · answer #9 · answered by J s 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I personally would have called around and looked for an animal rights agency to pay for my cats surgery. Even if there was only a chance.
I am not saying this to try to make you feel guilty, but at least your cat is not in pain anymore.
I am sorry for your loss.
2007-06-15 10:28:20 · answer #10 · answered by sassybluechicago 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋