Should I have mom's cats euthanized?

Question

My mother passed away 6 months ago. I inherited her 4 cats. Two of them are brothers and they just turned 7 years old and aren't much trouble. The other 2 are around 15 or 16 and have problems. Both older one have lost most of their teeth and are very dirty. I have 6 litter boxes and the older ones go anywhere but in the boxes. I clean up about 5 pounds of kitty doodles each week from under sofas and behind other furniture. There are probably wet spots too that I don't know about. The house STINKS! They have literally runied the carpets in the house and probably the floors underneath. But I feel like I would be betraying them and also my mother to have them put to sleep for these reasons. They really aren't very sick considering their age. I'm in a quandary here - I need an impartial opinion or advice.

When I said they were "dirty" I didn't mean they were unkempt. I meant that they are messy in their litter box habits.

Answer 1

I personally would do everything in my power to keep the cats. Your mother probably loved them very much and put up with that herself, and would not want them euthanized.

First-DON'T take them to a shelter, or they WILL be euthanized. People don't like to adopt older cats, especialyl ones that come with problems.

Second, you might want to take them to a vet to see if there is a health reason why they don't go in their boxes. You could also have them cleaned if htey are dirty and you don't want to bathe them yourself.

The best thing I could recommend for everything else is to keep them in one room equipped with a litter box, food, toys, beds, etc, without a lot of furniture for them to "go" under. That way, if they decide not to use the litterbox, the smell will be contained. You could try a basement, den, spare room, or even an enclosed outside patio.

For the smell, get your carpet professionally cleaned (or rent a carpet shampooer and do it yourself, which is a lot cheaper) and use baking soda help absorb the odors and carpet freshener to mask it. You could also try using dehumidifiers to absorb more of the odor.

Other than that...I would try very hard, as I said, not to euthanize them. If these things don't work, you could possibly look for someone who takes care of cats and would be willing to take them in and accomodate them, or train them to use the litter boxes. You could attempt to retrain them yourself by punishing them when they dont use it (many people use small squirt guns) and rewarding them when they do (with praise, food, etc).

I hope this helps, and good luck! :)

Answer 2

First take the cats to the vet, and have them checked out and bathed. While the cats are there go to the hardware store and buy a black light that will run on batteries. When you pick the cats back up ask the vet what he/she recommends for removing cat urine from carpet, then go buy you some. Until you clear up why the two older cat are having litter box problems restrict their access to one smaller room, preferably w/o carpet and have a litter box and water in there. Now turn the black light on and the room lights off and the urine stains should glow in the dark under the black light. Clean the spots that glow with whatever the vet recommended. Try to figure out why the cats are having problems and if they can be solved before just saying I'll have them put down.

Answer 3

I totally understand your predicament, and I guess I have some questions or some things for you to consider....

1. Have you tried blocking off a section of the house for them. See if you can keep them in one area that is relatively easy to clean up. This will also give you time to get the rest of your carpets cleaned so the smell goes away. I would just keep the two cats giving you problems together in a small space. This way they dont have free rain of the house....

2. Have you thought about adoption. You can go to petfinder.com and post your own classified ad for them to adopt them to someone who would be willing to work with them. They will need to understand the situation and that the cats are older so they will not be around long.

3. This probably should have been my first thought, but it came now. Have you taken them to the vet to make sure they aren't having kidney problems? My dog had that and she had trouble holding it in until she would go out. The vet may be able to solve all of your problems through medication, or help aid in your decision as to if they need to be put down.

If I were you, I would exhaust every opportunity for the cats before considering to put them down. Like you said, you would feel like you are betraying them and feel guilty. Think of what your mother would want for them. They are in your care now. I would just try anything and everything for them, even if I did not like them so I could do what I can. I wish you the best of luck and I hope it works out for you!

Answer 4

If they are going potty in other places than there boxes they might have a bladder infection or something like that. How are they dirty? Do they need brushing? or a Bath? I would maybe just take them to the vet for a routine check up and Im sure the vet could do some tests to see what there problems might be.

Answer 5

what share muddle packing packing containers do you have? the place are they? What muddle are you utilizing? Is she sharing the field with yet another animal? If all wellbeing components are ruled out you may initiate determining what else could be incorrect. in case you in easy terms have one muddle field you may prefer extra -- one in step with point. If the packing packing containers are places the place she could experience cornered, or the place she has no privateness, or the place she has to run the gauntlet to get there (as in previous the dogs's mattress or a toddler's play section) she won't experience delicate utilizing it and you may could pass it. in case you have replaced her muddle at the instant, pass back; in case you have not, then do. If she is sharing the field with yet another cat then you definitely're going to prefer extra packing packing containers -- they don't continually prefer to share, and on occasion they get territorial approximately it. there isn't any could positioned this cat down. Your mom isn't being "intense high quality" taking her to the vet - it is her accountability. it is likewise her accountability to decide what's incorrect and fix it. If she refuses then this cat and all different pets you have could be rehomed, and she or he don't have pets in any respect. Edited to function: that is stable to have multiple packing packing containers! in spite of the shown fact that, if the cat became unhappy with the field area at the beginning including a 2d interior an identical place will not help. have you ever tried keeping apart the packing packing containers?

Answer 6

God help you, I can sympathize. I inherited my mother's two Great Pyrenees dogs (I'm more of a cat person) and my father's cat when my parents passed away within two years of each other. It may well be time to put the older ones down. Take them to the vet and see if he agrees. Are you sure it's just the older ones making the messes? It probably is... Can you confine them all to just one or two rooms? As for me, I'm stuck with two gigantic dogs that eat me out of house and home. I swore to my mother before she died that I'd take care of them so I guess I'm stuck with them. She'd come back and haunt me if I ever got rid of them....

Answer 7

The cats may have a bladder infection or kidney failure or they may simply be grieving the loss of your mother. Older cats do not deal with change nearly as well as younger cats. I'd take your cats to the vet and see what he says. He may have suggestions for behavior modification or medication or both. Please don't put them to sleep unless you absolutely have to. Many cat are living into their 20s. I have a 15 year old cat with kidney failure and she is healthier now than she was 10 years ago because of changes I've made for her.

Good luck to you and God bless.

Answer 8

Lots of good answers here but this stuck out to me. you said the two older ones have their problems and have lost their teeth. It sounds like the quality of life can't possibly be very good, due to no fault of your own. While i'm sure your mother loved her cats, i think its a safe assumption to say she loved you more, and would prioritize the quality of YOUR life to her pets.

So, considering the quality of life for all parties involved... i'd say yes. It's time to have the two older cats put down.

Answer 9

You shouldn't have that many cats if its too much for you. If you can take them to the shelter. I am sure there are plenty of people who would want a cat or two. If they aren't sick I wouldn't put them down. Good luck.

Answer 10

(Dirty as in needing a bath, or pooping everywhere?)

You might have to. When my cat got older it started to potty in three places. So I put a liter box in each place. But your elderly cats are ignoring the boxes. Other than keeping them roped off in a single area putting them to sleep might be your only option.