Was it right to put my cat to sleep?

Question

My cat was 9yrs old. He became sick on Monday, felt cold to touch, seemed in pain in his abdomin area,would not eat or drink and was throwing up. I took him to the vet yesterday. The vet said he was blocked, took his temp (99.2) and did a bun test which came back over 200. He told me that they could flush him out but he only had a 25% chance of his kidneys regaining usage. I opted to put him to sleep. Did I do the right thing?

Answer 1

Wow! A BUN of over 200 is through the roof. It sounds like your cat had some serious kidney problems. I am sure you did the right thing. While you could have done a bunch of tests, gone through surgery, etc to see if your cat would make it, sometimes the best thing to do is recognize when to let go. I am sorry for your loss.

Answer 2

Absolutely....I have lost a cat to kidney failure (age 18 yrs) and a cat to diabetes (age 16 yrs). In both cases the vet offered to 'flush' out the cat (dialysis) but it's only a temporary fix,not a cure and you'll be back at the vet time and time again...in the meantime the cat suffers..and in the end you are only stalling the unavoidable. I know it's difficult. Two cats with cancer and one in congestive heart failure I also put to sleep when it was obvious they were ready to say goodbye.

A cat's natural life span barring disease or accidents is nine years...anything after that is a blessing. When we keep a cat inside and see to it Kitty has good nutrition and medical care we are prolonging his/her natural lifespan.

If you are still unsure, try to look at it from Kitty's perspective. All he knows is what he feels, sees, hears,tastes.....he doesn't know why or understand what is happening...he only knows he's not feeling well. He's frightened of the medical procedure, doesn't understand what's being done or why, doesn't know why he's been taken out of his home and brought/left in a strange place without his human companion......if the medical procedure had a better rate of survival, or was a cure then it's worth what Kitty has to go through but under the circumstances you did the kindest thing you could have done for him....one last act of love and it is one when you say goodbye when The Time Comes, end the continued suffering, and ease him into eternal sleep as gently as you can.....

Answer 3

You poor kid. I went through the same kind of thing with a cat I loved. Mitsy was 7 years old and she started getting very sick. She couldn't eat, She couldn't poop. All she did was hide behind the furniture.

I took her to our vet. After a thorough examination he decided he would have to do exploratory surgery to find the problem. It would cost me $225.00. I'm very poor. I simply did not have the money so I had her put down.

I started crying right there in that room with Mitsy in my arms while she died. But now looking back on it I know I made the right decision. The guilt has past and I choose to only remember the good times with Mitsy. It would have been beyond cruel to keep dragging her on living in horrible pain.

You know, it seems that when it comes to this kind of thing we are kinder to our pets than each other. I don't want to live out my last years like some sort of vegetable. Do you?

So to answer your question. Yes, you did the right thing. Now take the time to mourn because you need it and then someday soon move on with your life.

You are good people. Eventually you will gave a good home to another kitty!

God Bless and Shalom

Answer 4

If your cat was in pain and only had a 25% chance (if even that) of living after that- then yes, you did the right thing. I'm sorry you had to make that hard decision but know your cat is no longer in pain. Remember all of the good times.

Answer 5

I had a cat that had problems like that. He was always going to the vet... And had about 4 hernia surgeries, 1 to remove tumors, 1 to get fixed, and also lived every day of his life with hype dysplasia. Every surgery, the doc said he only had a small chance of living and making it through, because of his prior surgeries,and conditions. He made it through every single one, and was happier then ever. Not to be harsh, but vets usually give a lower chance then it really is, that way u dont get ur hopes up to have him pass. Cats are very intelegent animals, and can sence alot in a human. If u just gave him ur support, he probably woulda made it. Showed him u were fighting for him, and he woulda fought harder to make it through... Cuz my cat that I mentioned above, he almost died after a surgery, he was so little, and they gave him too much anestisia, and when he woke up, he couldn't walk, I literally had to sleep on the floor with him, next to a heating pad, to gain heat in his body, then when he went potty, he did it laying where ever he was, so I had to clean that, I did everything for him. Then he got better, and lived, he then did the same for me. It built I stronger bond. Then when Ig ot sick with the stomach flu, and was laying on the floor for 3 days straight, my mom said he wouldn't leave me side. He wanted to help me like I helped him... Next time, dont give up so fast. My cat lived to 9 yrs, with all those problems, when they only gave him 3 to live, if that...

Answer 6

Yes, don't beat yourself up now about it. You certainly did the humane thing, as it sounds like the cat 's quality of life would have been severely dimished. It's a horrible decision to have to make regarding a much loved pet. You say he was 9 years old so he had a nice long life.

Answer 7

Yeah, you did. We always second guess ourselves on this stuff but you did the right thing. It's never easy to put your loved ones down but sometimes there is no real option. Often I think we sometimes keep an animal with us when he or she is in lots of pain. We are there to take care of them. You gave your guy a great life, with lots of love and I know he'll be sorely missed. Remember that. Like I remember Lydia, the Super Spaniel...

Answer 8

Pamela..I am sure your kitty is thankful that he didn't have to have more pain in his life. It had to have been a difficult decision for you to make. BUT, yes, you did what was best for him. Had they cleaned him out and his kidneys not regained function, then you'd put him through that to have to have had him put down anyway. I believe you did what was best. I've heard that when we get to heaven, all of our pets will be sitting there waiting for us. I can't wait to see all my pals, I love my pets as my furry kids. I lost my cat, Gizmo back in December. She was 17 years old. She'd stopped eating and I took her to the vet. I was told there wasn't anything wrong with her, to put her on a heating pad to raise her body temp, and force feed her to get her started eating again. I tried and she fought me for all she had. So I held her close and told her what a loving friend she'd been to me. That night she died, I found her the next morning. I wrapped her in a blanket, and put her in a big shoe box.. .then called my son to help me dig a hole ... I understand your hurt...and it does get easier.. just know that your kitty is now romping around playing again.. and is feeling no pain...
HUGS

Answer 9

I know it hurts, but you did the right thing. Just know that they love you even more for it, now. That is a sign of true love. I had to do something similar, a few years ago, to a goat that I had loved for over 10 years. She just couldn't go on ... and to this day it still hurts that after all she went through and survived, in the end it was me that gave the order to end her life. But even with that hurt, it was definitely the right thing to do.

Answer 10

i went thru this once too and it hurts my heart everytime i think of it. putting a pet out of its misery means u love it enough to let it go and hurt no more. whether by doing so u have done the right thing or not, i cant tell u.....i struggle with that myself. good luck-i know u only did what u thought was best for ur pet. so, did i. i tell myself that it was the first and last time i would ever consent to the taking of a pets life....but when they r suffering.....who knows what u'll decide to do for the sake of love.