What should I do? Old lady cat 16, lump in tummy ,still eating lots but thin and wobbly,am I cruel?to keep on?

Question

I have taken her to vets, had blood tests which are fine, but feel she is too old for surgery. I am trying to do the best thing but its heartbreaking to think of taking her to be put to sleep. I know her time is near. The lady vet says shes in no pain. Its her quality of life that matters. Im so sad. Thanks in advance for all replies, sometimes its helps to write things down.

Answer 1

It is so sad to see your furbaby ill, but if she is not in pain, that is good.

Here are the guidelines I found to determine when it is time to consider euthanasia for your kitty: The 5 P's: Purring, Preening, Playing, Peeing (normal), Pooping (normal). When these are gone it is time to gently let your beloved kitty go to the rainbow bridge.

The best thing is to watch her for the signs, she will let you know when she is ready to leave her sick body behind. The final and most loving gift you can give her is a gentle death.

Purrs and prayers to you and kitty.

Answer 2

I find a couple of things right off that are disturbing to me. First you say you have taken her to "vets" in the plural sense. You should find an established vet that you trust and then build a relationship with them (not to mention yearly check-ups and vaccinations) so they will know your kitty's history. It's not too late for that, cats can live a lot longer than 16 years, especially inside cats. Secondly, it sounds like you are the one that thinks she is too old for surgery and not the vet(s). Anesthesia and procedures have come a long way and vets have certainly successfully operated on cats older than yours.

There is a good chance the mass you are feeling is a fatty deposit. My oldest boy (15) had one removed from under his chin a year ago and my boss just had one removed from her kitty's tummy area that was the size of a golf ball. (This is a great reason for everyone to get in the habit of feeling underneath your cat on a regular basis) Both cats are fine now. In any event, it has to come out. I know surgery is scary to think about but trust me, they do it everyday and she'll probably be back home the same day and be just fine.

Please keep us posted

Answer 3

I don't think being in pain or not has anything to do with it. Don't you want to know what the lump is? Only a vet can tell you whether she is too old for surgery. My cat lived to be 19 with a brain tumor and kidney problems. The tumor made her blind by pressing on certain parts of her brain, but it was benign, so I didn't have it removed. It was wrapped around her brain stem anyway, and that would have killed her for sure. She was okay with the blindness for two years. What she died from was kidney failure. She had a kidney problem ever since she was 7, but it didn't get her until her body was too old to deal with it any more. That was only because of excellent care from us and our vet. There are wonderful things out there besides surgery that could reduce a cyst or a tumor. Why not give yourself and your cat a chance and find out what the problem is? You could have your cat for a lot longer, if you do.

Answer 4

My next door neighbours cat started coming over to visit me when my neighbours daughter moved back in cause she was pregnant and the cats weren't allowed in the house anymore. Cornie (cat) is about 20 and she is old and wobbly and has lost a lot of weight, and her fur is all scruffy and my daughter and I started letting her come in the house and we started feeding her and now she is a regular visitor.

I already have two cats but I'm such a softy when it comes to animals I really look forward to Cornies visits and I've even started brushing her.

Anyway I think that Cornie should probably be put down as she is so old, but I am going to be really upset when she passes away because I've become quite attached to her.

So I think that if your cat isnt in any pain you should just keep her alive for as long as possible because they really are beautiful creatures.

Answer 5

if she isn't in pain, let her live. i had a cat that passed,@ home, @ the age of 18 yrs. she wasn't doing well. we had just driven 3000 to our new home. she seemed fine the 1st 2 days. then she stopped eating, just drank h2o, plus she felt cold and didn't want to be held. was going to take her to a vet the next day, monday. she died early sunday am. as long has she doesn't feel cold, no pain and she is eating, i would just make sure she has everything she needs close to where she is, since she is wobbly. and let her know she is loved, hold her and pet her as much as possible.

Answer 6

As long as she is not in pain you are fine. If she starts to show signs of distress, or your vet says she is in pain then I think she needs to be put down. It sounds like it won't be long..... Sorry.

Answer 7

Could be a kidney problem.

I don't think you're cruel as long as your cat is not in pain.

The only person who can really tell you that if you're not sure, is your vet.

Answer 8

I agree with Patty O above, keep an eye on her. As long as she's not in pain and is comfortable-that's what is important.

Answer 9

Please get her checked out at the vets, could be a cyst, my cat lived to be 21 after having one removed. Good Luck x

Answer 10

She could be wormy. A simple trip to the vet can take care of this problem. But It could be more.Could be feline luekemia. I truly hope not. I would take her to the vet to be sure...Blessings..