CatBanter - View Single Post

**Bill Graham** · December 3rd 10, 02:49 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav

dgk wrote:
On Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:20:47 -0500, wrote:

Moe is a black shorthair, a rescue kitty of indeterminate age. He is
an adult, but not elderly. He has been sick for almost a year: runny
nose, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, etc. We've spent a
fortune on vet bills and medications with no solid diagnosis. I spoke
to the vet yesterday and she said the only remaining option is a $400
sonogram, but she is reasonably sure that will only show intestinal
cancer, for which she has no treatment. We have reluctantly decided
to just keep him comfortable until the end.

His eyes are still bright, he still purrs when you scritch his chin.
He can still make it to the litter box, though admittedly not all the
time. As long as he does not seem to be in pain, we will continue to
care for him.

His brother, Rascal, died suddenly in June. While we were focused on
Moe, Rascal seemed to be in perfect health. Then, one morning, he
started staggering and we rushed him to the vet. He was in total
organ failure and was gone in hours.

I can only hope that Rascal is waiting for Moe at the Bridge.

Ok, here comes my standard speech on the subject of "when to do it".
Understand that you cannot win. Either you're going to worry that you
sent him to the bridge before his time, or you're going to worry that
you made him suffer by selfishly keeping him alive too long. They
can't talk to us and they hide their pain so well that we just have to
do what we think is best.

I know it isn't time yet, but it will come and I just figure that I
can give the speech now and you can use it when you need it. I tend to
error on keeping them alive too long I think. But it's so hard to
tell. However I refuse to dwell on whether I did it right because I
know I can't win that argument.

Purrs for you and Moe.

The above is kind of the reason why I side with those who put their kitties
(and other pets) down sooner rather than later. My feelings stem from the
realization that the Uniuverse is billions of years old, and we animals and
people only occupy it for the briefest bit of time. If your cat has lived a
good life, and is comfortable with you, then what does it really matter (to
him) if he dies in your arms from a vets shot? It really only matters to
you. As far as he's concerned, he was happy one minute, and dead the next.
So, most people who keep their pets alive for as long as possible, are just
risking their needless suffering for the gratification of their owners. At
75, I am looking forward to spending weeks or months suffering in some
nursing home bed dying by inches. What a blessing it would be for me to just
pass away in my sleep without ever knowing what hit me? Your cat has that
opportunity. Why would you deny him that because of your own selfishness?