sick old cat

On 28 Jul 2003 21:52:04 -0700, (k) posted:

So the cat can give to you for 17 years,

Well not as far as she has noticed. We rescued her as a stray kitten
with a very short prognosis, saved her life when she was young and
bitten by a snake, fed and cared for her for 17 years. What is a vet
likely to do after a very traumatic trip to the surgery? Suggest
euthanasia and send me the bill?

and you can't be bothered to do a thing
for it.

Umm, I've done plenty for her.
She's comfortably sleeping in a warm room, and has just had a few laps
of cream.

The cat belonged at the vet when you first
noticed a weight loss.

The weight loss has been extremely gradual over the last few years.
She has always been pretty scrawny. She has sarcopenia like all old
animals.

It *might* have been
something that could be fixed.

Like what?

17 years of owning a cat and you haven't
bothered to learn the basics of caring for them.

Umm, what else would you suggest?

"Moosh:]" wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:18:24 GMT, "Bill" wrote:


"Moosh:]" wrote in message
.. .
I have a seventeen year old cat who has been fine until the last few
days. She has gone off her food, seems weak and feeble, and rather
emaciated (although she has been getting scrawnier for a while now --
we just put it down to old age). She just likes to sleep in the Sun in
the day, and on the lounge at night. She even refuses her favourite
food, raw beaten egg.
She has a black discharge in the corners of her eyes, and when you
pick her up, you can feel the bottom of her rib cage seeming to curl
outwards, so you feel a protruding ridge.
Does this ring any bells for anyone?

I think you should bring her to a vet ASAP. It could be a kidney or other
problem.

No vets nearby, no transport, and no money, I'm afraid. She seems
quite comfortable just sleeping. Maybe her time has come.
Taking her to the vet would panic her considerably, as she never was a
good traveller. Nearly 18 is a reasonable innings for a cat isn't it?

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 15:20:29 GMT, Yvonne posted:

My vet offers help even if you don't have any money. A good vet should
let you pay in instalments. Please take her to the vet, it may be her
time, but that doesn't mean she should suffer needlessly.

Thanks, but she' not apparently suffering.
I'll look for a vet that will look at her but the trip to the office
will be very traumatic for her as she has always been a poor
traveller.

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:06:04 GMT, "Moosh:]"
wrote:

I have a seventeen year old cat who has been fine until the last few
days. She has gone off her food, seems weak and feeble, and rather
emaciated (although she has been getting scrawnier for a while now --
we just put it down to old age). She just likes to sleep in the Sun in
the day, and on the lounge at night. She even refuses her favourite
food, raw beaten egg.
She has a black discharge in the corners of her eyes, and when you
pick her up, you can feel the bottom of her rib cage seeming to curl
outwards, so you feel a protruding ridge.
Does this ring any bells for anyone?

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 15:20:29 GMT, Yvonne posted:

My vet offers help even if you don't have any money. A good vet should
let you pay in instalments. Please take her to the vet, it may be her
time, but that doesn't mean she should suffer needlessly.

Thanks, but she' not apparently suffering.
I'll look for a vet that will look at her but the trip to the office
will be very traumatic for her as she has always been a poor
traveller.

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:06:04 GMT, "Moosh:]"
wrote:

I have a seventeen year old cat who has been fine until the last few
days. She has gone off her food, seems weak and feeble, and rather
emaciated (although she has been getting scrawnier for a while now --
we just put it down to old age). She just likes to sleep in the Sun in
the day, and on the lounge at night. She even refuses her favourite
food, raw beaten egg.
She has a black discharge in the corners of her eyes, and when you
pick her up, you can feel the bottom of her rib cage seeming to curl
outwards, so you feel a protruding ridge.
Does this ring any bells for anyone?

You know, none of us want to face the inevitable outcome of life, and
everyone on here (presumably) is a cat lover. So I guess I understand the
hostile responses.

But when it all comes down to the "bottom line", having had a good, happy
and contented life is *all* you can ask for, you know? A cat who has had
such a life already has had the best thing people can give her.

Things have changed for people and their pets, I know. But not all change is
good change. People used to die at home surrounded by family, now we do
heroic things to save them and they die frightened and alone or surrounded
by strangers who, while doing their professional duty, are personally
indifferent to their existence. Is this *really* an improvement?

Trips to the vet are frightening and very upsetting for many cats and for
one who is 17 it seems an unnecessary cruelty if the animal is not in a lot
of pain.

If it were me, I might see if I could get a paraprofessional to make a home
visit and/or look up stuff on the web to see if there would be something I
could do to make her more comfortable, but at that age it would seem a shame
to spend the last moments of a full life, frightened and traumatized in the
hands of a stranger.

But that's just my two cents worth.












-------

www.roadsideartist.com

You know, none of us want to face the inevitable outcome of life, and
everyone on here (presumably) is a cat lover. So I guess I understand the
hostile responses.

But when it all comes down to the "bottom line", having had a good, happy
and contented life is *all* you can ask for, you know? A cat who has had
such a life already has had the best thing people can give her.

Things have changed for people and their pets, I know. But not all change is
good change. People used to die at home surrounded by family, now we do
heroic things to save them and they die frightened and alone or surrounded
by strangers who, while doing their professional duty, are personally
indifferent to their existence. Is this *really* an improvement?

Trips to the vet are frightening and very upsetting for many cats and for
one who is 17 it seems an unnecessary cruelty if the animal is not in a lot
of pain.

If it were me, I might see if I could get a paraprofessional to make a home
visit and/or look up stuff on the web to see if there would be something I
could do to make her more comfortable, but at that age it would seem a shame
to spend the last moments of a full life, frightened and traumatized in the
hands of a stranger.

But that's just my two cents worth.












-------

www.roadsideartist.com

No vets nearby, no transport, and no money, I'm afraid. She seems
quite comfortable just sleeping. Maybe her time has come.
Taking her to the vet would panic her considerably, as she never was a
good traveller. Nearly 18 is a reasonable innings for a cat isn't it?

It's a good age but your poor cat might have something very treatable. I have
a 17 yr. old cat with mild chronic renal failure and hyperthyroidism and he is
usually fine. Lately, he is periodically getting urinary tract infections so
he is on antibiotics but he is acting and looking the same way he did when he
was 5. It may not be your cat's time to go but if she doesn't eat, she will go
anyway.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

No vets nearby, no transport, and no money, I'm afraid. She seems
quite comfortable just sleeping. Maybe her time has come.
Taking her to the vet would panic her considerably, as she never was a
good traveller. Nearly 18 is a reasonable innings for a cat isn't it?

It's a good age but your poor cat might have something very treatable. I have
a 17 yr. old cat with mild chronic renal failure and hyperthyroidism and he is
usually fine. Lately, he is periodically getting urinary tract infections so
he is on antibiotics but he is acting and looking the same way he did when he
was 5. It may not be your cat's time to go but if she doesn't eat, she will go
anyway.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

It *might* have been
something that could be fixed.

Like what?

Well, like hyperthyroidism, very easily and cheaply treated. Chronic renal
failure, treatable altho not curable if it hasn't gone too far. A very minor
infection treated and cured by an inexpensive dose of antibiotics. All of
these things my 17 year old cat has and he hasn't lost weight, eats like a
horse, and feels fine.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

It *might* have been
something that could be fixed.

Like what?

Well, like hyperthyroidism, very easily and cheaply treated. Chronic renal
failure, treatable altho not curable if it hasn't gone too far. A very minor
infection treated and cured by an inexpensive dose of antibiotics. All of
these things my 17 year old cat has and he hasn't lost weight, eats like a
horse, and feels fine.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"Roadside Artist" a écrit dans le
message de news: ...
You know, none of us want to face the inevitable outcome of life, and
everyone on here (presumably) is a cat lover. So I guess I understand the
hostile responses.

But when it all comes down to the "bottom line", having had a good, happy
and contented life is *all* you can ask for, you know? A cat who has had
such a life already has had the best thing people can give her.

Things have changed for people and their pets, I know. But not all change
is
good change. People used to die at home surrounded by family, now we do
heroic things to save them and they die frightened and alone or surrounded
by strangers who, while doing their professional duty, are personally
indifferent to their existence. Is this *really* an improvement?

Trips to the vet are frightening and very upsetting for many cats and for
one who is 17 it seems an unnecessary cruelty if the animal is not in a
lot
of pain.

If it were me, I might see if I could get a paraprofessional to make a
home
visit and/or look up stuff on the web to see if there would be something I
could do to make her more comfortable, but at that age it would seem a
shame
to spend the last moments of a full life, frightened and traumatized in
the
hands of a stranger.

But that's just my two cents worth.


I find your 2 cents are very worthy.
I have on my conscience an unexpected death of a cat at the vet (many years
back). Never again. From a human point of view, we did all the "right"
things for her with the medical attention, the hospitalization, the high
bills and all, yet all I have out of this is a profound feeling of guilt and
the knowledge I did the wrong moves. She must have felt terribly abandonned
and afraid. You can't communicate to them that its "good for you".. they are
animals.
I take them in for care, but always warn the vets that I'm walking back out
with my pet. If I felt they couldnt handle the trip or the treatments, I
wouldn't gamble it. As much as possible, my pets will end their beautiful
lives in the security of their home or where they chose.

Elaine