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In 2008 I adopted a beautiful Maine Coon, Etta James. She's been the sweet little soul around the house ever since, and everyone that's met her has loved her. She has cancer. An oral tumor that's long since pushed one of her eyes a good ways out of its socket. After a biopsy and some blood work we decided that with a tumor in the roof of her mouth, by her brain, that grew to its current size in a matter of weeks, palliative care was the only option. She's been on Prednizone to ease the symptoms and Remeron to help with her appetite.     There's a bit of an issue. I was bracing myself to put her to sleep quickly to keep the cancer from causing her too much pain, but she hasn't even seemed to notice that she's on death's doorstep. She's acting exactly like she used to, and since adding the Remeron and switching to an all-fish food she's been gaining weight. She's started to drool out of the bad side of her mouth, but even with a string of slobber trailing down her chest she is acting just like she's always been. I was all set to put her to sleep sooner than later, but after I took her out for a wander in a big empty soccer field one cold morning, she really demonstrated to me that she is still happy to be here. I've decided not to say goodbye until she asks me to end it. That may not be the most cogent way of putting it, but when diabetes turned my black lab inside out in 2010, he let me know when he wanted out. The thing is, I'm no longer confident that I'll be able to tell when Etta's situation goes from good enough to bad enough. She still climbs up on me when I'm sleeping, and pushes her way into my lap when I'm at my desk. She insists on being let out for some fresh air (leashed or monitored) at all hours, and she's as willful as ever about anything you could name. On the occasions that some of the tumor has sloughed off in her mouth and she has been oozing blood down her chin... she doesn't give a gently caress and acts like she always does. Do you have any idea how to tell when a stubborn old cuss of a cat has had enough pain even if she won't admit to it?
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Apr 18, 2014 08:20
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| # ? May 2, 2024 08:41 |
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I'd argue (with the conceit that you of course know your animal best) there is not a point where the animal is still behaving and eating normally where they are in enough pain for euthanasia. They definitely hide pain well enough that you need to be proactive about pain management - Giving pain killers for what you logically know must be painful even if the animal isn't showing any signs of pain for example - But euthanasia should be reserved for when the animal just can't hide it anymore. In short, just like you did with your dog, I think you will know, regardless of what anyone here might advise.
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Apr 18, 2014 17:20
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I just had to put my cat to sleep after a failed attempt to give supportive care to her severe acute pancreatitus. Someone told me that there's no 'right' time to put an animal to sleep. Afterwards with 20/20 hindsight you'll likely feel it was either too early or too late, which is just a normal reaction and doesn't really reflect the process of deciding when to do it. For me, my cat only had a 10-20% chance of survival, if that, but I gave her the chance since it was so sudden and the still WANTED to live. She was pretty depressed for a few days, and in hindsight since she didn't pull through I sort of wish I could have spared her those few days in the hospital, but it was the cost for her chance. I did start to dread the 'what if' of a decline she never quite pulled up from which would make it nearly impossible to decide 'when'. Luckily I guess, she had a sharp nose dive and we knew her fighting chance wasn't enough. I saw online a few lists of questions to ask yourself to check in every day to judge your pets quality of life when in hospice care. It's really useful for a terminal diagnosis that is of slower progression. You answer the questions about whether they enjoy eating, can move around, play, etc. and get a score. The score lets you have a measure of your pets quality of life and helps give you a logical foothold for giving the last kindness you can to your pet. Sorry your kitty is sick  Glad you both get some time to make peace with it. I hope your kitty can give you some definitive signs when it is time so you both know.
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Apr 19, 2014 02:44
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Does your kitty experience some sort of "joy" every day? If so, it may not be time yet. If not......
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Apr 19, 2014 07:29
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I definitely that there is never a right time. I've heard "Better a week too early than a day too late", and also a suggestion to chart the bad days and the good days each week, and let them go when there are four good days and three bad days, before the bad outnumbers the good. It's never going to feel right or good, or even OK on some level, and that's OK.
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Apr 19, 2014 15:45
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This same situation happened to our cat. Cancer in the mouth and eyeballing protrusion. It was hell honestly. He kept trucking though and let us know when he couldn't keep going any more. Your kitty loves you for the home that you gave her. Never forget that.
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Apr 20, 2014 03:32
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Hey, just wanted to drop a note of support. You'll know when it's time. That tumor looks terrible, though. I'm really sorry she's sick, and I hope you and her enjoy the time you guys have left together. Like Excelsior said, your kitty loves you! That much is obvious even from the pictures!
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Apr 21, 2014 00:08
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Etta was shaking a bit Sunday morning, and she hadn't been able to keep her fur clean with the constant drool. My mom drove up here that night, and on Monday morning we put her to sleep. It was probably sooner than it needed to be, but I guess I agree with the 'better a week early than a day late' school. It was the first time I got a real feeling that she didn't want to be here anymore, and that's what I was waiting for. She was a tough old cuss to the end, and the sweetest cat anyone in my family had ever met. We'll all miss her. Thanks for your support.
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Apr 22, 2014 20:10
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Sorry to hear that, but she had a good life and someone to look out for her at the end. Goodbye kitty.
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Apr 24, 2014 02:10
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Sorry to hear about your cat, I just put my cat to sleep this morning. He also had a tumor and seemed to be doing fine, but over the last week he stopped eating and drinking, couldn't even go to the bathroom, he also started drooling blood yesterday. Sadly I knew it was time to put him to sleep. At least I got 14 great years with him, and he got 15-16 years total, we adopted him from the SPCA so he was already a year or two old when we got him. I will miss the poo poo out of him, but at least he isn't in anymore pain, which is a small consolation.
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May 14, 2014 00:23
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Thread was hard to read. I stopped reading after the third post. Beautiful cat, but your cat will know. Let your kitty live out what fun she can have.
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Jun 4, 2014 19:24
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| # ? May 2, 2024 08:41 |
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Ironsolid posted:Thread was hard to read. I stopped reading after the third post. Beautiful cat, but your cat will know. Let your kitty live out what fun she can have. She's been dead for like a month and a half, dude.
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Jun 4, 2014 23:52
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