When is it the "right" time....

[NewLeaf]

Our orange shorthair, "Tuffy" cat has cancer. His blood work came back with everything out of wack and the x-rays showed a large mass encompassing his pancreas and pushing on his stomach/upper intestine. Although we named him Tuffy, it wasn't because he is a tough cat. He was just the last of the feral kittens we could catch, thus the name Tuffy. Now, he is the most personable of all the kitties when it comes to people. And believe me, you know when you've been "Tuffy eyed" - like the cat in the Shrek movies. I hold the belief that animals know when you are helping them and when you are not. Always, a cut, mending bones, diseases, parasites are immediately taken care of, but cancer.... and based on the x-ray pretty large mass requiring a very delicate surgery at best. I really know that a cat wouldn't understand chemo either. So, Mr. Tuff stuff is on baby food and not keeping it all down every day, has gradually lost a lot of weight and now, after he eats lies in one place very, very still without moving for at least 2 hours. Then, he is back asking for more food, which we know he will most likely barf up, but he still purrs walks about, sleeps and washes his brothers. We have gotten the barfing down to about twice a day at most by knowing how much to feed him at one time. When he does barf tho, it is bloody so I know he must be in pain but only demonstraits being in pain just after he eats.

The question is, when is the right time? This is hard for me as we have had a few cats go peacefully on their own time. One was Muddles, a long haired white based calico who was 22. She purred up until she went, and the odd part of her passing was the first of the kitten boys from the Tuffy litter we brought in would not leave her side for two days practically. Just layed down next to her on the end of the bed as if knowing and he was only about 7-8 weeks old at the time. Prior to that, he was always running about like a crazy kitten and practically ignored the big cat, acted kinda in awe of her. So, hard to put words to this but I will try... if you have ever been by a person's side while they are in the process of death, dying, it seems as if they are working on the actual process of dying by what they say to those around them, reaching out and holding hands if they can..they are in some kind of process of letting thenselves go.  What if cats (and other animals)  have to do the same thing? Work on their own process... maybe they are like us in that way.... how can I take that away from him?  

[dove3053]

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I know your love for Tuffy is a great comfort to him.
Just because it's the right thing to do, doesn't make it any easier. Sometimes all the Dr's and medicine in the world no longer can help.

I too had a orange cat with cancer that I had to put to sleep. It broke my heart. What I did was ask my vet for a pill to help him sleep so that his last memory would not be that of going to the vets office.

I hope this post helped you.

Dove

[dakotabean]

I am so sorry to hear this, I have had many cats in my day and had to watch a few die only one we had to put down due to his pain.  The others we let pass at home where they were comfortable.  I would say you will know when he is in too much pain to bear, otherwise I think he would be happier at home with the people who love him.

[NewLeaf]

Thank  to all of you for your responses and caring. With all the stuff going on in my life right now the Mr Tuffy situation is the easiest to deal with. He is doing pretty good right now, he goes up and down, but the ups are always lower than the last up, the graph line over time is always on a decline. We will continue to baby him and I had never thought of it before for a long term illnes in a cat, but pain management will be explored next visit to the vet. Only, only when his pain is past management by him or whatever we learn from the vet will we resort to the other - letting an animal suffer is not humane treatment in my opinion.

[Soror]

This is such a tough call.  Oftentimes we as humans, even when we are suffering deeply, will warm to people we care about and let them give us comfort - I think cats are much the same way...my suggestion is to spend a lot of time with him, as much as you can without crowding him.

In your place, I'd contact a vet about pain management and ask about ways to comfort him as he goes on his own.  Euthanasia is a good option for some cases, but if it can be avoided and still allow the animal some time to be at home, it is much less scary than being put on a cold table and confronted with a strange, scary person and their needles.  

Think about it like you would a human who was dying of cancer...we can't simply pull the plug on them...we take them home and give them end-stage care until they are ready, and then go on their own.  This is much less scary, much less stressful, and gives everyone, including the person/cat, time to adjust to what is to come.

But, please realize that this is just my opinion.

[Avas Mom]

Well that is hard to decide if you say he still has a lot of life left, but what is the percentage of time that he is ok to when hes sick? iF its less than half the time id say to put him down. I wouldnt want him to suffer anymore and when they get euthanized it will be painless(extrememly hard to watch but still) let me know what happens. i hope he gets better i hate to hear of any animal suffering :(

[NewLeaf]

Mr Tuffy is 9. And I also can't stand people that put animals to "death" as you say. My dilema is that I know he is in pain after he eats (lays down really still for about 1-2 hours, not moving)and when he throws up his food if we give him too much at a time (approx. 3 hour intervals. 2-3 tablespoons) it is bloody... and if he drinks too much water then he throws up bloody water. He has stopped washing as much as he should, which is also sign and he is getting a bit smelly, breath and things. Pain must be an issue based upon that, yet he still has a lot of life in him, purrs wants to be petted and comforted. I guess it is just hard to watch. If the pain escalates to a constant, perhaps we will have to make a decision based upon that, I hope not.  Perhaps, my real problem is first, his pain level and then, him making peace with his situation. I am not a "religous" person and have great difficulty with organized religions,  however, we don't really know what is out there after death and all life has this unexplainable energy force that comes from outside our body mechanisms regardless of wether we are human, dogs, cats, plantlife.... jeeze, just think about what elephants do with their dead, what do they know that we don't .......... so the making peace with whatever may be next is what I have a problem with too, I don't want to take that away from him either. Pain yes, that no.
Thanks for your caring.

[Avas Mom]

I cant understand how people can put animals to death. I mean i was so against that before but if hes really suffering that is actually worse. But you also didnt mention how old he was? i MEan it sounds like hes prob lived a good life and thats important.

[Savas]

Usually, the choice is made to do it when the human can't stand to see their pet in pain anymore, which while is maybe not fair, it's realistic.
We try to judge when it's quality of life has gotten so bad that it isn't getting any real pleasure at all. You can gauge this by a cat's appetite and lack of self maintenance. If it's still doing bathing, that's a good sign. This is "null behavior" for a cat, sort of like a reset and "be at peace of mind state". If it's no longer doing that...well, it's probably reached the point where it expects to die, and sees it as a relief. I think (can't swear) that animals have a different view and perspective on pain than humans, and because of this have a much higher threshold/tolerance for pain and still being happy.