My old cat:(

My little old Siamese buddy is going downhill so I must decide how to help or even if I should him at the end. He has stopped eating but is still drinking lots of water and still asking to be lifted up to sleep between us on the loveseat when we watch TV. He doesn't seem to be in pain as in hiding in corners or under the bed - just sleeps a lot. I do not want to take him to a vet as that would be too traumatic for all of us. So I guess I call some of the vets who do in home euthanasia if I have to go that route. I keep hoping he will just go to sleep and not wake up if he is ready.

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Originally Posted by pinkytoe

My little old Siamese buddy is going downhill so I must decide how to help or even if I should him at the end. He has stopped eating but is still drinking lots of water and still asking to be lifted up to sleep between us on the loveseat when we watch TV. He doesn't seem to be in pain as in hiding in corners or under the bed - just sleeps a lot. I do not want to take him to a vet as that would be too traumatic for all of us. So I guess I call some of the vets who do in home euthanasia if I have to go that route. I keep hoping he will just go to sleep and not wake up if he is ready.

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I was so grateful that my kitty went that way, very lucky. So sorry.

I'm so sorry. I hope the passing is peaceful.

I'm so sorry. :(

It's awful being in the position of not knowing how to proceed when pets reach the end of their lives. Home euthanasia is a very good option (my DD had her dog euthanized here at our home).. but no matter what it will always be such a difficult and painful time. I'm sorry, pinkytoe.

It’s hard to know what kind of pain cats are feeling because they like to hide it, but if your cat is affectionate, drinking water and not hiding out, you’re probably right that he’s not feeling a whole lot of pain.

I'm so sorry, Pinkytoe. My heart goes out to you. Your kitty certainly knows he's loved.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We are currently hosting cats #8 & #9, so we have been down that road quite a few times. We have done home euthanasia twice, and it was money very well spent and gave both of those boys a really peaceful passing. It is still never easy.

Oh, pinkytoe, I'm so sorry. Wishing peace for you both.

So sorry you are going through this. Worst part of owning fur babies is deciding it's time to let go. We want them around forever but they let us know when they want to leave usually. We had to put two cats to sleep within months of each other back in 2020. One in February and the other in May. I hope you get your wish and he makes the decision for you and passes in his sleep.

Reminds me of what I went through with Mattie. (Steve's cat)
I knew her since she was a kitten and after he passed, the family asked me to move in and take care of her while helping deal with the estate.
One year after his death, she started doing the same. Neighbor worked at the vet we used and knew us all. Got her in and found out she was in kidney failure and in discomfort, but pain would soon be coming. She didn't like the car rides (knew it was a vet ride), but after we got her up there, she just stayed in my arms until I set her on the table and then relaxed and nodded off. Angie and I pet her while talking to the doc, and then he gave her the shot and she went off to the rainbow bridge. We were bad for a couple of days, and then Angie got the call and set me up to get Kit and Micki the end of that week (when Angie had an aneurysm and died.
I guess it was meant to be because Kit very much was like Mattie (took a bit to get used to you but then loved you), while Micki was almost a clone of Angie's late cat, that passed before she started taking care of Steve and Mattie.
Now I wake up some nights when my pain medicine is do and reach over still thinking one of the cats is there until I wake up and realize I sent them back to their former owner. I've heard they adapted quickly to them and are doing well, but I do miss them. I've had some painful enough nights lately that if I knew everything was in order, I'd like that shot and welcome the chance to visit so many of the animals I knew/had access to growing up at the rainbow bridge.

OH, tms, I have long thought that we are much kinder to our pets when they are ready to leave us than we are to other humans. Wishing you peace and freedom from pain, however it comes to you. I'm sure you are surrounded by much love from your former companions, even if you're all not in the same realm currently. Sometimes, on a really bad day, one of my departed kitties jumps in my lap and purrs.... I can feel her weight, and even smell her (always horrible, lol) breath. It's an odd comfort, but it makes me smile, to realize that there is perhaps more to this life than we know. I'm an avowed atheist, but cat spirits - those I believe in.

Temporary good news for me. My niece, when she leaves town, leaves her cat with my mom. Well she isn't leaving town, but having to work a bunch this week and her cat gets upset when she is gone so much. Cat is over for a visit and we get along quite well. so hopefully I can get it up to sleep with me some night and not just lie next to me during the days, but I will take the attention I can get, a temporary reprieve.

That's great, TMS. Nice to have temporary custody.

Well...my old cat is still here. Wobbly and disoriented but still nibbling on food and drinking water. My long time cat-sitter just called and said she is retiring from pet-sitting and won't be available anymore. It feels like any fall travel is possibly postponed until he moves on. The other cat is an odd-ball; never leaves the bed in the guest room except to sneak down in the middle of the night to eat and use the catbox. She will probably live forever. I had no idea cat-sitters now charge $25 and up for a 15 min visit so I guess we were getting a deal with $15 a visit.

We pay our cat-sitter $20 per visit, 2 visits per day, so I guess we're in the middle.
It is so tough when we're near the end with our pets. It definitely throws a wrench in any travel plans. My sister's 17-year-old little dog is now somewhat incontinent, but he is eating and drinking and taking walks with enthusiasm, so she doesn't feel like they're at the end of the road yet.

we pay our Dog Sitter $10 per visit. Yes I know this is cheap. We also gave her a Christmas bonus but not as much as I wanted to give her, DH slowed me down on that.

in the city I was thinking we paid $15 per visit and of course with dogs you have to have at least two visits a day,

a few times we have left with our dog, we just had a cat sitter come in once every couple of Lit and check on their dry food and water.