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Old 11-08-2008, 06:40 PM   #21
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It is so hard to face the lost of a much loved pet. I think that I kept the last cat that I lost too long---I had to have him put to sleep, but I probably should have done so sooner. One thing that helped me and I hope helped him was the vet let me hold him when he injected with the drugs that euthanized him. I couldn't make my much loved cat young and healthy again---the only way I could relieve his suffering was by having him put to sleep. At least I can hope that he knew to the very end that he was loved. Probably at the end of life that is really all any of can hope for--to know that we love and are loved.
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Old 11-08-2008, 07:09 PM   #22
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I've always wondered why people (including myself to some extent) are so sure of this. Why do we believe that humans are the only specieis with an awareness of death?
I've thought about this too. I don't think the animals I've shared my life with have an awareness of death in the same sense humans do. They do, however, have a strong will to live and a fear of potential harm. Going through the loss of a family pet does cause us to ponder our own mortality and wonder what kind of measures we would want to keep us alive.

In the situation I'm going through right now, I believe my cat doesn't want any more discomfort. He has been poked, proded, operated on, pilled and force fed to the point of looking at me like, hey, leave me alone already.

If I could find something that would cause some short term discomfort but would result in a good chance for recovery, I would do it in a heartbeat. I have shared my life with animals for many years and have faced this before. It's never easy. Even so, I could not imagine my life without them.
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Old 11-09-2008, 01:07 PM   #23
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Purron....I am so sorry that you are going through this. I just had the one year anniversary of putting Romeo to sleep and I remember all of the kind words that everyone on this board had for me.
You need to do the best thing for your baby....he knows that he has had a great life....
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Old 11-09-2008, 01:34 PM   #24
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Purron....I am so sorry that you are going through this. I just had the one year anniversary of putting Romeo to sleep and I remember all of the kind words that everyone on this board had for me.
You need to do the best thing for your baby....he knows that he has had a great life....
Thanks so much. He's actually a bit brighter today so I am too I take him to the vet Tuesday for blood work and, hopefully, his liver values will have improved. The last test results were awful and he looked so sick. Today, I cleaned him up with a washcloth, warm water and some mild soap. He hasn't been grooming which is so unusual for him. He's aways been the black cat with the amazing soft and shiny fur. I think it made him feel better and he enjoyed the experience.

I'm sure Romeo is on your mind a lot these days. He must have been a great kitty. I bet he was a real lover with a name like Romeo
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Old 11-09-2008, 01:43 PM   #25
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Very sorry to learn that another good feline soul is getting close to passing away.

You will hurt, but once your cat friend is gone, he won't hurt any more.

One of the best friends I ever had was a smart, bold Burmese cat, who made it obvious, every day, that he thought I was the greatest thing that ever happened to the world (yes, even when he wasn't hungry). We lost him at the too-young age of 8, to some mysterious blood disorder the vets could not identify. They kept "observing" him, administering one test after another. I won't go so far as to say they were using my cat friend to experiment on at my expense, yet when I went to visit him in the pet hospital, he was so ill and miserable he didn't even know who I was, and had lost control of his bladder. He was being kept on a water IV because he wouldn't eat or drink. That's when I said, "Thank St. Francis that my friend is not a human being, who must be kept alive at any cost--I have the power to let him go." And I did, though I have missed him from that day (1995) to this.
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Old 11-09-2008, 08:24 PM   #26
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Having gone through this with my Odo Raptor this summer I know what an agony it is for you.

Having done everything I could short of extreme interventions I tried to spend as much time with him as I could and to make him know how much he was loved.

When the time came it really ripped me apart. I prayed to God to give me the strength to do the right thing. If you believe in God I suggest you do the same. If not, just try to dig into yourself for the willpower.

I still get tears in my eyes when I think of him, even while writing this.

It will not be easy, but we owe it to our pets to not let them suffer at the end. They give us so much love and happiness all their lives.

I will keep you in my thoughts.
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Old 11-09-2008, 09:14 PM   #27
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Purron, I don't really have anything to add to what others have already said. I know it can't be easy watching your friend go down. I'm certainly not looking forward to the day I have to say good bye to my buddy.

Best of luck with it all.
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Good news!
Old 11-11-2008, 04:41 PM   #28
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Good news!

My cat has taken a turn for the better! This past weekend, I was sure the end was near because of his general condition and the dismal results of the blood test done on 10/31. However, he subsequently brightened up and started eating again. I took him to the vet today and his liver enzyme levels were the best we have seen in months!

I realize my posts have brought up memories of what many of you have been through with your companion animals and can't thank you enough for your support. I'm keeping my fingers crossed my kitty continues to improve and am thankful for every day he is with me. He's just a plain, black cat picked up at the shelter about 12 years ago but is really something special.

One of the best things about being retired and home is being available to deal with situations like this. I would like to think all the extra love and attention I have been able to give him somehow helped. If I was still working, he would have been alone most of the day. Another good reason to retire early

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts. I have many friends here I have never had the honor to meet in person.
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Old 11-11-2008, 04:51 PM   #29
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A lot of good advice here. All I can add is take it one day at a time and cherish each one. You will both know when the time is right. Glad to hear things are looking a little brighter.
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Old 11-11-2008, 05:11 PM   #30
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I am very sorry to hear about your cat. I lost my cat to a kidney disease. I did daily fluid injection for a few years. His condition deteriorated slowly.

One thing I can say is I waited too long before I let him go. *Way* too long. My friends who had pets told me I would know when it's time. The night I decided it was time to let him go, My friend was driving me and my cat a vet's clinic to put him down and while still in the car, my cat died in my arms after having a seizure... twice. I regret this more than you know.

I don't know your situations, but I thought I'd share my experience... I know you are still hoping for his recovery, but pelase do not wait until it is truly too late, like I did.

tmm

============
While I was writing this, you must have posted your update. Great to hear your cat is recovering!!!!
Your post sure brought back bad memories for me though... but I am so glad to hear your story turned out great.

Best wishes!

tmm
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Old 11-11-2008, 05:37 PM   #31
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Glad that your cat still had one of its nine lives! Give him a hug for all of us...and here's hoping you get an extraspecial purr and head rub for being such a loving cat mom.
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Old 11-11-2008, 05:43 PM   #32
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I am very sorry to hear about your cat. I lost my cat to a kidney disease. I did daily fluid injection for a few years. His condition deteriorated slowly.

One thing I can say is I waited too long before I let him go. *Way* too long. My friends who had pets told me I would know when it's time. The night I decided it was time to let him go, My friend was driving me and my cat a vet's clinic to put him down and while still in the car, my cat died in my arms after having a seizure... twice. I regret this more than you know.

I don't know your situations, but I thought I'd share my experience... I know you are still hoping for his recovery, but pelase do not wait until it is truly too late, like I did.

tmm

============
While I was writing this, you must have posted your update. Great to hear your cat is recovering!!!!
Your post sure brought back bad memories for me though... but I am so glad to hear your story turned out great.

Best wishes!

tmm
Thanks for your message tmm. Your kitty was sure lucky to have you to take care of him. I went through a similiar experience with a prior cat I shared my life with. She lived to be nearly 21 years old and I waited too long to let her go. Her name was Cosey and she was the reason I decided to volunteer to help rescue and shelter animals.

My boy is still very ill but as Khan wisely said, we need to look at things from their viewpoint. Today he feels good and is happy. I hope he has many more days like today.
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Old 11-11-2008, 07:22 PM   #33
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A lot of good advice here. All I can add is take it one day at a time and cherish each one. You will both know when the time is right. Glad to hear things are looking a little brighter.
Thank you for your kind thoughts Westerskies. I appreciate it so much. The message you gave me is to cherish each day - something we can all apply to our lives on many levels. This is something we should all remember and what brings us together in the experience of going through or preparing for early retirement.
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Old 11-12-2008, 05:45 PM   #34
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I'm glad to hear your cat is doing better today.

My best-ever cat (only 10 yrs old) has a long standing heart problem and a couple of weeks ago we had quite a scare. But it may have been just an infection and he is back to normal. I too am trying to cherish every day with him.

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Old 11-12-2008, 05:53 PM   #35
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Good luck, that's great! My cats are brothers/littermates, and just hit 9 years old. It's weird feeding them "senior" cat food, they'll always be my little kitties. I can't imagine them being fragile like that, they've always been such brutes (the small one is 20 lbs, the large one 23 lbs), big tabby muts who have managed to destroy every cat toy or tower we've gotten them. It sounds like a heard of elephants when they play fight on the landing above the stairs....
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