Quick help please! - Euthanizing our cat

AlmostAtheist

Hey All,

We have to decide in the next hour or so, so a quick response would be appreciated!

The vet says that our 13-year-old cat is suffering. She isn't eating because she has cancer and fluid build up. Pills might help with the nausea, but she's on a slide now that will end in a painful death in the coming days or weeks.

We've pretty much decided to euthanize her.

So the question is, do I go to the vet's office now and just do it, or do I bring her home for the weekend and let everybody say goodbye to her?

I'm concerned that our 6-year-old will be more traumatized by having her back in the house for a few days, then seeing us cart her off to her death, than he would by us just telling him that's what's going to happen and being done with it.

Does my son need to say good-bye to the cat, or is it better that he not see her again?

Thanks for your input,

Dave

Satanus

I'm for bringing the cat home for the weekend. The suffering cat being around will let it sink into your kid's mind that the cat has to go. Besides that, it gives the cat spirit more time to realise also that it's time to go. 'Couse, you don't believe in stuff like that, so stay w the first reason

S who doesn't fuck w the cat spirit

Valis

eh I would take the cat to be euthanized. It causes a lot of pain to see an animal suffering. I would just have a talk w/the kids and tell them the cat was suffering a lot and it couldn't wait. When I was young, actually the day that Reagan got shot, my dog had to be put down because of distemper. It was traumatic for me to see as I still remember it quite clearly. Your kids don't need that IMO.

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

MerryMagdalene

This is so hard, and I am so sorry.

I can only speak from personal experience... in my opinion, quicker is better, and, as a child my dad put more than a few of my animals "to sleep" without informing me first and I never got to say goodbye. Even though it hurts, I think goodbyes are important, whatever your age. But you know your child best. Do whatever you do with love because that is the best you can do with something so painful and sad.

All my best to you...

~Merry

kls

Man i am so sorry and my answer would be have her put to sleep now if the cat is suffering,your son will understand ,maybe not now as he gets older he will. I went through this with my son and his dog . I took her to the vet because she was limping and it was found that she had Bone Cancer ,i asked my son if he wanted me to bring her home or put her to sleep,he wanted to she her for the last time so i took her home. What a mistake because she screamed all night in pain and it was harder for him to see her suffer and non of us could wait till morning to see her pain end. Well those are my thoughts and experiance anyway.

AlmostAtheist

The suffering cat being around will let it sink into your kid's mind that the cat has to go.

Thing is, she doesn't *look* like she's especially suffering. She's wasted away, her belly is somewhat distended, she doesn't like to be picked up -- that clearly hurts her. But to see her just sitting in her box or walking across the floor, to a 6-year-old she looks fine.

(Birds will hide their discomfort over a sickness, apparently to protect them from attack by the others in the flock. Perhaps animals do this too)

That's where my concern is. He'll see what appears to be a healthy cat being killed. By me. :-(

Dave

calamityjane

Having grown up with cats, I went through a lot of them dying via running out into the roadway and getting hit by a car. My dad always did the burying of them in the garden, before we saw them. So I never had the memory and what they looked like, which was a good thing. I felt a loss as a child but I didn't get traumatized by not being able to say goodbye.

As a grown up I've seen one of mine die a slow death, its not a pleasant thing. If I had to do it again, I would put them down, I don't think your son would want to see it suffer for the weekend. Could you bring your son to the vet for him to say goodbye?

cj

Scully

What a hard decision to make.

You could bring your kids to the vet's office to let them say goodbye before they euthanize her. That way they won't feel that they were left out or not given the opportunity to say goodbye, and they won't be traumatized by possibly seeing the cat become sicker or even die at home.

While they are doing the procedure, you can take the kids to buy flowers in memory of the cat or a picture frame to put a nice picture of the cat in, or do something else (drawing pictures, etc) so that they won't think that loved ones (pets and humans alike) just disappear and are forgotten when they die. If the cat is able, let your kids have one last picture with him. This will be a nice one for them to keep.

You know your kids best, so don't do any of this if you think it will upset your kids even more.

Love, Scully

kls

Tell your son it was up to the vet to put the cat to sleep,that way the blame is on him/ her .

The cat sounds like it is really suffering please don't wait.

TresHappy

If you decide to have your cat put down, then have her cremated and her cremains put in a box like my brother did for his 18 year old beloved dog. He put a lock on it to keep the little ones from opening it and put her photo in a spot on the top of the little box. Also it has a small plaque with the dog's name on it...very sweet memorial.

Quick help please! - Euthanizing our cat

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