Hard decisions to make soon

On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 23:08:51 GMT, "Cammie" <stopspam.RemoveThis@yomama.com>
wrote:

>I have a mother cat who is 19 and her son who is 18. Both are thin and
>frail and weak and have arthritis and pretty much look like those cats in
>the movie Pet Cemetary, reanimated and brought back to live. I love them
>dearly, but my gosh they look horrible (I'm making light of this).
>
>Now the son has a lump on his back, it is large and sort of mushy feeling,
>it is also sore to the touch. He had one a few years ago, smaller and it
>went away on it's own but that one did not hurt him. I'm hoping this one
>will also go away like the last.
>
>Back to their feable arthritic and thinning bodies... my mom and I were
>discussing if maybe we should put them down, both of them at the same time.
>They sleep all day and when they get up it just pains us to watch them.
>They do eat well but they are getting thinner and boney looking. We do give
>them both Joint Care and it helps them move a little better but their bones
>still click and they can't get up on furniture or do stairs.
>
>Taking into consideration their age and what I described, what would you do?
>My mom said she would take them in if I go with her, and OMG just the
>thought of doing it makes me cry.

No matter what, you are going to lose them within the foreseeable
future, so get at least one young cat to ease the pain when you do
lose them.

You ask what I would do - I would take them to the vet and ask pointed
questions about their condition, prospects for the future, and
treatment options. If they were in pain, and had no prospects of ever
getting out of it, I would put them down. If they were just
uncomfortable, and could be treated, I would keep them. I have severe
arthritis myself, and as long as the treatments keep me just
uncomfortable and at least semi mobile, I feel like continuing, but
there are days when if I didn't have a bunch of cats depending on me,
I just might give up. Similarly and projecting onto the cats, as long
as you are dependent on them alone, they have to continue, but if you
acquire other cats, your old ones can give up if they want, and you
can put them out of their misery, if they are in misery. That reads a
bit confused and perhaps callus, but that's not the way I meant it.


T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body)
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

I too have had cats live into their 20s so I pretty much have a feeling they
are near the end of their lives and not much could be done for them.

While I haven't brought them into a vet, I work for a vet and we have
talked. He said to give it some time and the lump may go down. If not it
could be removed or drained depending on what type of lump it is. I won't
do surgery, this cat that has the lump can't have anestasia. I would have
it drained if need be. But the other problem with them losing weight and
their arthritis still is there. The vet I work for said the Joint Care Plus
I am using is about all he would suggest at their age. I pretty much think
he agrees with me that time will tell, and their may not be that much time
left. The trick is to know WHEN it is time.

"MaryL" <stancole1 DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote
> Have you consulted a veterinarian? -- either for their general health or
for
> lump you described? It doesn't sound like you have, and that is the
obvious
> first place to look. You need a professional evaluation. This is not a
> decision to be made just on the basis of age and how they "look." I had a
> cat who lived to be almost 20, and many others have lived longer than
that.
> However, your cats are senior citizens, and they need some competent help
at
> this time.
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

Thanks for the additional information. In was fearful from your first post
that your cats might not be receiving veterinary care. I am glad to learn
that I was wrong.

So, back to your original question: Do they seem to be in pain? If so, I
would not want to euthanize a cat simply because it was old and looked bad.
A primary factor, in my opinion, would be the question of whether you could
help the cats maintain a life reasonably free of pain (and would not base
the decision simply on stiffness or more of an inclination to sleep).

MaryL


"Cammie" <stopspam DeleteThis @yomama.com> wrote in message
news:UFnQa.22154$Cv.2294@news01.roc.ny...
> I too have had cats live into their 20s so I pretty much have a feeling
they
> are near the end of their lives and not much could be done for them.
>
> While I haven't brought them into a vet, I work for a vet and we have
> talked. He said to give it some time and the lump may go down. If not it
> could be removed or drained depending on what type of lump it is. I won't
> do surgery, this cat that has the lump can't have anestasia. I would have
> it drained if need be. But the other problem with them losing weight and
> their arthritis still is there. The vet I work for said the Joint Care
Plus
> I am using is about all he would suggest at their age. I pretty much
think
> he agrees with me that time will tell, and their may not be that much time
> left. The trick is to know WHEN it is time.
>
> "MaryL" <stancole1 DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote
> > Have you consulted a veterinarian? -- either for their general health or
> for
> > lump you described? It doesn't sound like you have, and that is the
> obvious
> > first place to look. You need a professional evaluation. This is not a
> > decision to be made just on the basis of age and how they "look." I had
a
> > cat who lived to be almost 20, and many others have lived longer than
> that.
> > However, your cats are senior citizens, and they need some competent
help
> at
> > this time.
>
>
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I have 5 other cats besides them, 10 months up to 7 years
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

MaryL" <stancole1 RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote
> So, back to your original question: Do they seem to be in pain? If so, I
would not want to euthanize a cat simply because it was old and looked bad.


I know right now his lump hurts when it is touched, so that will be the
first thing I'll give attention to IF it can just be drained, as I said
surgery is not an option. I can't really tell if they are in pain, but
they sure are not comfortable... they walk stiff and their bones crack when
they walk... like little robots... Joint Care Plus did improve them
somewhat, but not great. You know how you get up in the morning stiff and
unable to move, would you want to go through every day feeling like that? I
wouldn't. So it's hard to tell their discomfort.
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

The lump could be an abcess and the poison from that could be making the arthritis worse. Perhaps
an antibiotic would help. Good luck! MLB

Cammie wrote:
> MaryL" <stancole1.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote
>
>>So, back to your original question: Do they seem to be in pain? If so, I
>
> would not want to euthanize a cat simply because it was old and looked bad.
>
>
> I know right now his lump hurts when it is touched, so that will be the
> first thing I'll give attention to IF it can just be drained, as I said
> surgery is not an option. I can't really tell if they are in pain, but
> they sure are not comfortable... they walk stiff and their bones crack when
> they walk... like little robots... Joint Care Plus did improve them
> somewhat, but not great. You know how you get up in the morning stiff and
> unable to move, would you want to go through every day feeling like that? I
> wouldn't. So it's hard to tell their discomfort.
>
>
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I'm making an appointment tomorrow to take Toby in for the absess, I hope
it's just a matter of draining it or antibiotics. I'll talk to the vet
about him and his mother getting so thin and the stiffness. I don't want to
put them through tests though, not at their ages.

The vet will probably say what he said for my 22 year old when she was like
this, that her liver had problems and her thyroid was working too fast. At
22 and losing almost a pound a week, and having trouble going to the
bathroom, we decided to put her to rest. That was the hardest thing ever, I
had her since I was 7 and still miss her 8 years later.

I'll report back here when we get Toby in.
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 07:17:42 GMT, "blcker" <ohno.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:

>As long as they are eating and in reasonably decent shape, they should be
>allowed to live out their life. You will KNOW when the time has come to end
>their "misery". Notice I said misery. If they are comfortable, let them
>be.

I don't even require 'comfortable' just not in unmanagable pain.



T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.
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"Cammie" <stopspam.RemoveThis@yomama.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:7ElQa.554$xj7.293@news02.roc.ny...
| I have a mother cat who is 19 and her son who is 18. Both are thin and
| frail and weak and have arthritis and pretty much look like those cats in
| the movie Pet Cemetary, reanimated and brought back to live. I love them
| dearly, but my gosh they look horrible (I'm making light of this).
|
| Now the son has a lump on his back, it is large and sort of mushy feeling,
| it is also sore to the touch. He had one a few years ago, smaller and it
| went away on it's own but that one did not hurt him. I'm hoping this one
| will also go away like the last.
|
| Back to their feable arthritic and thinning bodies... my mom and I were
| discussing if maybe we should put them down, both of them at the same
time.
| They sleep all day and when they get up it just pains us to watch them.
| They do eat well but they are getting thinner and boney looking. We do
give
| them both Joint Care and it helps them move a little better but their
bones
| still click and they can't get up on furniture or do stairs.
|
| Taking into consideration their age and what I described, what would you
do?
| My mom said she would take them in if I go with her, and OMG just the
| thought of doing it makes me cry.
|

You have to make this decision together with your vet after looking into all
the pros and cons. He might be able to improve their condition.
Only then will you have the assurance that you have done
the best possible thing.

(Two rabbits of mine came round again with medication.)


Carola
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

I am so glad to hear about someone
who has been able to provide a good
home to two of our friends for such a
long time. I do not have any ideas
about how the best way for them to
end their lives is but I really, in my
heart of hearts don't see why it should
be any different for cats than humans.
Maybe so thought because they sure
don't have the fear of death that most
of us do. Good luck and I hope you
feel okay about whatever decision you
make because, judging from how long
your cats have lived, you deserve to
feel good.

"Cammie" <stopspam.RemoveThis@yomama.com> wrote in message
news:7ElQa.554$xj7.293@news02.roc.ny...
> I have a mother cat who is 19 and her son who is 18. Both are thin and
> frail and weak and have arthritis and pretty much look like those cats in
> the movie Pet Cemetary, reanimated and brought back to live. I love them
> dearly, but my gosh they look horrible (I'm making light of this).
>
> Now the son has a lump on his back, it is large and sort of mushy feeling,
> it is also sore to the touch. He had one a few years ago, smaller and it
> went away on it's own but that one did not hurt him. I'm hoping this one
> will also go away like the last.
>
> Back to their feable arthritic and thinning bodies... my mom and I were
> discussing if maybe we should put them down, both of them at the same
time.
> They sleep all day and when they get up it just pains us to watch them.
> They do eat well but they are getting thinner and boney looking. We do
give
> them both Joint Care and it helps them move a little better but their
bones
> still click and they can't get up on furniture or do stairs.
>
> Taking into consideration their age and what I described, what would you
do?
> My mom said she would take them in if I go with her, and OMG just the
> thought of doing it makes me cry.
>
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

My wife just had a thought. Wouldn't
they be meowing a lot if they were in
a lot of pain?

"Cammie" <stopspam DeleteThis @yomama.com> wrote in message
news:7ElQa.554$xj7.293@news02.roc.ny...
> I have a mother cat who is 19 and her son who is 18. Both are thin and
> frail and weak and have arthritis and pretty much look like those cats in
> the movie Pet Cemetary, reanimated and brought back to live. I love them
> dearly, but my gosh they look horrible (I'm making light of this).
>
> Now the son has a lump on his back, it is large and sort of mushy feeling,
> it is also sore to the touch. He had one a few years ago, smaller and it
> went away on it's own but that one did not hurt him. I'm hoping this one
> will also go away like the last.
>
> Back to their feable arthritic and thinning bodies... my mom and I were
> discussing if maybe we should put them down, both of them at the same
time.
> They sleep all day and when they get up it just pains us to watch them.
> They do eat well but they are getting thinner and boney looking. We do
give
> them both Joint Care and it helps them move a little better but their
bones
> still click and they can't get up on furniture or do stairs.
>
> Taking into consideration their age and what I described, what would you
do?
> My mom said she would take them in if I go with her, and OMG just the
> thought of doing it makes me cry.
>
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

"Not so quick" <goodideaSSPPAAMM.RemoveThis@lvcm.com> wrote in message
news:p0EQa.453$Ye.262@fed1read02...
> My wife just had a thought. Wouldn't
> they be meowing a lot if they were in
> a lot of pain?
>

Not necessarily. Cats are very good at hiding pain, and that is one of the
things that makes these decisions so difficult.

MaryL
 >> Stay informed about: Hard decisions to make soon 

I would also suggest you check the bloodwork to make sure they aren't
experiencing kidney failure or that they are hyperthyroid.

Please post the results.

Purrs,

Fuga
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