Board 8 > I think I'm going to have to put one of my cats down

(+) Yeah! (+)

Forgive the run-on sentences and word choices because I'm using Speech-to-Text right now.

It's been tearing me up all week but I think this is what I'm going to have to do. So since December my cat Tina has started having problems breathing. I assumed she just had a cold or something so I took her to the vet and they gave her some shots, antibiotics, and she was fine.

About a month-and-a-half later it started again. I called the vet and they said it's just allergy season right now so that might be it. They said that they are booked with cats and dogs having allergies right now. So I took her again and they gave her some shots and she got well again.

Now here's the third time. It happened again and I assumed maybe this is just going to be a regular thing since she's 11. The day of the appointment, she ran away and was missing for 3 days and then I found her outside and her nose was completely crusted with mucus, her head was swollen, and one of her eyes was bloodshot since it couldn't really close. When I took her, they decided to do some tests and they determined that she had some sort of sinus problem and it would involve like a thousands ddollar surgery to fix it

They gave her the normal shots and her swelling went down. But her wheezing has not stopped when it normally did and just today I went and checked on her and her eyes are discolored. She's having trouble following my finger when I point at her so I think she's going blind now.

I'm going to at least try to take her to one more visit

Now I'm aware there's some jackasses out there that say " if you can't afford the vet, then don't get the pet"

What limit is there to that? I'm feeling like I'm failing my cat right now cuz I can't make her better and I don't think I can afford this. I can't afford something like this for myself even. But all I know is my cat is not getting any better and she's been suffering. Its a shortcut , but at least she's won't be hurting
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This is legitimately the worst feeling in the world. I went through something similar with my cat of 13 years just under two years ago now. You're the furthest thing from failing her - you're giving her all the love and support you possibly can. If putting her down becomes the only choice, just be sure to be there with her as she goes. She knows you love her, and all cat jokes aside I'm sure she loves you back for it.
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Heroic Bigpun posted...

Now I'm aware there's some jackasses out there that say " if you can't afford the vet, then don't get the pet"

That's not usually aimed at people in your situation, and if people do it, they really are jackasses.

That's aimed at people who buy a pet and then never budget for any health costs for them, or buy them *knowing* they won't be able to afford a vet visit.

You, on the other hand, have been taking her in several times, so you're already making an effort.

So you don't need to feel guilty about that. This is already a painful enough situation for you. The prospect of losing a loved one always is.
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I'm sorry, Pun. Definitely take her to one last vet visit to be sure there are no other options.

I know that being in this position is the fucking worst.
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i've been here, and if you can't afford the surgery (which is completely understandable), then euthanizing is the kindest option. it is so, so hard though. i'm sorry you have to go through this. are there any vet colleges near you? my BIL went to a vet college to get his dog taken care of and was able to apply for a grant through the school that covered a lot of the surgery. Maybe that's an option worth exploring?
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This sounds like the kind a problem that you might be able to get money for via crowdsourcing. Although, if the cost is several thousand dollars it is probably a long shot.
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The worst part is everyone at my work is going on vacation right now so I've been working so many weird hours

its both hard to get to the vet at all and I'm not home to be there for her

I just got home right now, she hasn't been wanting to leave the living room. Shes been camping out in her carrier.

I've pet her a few times. I can tell shes just not all there right now

This is absolutely breaking my heart
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Not Tina!
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=( I'm sorry dude.

You're definitely not failing her. You're doing everything you can. Failure would be you not even trying.
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shes asleep now

thank you everybody

Shes the very same cat that I found 11 years ago and posted pictures of

shes been my angel, everything thats happened to me, shes been there for me. even if I couldn't afford to eat, I always made sure she came first before me

maybe because I've been in peaceful times, I don't need an angel anymore and shes gonna go back now
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Sorry to hear.

Life really throws some unfair ones at us. Be well, I know you did the right thing
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It can be tough because you don't want to see your pet suffer. I'd personally never put a pet down, because they are animals, so this is what happens at the end of their normal life, in the wild too. All you can do is make their last moments be peaceful, much like a human. I'm glad no one had the distaste to make a brick joke.
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I'm so sorry to hear that. I know exactly how you're feeling.

I actually went through something similar with my 18 year old cat last week. After a year of syringe feeding her daily and having to inject fluids every second day due to kidney failure, we decided it was time. She had dropped down to 4.5lbs and was basically skin and bones. Still can't really sleep well and constantly think about her as she was still getting about fine but we didn't want her to suffer and she had been fighting the syringe feeding for a a few months whilst constantly dropping weight (she had held steady at just under 6lbs for a while)

wow 18 years? Poor thing
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tn: never say never...

Tina is the one in the shoe, right?

Anyway, I'm kinda approaching that point with my oldest dog. He is taking heart medication that makes him incontinent and my dad said he doesn't think he will live longer. It just makes me sad so I know where you are coming from.
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yes thats Tina
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I hate for you to feel this pain Pun, but I need to see I respect the pain that this can cause you. You know how I feel about animals. I have no doubt you treated that cat like family ( the kind of family you love).

You never have to feel guilty.
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