So Galnemer's favorite cat is dying...

[Guynemer]

...of lymphoma. The treatment was just too stressful on the poor thing; we've now got her on weekly subcutaneous injections of steroids and she seems happier.

However, she is getting palpable, hard lymph nodes in more than one area, and is losing weight despite, for her, a good appetite. She pretty clearly doesn't have a lot of time left, but isn't suffering at all right now.

Despite years in of the country's best medical schools, and subsequent years in one of the country's top pediatric hosptials, I don't really know how to talk to my loved ones about death. I can talk to patients and families, but my own loved ones? Christ. I had the same experience earlier this year with my dad; I heard from his doctor just what he had, I knew it was Capital B Bad, but I didn't really know how to break that to my parents. Luckily, he went quickly. I can only hope that the cat follows suit, passing quietly in her sleep.

So how do you folks talk about the coming death of a loved one with your other loved ones?

And those of you who have euthanized a pet, how did you decide the time was right? (I know this one will come down to me, and she'll be far too upset to decide.)

[Drake Tungsten]

Dude, it's just a cat.

[Guynemer]

I'm a dog person myself, but I know how I'd feel if it were a dog, I'd be devastated too.

****, when I had to give my dog up to the old ex-fiancee when I moved from Ann Arbor to Columbus, I was good and ****ed up for quite a while.

You gotta understand, she lived a somewhat nomadic life for several years, it was just her and this cat.

[Ben Kenobi]

I've lost two labs, and one cat.

For us it was just time. The last one my black lab, he just lay down in barn during the fall and wouldn't get up. He passed away after she called me so I got to be with him.

My mom wanted him put down the year before and we argued over it. I thought it wasn't quite time and he would tell us when he wanted to go.

That's all I would say here. Just watch her, make sure she's loved and let her decide when her time is up. You'll just know Guynemer.

More difficult has been talking to mom about her plans now that Dad has passed away. I try to be as practical as possible, asking where all her things are so in case something does happen I know where it all is.

[Wezil]

And those of you who have euthanized a pet, how did you decide the time was right? (I know this one will come down to me, and she'll be far too upset to decide.)

If you care about the animal you will know when it is time.

Sorry to hear the news.

How old is the cat?

[Lord Avalon]

Srsly, jus' tellz her she's gon to a better place in the ceiling.

[Guynemer]

Srsly, jus' tellz her she's gon to a better place in the ceiling.

That will actually probably cheer her up a bit, not a bad idea.

The cat is... 13? I think? Not bad.


Another factor is that the whole situation has heightened her anxiety about the health of our other cats: former truly feral, wild animals that she rescued and rehabed. They never even came out in the open until we had been dating for six months; they now never leave my side and purr constantly. They both have FIV, likely courtesy of a massive fight with another cat that left them both with physical deformities, before she rescued them.

[bumfister]

Dude, it's just a cat.

QFT.

[Wezil]

It doesn't matter if it's a budgie. Galnemer is obviously fond of it.

[BlackCat]

And those of you who have euthanized a pet, how did you decide the time was right? (I know this one will come down to me, and she'll be far too upset to decide.)

When my cat stopped eating and only licked the shrimps I offered, wich she usually wolfed down, I was pretty sure

[DaShi]

Losing my cats was the worst thing that I've ever experienced. I still have trouble with it to this day. Euthanizing only compounded this by creating a feeling about doubt and regret.

Good luck!

[Berzerker]

I "had" to put one of our cats to sleep a couple months ago, vet said she couldn't maintain her body temp and her kidneys were goin I let the vet give her a few days of treatments but to no avail, so upon hearing our cat was shaking/shivering I gave the order and I regret it. I'd let nature take its course unless the vet says there's no hope and the animal is suffering. Our cat looked so far gone she seemed oblivious to everything including pain. Now I wish I never bothered with the vet and just let her live out her last days here at home. She was about 14-15, rip Angel

my vet said the way she often tells a cat is about to go is sunken eyes

[Boris Godunov]

My mom agonized over putting to sleep the cat we'd had for 19 years. She was undergoing kidney failure, and was mostly blind by that point, too. We all said it was probably for the best to euthanize her, but mom couldn't do it. The cat died rather suddenly one day, and my mom was fairly relieved that she didn't have to make the decision, and honestly it didn't seem like the cat was suffering in pain, so maybe it was best to just let nature take its course.

[notyoueither]

I would only euthenize if the cat is in pain and painkillers aren't an option. I'd have to go on the vets opinion on it, most likely. I couldn't tell from outward signs that the cat who had just been spayed was in pain.

[Berzerker]

I could tell our cat was suffering, actually she was probably in less pain the closer she got to dying. She couldn't stay still for long, something was driving her to constantly get up and walk around