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Old 08-17-2004, 02:24 AM   #1
Chewbacca
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Join Date: July 18, 2001
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Sunglass Man

If your not in the mood for a sad story, please skip this post!

Twila.

She is a plump domesticated short hair kitty with a bright orange coat. My mom christened her the Great Pumpkin kitty, because she has such a round shape. She is a sweetheart of a cat, very gentle with a loud motor of a purr. Without fail when I crawl into bed every night, she crawls out from under it, jumps up, and cuddles right up next to me and I fall asleep to her deep steady purr.

Two years ago, at the tender age of six she developed problems breathing and we discovered she had a growth in her lung. The vet said she probably would not live 6 months. This was two years ago. Medication seemed to help the breathing problem and the tumor did not grow and may have actually gone away. We call it a miracle and count our blessings everyday that our sweet and lovable friend remains with us.

About a week ago it dawned on us that she was not eating much and seemed a bit under the weather. Soon after we discovered a lump on her left side, right on the rib cage. On Saturday we went to the vet and recieved a bombshell- A new, more agressive tumor is developing in her chest. The vet was ready to put her asleep right then and there!!!

OMG that is not what I expected and I could barely utter a protest as my wife and I burst into tears. The vet left us alone for a moment.

Twila has been acting sick and we can feel the lump on her chest...but she still curled up on the bed the night before purring like a kitten. Just two days before she jumped up on my brother's lap for purrs and pets. Just a day before that she was batting at the cat dancer like she was 6 months old! My wife, Donna, and I could not accept that she was suffering so much at that moment to warrant putting her into the eternal sleep immediately.

The vet came back in and we express our concerns. He agreed that if Twila's quality of life, her comfort level was still fairly good that it would be humane and correct to keep her with us a while longer.

We discussed options and it turns out the vet will come to our house when the time comes that we determine that Twila is truly suffering.

Twila hates the cat crate! She fights tooth and nail whenever we get ready to go to the vet using the "four paws out wide" manuvuer. When it was time to leave the vet I lifted the crate on the examination table and opened it to put her in, she walk right over and got right in on her own!!!! I took this as a venerable syncronicity- a sign that Twila's time has yet to come!

The vets says she may only have days, perhaps a week- maybe, just maybe, a month. This will be the toughest and saddest decision I have ever made. I have lost pets to cars, and had a few disappear, but never have I had to choose for it to happen. If we decide to soon, we will unnecessarily and prematurely end her life. If we decide to late, we will unnecessarily prolong her suffering.

I am unsure how she will behave if( wishful thinking if- the vet says "when") it develops to suffering stage. Will she still purr and jump up on the bed? Will she just lay there in pain? As I type this I realize perhaps I am just adding needless worry to an already shitty situation. Perhaps I should just take things as they come and have faith I can handle the situation. If only she would give as clear a sign as she did when we left the vets as it is as much her decision, in abstract, as it is ours.


Whew! I feel a lil bit better having written that.

Thanks for reading.

[ 08-17-2004, 02:29 AM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]
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Old 08-17-2004, 02:53 AM   #2
Dron_Cah
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No prob, man. [img]smile.gif[/img] I don't think you should worry about whether she is suffering, as I think the cat will make it apparent when she is. Though she is much like a family member, she is still an animal, so I don't think she'll "put on a brave front," for you. I did this recently with my cat. Well, I tried but my sister prolonged the cat's suffering needlessly, and she was obviously in horrible condition. I would just wait till it is apparent that she need to be put to sleep, Chewy (mind if I call you that?). If she does not seem in pain, she likely isn't. I am very sorry that you seem to be losing your friend, though. I hope it works out alright, for you and the family, I know how attached we become to pets.
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Old 08-17-2004, 03:57 AM   #3
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Sorry to hear that. I agree with what Dron_Cah said. I think it will become evident when/if her time has come. Kinda like a *you will know when the time is right* thing. In the mean time spoil her and hope for the best! Wish you luck.
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Old 08-17-2004, 05:31 AM   #4
Har'oloth
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Join Date: September 28, 2001
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wish you luck too with this dilemma and give her some extra food and things like that
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Old 08-17-2004, 07:25 AM   #5
Lavindathar
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Join Date: March 21, 2001
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I wish you the best my friend, and hopefully she will keep going.

We had a dog, a long time ago called Mink. The doctor said she had a month after discovering Cancer.

Four years later, at the age of 16, she passed away.

You never know!
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Old 08-17-2004, 07:38 AM   #6
Hivetyrant
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Good luck Chewbacca, you never know, if she got through it once, it may happen again. And I hope it does, because I hate losing pets, even if they are animals, they still feel like members of the family.
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Old 08-17-2004, 08:52 AM   #7
Nightwing
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I had the same thing happen with my cat Binx. It got to the point she couldn't jump up to the bed so I made a ramp for her, so she could enjoy her favorite spot. I also got a kitten from the shelter and let them bond. It was very clear when Binx was ready and we took her in. I cried off and on for several days. She lasted 5 months after we got the kitten and now we see personalities of Binx in our new cat. We have great pictures of them together and it makes it easier.
Cats have special enzymes that help them not feel pain, so if she seems in pain you know it's pretty bad. Talk to your vet about adding another cat however, because it can be stressfull to them.
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Old 08-17-2004, 09:10 AM   #8
Timber Loftis
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Join Date: July 11, 2002
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It's always so hard when we become attached to those who are shorter-lived than us. Sounds like you're doing the best you can with her. I'm sure that whatever her time on this planet has been and will be like, you've given her the best she can get, and that's what matters most.
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Old 08-17-2004, 10:30 AM   #9
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Hi Chewbacca,
You are facing a very difficult time, but I think you're going about it the right way. Giving her all the love and attention and time that you can before she passes will be the best thing you can do, for yourselves and for her. Keeping her quality of life in mind, and watching how she acts will tell you when it's time to call the vet and give her an easy passage. Having a vet that will do that is wonderful, it makes it so much easier for you and her to be able to slip away in the comfort of home with her loved ones near.
It won't be easy, but I wish you strength and solace in knowing that you're doing the right thing for Twila.
 
Old 08-17-2004, 10:44 AM   #10
Lady Sedai
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Join Date: May 21, 2004
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As someone who has had to do this TWICE, I can tell you that you made the right decision to bring Twila home for a while and giving yourself and your precious kitty a bit longer.

Buddy was diagnosed with FeLV or FIV (not sure which one) and we had no option but to put him down immediately...he was an outside stray I'd taken to feeding and looking after, but I had 6 of my own (including his "mate" and their 4 kittens) so I couldn't bring him inside and he was in rough shape when I took him to the vets. He'd quit grooming and just lay around all day (completely unlike him) a few days before, but it was already too late.

Baby. Well...Baby I had for 9 years. I'd taken him in after I noticed my mother's neighbor was not caring for him. He was a half starved kitten and had a broken leg. But I took him in and he slept on my pillow with me every night. A couple years later, I nursed him through two emergency visits for cystitis before we finally figured out what to feed him so that this problem would not continue. So twice, I'd "rescued" him. The last time, though, I could not rescue him. He had cancer and it was attached to his right shoulder blade.

One surgery was okay. But it took him months to heal. By the time his incisions had just begun to properly knit, he had another growth. This one growing twice as fast.

I was devastated.

I cried the whole way to the vet's office. I stayed with him through it all. I still cry about it. But I know it was the right thing to do no matter how much it hurt ME. I couldn't let *him* continue to suffer.

I share these things to let you know you are not alone. Not in having to make this decision. And not in having it tear you apart to make this decision. *hugs*

I feel for you in this difficult time, Chewy. I *know* how hard this decision is. But your friend will let you know when she's had enough and then you can feel at least useful, if not good, that you could do something to ease her suffering and allow her passing to be a peaceful one. It's more than we can do for one another in this country.

*Warm hugs to you and your wife*
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