GroundhogDay

Under a great deal of stress since yesterday. My very old cat is sick and in pain. There's nothing I can do but hope that his medicine makes him feel better in the next 12-36 hours. But really, I think he is just too old at this point to expect a good outcome. I will be talking to his veterinarian daily. I don't want to put him through any needless suffering, but it's hard to let go. I've had him since he was a two-month old kitten.

The stress is making me physically ill and in pain. I have IBS that is usually under good control, but it flares up at times like this. I also cry sometimes.

There are three things I am grateful for:

1) He got his first dose of medicine 12 hours ago. Last night was very difficult, but I think as I type this that he might be improving. Could also be wishful thinking on my part.

2) I have absolutely no desire to drink. I can't imagine stressing my body out with alcohol in addition to what I am already dealing with.

3) All of you in the SR community, who have helped me to chose and maintain a sober life.

Fandy

i'm in the same boat...i have a 19+ year old maine coon cat ( Slim)...vet says he is over age 92 in cat years...his quality of life goes up and down...i think soon i must let him go, then he perks up.

soberclover

I will be thinking of you today! My Jinx was 19. It is tough when we have had them for so long. I admire your strength and compassion to take care of friend as well as yourself!

GroundhogDay

Mine's at 19 years 4 months. I had to put his brother down almost a year ago. I agonize over the "right" time because of the pain issue.

I have some good news since I typed this. He feels good enough to be on "chipmunk watch" right now from the sliding glass doors in my kitchen.

LDT

You and your kitty are in my prayers, Groundhog. I know exactly how you are feeling. I hope things continue to improve .

Olive1

I went through a serious illness with my cat last summer.
My thoughts are with you.

Serenity1972

Hi Groundhog, I am sorry about your cat and will keep you and him in my prayers. I have an elderly Shih Tzu that is almost 20! He has his good days and bad days too. He is my soul dog. When the day comes when he is ready to go, he will let me know. I know it can be stressful having an aging companion in your life. I worry about the day when I will have to say goodbye.

I am glad to hear that your cat is chipmunk watching. So cute!

raja12

We lost our Koby cat in May. I know how difficult it is to say goodbye. I also lost my best friend dog Max in May of 2011. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Glad to hear he's feeling a bit better at the moment tho.

Ptcapote

How beautiful, Serenity. I think we all feel that way but I have never seen it expressed in such a lovely way. Thank you.

I'm glad your cat has perked up some, GHD. I also lost a 19 year old Burmese cat a year ago and my heart hurts every time I think of how much I miss him...I had him for nearly half my life...which is hard to fathom sometimes. But I can tell you as a former vet tech for many years, 19 years old (and a 20 year old dog!) is very old and obviously a sign of animals that have been very well loved and taken care of

My adopted Greyhound girl, Azalea, just turned 16 in December which is seriously OLD for a greyhound. She's pretty healthy but I see her slowing down some days and think, "I'm not ready yet!" But then, we never are.

Anyway, thoughts and prayers are with you GHD and your kitty. Big hug.

nandm

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I know how hard it can be as I recently had to make the decision that it was time to let my 20 year old Beagle rest. It was a very difficult decision to make but I knew that I had to decide if I was keeping her alive because it was the right thing to do for her or if it was just so I could avoid feeling the pain of her loss a little longer. I realized that since we were no longer able to manage her pain it was not fair for me to put my pain above hers so I let her go.

Animals often are family members to many of us. They steal their way into our hearts and souls. They become a part of who we are. The animals that I have been blessed to have in my life over the years have only served to make me a better, kinder, more compassionate, and more gentle person. I am so grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to share my home with them.

Dee74

Prayers for you your family and your pet GHD.

D

GroundhogDay

He's getting better. Last night, he threw up 10 minutes after I gave him his meds. I was afraid for him because I couldn't give him a second dose--too high a risk of overdose since we didn't know how much of the first one "took." Tonight he kept his meds down. He's also eating well.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. It really means a lot to me.

I think I'm handling this pretty well emotionally. I'm stressed, but not paralyzed with fear the way I have been in the past. My husband was very worried about me and the kitty today. He came home early from work. I think I surprised him tonight by remaining calm and collected. I'm guessing that is a function of having more than 3 months' sobriety.

karate

My yellow old mother dog got ran over in front of the farm ,Was hungover as hell and found my favorite dog i ever had run over .

Carlotta

My Killer was 20 when he passed in his sleep next to me on my bed (was sleeping too). He had a wonderful long life and I know he is in heaven but years later I still miss him and he will always have a special place in my heart. My thoughts are with you. Make the old fellow as comfortable as possible and spend as much time with him as you can.

hugs

GracieLou

I hope your cat is feeling better. Try and snuggle and love him as much as you can, for you and for him.

I have four cats and each one is different and I give and get different feelings from each one. It is like each of them are a reflection of my personality.

One is timid and shy. She does not trust people or the other cats and I am the only one that can pet her. I have trust issues too, I understand.

One is cool. He moves through the house with ease. No jumping, running or sudden movement from this Joe cool. This was my mask. No emotion unless I am ready to strike, then watch out! I was deadly with my words. Now, I have come to see that he is really just comfortable in his own skin. He is relaxed and easy going. I am this way too.

One is my snuggle bunny. He climbs in bed and purrs and licks my hand. Affection puts him over the top. He just loves to be loved. This is my inner child. The one that just wanted to be loved after feeling unloved for so long. Now I see that he giving love. He wants to help and is he first at my side if I cry. I am now this person. Instead of searching for an emotional hand out I am reaching out to help others.

And the last, but not least is my fun side. She is a corker and it always on the look out for fun. She has to run on the bed just as I am making it and hides under the sheet. She jumps in drawers while I am trying to put laundry away. She gives a playful swipe as I am walking by. This is me too. I have a sense of humor but before I used it as a shield. This was one thing I was afraid I would lose but I haven't. I find humor helps me to relax and make new friends. I am a corker too, but a sober one.

I am sure if you look at your cat you will see reflections of yourself. Hang on to that and hold it close. One of the things we have no control over is time. We can't stop it or turn it back but we can get everything we can from it and take it with us on our journey.

BikerAcct

I understand. My dog Corky, 14 years, was just diagnosed last month with Lymphoma.

We don't have that long together (I wont put her thru chemo at her age) and I'm spending every last minute spoiling her even more rotten than she already is.

Our companions mean so much to us, and it's so hard to let them go.

EndGameNYC

This is a difficult thread for me, and I imagine this is true for other folks as well.

I've had cats and dogs living with me for virtually my entire life. I always took it hard when they were ill or injured, and when they inevitably died during my lifetime. As a child, my pets were my "safe place," and a source of limitless joy.

Towards the middle of my three-year relapse, Sophie, Pete's sibling, died quickly of kidney failure. It all happened so fast, and hit me like a ton of bricks. She was very sweet, and very much treated me like her daddy. She first got sick very late at night. I got a cab without knowing exactly where I was going. The driver told me not to worry about the fare, that he would help me find a vet/clinic that was open late. When we arrived, the docs basically told me that there was nothing they could do. She held on for another day before I put her down.

Pete was still apparently going strong when I entered detox about six months later. My sister took him in, and he quickly became ill and died two days after I was admitted. My sister said that he stayed alive long enough for me to get help.

They both had very well-defined personalities, different from each other and from me, and both did some incredible things, though I'm aware virtually every cat owner believes their cats have special talents.

Because I was drinking at the time, I'm not sure whether or not I grieved their passing adequately, but am now looking forward to adopting a dog and another brother-and-sister cat tag team.

People who love animals, including pets, are gifted with that special experience of knowing the joys of living with our furry friends. For that, I am very grateful.

Anna

I know how hard it is to walk that fine line between doing everything you can to help the cat feel better and heal to not allowing it to suffer longer than necessary because you don't want to let go. For me, I 'knew' when I was approaching the line, and once I made the decision to let the cat go, I felt at peace. I'm so sorry you're going through this and I hope your cat continues to improve and feel good.

GroundhogDay

I'm still in an uncertain situation. Thursday was bad, yesterday seemed a little better, today is really bad. He is on antibiotics for an infection. In a younger cat, it wouldn't be such a big deal. But this poor old guy just doesn't have any reserves.

The stress is just killing me. The good news is he kept his meds down today--second day in a row. I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight. Will probably be on SR a lot while I keep vigil.

KissMyTiara

I so feel for you. I've been there. Just remember, its not about you. Let kitty go. I had to relieve my cats suffering to finally relieve myself. I had to realize my cats pain was more than mine.

HUGS