Older Cat, When Is It Time to Put Him Down...

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The first thing I would do is make a vet visit. They may want to run some tests and it could wind up being a bit expensive, but if you don't do it, you may always wonder later if you did the right thing.

I had an older dog who was beginning to go downhill. My vet said, "When he starts having more bad days than good days, you know it's time." I thought that was good advice.

I know it is hard but you know what the right answer is. What if he has cancer? Do not let your friend suffer any longer. Choose a date and get him put to sleep. I know you will miss him. Go to your local petsmart and choose a new kitty with the family when you are ready. While you will miss your old friend you will have fun with a new one. Sorry for the hard decision.
God bless.

He is 18, which is old. But have you had his thyroid tested? My cat had the same symptoms -- she was only 14 though -- but it was her thyroid. We had it removed and she put on weight and rebounded. We also had her shaved when she was under, so she didn't have the awful mats in her fur.

Cats can still act like they're fine when they are suffering. They don't show their illnesses -- it's a sign of weakness in the wild. Even the matted hair could be painful for her if it's really bad. Imagine your hair in knots and always pulling when you move. With the urinating on the floor, he could also have a bad UTI, which is also very painful for animals.

I guess I would take him to the vet just to make sure it's not his thyroid or some other "fixable" problem. If it's not, then maybe it is time to let your pet go peacefully. It's so hard, but it's the right thing to do to stop suffering, in my opinion.

I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician with 20 years experience and married to a Veterinarian so my first question is-what does your Veterinarian say about your cats health? Perhaps at this point, since cats hide their illnesses often until it has progressed to such a point that they don't respond well to treatment. It sounds llike your cats' quality of life isn't very good at this point and since you love him and don't want him to suffer, I think you need to consider euthanasia.
I had a best friend cat that we euthanized at age 18 not too long ago and it was heart-breaking but we owed it to him to end his suffering.
best wishes,
E.

I'm really sorry. My cat was 18 when I had to put him down due to organ failure. I had paid a lot 5 years earlier for a liver surgery that gave me at least 3 extra GOOD healthy years with him, so I think it was worth it. When he was 18 though there wasn't anything they could do, and at that age, even if they had been able to do something to prolong his life a little bit, I don't think I would have done it. Kind of like if I'm 85 or 90 and get diagnosed with cancer. I may be told I can have extensive surgery and go through months of chemo or let nature take its course and die within a year. I'm going to let nature take its course by that age. I believe in quality over quantity of life for anything. At that age, they've really lived a long time, and while some do live longer -it's pretty old! It really almost killed me to put my cat down! The only thing that got me through it was having my first child the next week. Nothing quite takes your mind off of everything else like having your first baby!

I think you should take him to the vet and see if he needs something pretty simple. If so -go for it! If he has cancer, requires surgery -anything over the top like that, then you need to think about putting him down. Right now, he sounds like most old things -people included -he doesn't feel great so his grooming and bathroom habits are sliding. It's up to you as to how long you want to give him. It's a terrible thing to have to do, but you'll have to do it at some point.

I would go with a vet check up too. They may want to run a couple of blood tests- check kidney and liver function, glucose, thyroid, etc. If nothing else that can give you an answer if there is something causing his symptoms. Some of the things you mentioned, especially if he is still eating well could be thyroid related, but could also be other things. The mouth is probably dental disease, which I am sure you know. If the litter box is in the bathroom, it may be harder for him to get into the litter box now. I have know older kitties that had a treatable health issue and once treatment started they perked back up and went on another year or so. It sounds like you are really concerned about your little guy and as hard as it is, I'm glad you are willing to make the tough decisions. A lot of the bloodwork can be run at the vet's office now, so I would let the vet's office know you want to come in and talk about quality of life for your cat. That way they can do an exam and see if there is anything on the exam that jumps out and then talk to you about your options for diagnosis, treatment, or if it is getting to be time. Hope all goes well for you and your little guy no matter what the outcome.

We went through a very similar thing with our 14 year old dog last year. He started to go downhill, then seemed to get a second wind. But then he just deteriorated, we actually waited probably longer than we should have. We put him down last November, largely because with the cold his arthritis was becoming unbearable, he could barely walk to get to his water, had stopped eating.

I think when they get to that point where they cannot control their bowels, cannot eat, etc it's just time. If he still has mobility and can still eat, you might want to hold off for a while. We struggled with the decision too, but reconciled that it was better for everyone once it got to the point of no quality of life.

We all layed by the fire together and loved on him, our cat who just adored this dog layed with him and cuddled as if he knew. It was a very bittersweet moment for our family. He was so calm when we go to the vet it made it a little easier, I think he was pretty much gone at that point.

Bless you, I know it's a rough time. And be warned if you have other pets, they will mourn. Our other dog was in mourning for probably 6 months before she started to have some pep and want to play again.

it sounds like it is time. My cat did the same when he was 14 yrs old. It was hard, but we knew it was the right decision. Hugs to you

He is already dying at this point. If he seems happy though and not in much pain then i suggest you keep him home and let him go when he is ready. I dont think he is quite ready yet. If he starts to get in bad pain, take him to be put down. Dont just put him down because of his age, do it for his benefit.

Your cat is very old for a cat, that being said, some do live longer. I would take him to the vet for a diagnosis and professional opinion. I would not go through any "extraordinary measures" at this point in his life, but as others have said, maybe there will be a simple diagnosis that will give him a few more years. In the mean time, you can brush his hair for him, which will help a little, and give him lots of love and affection while you are making this decision. So sorry you are going through this.

I would take your cat to the vet and see what they say. Often they can offer some diagnostics (bloodwork, etc.) which may reveal the extent of the problem. And they can talk to you about if there is anything that can be done, even if it's just trying to make kitty comfortable for a short while. Or you may feel more justified in putting kitty to sleep. I am sorry you are going through this, but as a veterinarian myself, we see it every day. As difficult as it is, there comes a time when the kindest thing you can do for your pet is to let them go, and not allow them to suffer any longer. I've seen way too many pets needlessly suffer because the owner is being selfish or unrealistic and can't make a decision - or just won't. If you don't feel your cat's quality of life is acceptable and it's not a good life for him, then it's time.

From what you've described, it sounds like kidney failure, and possible dental disease. Very common in older cats and the biggest reason their health starts to fail. Good luck in your decisions.

Have you had any testing done at the vet? I'd make sure there is no "fixable" problem going on and if there isn't I would consider that it might be time.

I'm so sorry. I know how hard this is. We had to put down our 16 year old cat 2 years ago. Our vet advised us to think about his quality of life. It doesn't sound like your cat has much quality of life now. 18 is a ripe old age for a cat, too. You could pursue testing and treatments, but it's unlikely that much is going to help at this point. Talk to your vet and he/she can help you make the decision. Have compassion for your cat, even if it's hard on you.

We had to put our 16 year old cat down earlier this year. Romeo had some sort of bladder issue for a few years and never made it to the cat box. He couldn't eat much, threw up what he did eat and was very lethargic. He had a point where he seemed to rally but then went down hill after that. It took my husband about 6 months to finally make the decision.

It's probably time.

Our vet was wonderful. They had a room just for us and hubby held Romeo while the vet injected him. We sat with him for a while and then the vet took him. They also took a photo of Romeo which they sent to us.

It is very hard but by the sounds of it it is probably better for your kitty.

((((((HUGS)))))) I know what you're going through.

As an long time owner of many animals it's NEVER an easy decision but it's nice to have the option. It's time to say goodbye and let your baby go.

Peace and love.