Need advice re: cat

[needshelp]

I'm posting under a different name. I'm not looking for flames just honest advice and support.

Our cat is very, very ill. We know that he ate a toy, he threw it up late Saturday night. He has not eaten or drank water since and continues to throw up bile. Took him to the vet last night, they did x-rays and sub q fluids, our bill was $250. The next step is hospitalization, more tests, lab work, more xrays, then exploratory surgery.

We are looking at thousands of $ that we don't have.

My husband and I are talking about putting him down. I feel like that's so wrong but at the same time he is very sick, he's not himself and we can not afford to spend thousands to figure out what is wrong when they may not be able to fix it.

I feel ashamed and guilty and we haven't even made the decision yet. If we do decide to put him down I don't even feel like I can tell anyone because I feel so ashamed.

Please, if you can not be positive or supportive, please do not respond.

 

[disneystacy]

If you don't have the money, what can you do? I think with the tests you have already doneit should have showed something. If the kitty doesn't improve I would end its suffering. No one will think badly of you.

 

[SusanWasHere]

I totally feel your pain! I have 3 cats and it is very stressful to decide what to do. A few years ago my one Siamese was throwing up. She finally threw up a hair band that she must have snuck out of my purse (I since have them locked up and NEVER laying around). She continued to throw up for a couple of days, lots of bile and then bits blood. Took her to the vet for tons of tests - they claimed 1000 things could be wrong. They shaved her belly, did ultrasounds, gave her meds, etc. All in all it cost me over $1200 and the diagnosis was gastritis. The teeny bits of blood were just from the strain of vomiting. Her stomach was upset from the hair band and just took a few days to get over.

I've owned cats for my entire life and for 39 years have had cats throwing up here and there and other times for a few days. Thankfully - it's never been anything bad - just upset stomach. The one cat the vet had me give 1/4 of a Pepcid and that helped.

I really hope your cat is ok. It's only been 2 days so I wouldn't jump the gun. The vets always go to the extreme. Maybe heat up a little chicken broth or some chicken or beef flavored baby food that your cat might lick up. Things can turn around so quick and he could be fine by Wednesday! Good luck and my thoughts are with you and your baby!!

 

[sdjen]

I know it is really hard. I had to make a similar decision with my beloved dog a couple of years ago. He actually got a spider bite in his back knee that got infected. I spent several hundred dollars for testing and the vet told me that they could continue to treat him (for several thousand $$) but they could not guarantee he would pull through. It was really hard but I had to make the decision to put him down. It helped a little bit that he was almost 15 but it still was really, really hard to do. I know I made the right choice but it was still tough. I am a single mom and didnt have the extra money either.

Good luck in your decision

 

[minkydog]

Have you talked to your vet about your financial limitations?Perhaps he can work out a payment plan that you can live with. If not,then I don't think you have a choice. You can't let the kitty suffer.

 

[HM]

I'm sorry you have to let your cat go. Putting him/her down is the only choice I see for you. It's the loving choice as well. Don't let him/her suffer any more. Pixies for you guys.

 

[Magpie]

I'm posting under a different name. I'm not looking for flames just honest advice and support.

Our cat is very, very ill. We know that he ate a toy, he threw it up late Saturday night. He has not eaten or drank water since and continues to throw up bile. Took him to the vet last night, they did x-rays and sub q fluids, our bill was $250. The next step is hospitalization, more tests, lab work, more xrays, then exploratory surgery.

We are looking at thousands of $ that we don't have.

My husband and I are talking about putting him down. I feel like that's so wrong but at the same time he is very sick, he's not himself and we can not afford to spend thousands to figure out what is wrong when they may not be able to fix it.

I feel ashamed and guilty and we haven't even made the decision yet. If we do decide to put him down I don't even feel like I can tell anyone because I feel so ashamed.

Please, if you can not be positive or supportive, please do not respond.

You're doing the best you can! We've been where you are, and it's awful.

I truly believe it's okay if you decide to put your kitty down. It would be mean to let him continue to suffer, and the fact is that you just don't have the money. It's not like this is a simple fix, whatever it is. Otherwise, they'd have figured it out by now.

When I was little and we had to have a cat put down because we didn't have the money for her surgery, my mother explained it to me like this... When a pet is in pain, they don't understand what's happening to them. They don't have a sense of the future. All they know is that they're hurting right now, and right now is an eternity. It's not cruel to put them out of their misery, it's kind, because they can't hope it's going to get better - assuming there's any chance it will.

I'm sorry you're going through this very sad time.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I know this is can be a very difficult decision to make. I have been fortunate that the cats would let me know when they had reached the end of the line. In 2008 I lost an 18 year old cat in September and a 15 year old in December.

Basically they each let me know, in their own ways, that decent life had ended for them. When, a few months later, I was working on my 2008 taxes I realized that during 2008 I had spent about $2,500 in vet and medicine bills on them. But they needed the assistance.

You might want to hold off a week before you make any major decisions; generally a cat can recover quite will on its own.

But I would think unless there is major improvement within a week not much can be done.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would do he same thing if I did not have the money to help the cat. I know how hard it is to be an adult sometimes and this is one of those times.

 

[Magpie]

I totally feel your pain! I have 3 cats and it is very stressful to decide what to do. A few years ago my one Siamese was throwing up. She finally threw up a hair band that she must have snuck out of my purse (I since have them locked up and NEVER laying around). She continued to throw up for a couple of days, lots of bile and then bits blood. Took her to the vet for tons of tests - they claimed 1000 things could be wrong. They shaved her belly, did ultrasounds, gave her meds, etc. All in all it cost me over $1200 and the diagnosis was gastritis. The teeny bits of blood were just from the strain of vomiting. Her stomach was upset from the hair band and just took a few days to get over.

I've owned cats for my entire life and for 39 years have had cats throwing up here and there and other times for a few days. Thankfully - it's never been anything bad - just upset stomach. The one cat the vet had me give 1/4 of a Pepcid and that helped.

I really hope your cat is ok. It's only been 2 days so I wouldn't jump the gun. The vets always go to the extreme. Maybe heat up a little chicken broth or some chicken or beef flavored baby food that your cat might lick up. Things can turn around so quick and he could be fine by Wednesday! Good luck and my thoughts are with you and your baby!!

I'm okay with wait-and-see for a couple of days, but I'm very iffy on it as a long term approach. My neighbours have little money and when their outdoor cat got a twisted intestine, they decided to just "wait and see if it untwists". Apparently euthanasia would "cost too much", and it "might get better". The poor animal died in terrible agony after about ten days. Its body stayed in their tree house for quite awhile, because they'd told their daughter to dispose of it and she didn't want to touch it. My kids were very upset and I lost some respect for them after that. It would have been kinder to give it to the Humane Society and let them euthanize the poor animal.

I'm sure you're not advocating anything like that, though!

 

[needshelp]

I just called a different vet office. If we decide to do this I can not take him back to the same vet because I have a very good friend that works there and she would never forgive me for making this decision.

They said that another Dr. will have to evaluate him to make sure it is necessary to put him down. He also started talking about financing. Yes, I could finance and we have thought about that but it is not something we will do right now.

It doesn't sound like they will let us put him down until all options have been exhausted.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just called a different vet office. If we decide to do this I can not take him back to the same vet because I have a very good friend that works there and she would never forgive me for making this decision.

They said that another Dr. will have to evaluate him to make sure it is necessary to put him down. He also started talking about financing. Yes, I could finance and we have thought about that but it is not something we will do right now.

It doesn't sound like they will let us put him down until all options have been exhausted.

Really? Vets around here will put down an animal at your request. I would call around some more.

 

[SandrA9810]

It's hard but when you know you've done the best you could, then they'll be happy for the life you gave them.

Just think on the extreme other hand. Look how many people are willing to prolong a pet's suffering just because they're not ready. Money doesn't always make it the right choice.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I would definitely get an good idea about cost and am glad you are considering financing.

It sounds like you are making a common sense decision by balancing the reality of the financial situation and your concern for your pet.

as others have said, we've all been there. Your friend shouldn't judge you!!!!

we had to put down one cat after it started peeing and pooping on everything. Our vet went through it with us and knew we had exhausted every option. We also had to put another cat down due to cancer. It would have cost a fortune and the chance of extending his life without undo suffering just was very low. Again, our vet worked through this with us and ensured us we were justified in making the difficult decision.

I firmly believe people owe their pets the best life possible and shouldn't have them if they can't afford them. However, there is a line. We adopt and give our pets the absolutely most loving and caring home, but things happen that can't be helped - you do your absolute best.

 

[Green Tea]

I just called a different vet office. If we decide to do this I can not take him back to the same vet because I have a very good friend that works there and she would never forgive me for making this decision.


.

That part is really sad, A vet shouldn't have such a judgmental person working there.

I hope time will help and your pet will get better. If not, I don't think people can fault you for your choice. Animals get sick and sometimes there just isn't a fixable solution. Good luck to you.

 

[FergieTCat]

It's hard but when you know you've done the best you could, then they'll be happy for the life you gave them.

Just think on the extreme other hand. Look how many people are willing to prolong a pet's suffering just because they're not ready. Money doesn't always make it the right choice.

I second this advice.

My 17-year old cat was ill in April. I brought Diana to the vet, wherein I found out she had chronic kidney failure. I told the vet repeatedly that I was not interested in prolonging her life, since it wouldn't be fair to her. He kept her for 4 nights, with tests, fluids, etc. It cost $1,400, and the vet promised Diana still had some mileage left. He sent me home with an iv sub-q set up, injections, etc. She died in my arms during her first round of fluids, less than 24 hours after she was released.

There is NO WAY I will subject myself to that again. Diana hated it, and I was in tears (I have NEVER hurt an animal before in my entire life). I blamed myself for weeks after she died.

When it's Fergie's time to go, I am doing what I think is best.

If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. You have to look out for yourself.

 

[jobhunter]

Has the cat had normal bowel movements since the toy incident? Did he throw up the entire toy?

Is he obese?

This is a very sad situation.

 

[DVC Kathy]

I'm so sorry. It really stinks being a responsible adult sometimes.

You shouldn't be ashamed or guilty about this. You're choosing to put your family's financial stability first, rather than going into debt for your cat. It would be a lot easier to spend the money and not think about the consequences.

We've had chronically ill cats, and we're grateful that we haven't yet had to make a choice between financial stability and our cats' health. Of course, eventually you have the problem of figuring out when their quality of life is no longer good enough and choosing to take away their pain.

Talk to the other Vet. They might have less expensive suggestions. Ask about trying some Pepcid. One of our cats was throwing up bile. We did the xray and didn't find any obstruction. The Vet figured Zoe ate something that irritated her system, and the vomiting was the result. After overnight observation they started her on Pepcid and she was back to herself in a couple of days. They may have given her a shot to help with the inflamation. We're on our sixth, seventh, and eighth cats. The memories sometimes blur together.

If your poor kitty doesn't start to get better in a few days (or gets worse), and the other Vet doesn't have any helpful suggestions, then you'll know you've done everything you could under the circumstances.

If you've provided a secure, loving home for your cat then you have nothing to regret or be ashamed about. That won't help the pain, but try to remember that.

Kathy

 

[needshelp]

He has not used the litter box that I am aware of, not eating, not drinking. I have tried all of his favorites. Not obese.

He threw up the entire toy, x-rays showed nothing.

 

[dakcp2001]

How old is the cat? How healthy was he before he ate the toy? Did your vet SAY it was going to cost thousands of dollars?

Sounds like an obstruction, this is a treatable condition. I would suggest calling around getting some estimates from different vets, call the local rescue groups and explain your situation. They have access to more affordable vet care. You may have to give him up for them to treat him, but well better than the alternative.


If your good friend works at the vet, ask if she can use her discount to help. She could prob offer some advice.


Before you decide "thousands of dollars" is too much, get an actual cost from more than one vet and shop around. Sounds like you panicked over the potential costs before doing the research. Take an hour or so and call around. You might be able to get the help you need.