We lost a member of our family yesterday

[Oracle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Oracle]

We had to put one of our cats to sleep yesterday afternoon

She was an old cat, almost 17 years old, but it was still a shock. One of our other cats has been dealing with chronic kidney failure and we were focusing on him, we didn't see this one coming. Last Thursday we noticed that she was withdrawn and quiet. We took her to the vet on Friday and the vet said that she was in acute kidney failure (what is it with the damn kidneys?) and he put her in the animal hospital to put some fluids in her and to do an ultrasound. The test was inconclusive. Yesterday, they said that she was going into heart failure and had fluid in her lungs so we had her put to sleep. I feel bad that she had to spend her last couple of days with caring strangers in a scary environment. I think that it would have been kinder to have her put to sleep on Friday morning, but then hindsight is 20/20. I guss we put her in the hospital more for our kids than for her. She was their first pet, we got her the Christmas after we moved into our own house. They had wanted a pet for years, but I didn't want to deal with pets while we were renting. As it turned out, she was a puker for the 16 and a half years we had her. I now look at the stains she left on the carpet much differently.

Color me sad today.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

i am sorry to hear about the loss of your cat. we have a dog, and a cat, and they are truly members of our family. we would be heart broken if anything were to happen to them.......

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Same here.

Our cats mean a lot to us, too. I know we drive some of our visitors nuts because we don't like them disturbing our cats! That's kinda hard when a 2-year-old and 7-year-old are running around yelling!

Our little girl cat, Sissy, is at least 15, and doesn't weigh anything. But she has outlived a bunch of boy cats. She curls up in my armpit every night until I fall asleep and then she goes somewhere else. When I wake up in the morning she reappears.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I'm teribbly sorry to hear about your cat...we lost one of ours a year and a half ago and he too was the healthy one.

I hope that this link helps you and the rest of your family a little bit:
http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

So sorry to hear about your loss?

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Sorry to hear about your cat. Our cat is 17 years old as well and I don't know how much longer she will be around. I still miss the cat we had to put to sleep 12 years ago.

Sharon

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved cat. Do follow the link that Lawren2 posted about the Rainbow Bridge. Someone sent it to me when we had to put our Sammie (black Lab) down several years ago, and when we had to put her daughter, Jodie down a few years later. It's hard to lose our four legged friends, because they are family members, not just 'pets'. Remember your little one and all the good memories you had of her.

[sreiml8 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sreiml8]

I lost two Yorkies to kidney failure this year. They always loved me best. I know how you feel for your old friend. We share that.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

We had to put one of our cats to sleep yesterday afternoon

She was an old cat, almost 17 years old, but it was still a shock. One of our other cats has been dealing with chronic kidney failure and we were focusing on him, we didn't see this one coming. Last Thursday we noticed that she was withdrawn and quiet. We took her to the vet on Friday and the vet said that she was in acute kidney failure (what is it with the damn kidneys?) and he put her in the animal hospital to put some fluids in her and to do an ultrasound. The test was inconclusive. Yesterday, they said that she was going into heart failure and had fluid in her lungs so we had her put to sleep. I feel bad that she had to spend her last couple of days with caring strangers in a scary environment. I think that it would have been kinder to have her put to sleep on Friday morning, but then hindsight is 20/20. I guss we put her in the hospital more for our kids than for her. She was their first pet, we got her the Christmas after we moved into our own house. They had wanted a pet for years, but I didn't want to deal with pets while we were renting. As it turned out, she was a puker for the 16 and a half years we had her. I now look at the stains she left on the carpet much differently.

Color me sad today.

Oracle, so sorry to hear about your cat and I also know how you feel as we have gone through it too many times already. Also, leaving the cat at the hospital makes it even harder as you may feel guilty about that but you did your best trying to save your furry friend. They are so precious.

Our cat is also 17 years old and I dread having to go through it again but he is fine right now. Take care.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Oracle, so sorry to hear of your loss. It is so sad to lose a beloved pet. I wish you comfort at this sad time.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Oh gosh, I remember losing our 17 year old cat a few years ago...that was very hard... they do become family members, don't they??? Sorry to hear of your loss....
Connie

[TravelBug Member Find all posts View Profile Close TravelBug]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved cat. They are family and I don't even want to think about what we'll go through when that time comes. We are also dealing with the early stages of renal disease (14 1/2 years old), including extremely high blood pressure. We were very fortunate it was caught early and other than the blood pressure meds, it's currently under control via special diet.

Our vet recommends a blood panel as part of the routine yearly physical once they turn 10 and IMO it's well worth it, as we wouldn't have caught it otherwise. She exhibits absolutely no symptoms of her illness. Her sister is healthy as a horse and we hope both will be with us many, many more years to come.

Ingrid

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

So sorry to hear about your loss. It's especially hard when they go rather suddenly. I've never stopped grieving for any of my pets but life does go on and the pain gets less each day.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

So sorry for you and your family having this loss....and I know what you mean about viewing the stains differently...any sign of how intertwined our lives are with our pets, become sweet reminders.

[marcmuff Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close marcmuff]

So sorry for your loss! It is so devastating to lose a pet!