Topic: Putting my cat down

[Hush]

I've had Neko for 23 years, my son brought her home on the handlebars of his bike one rainy day in 1988. He was soaked and the cats was starving, had been abandoned by a family who just moved out and left her to fend for herself.
Well Neko (so named because at the time my kids were both studying Japanese=Neko means Cat) became part of the furniture, she hated people, vets, my dogs, my ex wife, grand children just about anything but food.
She has outlasted 2 dogs 1 wife and the kids both grew up and moved away, she does kind like my partner Jaffa though so she is mellowing.
But after all this time she has developed arthritis, has nose cancer, no teeth (I hand feed her) and has just developed the disturbing habit of emptying her bladder on the floor.
She's lying in the hallway as I write this, blissfully unaware that I have made a final trip appointment with the vet for this afternoon, she's sleeping off the huge (guilt ridden) plate of raw meat she loves that I fed her for breakfast. It's a hard thing to do but I think maybe for Neko's sake it's time I stopped being selfish and let her go peacefully.
I've got a nice shady spot she loves to sleep in in the garden picked out for her to rest in...damn I'm crying.....bloody pets!

[my78k]

I hear ya Hush. Hits close to home....my oldest dog Sydney is 13 and going down hill quickly. We too know the time is coming but we have decided that as long as her quality of life is ok we will keep it going. It's getting harder though since the seizures are getting closer together and she too has a bladder problem.

23 years though is LONG time for a pet. Cherish the memories and know that you are doing the right thing for her...

Dennis

[BeSeeingYou]

You have given her a long and wonderful life so take some solace from that.  23 years is exceptional for a cat so it's obvious she has had a very loving owner.  Been through this many times myself and it is always heart wrenching.

[switchum]

  As a fellow cat lover, it was hard for me to read your post. I sure hate to think the day would come for me and my cats someday.
  Neko is a happy cat though, she has a real nice owner, who picked the ideal place for her to rest. She knows you love her dearly.

   She might still sit on your chest while you sleep.

   My condolences, Hush.

   

[MoMo]

Feel for you Hush, I've had to do that twice.   Cried both times, like you I  had a place in the back yard for their resting place. There comes a time when it is the kindest thing to do for your pet...Larry

[azuredesign]

I had to do it twice in 3 weeks in 2007, one of the worst experiences I have had. Sorry to hear it's time.

[mick750F]

   I feel for you brother. I've been through it with cats, dogs and all sorts of lesser beings...I'm not talkin' humans right now. Feel good that you're making the right decision at the right time. The last thing you want to do is drag it out too long and regret that you did. Understand that you're appreciating the quality of their life by making the decision. Hang in there Hush, it gets better after a while.

Mike

[petercb750]

Hey Hush - understand what you're going thru mate. It's not easy, and tears at the heartstrings, but what you're doing in best for the old girl - you'd rather this than see her in pain and suffering.

We have an old cat too, that I used to dislike intensely, but as it's got older she has developed a very likeable character and she is now my shadow. Like you, I will be in tears when she goes for sure.

One of our dogs a few years ago was about to be loaded into the car for its final trip, I went out to get the car out of the garage, I was in tears, the mrs was in tears, by the time we got back inside to wrap her up and take her she had died - to this day we swear that she knew and saved us the agony.

Hang in there mate, feelin for ya.
Peter.

[Trav-i]

Hush,

I've been there a couple of times, always in tears too.  It's awesome how you gave her such a great life, I have a cat with a simillar story too.  Here is a poem that someone gave us when we put our last cat down, it made things a little easier for me.

 The Rainbow Bridge
inspired by a Norse legend
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.

Where the friends of man and woman do run,

When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

On this golden land, they wait and they play,

Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,

For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.

Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,

Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,

Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.

All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,

Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;

Together again, both person and pet.

So they run to each other, these friends from long past,

The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,

Has turned into joy once more in each heart.

They embrace with a love that will last forever,

And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
 
 

[78 k550]

Sorry about your loss.

Paul

[ev0lve]

We adopted an older cat. Had him five years. I couldn't believe the sounds that came out of me when I got home with the news he was going to die. Didn't think I was capable of that kind of grief. For anything or anyone.

A friend of 23 years. A serious loss.

[Hush]

Hey cheers guys, real glad to hear I'm not the only rough gruff biker who has a damn good howl when the need is greatest.
I carried her into the surgery and the vet mixed up his stuff, I was stroking her gently while he did a small shave on one of her front legs to put the shot in, she was really amazingly calm and yet for a change her eyes were bright like when she was a kitten, he put the needle in real gentle and in a breath she just collapsed, man that stuff is quick, I think I suffered more than poor old Neko at that moment.
Brought her home, hard to drive when you are streaming tears behind your sunglasses, put her cat cage down, Berley came out to see his old mate, don't think he could understand why she wasn't hissing at him as he was right up in her face.
I put her in a real nice shady place (hard to dig while you are weeping buckets, thankfully I was home alone at this stage)  where no one will disturb her ever.
Hey cheers for the support guys, it means a lot.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Hush,

Sorry it had to be done. I had to do the same with my Squeaky at 15 years old. Great friend. He knew it was time and it was painless (for him). Hang in there.

[xedge4lifex]

[Retro Rocket]

I feel for you Hush, had to do the same thing a couple of times now and it never gets any easier.....Chin up mate..

Mick

[dave500]

its pretty tough,i had an old dog put down years ago,he was 12,you really bond in that time.

[demon78]

Sorry Hush it's a bugger, I've had to do it many times and it doesn't get easier, Lady Mcbeth our cat we've had 16 years she was going to one of the barn cat's that was culled years ago, she's at the end and sleeping most of the day now, we thought we'd lost her last year, she'd been in hell of a fight and was going down hill, till one day she was outside and a red squirrel got to close, three days later a chipmunk the next week another red squirrel and she was  back on top of the world, at that point she'd resumed dawn patrol, start at the front  then to the garden at the back drink out of the wheel barrow the green and gungy water had better flavor there, around the house to the drive way down the driveway about 300 yards cut across the next driveway and up into the bush and eventually back to the back deck where she'd pick on the door gasket and come in for a nosh,  then winter came and she hates snow, every morning for months we'd go to the front door when I got up and she'd check to see if that nasty #$%* was still on the ground breath the cold air shake her head and turn around and #$%* at me for food, it's been a long winter and I've been hoping she hangs on until the ground is soft enough to dig, taking a pick to frozen ground is a pain any how I and my wife think she's the last pet we'll have, I think I can stand one more death of a pet then that's it, at this stage of my life it wouldn't be fair to the critter to get another then die on them, it leaves your partner in an awkward situation and if your partner dies who looks after the cat or are they abandoned or put down.
Bill the demon.

[medic09]

Sorry you had to do this Hush; even though it was clearly the right time and right thing for her.  I have cried copiously when we've put down each of our cats or dogs over the years.  It leaves a hole in the heart to lose such companions.

[Hush]

Cheers guys, seems I hit a common thread with most on here, they are more than pets, they are little parts of our lives that get interwoven into our hearts and minds.
My late Dad loved cats and never failed to play with Neko when he came to visit us, I have a nice vision of Neko curled up somewhere on his knee right now getting spoiled rotten with pats.

[Don R]

Been there a few times myself, our retriever would be 22 years old today. Over the years 5 cats four dogs. We have one cat now he's a good one. We're starting to think about another dog, maybe not yet.

[Lenny55]

Sorry for your loss Hush.

The hardest thing I've ever done was taking my dog Molly for that last car ride to the vet's office.  It was time, her quality of life wasn't very good anymore, and you could see that she was in pain sometimes.

Though I knew it was the right thing to do and the best thing for her, it took me a long time to get over the fact that I had to say to the vet "Ok, i guess it's time for the needle". 

My eyes are full of tears as I write this.  Sorry man, Lenny.

[Hush]

I can easily relate Lenny, my old dog Rusty was the best dog I've had bar none, he was smart, never bit anyone, never needed to be fenced in, just sat at our gate waiting for family to come home.
If I could clone a dog I would clone Rusty, part terrier part Labrador I think but he was a give away from some guy leaving the country and all I know is he was smart and kind.
Quality of life is what it comes down to in the end, we would like to keep them forever but we just gotta let them go for their sake I guess.

[Lenny55]

It's true. Hard but true.  Who knows? Maybe there really is a Rainbow Bridge.

Terrier/lab mix eh?  Sounds like a helluva mix!

[BobbyR]

My condolences, I have had to do this twice and am looking at a third time. I cannot read the posts as the would be too upsetting. All I can say is my deepest sympathy.

[apex_seeking]

I feel your loss Hush.

When I was 18 I adopted a dog from the pound. Her an I went everywhere. Best dog in the world (sorry but I'm biased). I had to put her down a few weeks back and I still get that sting every now and again.