My cat, the love of my life, is not doing well and I have to make the horrible decision of whether to put her down or not.
She’s old. Her age is unknown (adopted 2 yrs ago) but it’s estimated to be around 14. She has kidney failure and has been receiving treatment for about 9 months. The kidneys are really bad and the treatment has not “fixed” it but it has been effective in the sense that kidneys have been stable.
Problem: about two weeks ago, her right eye started getting bloody. The doctors said it’s due to high blood pressure. After all the treatments, the eye got worse and now my poor baby has developed glaucoma. The blood pressure came down a little but it’s still high.
Decision
Option 1: Removing the eye: given her physical condition, her chances of surviving the surgery/recovery are 50/50 %.
Her vet said she may have about six months to live after the surgery.
Option 2: Putting her to sleep.
I cant decide. Please help, SOON.
What makes it hard for me is that she’s still eating and enjoys her tummy rubs and purrs when I hug her. If she was in a lot of pain she would stop eating and go hide is some corner….I keep asking what if she were to live another year or more if I do the surgery? Kindney failure is actually not painful; it’s more like a silent killer. It’s just the surgery may have complications. But it may not. I just don’t know what to do.
I have got 4 opinions. Glaucoma in cats is not treatable like it is in humans especially when the cat is already blind (mine was blind when I adopted her). The eye has to come out because it’s pain if it doesn’t. So it’s either risk the surgery or let her go.
My problems is that I do know if SHE is ready to leave. I’m willing to do whatever she wants only if she could talk and tell me. I would never keep her alive if she is suffering and I know she would tell me if she was ready to go. I don’t she’s ready to go yet because she’s eating, purring, using her litter box…it’s just that the outcome of surgery may not be good.
Oops, I meant "my problem is that I DON’T know if she is ready to leave"…
Technorati Tags: 9 months, Cat, Cats, decision option, doctors, glaucoma, high blood pressure, kidney failure, kidneys, Litter Box, Love, love of my life, option 1, poor baby, Risk, silent killer, six months, sleep, surgery recovery, vet
