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ribnag t1_j2133pe wrote

I absolutely love my cats and can't stand to think of them dying - But I can't stand the thought of them suffering even more.

If your cat is in constant terror and needs to be consoled frequently, she's suffering. And at 17 (and with other physical symptoms suggesting she may not be in the best of health), it's not like she has all that long left anyway.

You should probably talk with your vet about whether or not it might be time to send her over the rainbow bridge. If the vet says no way, she's fine, hey, forget I said anything! But don't make her suffer just because you can't bear to let her go, you'll regret that more than the alternative.

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murrimabutterfly t1_j2185wt wrote

We had this with one of our cats and our first dog.
The cat was severely ill. His kidneys were dying. With the right medication, he could have lived for about three more years. But he was vomiting constantly, totally incontinent, and rapidly losing weight. The decision was made to euthanize him.
With our dog, he was showing clear signs of severe lethargy and he had this hacking wheeze related to an enlarged heart. He’d stand still for several minutes straight and not respond to us at all. We made an appointment to take him is for a check up, but we knew that a 13 year old cockapoo showing these signs meant the end was coming. We were prepared to euthanize him if it came down to it.
He died of a heart attack two days before his vet appointment.
Pets are not forever. They’re real creatures with a finite lifespan. It’s better for them to go out in peace than struggle until their body gives out.

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Aug302015 t1_j21vk9w wrote

Its a tough pill for any owner to swallow , but you're absolutely right. Letting them go with grace and dignity is a final gift to our babies

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