time to say goodbye to my old friend??

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

    What a cruel twist of fate, no wonder you are numb.  My heart goes out to you.  I wish I had words to ease your pain but I know there are none. 

Rest easy Hobbles

[joeys]

Jiji and Sue, thank u. I am numb.  I have no more words but thank u for those kind thoughts.

[Jiji]

I am so very sorry to hear Hobbles was taken so unexpectedly, such a shock to have to come to terms with at any time let alone when Joey is so poorly and you are facing a difficult decision. My thoughts are with you 


Run free Hobbles.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

You're far from rambling.  I think all of us will be devastated at the turn of events which has been visited on you today, and I know when I lost our latest two babies, I was distraught to the point of not being able to think straight at all for a few days.      It's difficult for you to keep a brave face on things too when you have the children to look after. 

There's little we can say or do which will ease the pain of losing Hobbles and knowing that the time you have left with Joey is too short.  But we're all here for you.  If you want to share your thoughts and your feelings, or the memories you treasured and built with Hobbles and with Joey we're always here for you.

Purrs is an amazing community of people who, like you, love our cats beyond price and understand what you're going through better than most.

Our thoughts are with you tonight.   Swift journey over the Bridge,  Hobbles.   

[joeys]

Once again, thanks so much everyone.  You are all clearly devoted owners, and a great comfort to me.  Today has been unreal,  I have another cat that is the same age as Joey, Hobbles.  A very dear old quiet man compared to the cheeky Joey. Hobbles had slowed down this past few months, and the vet believed old age and general wear and tear of being a mighty hunter in his time. He was off his food yesterday (normal as he is fed also by a house a field away).  This morning I found a him gasping,  barely able to get a breath. Of course we rushed straight to vets,  (I cant believe I am typing this! this doesn't feel real!) by the time we got there it was obvious that there was nothing they could do.  The nice vet was fully expecting me to be carrying Joey through the door, not Hobbles.  She said we could try, but he was gravely ill, and we both knew each breath that he took was agony to him.   I said goodbye to the quiet gentleman, and now he rests under the apple trees beside the house.  I haven't had time to think today, as have 4 children and haven't sat.  In fact, this is the first time I have replayed whats happened only 5 hours ago.  He looked at me in a way that many have you have described, that 'let me go' look.  He was my mum's cat, she passed away 11 years ago,  so maybe they are together again. I still cant believe this, really cant.  And now, after seeing what happened today, I must not let Joey get to any pain stage, its too late to give them a peaceful passing when it comes to that pain stage.  sorry, I am waffling again, ranting and probably not making any sense.  What on earth happened , I don't know.  The vet said his lungs sounded dreadful and antibiotics were an option, but he had gone past that point of rescue.  Oh my heavens, so so shocked.  I am waiting to get all the kiddies off to bed then I will walk over to the apple trees to spend a bit of time there.  I am glad I found this website, because I certainly wouldn't have had the energy to sign up to a website and all today, I am glad to hear from you all.  Bless you. xx

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Joey's extremely handsome.  And clearly your real good buddy.  Fully understand how difficult it is to make such a decision, and whatever you decide, wishing you both well.   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Agree with Rosella

Napoleon who was 17 needed an urgent op without it he would have died, he only had one functioning kidney and suffered from seizures, they had to bring him back during the op and it was very very dodgy for him.
sadly I had to let him go about 2/3 weeks later. He just would not eat at all.

19 is a great age b ut would listen to your vets advice on this 

[Rosella moggy]

they aren't keen to operate as he is likely not to recover from being put under.  ............. His kidney/liver is also enlarged. 

The concern about operating is likely related to his other conditions rather than just his age Heather?  I know my brother's vet was very concerned about operating on Tango as his bloods showed liver problems 

[heather sullivan]

I would say if he has a quality of life, eating drinking and playing he is not ready to go.  My cat who is 19 needs a dental and they said for the  anaesthetic they would put her on a drip throughout as she has slightly raised kidney & liver levels to help flush it through her.  its a no go at the moment tho as I haven't got £300+ it would cost . Your cat isn't really that old to be an anaesthetic risk?
 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Gorgeous and a relative of my Misa 

[emmmy_lou]

Oh bless you both     

It is something I have yet to go through, and I dread having to make that decision.

Only you will know when its time to let go of your precious fella 

[Dawn F]

he is lovely and how clever to turn up at your door

[Rosella moggy]

Oh my!  Isn't Joey a handsome fella 

[joeys]

my old chum.

[joeys]

My goodness, what lovely people you all are, you have all left me in tears as I read all your thoughts, and I don't feel so alone.  I am so saddened though to read that some of you are facing the same, or have faced the same and know the feeling of 'what if? what if?'  I am new on here, and I hope my reply posts properly as I'm not sure if meant to do individual replies or group reply. Sorry, I am waffling. But this is for you all.  His name is Joey, a very cheeky stray that turned up in the snow as a teeny ball of fluff 16 years ago.  Anyone that has ever met the dude adores him as he is striking to look at, monstrously huge, and is carried like a parrot on my shoulder.  Adorable, cheeky,  spoilt, huffy, funny, trouble maker, are only a few of the words I can use to describe this old fella.  But to see this new symptom of a bleeding eye is so disturbing, there MUST be pain.  My head says one thing, my heart says another.  Oh, the very idea of lifting the phone to ring the vet is gut wrenching.  I really believed we would have him for another few months, even though the vet says to go 'week by week'.  Again, I have read all your responses, I cant thank you all enough for sharing your experiences and thoughts with me.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Such a heart breaking thing but you know your old dude the best and if you think it is time and he looks at you in that way that says I have had enough, then probably it is time.

If he is still enjoying life despite the problems then maybe  a few more days or weeks.

What ever time you have left together treasure it and love him. 

We have a saying here, a week too early is better than a day too late.

Whats his name by the way?

[Dawn F]

another one here in the same boat, my oscar has a stomach mass, he has just had another steriod injection but we are pretty sure it will be his last, I don't want him to start feeling ill our vet has advised once he stops going outside through choice that is probably the time

[Rosella moggy]

Oh Kay    You put it so well 

People refer to it as a last kindness and it truly is.

Whatever you decide "Joeys", you obviously care deeply for your boy and you will know, better than anyone else, when your much loved lad no longer has sufficient quality of life   

[Kay and Penny]

I'm going through this at the moment too, and I know - boy do I know - how hard it is

my Trigger has a fibrous sarcoma which has left one of his back legs almost useless, but apart from finding it extremely difficult to move he is seemingly perfectly well

but I find myself asking - what am I waiting for? until he cannot move at all to find his food or use the litter tray, which would be very distressing for him? or until he gets ill, stops eating, is in constant pain (which he may be in already, as they hide it so well)

the answer of course is I have been waiting for my sake, not his, because I am not ready to say goodbye - but I never will be until he is at his last gasp, and we have a crisis - and if I leave it until then I will feel even more guilty for waiting

we have the power, if we are lucky, to arrange a good death for our beloved cats, and we mustn't duck it just to postpone our certain pain, at risk of causing them more

[Liz]

We had an old feral Miss gracie who came to us for the last 4 years of her life she ended up with an inoperable tumour in her ear and the steroids gave us another glorious 9 months with out old tortie gal who even tamed down to touch and loved her chin rubs, one Saturday morning when feeding them she looked at me with her gorgeous eyes and said sorry Mum but today is the day

Broke my heart but she went to the vet that morning and passed peacefully with her Daddy and I telling her how much we loved her and wanted her to stay but we knew she had a date with the other Clan cats at the bridge

We fought a hard fight but in our hearts kinew we gave her the passing she wanted surrounded by love and tears


Thats my experience and having lost another of my borrowed time torties in Miss Millie diabetic just 5 weeks ago and my brain damaged feral McKenzie 10 days ago know exactly where you heart and mind is 

[joeys]

Hi all.  Just sat here trying to avoid thinking what I am thinking!  My faithful old chum is 16,  and has cancer on his ear, which is pretty much eaten away now.  We have been back and forward to vet , they aren't keen to operate as he is likely not to recover from being put under.  So he is given steroids every month.  His eye also bulges out, his pupil doesn't behave the same as the 'normal eye'.  They believe a tumour is behind the eye.  His kidney/liver is also enlarged.  BUT, he seems ok, eats, plays, chasing birds, and is as annoying as ever.  :-) . But once the steroids wear off, his slows down again.  What really has brought me to my thoughts lately, is that his eye is bleeding.  Not meaning around the eye, like a scratch or something, but from behind his eye, blood comes out on and off.  Please guys, if he was yours, and even though you see him playing and being a cheeky old dude, would you let him go now?  I feel I may see the vet tomor, the steroids hasn't lasted as long as they have been.  I am just so afraid of letting him go too soon.  Anyone had the same experience?  Many thanks.