Turning To The Community For Euthanasia Support And Advice.

Hello everyone. I first want to preface this story with the fact that I am mortified, embarrassed, angry, and a whirlwind of emotions about my abilities as a cat owner during the time I ask for this. I say this because it is a huge part of why I have turned to you all for guidance and support (or honest ridicule if that is what I need). I am fighting a really hard battle in my head and it is sincerely breaking my heart because making this choice is admitting my complete failure as a cat father, and I am not sure I can come to terms with it.

I have a 9 year old Maine Coon named Chloe. He (yes it is a male) has been with me since he was 2 weeks old. Long story short, my wife found him abandoned in some brush along side a road - thinking it was a baby crying - and immediately brought him home to adopt. At 2 weeks the Vet told us he was a female - turns out testicles don't drop until 8 weeks I guess - and thus the name. Chloe and I instantly became inseparable. I have never really been a cat person, but he changed every perception I ever had about owning a cat.

To keep this as short as possible, Chloe has chronic constipation - he backs up at least once or twice a year and needs Vet intervention to clear it. This particular time we did not catch it fast enough for reasons of travel and in true honesty not paying as close attention as we should have. He wasn't showing the same signs as he usual does, but knowing where I am now with him, I have no one to blame but myself for not catching it. Because of the severity, It appears he has not been eating either - for quite some time - at least over a week or two. Again, no one to blame, but we have a second cat who has been eating from his dish as well as her own - so we did not pick up on it. He had no real behavioral differences until they attempted to unclog him. That was Friday. Since we brought him home he has faded very quickly. He can no longer hold his head up, stand up, will not eat, will not go #2 (does urinate) and just from an owner perspective seems like he is dying. The Vet is not confirming this. In fact today at the vet appt I asked point blank if he was fighting for his life and she said she does not believe so yet. I am really struggling with her statement. It is extremely apparent that he as Fatty Liver. The Vet also did not officially confirm or test for it, but there is no doubt. He has every symptom - and severely.

Now for the second part of my poor ownership. Over the last two days I have said yes to everything that the Vet has wanted to do to help him. We have been to the vet 3 times in two days, and within those two days I have drained every resource of savings and expendable cash I have few a couple hundred dollars. I did not even hesitate to approve any test or treatment they suggested. I am completely in the camp of if you don't have appropriate funding to care for a pet you shouldn't be responsible for one, but here I am embarrassingly finding myself in that position.

To the question or debate I am having. I am not sure what his chance of recovery is, but there are two major factors at play. One being the Fatty Liver, and the other being his constipation. I am force feeding with a syringe right now, but giving him food is going to make the constipation worse. They can't seem to get the feces out, and I think we may be looking at surgery to do so. But financially I am not going to be in a position to afford a feeding tube/IV for a few weeks now. My Vet does not offer payment options, and I have maxed out my PetCare card through all of this as well.

At this point I look at him and lose it emotionally because I can see him deteriorating in front of me with no way to help him. I know my Vet is going to advise against putting him to sleep but it is killing me watching him like this, knowing I can't do anything about it. The owner in me says sell your furniture, sell your TV, take out a bank loan, do whatever you can - but the other side of my brain says I have to be responsible for my family too (wife and son). I am really struggling right now if I should even consider putting Chloe to sleep. Really struggling. I am so fearful that I will and it will be premature and I later figure out I could have saved him. I am also so fearful that I basically try to hospice him until I can financially afford to give him what he needs - and he has a very difficult life during that process. I don't know what to ask really, but I am pleading for this post to give me something that helps. I really thank you all for your consideration and support in advance.

Welcome to TCS albeit under difficult circumstances. I'm probably asking the obvious but here goes - did your vet run a complete blood panel? I sympathize with you and your circumstances since many pet owners are or have been through a similar experience.

Do you know specifically why the vet told you she feels Chloe is not fighting for his life or confirm that he is dying? Out of curiosity, is PetCare the same as CareCredit which others have found useful in this situation? Healthcare Financing Credit Card | CareCredit My first thought is that you should see another vet for a 2nd opinion since Chloe's health issue does sound serious but if you don't have the financial resources to do this it may present a problem. Do you live near or within driving distance to a major university with a veterinary medical teaching hospital? Frequently they will see patients for a lesser fee and are extremely understanding and knowledgeable.

I'm bumping your post up in the hope that other members will read it and offer advice. My best wishes to you, I'm so terribly sorry for what you are going through and sending special thoughts your way.

I lost my orange tabby William to fatty liver about three years ago. I didn't see the warning signs until the very end, so I completely empathize with you on that guilt. However, you need to put that aside and focus on the situation at hand.

You need to have a very honest conversation with your vet. Be frank with the fact that you are at the end of your financial availability. If they believe that Chloe has a chance to survive, then I would ask if they are willing to allow you to work out a payment plan. If they are not willing to do that, then ask them where you can go that will. If they are not willing to have that conversation with you, start making some phone calls.

You are going to be in the middle of a vicious cycle. He has to eat. The more he eats, the more he is likely to be constipated. He needs something to help him with this. Have you tried puréed pumpkin or slippery elm to help?

It sounds as if he needs fluids and meds to help him. Had the vet done any of this? Has he had fluids? Has he had meds? What is his course of treatment?

You are the only one that can advocate for your cat. He cannot do it for himself. I feel like a crazy person when I go into a vet's office with a notebook of things I've observed about my cat and symptoms I believe I've seen. If you don't feel that your current vet is doing their very best for Chloe, then by all means get a second opinion.

I wish you the best of luck.

Did the vet give him anything for the constipation? You said he's a Maine Coon, do you think he could have a blockage from hairballs? I have to give my long-haired girl hairball treats or paste 3 times a week. They also make hairball foods with high fiber in them. When he went off his food, was it the same brand that he had always been eating in the past?

I agree that you baby need Meds and IV Fluids. If not IV then sub-cutananeous fluids, daily... along with meds for liver disease. That is caused by not eating for so long...
If she has not pooped, The poop needs either to be manually removed (under anesthesia) or more enemas.. He needs intensive care at a good Vet.. I think she needs to be monitored. If not by his Vet than at home--very closely..You really need to know what her liver function is at this point, and her renal function.. that may help you make any decisions...

She also needs to have some meds for his bowel; an appetite stimulant and possibly something for nausea.. and there has to be other drugs for his liver.

If you have an Emergency Vet, I would not hesitate to take her in there. They are able to provide all of this. Yes, expensive.. Believe me, I know..

If there is a Vet school near you, then they should have an ER..

If you, and your Vet do not feel that Chloe is not strong enough to withstand all this treatment or if the treatment is too costly for you.... then, you have to seriously think about what is in her best interest.. to be sick, and not get help, ultimately going to the Rainbow Bridge; to try treatment; or to just alleviate all her suffering by putting her down...It is an extremely hard choice to make..

Wishing you the best... and sending tons of love and strength...((hugs))

A distressing situation for you and Chloe for sure. Did the vet successfully dislodge poop? Or am I to understand that the "attempted to remove" means that they didn't get it?

My cat Booberry has this difficulty as well and the last time it was an issue, it was several days in the emergency vet. The gave him a constant drip of a super concentration of Miralax basically (polyethylene glycol) through his nose and into his tummy. He also got anti-nausea medication at the same time. It took a long time-several days to clear.

He has to eat. That's the primary thing right now and so I would recommend Hills A/D which is an urgent care vet food. Very high calorie and mushy. Mix 1/2 a can with enough warm water to make a slurry and syringe feed him as you can. You probably know how, but make sure the syringe goes in the side of his mouth and not so much that he chokes or throws it back up. Try to get 1/2 a can into him.

Call Care Credit and see if they will extend your credit for the kitty's medical needs.

I'm not sure I understand what the vet is doing/did or stopped.

If your kitty survives this, you might want to talk to the vet about cisapride. Two times a year for medical intervention probably indicates that your cat has on-going constipation at all times. Cisapride is compounded into a liquid that you give to the cat every 12 hours. It helps keep the gut moving.

I truly absolutely did not believe this would work, because dry food is such a big no no with constipated cats, but the er vet recommended Royal Canin feline gastrointestinal fiber response food. Her recommendation was that would be the only thing. I don't do that though. He gets a 1/2 can of wet food mixed with 1/4 teasp dissolved miralax and then about an 1/8th cup of the special dry. Poops like a champ.

What I did learn is that constipation is an issue about gut bacteria and fiber ratio--not just moisture and not just fiber but all the things working together. this page helped me Constipated Cats | Little Big Cat

I know the follow up info about care after isn't your top concern right now. I'm so sorry you are stuck in a terrible place with this situation.

Maybe you could get a second opinion at another vet? If it's constipation, there are things they can try. When my cat was constipated, she didn't feel like eating either.

You are going through the grieving process early. I just lost my beautiful boy yesterday to cancer and he had the same symptoms as yours, to see them deteriorate daily is the biggest heartache imaginable.You cannot jeopardize your families finances for something that may very well be incurable. Get that second opinion to try to alleviate some of your fears and ask them point blank what they think the prognosis is and if this is something that will get progressively worse and cause extreme suffering. Bring all your notes and ask for test results, etc. from your first vet to bring along. You don't want to pay for repeat tests. By all means try Miralax, 1/4 teaspoon mixed in a little egg yolk or anything to get down him, or any of the other remedies offered. But there there comes a time when you look into those beautiful eyes and know what you have to do....end that suffering. It will hurt, it is hurting you now, but you have given him 9 years of love and a life he most likely wouldn't have had because of his problems. There will always be those doubts and should have, could haves, that is a given with grieving. You have done what you can. and that is way more than most could and would do. Don't prolong a suffering and a life that just exists instead of living. Only you will know when this is, but look into those eyes and ask, it will be there. I saw it in the eyes of my beautiful boy right before he passed, don't wait until the suffering becomes too unbearable. I'll pray for you and your precious boy, that he gains the release from bodily pain, and you gain the release from the pain in your soul. Please keep in touch, we'll be here......