Senior Cat Health Issues

[Leosrexsmom]

Hello all. I've only posted once, a couple of weeks ago, so still new here. I just wanted someone to listen I guess. I have a 17.5 yr. old cat. Thankfully, except for the last two years of his life, he was in good, normal health. He was diagnosed a year ago with an overactive thyroid and medication has controlled that well until a couple of weeks ago and medication had to be adjusted. Will be retested in six weeks to checks levels. In June last year he was diagnosed with kidney disease which is being treated with subcutaneous fluids three times a week. He wants no part of prescription food, so the dietary issues have been a struggle. Doing the best I can with that. He's picky and at the end of the day it is more important that he eat. He had a two month long ear infection from end if October thru December. He also had a mass in his ear thst was removed in September, but that is now growing back. A radical surgery to remove the ear canal is the only way to prevent recurrence. I don't think putting him thru that is humane. All of these things have been treated and managed for the last year. When he feels good he is alert, loves to eat and loveable. I want to fix everything but I can't. Will I know when the time is right and that he's had enough? I can't even think about it without crying. We've had a really tough end of 2020 and beginning of 2021. Thanks for listening. I'm just so sad about ut.

 

[neely]

You have my sincere sympathies but this is a decision only you can make in the best interest of your cat. You can also discuss your thoughts with your vet. It's perfectly alright to want to voice your concerns here since many of us have asked this same question. We completely understand what you're going though and are here for support.

I think this Article about making the difficult decision may have some helpful information for you:
When Is It Time? – Making The Difficult Decision – TheCatSite Articles

Sending special thoughts to you.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So sorry you and your guy are going through all of this. Have you compared the kidney food with other foods, just to see what, if any differences, there are? Also, don't know whether you looked through Tanya's website, but if not, maybe it would help out from the perspective of food? I am pretty sure you were given the link to it before, but here it is again anyway: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Cat (felinecrf.org)

Does the mass in his ear cause any pain? If not, let it be. If it can cause pain, maybe you might consider a small dose of some sort of pain med as time passes and the mass grows. And, if it's prone to causing an infection, you could always give him antibiotics periodically.

No one can be sure when the right time is, but I think he will tell you in his own way. Loving to eat is a very, very good sign that he has got some more 'fight' in him, IMO! Feeby is 16+yo, diagnosed with hyperthyroidism a few months back - waiting for the bombshell regarding kidney issues since they can be unmasked once H-T treatment begins. She has her good days and her not so good days, but I think she will let me know when it is time. And, she is certainly not doing that yet!

 

[fionasmom]

My longest lived cat, Granada, who passed at over 17 had a mass in the ear. For as long as it was manageable, could be cleaned and maintained, I let her be. Eventually it did become large and bloody....although I am not saying that the mass in your cat's ear is the same cause....and I let her go then as it was affecting her quality of life. I also had a cat before her who had skin cancer deep in the ear and had the canal and part of his scalp removed....he was much younger and lived for many years earless....but it was a major surgery and he did not feel great for part of the recovery.

I do think that your cat sounds as if there is still more time with you.....

 

[neely]

In addition, I thought this very detailed quality assessment from the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center might be helpful. Note: the questions asked at the bottom of the page in the chart:
https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/defau...ionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf