Jack the cat is not well
 

well, its been years in the making. it started when Morgan our 24 year old cat died. He went kinda bonkers. He was easily stressed, quickly startled, and went quickly into bladder spasms. He was on the best of the best food, but the urine test showed crystals and they were ripping up his bladder. Also garbage was gathering in the bottom of his bladder, and it was turning into a cement sludge cause it couldnt completely pass thru the exit door. He would struggle and cry and his bladder grew huge from not being able to empty it. We made the horrible choice 3x to have a catheter sewn into place so he could pee. Then we put him on meds, and allowed him to rest. After the 3rd time we chose to have a reassignment of boy vs girl parts done. We had his male opening made into a female one. He didnt seem to care, except that he could empty his own bladder.

Fast forward almost 2 years. He has been in and out of the hospital. He has been on every med imaginable. He has been pampered, babied, and coddled. He has had accupuncture, accupressure, pills, ointments, shots, flushes, blood tests, urine removed by needle, and I could go on all day, but wont.

During the last few months, he hit a bad skid and we cant seem to pull him out of it. He dribbles bloody urine because his bladder wont calm down. He races to the box, drops several small loads and digs and throws sand as if its so painful each time. He gets injections for pain control constantly. He is constantly being manipulated, turned, poked, and has been hiding in the armoire as his safety net. We recently put him on a new pill, crossed our fingers and prayed. It seemed to be working till last night.

Jack has been up all night vomiting, urinating, dripping, wretching, dry heaving, and completely miserable. I gave him the max amount of pain meds, anti anxiety meds, wrapped him in a blanket from the dryer, and tucked him in the armoire after allowing him junk food for the first time in years.

I just cant think of a way past putting this little cat to sleep (18 pounds isnt little) and its cracking my heart in two. I have completely run out of ideas. He has seen 5 vets as a double check. He has been placed on meds, off meds, on creams, off creams, and we even paid for accupuncture. What else can I do? I cant let him live the next 5 years like this, nor can I expect it of my family. This cat is so loved, and we have gone more than the extra mile for him, but I think its time to put him down.

Does anyone have ideas? tips? tricks? news I dont know about? its a grasping at straws kinda day. I dont want to do any of this, but Jack the cat really needs me.

dry heaves? vomiting? That is what Sheba did in the end...
kidney failure.

Sad as it is, I myself would release Jack... it might be his time now anyway. You have my sincere condolences...it is a hard hard thing to do. But if you sense too much suffering, it is really the best thing overall. :hug::hug:

Dej, I'm so sorry. I know how hard this must be for you....and for poor Jack. He's suffered so much.

I desperately wish you could find a vet that would say "just do this" and it would work.

I suppose the only positive thing in all this is that Jack doesn't have to suffer needlessly or alone. Some folks just ignore their pets and they suffer silently until the end. I'm so thankful you're there for Jack and truly concerned for his well being.

Have you tried an holistic vet?

You're both in my prayers. :hug:

All I can think is it's time to let go.

(((((((Dej))))))).....Do what they do in the hosp, when you are in pain and near the end....A little extra Morphine to make him sleep and slip away.:hug:

Oh Dej...so sorry
 

Dej, Your baby is suffering. when my scruffy was laid out flat on his side in obvious pain. I granted him mercy as what I would have wanted for myself. He was 21 and I had a life on the road with him. I could no longer keep him alive for my benifit, for my feelings, for my needs. It came down to what he needed. He hurt terrible, his annal glad kept getting infected, and he couldn't go to the bathroom without pain eithor. No matter how many shots he gets, he is failing and hurting. Grant mercy Dej, and ask yourself what if it were you going through what he is. I still grieve and it has been a year. I have no regrets, as I did not want scruffy to suffer any more. I have had to do the same thing as you are facing with our babies failing health. I will pray for you both., And that your beloved pet doesn't hurt anymore. I do know you are in pain too over this Dej. I wish I could tell you something different than what I really feel. ginnie

If his kidneys are failing... there is nothing to do.
Cats given distemper vaccine sometimes develop autoimmune
kidney disease due to the cat kidney that was in the vaccine.

Once the kidneys start to fail, there are dry heaves, terrible nausea, weakness, and suffering. It can come very suddenly.
These crystals could have damaged his kidneys as well.

I know it is a terrible decision... guilt looms either way. But I know for ME... I felt terribly guilty when Sheba crashed...I thought I should have done it sooner. But she seemed to love the vacation we squeezed out of it. When I look at her portrait on vacation I don't see suffering. But one month home, and she really changed.

This is her that last summer-- 2010 I don't know if you can see it or not.
One of the vets who helped us that final day, said with her Creatinine level she should have been put to sleep in JUNE!
Dr. Brooks said we could take her on vacation! GUILT... no matter what you do, there is terrible guilt and tears. I am having tears just typing it out all over again!

One does what one has to do. You know better than any of us, in the final analysis, and you have to live with your decision either way.:hug::hug:

We are anticipating Oreo leaving soon. I watch her like a hawk all day long. But she seems to enjoy herself and still goes outside --like today it is sunny, for 20minute or so periods. She eats, and seems comfortable still, now past her projected life
with this intestinal mass. It will be a painful day, tho in the near future sometime for us, as well.

Dejibo,

House cats often die of high output kidney failure. They pee so much they are thirsty and dehydrated. The next step is subcutaneous fluids several times a day that Jack would not like.

Having watched one cat go through this and die on her own grating her teeth and then putting the next two to sleep before they got to that point, I think it's time.

I sympathize. It's a very personal and difficult decision.
ANN

I would try to put myself in your cats place. Would he/she want to go on living in such pain? Putting a wonderful furry member of the family down is the ultimate act of love.

Hi doydie
 

You said what I was trying to say. It is the ultimate act of love. ginnie

His last round of blood tests showed his kidneys to be just fine. I was shocked by that. He is better controlled now that he is on a mega dose of pain meds, and we dont have to make an emergency choice here. We can take a day or two to talk it over, discuss it, and get a few more opinions.

Tomorrow his God mother who goes to school at Tufts Veterinary college is going to bring him up to her professors and ask their advice. She will also talk to her boss a vet about his opinion. I will also call my own vet, and after we have gathered the whole picture of how bad this is or isnt, we will make a choice.

It isnt looking good for ol Jack tho. I think he is in pain on days that he doesnt get pain control, and that he stays stressed out, even tho this is the quietest house in town. His God mom has offered to come get him, and let him run free on her farm of 40 acres, but cats are well known to go missing out there, and fisher cats run wild as well as a tons of wild stuff that Jack knows nothing of. We are going to wait and hear what Tufts has to say, and then take a deep breath and do what is best for Jack. If that means putting him to sleep, then to sleep he will go.

For now, he is well medicated, happy to be snuggled in his blankie and tucked away in the armoire. He certainly cant live his life this way, but for the next day or two...its not such a bad thing while we figure out that we are not rushing to his judgment. DH is freaking out! If it were only on me, I would have taken him in first light, but DH will need hand holding, and some clear evidence from special folks that we have indeed done all we can and then some. He needs permission to let go. Such a good man deserves that. I am sure Tufts will tell him what the rest of us have already figured out.

Aww, Dej,:grouphug:

Jack looks so comfy in your pics...God blesses us with our pets, but they all eventually have to go Home, just as we do. But we usually make the decision for them, which is one of the most difficult things I've ever done...

I hope you get answers...either way, Jack has been in a home filled with love...

Re; just thinking about you
 

Hi this afternoon. I just wanted you to know that you and Jack are still in my prayers. :grouphug: ginnie

We are still fielding phone calls and allowing several vets to weigh in with their opinions. its not normal even for the condition he is dx with for him to go only a few days between episodes, so we are thinking that we may re investigate an Abdominal ultrasound to make double sure there isnt a tumor or stone in his bladder. A stone would keep him in pain, and answer many questions, but if its normal and shows nothing, we have lost nothing to peek.

We are also changing his meds to double check that we are getting the best effect from this course. These are the only two stones that have been left unturned in the giant field that has been this investigation.

He will need to wash off the amitrypilline and then start the new med in 5 or 6 days. It will then take another 2 weeks to one month to know if that med is working. Meanwhile we will have yes or no answers from the ultrasound. If both of these measures show a way to relieve this kitty we will be left with no choices.

So, for now he is on good pain meds, and is tucked away in his armoire. None of us feel its an emergency to put him down, but all agree that he cant live his life like this.

Thank you for the prayers. I will let you know what Tufts university has to say.

kitty love
 

:smileypray:The kind of love you feel for Jack is what I felt too. I am so glad he has been with you, and known the kind of life that is kitty paradise. I do believe animals go to heaven, because they have souls. any person who has had this kind of experience with a beloved friend knows "Jack" has a soul. I know you are doing all you can Dej. I won't stop my prayers. ginnie