When is it time to end my cat's suffering?

I’ll ask the vet about the diagnosis again. But I’m not sure if it’ll do much good; I think he’s got a pleural effusion again (his belly moves with every breath) and he’s so lethargic. I’ve just spent the whole night crying. It feels like everything has just fallen apart in the space of a week.

I’d like to go back to the diagnosis; in my opinion, if it’s cancer, it’s not the same as heart failure. Cancer leaves very little hope, whereas with heart failure, we know that things will come to an end eventually, but that doesn’t necessarily justify putting them to sleep unless they’re facing one problem after another, obviously. So, I’d be more inclined to ask your vet to refine the diagnosis before you start considering end-of-life care. I feel that unless he has recurring pleural effusions or other issues linked to his heart failure (if that is indeed what it is), he’ll be able to keep going without any real trouble, besides having a fragile heart and probably lacking a bit of energy... I think, as others have already mentioned, the vet is in the best position to tell you what they believe the best solution is.

Hi everyone, I’ve booked another appointment with the vet for this morning. Garfield seems to be doing okay and doesn’t appear to be in any pain (he’s still out hunting and getting into scraps...) but... I know things aren’t going to get any better, but it’s such a heartbreaking decision to make and I don’t want to see him deteriorate. I’m absolutely devastated.

As for my girl, I had her put to sleep this morning 😔 I wanted her to go without suffering. I might have kept her for a few more days, but unfortunately, you never really know when they’re in pain, and with the effusion, she could have ended up suffocating. It was a heartbreaking decision to make, but I did it for her and not for myself 😔 I wish you so much strength, and I hope you’ll be alright 🙏

I looked after a friend's little cat who had a lung tumour. I’d set up a little spot in the coolest part of the house because the heat makes breathing even harder. After four days of treatments, diuretics and so on, I realised that eating was becoming such a struggle for her. The vet explained to me that a cat can't breathe and eat at the same time—it’s one or the other. What’s more, her chest was really heaving whenever she breathed, so I called the vet with my friend's consent. As soon as she was anaesthetised, her little heart stopped straight away, but the vet gave the final injection anyway just to be sure. It’s such a difficult decision to make, but don’t forget that cats rarely show when they’re in pain. I suffer from respiratory allergies myself, and I can promise you that not being able to breathe is incredibly painful; you’re exhausted, it’s traumatising and distressing, and your heart beats so fast you feel like it’s going to explode. We have the ability to not let our pets suffer, and euthanasia can be an act of love. Wishing you all the best and, as Blue Cat says, do have a chat with your vet about it.

Hi there, I’m in exactly the same boat as you. My cat had some fluid drained two weeks ago, but it’s slowly starting to come back. My vet has put her on steroids and diuretics to try and slow the fluid build-up as much as possible. Her breathing has been more laboured since the procedure, but she’s still eating a bit, drinking, purring, and spending plenty of time with us. It’s so difficult to know what the right thing to do is. To be honest, my vet didn’t give me much hope and told me to wait until she deteriorates further before having her put to sleep (specifically once she starts breathing with her mouth open), but I’m really not comfortable waiting for it to get to that stage. I don’t want her to suffer, so I just don’t know what to do! I’m constantly watching her breathing and I don’t dare leave the house for fear she might suffocate while I’m out... it’s such a heartbreaking decision to have to make and I’m sending you lots of strength. Please keep us updated.

Hi everyone, my cat passed away from pulmonary oedema (fluid on the lungs). When I brought her home after she’d had the fluid drained, she had stopped eating and was just sleeping all day; she was really struggling to breathe. I was syringe-feeding her with a nutritional gel I’d bought from the chemist, but I could clearly see she was suffering. On the third day, I came home and found her tucked away in a corner of the bathroom. I knew then that I had to make that incredibly difficult decision, and when the vet examined her, they told me she was already fading away. I let her spend those last few days in pain because I wasn't ready to let her go, and eleven years on, I still feel guilty about it. The symptoms @blue cat mentioned are the ones that should help you make that choice, and your vet is the best person to help you decide if it’s time to say goodbye.

It’s so hard to tell whether he’s in pain or not; he’s still hunting and eating... he’s just more tired. I’m constantly fixating on his breathing, but I really need to just give him some space. I’m going to take him back to the vet tomorrow or Tuesday to get some guidance, as it’s so difficult on your own, and I don’t want to be selfish if he is suffering.