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

C
Coco_fr Icon representing the flag French

Hi everyone,

My cat, Garfield, hasn’t been well since Wednesday. He had rapid breathing, so I took him to the vet on Thursday. The diagnosis was devastating: pleural effusion. He had to have the fluid drained.

It is apparently either cancer or heart failure, so it’s terminal.

He’s been back home since then. He was very lethargic on Friday; yesterday he seemed alright, but today he’s just not himself. He’s eating and sleeping a lot, but moving in slow motion...

I know I’m going to have to make a decision soon and it’s just heartbreaking.

He’s such a big presence in the house, a real 'velcro cat'. His name is Garfield and he certainly lives up to it—always full of mischief...

Translated from French
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    • Blue_Cat
    Blue_cat Icon representing the flag French
    Hello, The situation is critical. I’ve also noticed that vets nowadays never mention the word 'euthanasia' first; they wait for the owner to bring it up. If you ask your vet, 'Do you think putting him to sleep would be justified?' and they say yes, then it would be more sensible to make the decision without delay. Signs that the end is near include: loss of appetite, the cat not drinking anymore, having accidents, hiding away, not responding when called, and of course, respiratory distress. If Garfield has another episode of respiratory distress, it will be time to help him on his way, sparing him the suffering and the terrible stress of struggling for breath. Sending you strength; it’s a hard decision to make, but it’s the final act of love for your cat.
    Translated from French

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