When To Let Go?
Since all five of my cats have existed on a dry-food only diet for the last 12 years, it caused a great flurry of activity when I opened the first can. Meows and ankle rubbing were in great supply, until I picked Beast Boy up and carried him, as well as the bowl of food, into the mud room and shut the door. If cats could talk, I would have been on the receiving end of some very nasty comments!
Six months later we have settled into a routine. Beastie Boy sits and wait patiently on the counter while I open the can. It's almost as if he knows it's going to him anyway so why bother with the formality of trying to get into my good graces. Miss Kitty and Fuzzball wait on the floor (meowing, of course) until I spoon a small bit out of the can and give it to them. Kaiser lost interest in the can a while ago, while Friend comes upstairs (the same time everytime!) and waits for me to open the door to the mud room so she can claim the leftovers.
I watched Beastie Boy and noticed he lost even more weight. I continued to brush his fur because it kept matting. I knew these were not good signs but I tried to ignore it.
Two weeks ago Beastie Boy went for his checkup. Steve took blood and called me a few days later. "It doesn't look good," he told me. "The disease is so far advanced that there's nothing left to do." He explained that Beastie Boy's urine was completely clear. I asked if there was another change of diet to try, however he said it really would't do any good. "Give him what he wants to eat," he said. I took that as a confirmation that his time was near.
I asked if he was in pain. He stated that he genuinely felt Beastie Boy was not in pain, but that he probably didn't feel "good." I asked the final question. "What do you recommend?"
John and I discussed it and we cannot come to an agreement at this time. He thinks we should euthanize Beastie Boy before he gets any worse. I cannot bring myself to do it. Call me selfish, but I want my cat around for as long as he is able. Last year at this time we had to put down
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