Should I have my cat put to sleep? (eating, rug, kidney)
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My cat is around 19 years old. I've had her since she was about six months old. She was always an indoor-outdoor cat. Lately, she does not want to go out, but she also will not use the litter pan!
(although she has from time to time in the past)
She is peeing and pooping on the rug in my living room. This is the third rug I will have to throw out, because it just cannot be cleaned any more. The stench is horrendous, and the urine is soaking into the wood floors.
I thought about keeping her in a cage, with a small litter pan and food and water. However, I have no room for a cage in my 620 square foot house. I could put it on the floor, but she would not be able to look outside, and I have three dogs that would probably harass her from time to time. Right now she stays in the kitchen 99.9% of the time, laying on her bed in front of the window and walking over two feet to her food bowl on the counter.
I work full time, so cannot be there all day.
I really don't know what to do. I just CANNOT stand the stench anymore; it is permeating the house! I do use Nature's Miracle to clean, but it's beyond even that.
I think it would be cruel to keep her locked up in a cage without even a window to look out of. What kind of life would that be?
Yes it would be cruel to keep her in a cage. When a cat becomes incontinent, there are obviously health issues. Your first step is to take your senior cat to the vet. She should have a complete blood profile (often called a super chemistry or bio-chem), urinalysis, and exam.
It's quite possible she has arthritis which makes it difficult for her to get to the litter box, or difficult to get into the litter box.
Arthritis would also make squatting for any length of time difficult and painful. She would blame the litter box for the pain, and avoid the box.
She could be in kidney failure, have diabetes, hyperthyroid disease, or any number of other issues.
Please don't prolong her suffering. Get her to the vet to find out what is wrong and what it will take to make her more comfortable. If her quality of life has deteriorated so much that she is suffering beyond what medicine can help with, then yes, it is time to let her go.
Yes it would be cruel to keep her in a cage. When a cat becomes incontinent, there are obviously health issues. Your first step is to take your senior cat to the vet. She should have a complete blood profile (often called a super chemistry or bio-chem), urinalysis, and exam.
Well, she is not really incontinent; she uses the same spot on the rug and has no trouble waiting to eliminate in that particular spot. She has not seen a vet for a year, just the regular checkup. Maybe getting the full spectrum might be valuable.
It's quite possible she has arthritis which makes it difficult for her to get to the litter box, or difficult to get into the litter box.
Arthritis would also make squatting for any length of time difficult and painful. She would blame the litter box for the pain, and avoid the box.
I am very familiar with the signs of arthritis; I just had to have another cat put down because he had not only arthritis but kidney failure, also. It was evident that he was in arthritis pain..the stiff-legged walk, etc. This cat shows no signs of arthritis and can jump up to the counter easily.
She could be in kidney failure, have diabetes, hyperthyroid disease, or any number of other issues.
Kidney failure I am also very familiar with, see above.
Please don't prolong her suffering. Get her to the vet to find out what is wrong and what it will take to make her more comfortable. If her quality of life has deteriorated so much that she is suffering beyond what medicine can help with, then yes, it is time to let her go.
Thank you for your thoughtful post. The only other thing I can try is taking the cover off the litter pan. She may not want to use it because of the dogs...feeling confined with no where to run. NOT that the dogs bother her; she just doesn't like them! During the rare times she is walking on the floor they come over and sniff her and then walk away.
I'm sorry for your recent loss. It's quite possible she is grieving the loss of her kitty companion. Yes, the cover on the box may make her feel vulnerable, trapped.
If dogs are harassing her when she uses the box, that would be another reason she may avoid the box. Perhaps a large, uncovered low sided box, contain Cat Attract litter, in a place the dogs cannot get to would help her. She might need time to get used to the new location, or she might be so happy with the new box and location she'll take to it right away,.
At her age, a check up a year ago is definitely a long time. By the time cats show symptoms of kidney disease the disease is much advanced. And, every cat will show symptoms of illness in her own way.
A check up with full blood work (including thyroid), and a urinalysis and a full body exam will help determine her health status, it seems clear to me she is telling you she is not well.
Please keep us posted, 19 years is a wonderful testament to your loving care of her.
Can you put her litterbox in a room with a baby gate blocking the dogs off? You might still want to take the top off, even with the gate. I've never used a covered box, but I've heard some cats don't like it.
Can you put her litterbox in a room with a baby gate blocking the dogs off? You might still want to take the top off, even with the gate. I've never used a covered box, but I've heard some cats don't like it.
Well, in such a small house as mine, there are not too many rooms!
The litter pan is in the kitchen (unfortunately) and that's where she spends her time. I may try to block it off so the dogs cannot get access, and then take the lid off.
That's about my last hope!
I would hate to put her to sleep just because she won't use the litter pan. She's had a good life; was a master mouser (and birder and chipmunker, but I don't like to think about that ); and loved to be outdoors. She's still a tough, scrappy little cat! I'm curious to see how long she will live, but the urine problem is gaining the upper hand now.
I'll see how it goes with the top off the pan.
Thanks, all, for your thoughts.
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(and birder and chipmunker, but I don't like to think about that 
); and loved to be outdoors. She's still a tough, scrappy little cat! I'm curious to see how long she will live, but the urine problem is gaining the upper hand now.
