A
age
36-40,
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writes: I know this probably isn't about relationships per se... It's about my cat. In my family, we just adore her! She's been with us for 9 years, almost 10, almost half of my life (I'm turning 20 in a few months)... Well, she's old now. And she's having some health problems. We will likely have to put her to sleep.This is very hard for me, because I just love her and can't imagine us as a family without her. She's so loving and is sleeping by my side as I write this. I'm especially concerned about my mom, as she sees this cat practically as another daughter of hers. She cried today when she heard that we may have to put her to sleep. She's very attached to her.Help, I just look at her sleeping peacefully and can't quite cope with the thought of having her go. I really love her, crazy as it sounds.Reply to this Question Share |
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female
reader, candlelight7 +, writes (14 July 2008):
Oh dear, i understand this situation completely. i'm 20 years old as well. Back when i was 14 years old, me and my mom went through this same situation. Our cat was 11 years old. We got her as a kitten when i was 3. She all of a sudden stopped eating, she kept hiding from us, her stool was liquid black like tar, and we just didn't know why. We took her to the vet, and it was so devastating. They diagnosed her with kidney failure and she had signs of cancer. And they put her down June 19th, 2002.
Girl, that was the saddest day of my life. i cried and cried. My mother, too. She had her cremated, and we have her in an urn now, but it doesn't make it go away. What i did was i wrote about her, i prayed for the strength to move on knowing she was in a better place and no longer in pain... it's hard, and i know they're family, but when they're suffering, there's not much you can do but let them go, grieve, but know and find happiness in the fact that they are no longer suffering.
A
male
reader, saltwater +, writes (14 July 2008):
It's not crazy. It's common for people to become attatched to pets, after all that's why people have them.
We have a cat that is 14 years old and while he is fine at the moment, I know there will be a time when he will need to be put to sleep; sooner rather than later...and it's not easy to think about. I'm 21 and Smudge has been with us for 13 of those 14 years so I'm attacted to him as well!
The right decision is to put her to sleep. It is difficult, but it would be better (and easier) for you to say goodbye knowing that you are doing the right thing for her, rather than letting her health problems affect the rest of her days; something which will probably be more painful to witness that than the action of putting her to sleep.
Then you can smile at all the happy memories you have of her knowing you have done the right thing.
All the best x
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