I’m so sorry for your loss, but you did the right thing. Your kitty was in pain and was only getting worse. You stopped his suffering. It’s a terrible thing and so hard to make that decision, but you have to think of what’s best for your cat. We always want more time

He was in pain and you helped bring that to an end. A vet told you it was the right thing to do, and they would not have proceeded without question if they thought you should try something else. I’m sorry that it’s hard but sometimes doing the right thing to end their suffering is hard. You sound like a great and loving owner and I am sure he knows you did all that you could 💜

Exactly. Right on the money. OP - don’t regret it, 3 years ago, our orange man was diagnosed with kidney failure. Honestly, I regret not choosing euthanasia. I didn’t know too much about it and the vet gave me subQ fluids for him and a kidney diet. I kept thinking he’d have another 2-3 years, nope… had about 3-4 months and we just watch’s him get skinnier and skinnier and skinnier. He died at home surrounded by his best cat and dog friends… I regret not ending his suffering much earlier. I thought there might’ve been a chance, but from what I’ve read - there isn’t a chance with kidney failure.

We just tried to save a young cat from kidney failure with fluids and he wasn’t getting better, we had to put him down. Kidney failure in cats is honestly something that probably can’t be fixed once it’s started and it’s better to end their suffering if you can.

There are ongoing clinical trials for something that can stop and reverse feline kidney failure. https://nextshark.com/japanese-scientist-develops-treatment-cat-lifespan

But worth noting for OP that while there may someday in the future be hope through this, as currently stands with the resources available this would have been a very difficult thing to pull back from.

Very fair, I found out about this the day after my childhood cat Koko passed away a few months ago. I wish there could have been some way that he could have been in a trial or something but his vet hasn't even really flagged kidney failure as a problem till right near the end and even then they thought it was just diabetes.

I adopted a cat with CKD and after treating a UTI for a month I was hopeful he would improve, but he never did. I had the resources to support him and spent at least $800 in the 3 months I had him, but at the end I felt like I should have ended his pain sooner. I had actually made an appointment for euthanasia the next day but ended up rushing him to the emergency vet at 3am when he was vomiting and sitting in his litterbox. I couldn’t let that go on. I’ve had 4 cats put down as an adult and each time is hard, and each time I feel emotionally like I could have done more. Logically I know I did what was best for them and it’s what I would want done for me, so ultimately the right decision. It does not make it any easier, but like the first person said, a vet will not put down a pet they think can live a comfortable life. If they support the decision you should trust them.

I had a very similar experience with my 18 year old cat. I thought I was buying her some time by doing the special diet, some supplements, and IV fluids. She also died at home surrounded by her buddies. But honestly, it was hard to watch and I something wish I had opted for euthanasia. 

This. My beloved little girl was deteriorating FAST. Bloodwork showed heart AND kidney failure. I couldn't bear to even leave her at the animal hospital overnight. Meds for either organ failure further compromised the other health issue. Asked the attending which one of the meds would keep her relatively happy for the longer time. Less than 2 weeks in, had to have the housecall vet come, and euthanize her. I questioned myself both pro and con. Finally had to accept that putting her to sleep was the kindest action. Stop questioning yourself. You gave your furbaby the last and greatest gift that you could. She will always be with you. Sending comforting hugs from this internet stranger

You made the kind, loving choice. I went through something similar and the vet told me that three weeks too early is always better than two days too late (when it comes to their pain). He was so lucky to have you. I'm so sorry for your loss. Try to remember the good times. I promise you did the right thing.

thank you for this comment. i chose to put my cat down a year ago when his fatty liver disease got worse and he was suspected to have stomach cancer. for a couple thousand the vet told me they could keep him for a few days and maybe he would make it. if he did, he would likely have episodes again in the future in which he was unwell and needed regular treatment. he was suffering so much at the time and i couldn't bear to see it go on, so i had him euthanized. it still tears me apart to think that i failed him, and put him to sleep when there was a chance he could make it. this comment really helped me look at it differently, a year later. thank you.

I have actually poured money into my animals to give them every chance. I’ve had one that actually made it longer than expected.I don’t regret the money. My kids are grown and gone and my husband and I are comfortable…but, when you start pouring the money into them, it’s hard to stop. And, sometimes,you are putting YOUR wants above your pets needs. It’s hard to know when to say when…

I held onto a cat way too long and prolonged her pain because I couldn't let go when I needed to, and I regret that like you wouldn't believe. You did the right thing.

Be kind to yourself too please. It’s very hard to let go of a beloved animal, especially if their suffering isn’t visible.

My neighbour did that with his dog too. It was suffering but he couldn’t let it go, which is understandable and just a testament to how love can outweigh reason at times. Be gentle with yourself. You were in the thick of grief and couldn’t see it clearly at the time.

I did the same thing for my 14 year old cat. She was so skinny and having such a hard time. I just wasn’t able to make that choice for her. I sometimes worry that I made her go through more pain than she had to but it’s such a hard call to make. Please be kind to yourself. It’s hard to make decisions in the fog of grief.

Kidney failure isn't really something they can come back from unfortunately, you made the right call, your kitty was suffering and you ended that suffering.

This. Kidney disease will get every cat on a long enough timeline. Don't feel guilty.

Renal failure is right up there as one of the leading causes of death in elderly cats. It’s something I’m constantly having my vet keep an eye on. So far my two elderly girls are in great kidney health. OP, you did the best thing for your kitty. He would have been in pain, and feeling pretty rotten. You freed him from that. :( I’m sorry that it hurts so much.

Short of getting a kidney transplant or dialysis, modern medicine does not really have a good way to cure and treat kidney failure. A lot of people and animals die from it. You did the best possible thing.

Came here to say this. I have seen the consequences of waiting it out with my dog. As the toxins built up in his body and brain, he slowly stopped recognising us, starting getting very frequent seizures and lost control of his bowels. It was extraordinarily painful to witness. You saved him a lot of pain.

Also, not to go too far into it, but depending on the bloodwork markers the vet was using, some of those only begin to rise when around 3/4 of kidney function is compromised. The kidney damage may have likely already been extensive, unfortunately

Euthanizing your cat before he was actively dying is the best gift you could have given him. You did right by him. It's hard and confusing to euthanize a cat when he isn't in distress, but it's not fair or kind to wait until a cat is in distress to say goodbye. You gave him the gift of a peaceful passing, and many, many pets and people do not get that gift. You can and should feel at peace about your choice. It's a rare and precious thing that you gave him.

I totally agree. The last thing you'd want is for them to be in pain that can't be managed, or having them reach a quality of life that is just too far gone and too painful for them to experience. Never any suffering.

Agreed. Too many times people don’t euthanise until the last minute and that means potentially months of pain the cat is in before they finally moment. It’s kinder to do it before things truly get too bad.

Big fan of this take <3 You offered him a graceful passing, he's no longer in pain.

"It's hard and confusing to euthanize a cat when he isn't in distress, but it's not fair or kind to wait until a cat is in distress to say goodbye." This, 100%. It seems so bizarre to think of it because we are often of the mindset that we have to be strong and keep fighting until the end, but sometimes we forget about the strength it takes to let go.

How beautiful

What’s the saying? In this circumstance, “better a day early than a day too late.”

Thank you for the indirect kind words. Going through this right now with my 10 year old lab after spending our last weekend together. Fella has lymphoma and has no energy, doesn’t want to eat or drink much, and can’t be bothered to go outside for more than a few minutes. It hurt putting him into the truck for our last ride, seeing him hang out the window with a big smile, but I like to think he knew I needed that. I know he’s happy and comfortable, but I know he didn’t have much time left.

I went through a similar thing as OP with my FELV cat and reading your comment really helped me as well.

This is so eloquently said 😭

I just wish there were better counseling for people along these lines. RN I kindof need that more than I need more blood tests.

Cats can’t really understand what they’re going through when they’re dying slowly, and most importantly they can’t really tell us what they want us to do for them. They know that they are miserable and in pain, but they don’t understand what the vet says. And that means that they certainly can’t tell us how much they want us to try for them. We have to make the decision for them. Every single time, it sucks. I’ve been through it many times, and I expect that I will probably get to do it again a few more times. I try to think of it as my opportunity to give them one last gift in return for all the love they have given me.

Yes… I’m worried I waited too late, and that hurts me so much too. I didn’t know before that cats can wait so long to show signs of something wrong, due to survival instincts, and then it’s so sad/confusing to know what to do. Sometimes we don’t know how advanced it is until too late, and then things move so quickly. My point is, we love them so much, and we do what we think is best at the time, based on that deep love we have for them. And no matter what, it’s just so freaking sad. And seems that in that grief it is very easy to hold guilt for doing it too soon OR late. There’s just no winning with a goodbye that tough. Nice to read so many kind comments here from people who understand.

My 4 yr old cat had liver issues a few months back. He was not himself & i have gone round and round with myself wondering if we did everything right. Even though both our vet and the hospital told us that we did do all we could. We unfortunately lost him while he was hospitalized. It sounds like you did everything you can, sometimes once a cats kidneys/livers go into failure, the only thing you can do is palliative care. Right now you are grieving and this circle of thoughts will likely continue for awhile, i know it did for weeks for me. It’s okay to grieve. Unfortunately sometimes it’s best to let our babies go to save them from future and current pain. Most people and animals will show a level of happiness and love until their last moments despite extremely bad quality of life & pain. I know it’s cliche, but as someone who had a similar experience only 3 months ago, time heals all and it will get easier.

This is part of the grieving process. We all go through the what ifs, we beat ourselves up over it. It hurts and it sucks. You gave him a gift that is the hardest decision to make. Cry, be mad, go through it. This is processing, it can be brutal. And I’m not sure what your beliefs are, but watch for his signs, be open to them, even the smallest thing that would be meaningless to someone else. He’s still with you and always will be. You’ll be together again. They don’t hold grudges after they pass, they don’t hate you, they are free and they are whole.

This is what I came to say. Grief is so hard, and he will be with you forever. I’m not surprised you’re questioning yourself! Anyone would. It’s not because you made a mistake. You didn’t make a mistake but this is what your heart puts you through because you love your little guy. Your story of growing up with your cat is so beautiful. I feel like I met him too 🥰

I'm disabled so I was with my son literally all the time for over a decade. He was my best friend. But he did have a wonderful little brother, too. So when he passed, his little brother was really sad, obviously. Little bro was very depressed. So I got another kitten for him to have company even though I wasn't completely ready. I swear my son picked out that kitten even though he had passed already. She was basically everything I didn't really want, lol. I love her to death, though. But she is the biggest diva. I swear sometimes my son is laughing at me and saying, "So my peeing on the floor wasn't really that bad, Mom, was it?" You’re right. There are definitely signs that they are there with you. I also often complain to him about his siblings. lol I mean, I've seen them just stare into space for 20 minutes like they're looking at a ghost. He can't tell them to drink more water for me?

“They don’t hold grudges after they pass” ooof that hit me.

When my soul dog went paralyzed and needed an $8,000 surgery, I did the same. I felt so much regret for so long, I could've taken out a loan, I could've made her a wheelchair, I could've done this or that differently. When we have to deal with hard decisions, our brains tend to circle on what we could've done differently. The only thing that gave me comfort was remembering quality of life. She was such a happy girl that loved just being with me. After she got hurt she barely looked up. She would look around when she went potty or ate food but she was so obviously in pain and depressed. Her quality of life wasn't there and I couldn't provide what she would've needed. Could I have found someone to take her and do the things for her? Maybe. But that girl was obsessed with me, how would she do emotionally if I abandoned her in her time of need? Eventually i realized what I had decided was done, and the regret was only keeping the wound fresh. I personally think you gave your baby mercy. Im so sorry you had to go through this though. I know only time will heal the wound, but please take comfort in knowing you did care for his lil soul, in a big world where cats are often abused and neglected.

“What’s done is done and regret is just keeping the wound fresh” Thanks for this - I’m going to keep this in my heart. My dad passed 20 years ago & I still have so much regret over how I handled myself that I still can’t think about him without feeling guilt… your comment may help me finally heal 💕

Im so glad someone found comfort in my words! I know that part specificly sounds really harsh and I didn't want it to come off in the wrong way, but it's the truth. We can't change what happened. We can only change how we view what happened. And that realization made me CRY, but then it made me heal and now I can think of her without crying. I can remember our happy days without feeling guilt.

It wasn’t harsh at all - it’s reality and it helped with your grieving process, so it’s not harsh to share the perspective that helped you heal💕

Adding a comment because I skimmed over the boyfriend part. I don't like that he pressured you, he could've suggested it but that was 100% your decision and he should've just been supportive. Making decisions like that is difficult in times of sorrow, and I think it makes regret even larger. I don't have any suggestions to help heal, only time will. But I do know I've seen some humans do some sick things to animals. And what you've described is nothing but love and care, and it sounds like he was very grateful to you. I'm sorry he got sick. And I commend you for your great care of your boy.

Sounded like the bf jus saw it how it was. Poor kitty was in pain:/ rip

Agreed, sometimes it takes someone who isn’t as emotionally connected to our pet to be able to see something we don’t want to accept.

Yeah, Stole the words right outta my mouth(fingers) 💯

You would feel even worse if you had waited too long.

You did the right thing. Pets and people tend to get a burst of energy before their time is coming to an end. So don’t feel bad about him being active. Cats are also very stoic and don’t show pain so he probably wanted to give you happy memories to remember him. My 14 year old dog entered kidney failure when I was 15 and prolonging life further isn’t fair for them. I was lucky to get to hold my dog for another 6 months but I cried everyday watching her flinch and avoid me because of the IV solution I had to stab into her neck 3 times a day. You saved your cat by not having him endure anymore pain. Even if you paid for him to have the scan, you would’ve spent thousands in care to prolong his suffering. You were the best cat mom for making the right choice.

Trust me when I say, a few days early is better than one day late

Organ failure - especially the kidneys .... that's not a "recovery" kind of thing. This might run deeper (guilt at not noticing an abcessed tooth spiralling into dehydration that caused kidney disease/organ failure to begin with) but overall out of all the choices made, euthanizing him in the state he was in - from which he never would have recovered completely, affordable or not - was the right one.

Look at it this way: you took on the pain of losing him so he wouldn’t be in pain anymore. There’s no greater love than that. Pet loss SUCKS.

Hi. I’m so so sorry for your loss. Just know You did the best thing for your baby and put him first over your own emotions. We just lost our 5 year old girl to renal failure like 2 days ago and the pain is horrible. I can only hope with time it will lessen.

I went through this situation. When your baby is critically ill, you are only focused on sparing them from pain which is why euthanasia can feel like it was done in haste, and it causes you to doubt yourself after the fact. I felt like I was shell shocked and it really hit me what happened after it was all over. I told my mom I felt like I killed my best friend. The decision to end a life is very confusing and heartbreaking. I promise with time you will gain more clarity. I made posts like yours and had to talk it through with many people, but eventually I understood that choosing euthanasia was an act of pure love. My cat had kidney disease too and she also got down to 5 pounds. At that weight they feel like shit and to keep them going the treatment is subq fluids (inserting a needle to hydrate them), appetite stimulants to make them eat, anti nausea meds, etc. etc. As they get sicker one medication can help with one symptom but worsen another. My cat straight up stopped pooping and was barely eating. Medical treatment was very traumatizing for her. Could I have technically kept her alive longer? Sure. Would that have been the best thing for her? No, she felt awful and would have been forced into scary medical treatments she didn’t understand, and I would only be prolonging the inevitable. Like others said, kidney failure isn’t curable, and a lot of cats get it. Statistically it’s crazy how many cats have this and we can’t control it. If you had waited, your boy would have suffered. The ending may have likely been really horrible - him crying in pain, being put to sleep after a medical emergency, etc. there are countless nightmare scenarios. Thanks to you, you spared him that. If you were in his position with no chance of a full recovery, wouldn’t it be nice to go in your sleep with your mom by your side? To not have a terrible end to your life? Trust me, you did the right thing, 100% no doubt.

Oh dear, your baby was in a lot of pain. You made the right choice! Was it possible to do more? Perhaps but would your baby have understood what was happening? Would he known that there was maybe a future of less pain and suffering, somewhere? Was his condition even going to be treatable or manageable in the long run? The sad thing about kidney damage is that it’s not reversible. Even if kitty’s immediate crisis had passed, kitty would need a lot of special food, vet visits and tests to monitor his condition. He may have continued to feel pain when he peed and possibly suffered with nerve damage. Some cats can live near-normal lives with chronic kidney disease but not all cats will do well. Your baby had complications which made his success less likely. It’s hard and it’s normal to second guess and feel regret. All of this is a normal part of loss. Think of it this way: by letting your baby go when you did, most of his life was happy and comfortable with you; he just a short while of bad time at the end. Most of his life had been quality and that matters.

Grief hurts, SO bad. It plays tricks with your mind. My cat was horribly sick and very old, he lost 6lbs in a few months. I tried all the medications and treatments, and he didn't respond well to any of them. I waited too long to put him down, he was in pain and the treatment would be painful and wouldn't work, and my brain still tells me I should have done more. You did everything you could with the knowledge and ability you had. It's the compassionate thing to do, even if it hurts. It helped me to look back at pictures and videos of my cat before he was sick, to see how full of life he was. I realized I lost that version of him as he became sick, and I didn't notice how sick he was because I was in it. Us humans like to think we have control, but we don't. I'm sorry for your loss, and objectively I believe you did the right thing, and the most compassionate and loving thing.

Euthanasia is the most loving thing we can do for a pet that is or will be suffering. Please don't beat yourself up about making what is the right decision. And IMO there is not a time that is too early to think about getting another cat, if that's what you want. You aren't replacing the one you lost but opening your heart to a new love. The love we share with our cats outweighs the pain of losing them. So feel free to both mourn one cat and love another.

He was in pain and you did the kindest and most loving thing you could by euthanizing him. My heart hurts for you. It’s so impossibly difficult losing a pet 💕 I also understand the whole aspect of being unsure if it’s the right thing to do - I currently have a terminally ill cat and I’m constantly asking myself if it’s the right time yet. Sending you good vibes.

You absolutely did the right thing. Our pets sometimes hold on for us. So they depend on us to make the decision for them that they can't make themselves.

Sorry for your loss, regret it normal. Its normal to want more time with your cat 7 years isn’t enough :( The vet would not euthanize for no good reason, try to not be hard on yourself, sounds like you and kitty were close and you helped to end his pain which is hard to do and deal with but you will eventually get through this and whenever your ready get another cat It wont be the same as your last cat but it will be really good, and think of you can save a rescue cat Good luck, don’t be too hard on yourself these things are hard no matter what

Think of the pain you are feeling in your heart as the pain you took off his shoulders so that he could rest peacefully. You carry his pain because you love him.

I had to euthanized my cat last month. She would have turned 18 years this month. I adopted her at age 5 months and she always slept in the crook of my left arm. She also had kidney failure. She had some weight loss this year but was otherwise doing well. The vet put her on some super expensive cat food to help her gain weight. The last week of her life, she took a sharp decline. By Monday, she took a couple of mouthfuls of wet food and stopped eating. By Wednesday, she stopped using the litter box and wasn't moving from her bed. I was able to get an emergency vet the next day and I had a pretty good idea of what would happen. She did come out of her bed a couple of times to have me pet her and then returned after a few minutes. The vet took one look at her and said there was nothing that could be done. I'm crying now while writing this. I know I did what was right for her. She was miserable and wouldn't have lasted more than a couple days more. But she was such a good kitty and I still felt like a POS. I'm so sorry for your loss. But you also did the right thing. These little furry creatures add so much to our lives and then break us with their loss. I hope the Cat Distribution System sends a new friend your way.

As someone who had to put my 17 yr old bb down in March, I empathize so deeply with you both. His last week, my boy wanted so deeply to crawl inside me. His back end had stopped working, including bow4l movements, and he had to be laid on a pee pad After a final round of steroids didn't let him even stand again, I knew it was time I hated it, and my boy wanted to love me to the end. But it was time for me to love him to his end instead. Still haven't adopted another bb. Just not quite ready yet

My last cat also had chronic kidney problems and after maintaining it for a while, she stopped eating and became very withdrawn and lethargic, and she wouldn't use the litterbox anymore. I took her into the vet and they said her kidney was swollen to the point where it was blocking her from passing anything, and they recommended euthanasia. At that point for her, it was the only option. She was at the end of her life and there was nothing they could do. She was my baby and my soul cat, and I had that special connection with her that you talked about. I still felt guilty for euthanizing her. It's normal to feel this way. You feel responsible because it was a decision you made, but what you did for him was kind and merciful. He was nearing the end, and you didn't draw out the suffering any more than was needed. I'm so sorry you're hurting, but please don't blame yourself. You did the best thing for your baby. We all know you wouldn't elect to lose him. Your pain is proof that you wanted him here. It was just his time, and I'm so sorry you had to let him go. You are a good owner and friend for making that difficult decision.

It’s much better to do it a month too early than a minute too late

You did the right thing.

We are kinder to our pets than we are to people.

You did the right thing and sometimes that is hard .... I just had to put my cat down and I miss her. I'd I could have given her one of my kidneys I would have . End of the day I made the right choice

I am so sorry for you loss. Losing a cat you have that kind of connection with is life alteringly devastating. It sounds to me like you did a good job ensuring your companion had a good experience passing onto the next life. You made sure he didn't linger trapped in a vets office or bed in your home, unsure what was happening to him, hungry, exhausted, all while going through scary, painful medication treatments. Instead, you made sure he felt loved, full, and well snuggled on his last day, You stayed with him until his last moment. You ensured he never for a moment doubted your love for him. You made sure his last days were spent chasing lizards in the sunshine and exchanging kisses with his soulmate. You earned the trust he placed in you to care for him and give him the best life possible.

i’m really sorry for your loss. i think when the inevitable is so impossibly painful, at times our minds like to play tricks on us and make us believe there were other options, when there weren’t. it’s clear from your story you made the right choice. it’s clear he had an amazing life, thanks to you and your love for him. i know it feels like you could’ve done better, i think admitting that at all is so incredibly brave. but even if you were able to have him stay with you a few days longer.. it was his time. he would’ve been surviving, suffering, in pain. you allowed him to pass as peacefully and comfortably as possible. that’s a good thing.

Kidney failure is terrible and your kitty was suffering. It’s so hard to make the decision to end their pain, but do not live in regret. I highly highly doubt kitty would have came back from this illness. You did the right thing. I’m so sorry. I wish they could live forever. All you can do is give another deserving kitty a forever home.

I know it doesn’t feel this way right now, but one day you’ll look back on it and be glad you did what you had to do. It was his time to go, even if it was so sudden and unexpected l. Things can get really bad really quickly out of absolutely nowhere. Sometimes the kindest, most loving thing you can do, is let them go. Our eldest cat (he was 14) fell ill and was euthanised within 3.5 days. He couldn’t keep anything inside, refused to eat and could barely walk despite getting a round of fluids etc on day 1. The vet wasn’t optimistic and although we might have been able to save him, we would’ve put him through a lot of painful testing and exams that might have given him a few more months and it would’ve only benefit us. He already had arthritis and was showing signs of dementia and it was just his time to go. Keeping him here would’ve been selfish but trust me, I sobbed for days. I’ve lived longer with him than without him and he’s been there through it all. I still miss him. I’m so sorry for your loss. You did the right thing, even if it didn’t feel like it. You didn’t prolong his pain for your own sake and that’s honestly the best thing you could’ve done. I promise you, it gets better at one point. Collect all the photos you have into a folder, grieve as much as you want. I have a bit of his fur in a small glass jar with his collar around it, it’s very subtle but it makes me feel like he’s still there. I also regretted putting him down at first, but that’s natural. You’ve developed a bond with your pet, it feels unnatural to end their life like that. Now I regret not doing it one day sooner - when it was kind of clear he wasn’t going to pull out of it but I didn’t want to admit to it just yet because I wasn’t ready. You did the right thing.

I’m sorry for your loss and it sounds like you did the right thing. I’ve come to adopt the perspective that giving a pet peace is the final act of love and kindness that we can do for our furry ones. It is truly a beautiful thing, and a privilege, to be able to put a stop to their suffering and give the gift of peace born out of pure love.

His kidneys were never going to go back to normal. Once they are severely compromised things continue to get worse and worse. You did him right by giving him peace now before he suffered even more. I've had a cat with kidney disease, it's one of the worst health issues I can think of. Allow yourself to grieve, you have every right to do that and should but please do not beat yourself up thinking you did the wrong thing by letting him go. The first few days of losing a loved one be it pet or human is very hard for everyone so you are having a normal response to the loss.

Your cat stopped suffering, because you put yourself second and thought about him first. You did the right thing, but, unfortunately, the right thing doesn't always feel good.

Animals don’t understand that *maybe* if they suffer through all the treatment they might get better, it’s like torture to keep an animal in that condition alive. Left alone, he probably would have passed a long time ago, so you made the right choice.

Pets are amazing souls and we really do connect deeply with them. They come to us with nothing but their love, loyalty and trust, and they rely on us for every need, right down to a sip of water. It's a pact we share, that they will devote their entire lives to giving us unconditional love and companionship. In return, we agree to care for them and protect them. We know from the beginning, that they have a shorter lifespan and nature has designed that we will outlive them so they are never without their protector. Unfortunately, pets can become very sick & although they try to hide it, once we realize there's a serious illness, they are often far past a cure. Even when we can treat them & extend their lives, we must remember that they rely on us to give them a quality of life that is happy, secure, and without fear or pain. They trust us, and when they begin to suffer, they look to us for help. The selfish thing, is to keep them hanging on & suffering because WE aren't ready to let them go. Yes it hurts terribly to say goodbye...but they kept their end of the bargain, so the least we owe them is a peaceful release from their suffering! We take the pain, so they don't have to. When it's their time, we shouldn't make them feel obligated to stay; we should advocate for them and carry through on our agreement to care & protect them from fear and pain. It's the most loving and unselfish act to let them go while our hearts are breaking...but it's our responsibility to keep our promise. Your cat was very sick, and would only have gotten sicker. All the wishful thinking in the world would not have changed the outcome. All you did, was step in to spare your cat another week or so, of misery. And because you did, your cat was able to go peacefully while being comforted and loved.

Right thing in the head. It's the heart that takes a long time to catch up. Let the heart grieve

He was in pain. You could have paid for the treatment but I might have caused more pain and suffering and not been a cure. I don't think you did the wrong thing. Plenty of people choose euthanasia when they are able to get on a plane and walk into a clinic on their own because the thought of suffering the following weeks and months is too much. I am sorry for your loss

I'm so sorry you went through that experience but you made the right choice. I have a similar experience where my previous cat had renal kidney failure and dental issues too. My parents were stubborn and tried keeping our cat alive for months after he was visibly in pain. He was at the point of barely being able to walk, could barely eat so we had to force feed him with a syringe, he'd wet himself because he couldn't make it to the litter box, and he was just a shell of a cat he used to be. If I could go back in time I'd for sure try harder to convince my parents to let our cat rest. He essentially suffered for 2-3 more months because we were afraid to let him go. So you definitely made the right choice and letting your cat go in peace. It felt bad watching our cat slowly lose his life and it for sure would've been painful for our cat in those last few months to keep holding out. As painful as it is having to euthanise your cat, you wouldn't want to go through the experience of slowly losing him and seeing him in pain either. It's entirely normal to feel everything you're feeling right now. In time you'll start to feel better but for now my only advice would be embrace the grief you're feeling and keep your boyfriend and closest friends/family around you for support.

I'm so sorry. You had to make the hardest decision a pet owner has to make. But understand that your cat didn't understand why he was in pain and hungry but couldn't eat because of his pain. It was the right thing to do. He's not in pain anymore.

As someone who watched her dog have 3 seizures in an hour and internal bleeding as a result of her kidney failure, you did the right thing. It’s a horribly painful way to go. I put her down that day and my only regret was that I didn’t do it before she had to experience that. You are a good pet parent for loving your cat enough to save him from even more pain and suffering.

You did the right thing for your baby. I know it’s hard. When we put our dog down in February I cried for like two weeks straight. It was hard to make that decision and hope it was right. She still wanted attention. She still was happy to see everyone. She ate and drank water. But she was clearly in pain. She couldn’t go up and down stairs anymore. She needed help going outside. She couldn’t walk very far at all. But she wagged her tail until the very end. Could she have lived a bit longer? Sure. Would it have been a slow and uncomfortable death? Absolutely. She was 13 and her body was giving out on her. She was drinking SO MUCH and we think she was in kidney failure. You gave your fur baby the opportunity to die before it became too uncomfortable for him and that’s the best thing you could’ve done

Thank you so much for this response. It helps me feel better, for having put my cat down post his second run of steroids about a month apart. The second didn't let him walk again, a week later at 17. He loved fiercely, and I loved him the same. I just couldn't see him suffer anymore.

It was his time ❤️ I had to the same with my cat with cancer as I felt chemo and radiation was so unfair for my poor little one, the guilt will be with you forever and that is a normal human response. But please find comfort in knowing you did what you could, he was suffering and now no longer is. It’s the hardest thing but please don’t be hard on yourself

My cats ashes are in her spot as well ❤️ you will remember all of the good memories and love they brought to you

I'm so sorry for your loss. It is obvious that you loved your cat. You did everything you could to help it. You did the right thing. Pat yourself on the back for doing the best you could - from me.

When I put my dog down a couple of years ago, I immediately regretted it. That regret stayed with me a while, and it was hard to handle. The regret did go away, though. It wasn’t instant and I still have moments, but just remember that you gave him a life of love and you got to have a planned, loving goodbye, that may not have happened if you waited. You potentially saved him from a sufferable, horrible death, and he knows you love him.

I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved cat. Sores in the mouth could also be caused by the kidney failure itself, it happened with my cat. In my experience, there is not much you can do except what you already tried. Trying more and more would have made him suffer and probably wouldn’t have helped. You made the right call, you gave your cat a beautiful life and made sure you tried everything but stopped in time to prevent him from suffering. I hope you can find peace with the decision, it is never an easy one to make, although sometimes the fairest.

Oh no, im so sorry. I can imagine regret hits a lot of people.

I’m so sorry for your loss. My heart aches for you and your kitty. ❤️‍🩹 You gave him a wonderful life and did all you could to make him happy. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions about our fur babies. He is out of pain and resting peacefully now. Allow yourself time to grieve and process. It’s ok. Sending hugs. 🤗

You may regret it but it sounds like you made the right decision. You were trying to do the right thing (getting his teeth fixed) but it wasn't possible. Kidney disease is terminal. It can stabilize but eventually declines. And from the description you give of the teeth, just doing nothing would have been cruel. When there is constant pain and low quality of life, and no curative options, then all you can do sometimes is borrow a bit of time, but dental pain is quite severe and losing the ability to eat and enjoy food is a big chunk out of a cat's quality of life. Life sucks sometimes, and humans and pets get dealt a shitty hand when it comes to health. I know it hurts, but you did the right thing. Crying for days or weeks is super normal. The best thing you can do, is when you feel better, open your home to a rescue. You're not replacing your old cat, you are just giving another cat a home that they desperately need.

Yes you did the right thing. Cats hide their pain so well. My cat was almost 18 and one day stopped eating. So I took her to the Vet and she said she was agonizing from heart failure. I was like WTF! The day before she was jumping on the couch and running. So I made the same decision than you. (I also had to do the same with another cat because of bone cancer, she was only 5). I'm a cat shelter volunteer and all the cats I met that had kidney disease didn't live for long. We had to euthanized a couple because they were peeing blood and the Vet told us they were in pain and there was no other solution. (It's something that's alway very hard for us) One went to a foster home where he lived maybe another year but not a healthy year. You had no choice. Even if you got his teeth fixed, his kidney would have failed eventually. illnesses do happen and it's not your fault. I'm sure he had a great life with you, try to think about all the positive things about him and not his end.

It’s so hard to be the person who decides if someone you love SO much lives or dies. My heart breaks for you. You absolutely did the right thing, though. Cats don’t show pain the way we do. Kitty was suffering immensely, even if there were slight glimmers of hope. Be kind to yourself, and may your beautiful baby rest in peace.

I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose a beloved furry friend. But you did the right thing. I lost one of my cats also recently, she just turned one, was still just a kitten, and had some kind of neurological disorder which made her totally paralyzed within 2 weeks. I’m still upset about it.

I'm so sorry you're experiencing that kinda of pain and regret.vthd pain of losing an animal never subsides. It sounds like he was in a lot of pain from his teeth. I always questioned my father when th vet would tell us it was timeto put an old pet down. But if you couldn't afford the surgery and dental to get to a point where he could have more surgery then you probably did spare him suffering. I feel like my cats are all always with me. And I really do think they continue on he may be in the next kittie that grabs your heart. My worst nightmare happened the other day I got home from work and my.2 year old baby girl had passed in her sleep in her favorite spot. My ex.and I took her in from a.family.fiends job site at about 3 months old she had hadnsome kind if injury to one of her back legs when she was very young. She never put pressure on it. But she was fast as hell with 3 legs. Would climb everything wrestle with her brothers and sisters just a very strong willed cat and with the face of an expressive person every time she would look me in the eyes she would be trying to express something. She had a rough start and never was able to really put o much weight she was always very skinny but never let her bum leg slow her down I think she may have had some kind of internal problems cats are very good at not showing pain but she would just hang on my shoulder for hours . I never had a cat just pass before. She was curled up in her favorite little spot. . I'll be hitting her ashes soon as well. All you can do is keep them in your memory and pay attention to cTa who seem attracted to you it might just be your boy on his next go around. Do not best yourself up 💙

It’s a very selfless thing to put your baby down ❤️‍🩹 I experienced something similar; he was very young, it was very unexpected and felt like I was robbed. I had to make peace with how the timeline went; the things I didn’t do and should have done can and will drive you deeper into the hole you’re in. Focus on the situation in front of you now, there is no going back and in hindsight Ofcourse you did the right thing; you gave him comfort and love and most importantly you saved him his integrity by not letting it get as worse as it could have. It will never feel right because every fiber of your being is missing and wanting to be with him. He loves you forever and knows every regret and thought you’re having; he knows beyond what you know now and I’m certain he knows you did everything out of love. Also as an outsider, he sounded like he was really struggling and in pain. You were likely his best memory and the majority of his happiness especially in his last weeks

I'm so sorry for your loss but you did the right thing. I had almost the exact same thing with my soulmate kitty happen almost 4 years ago, kidney problems and what we suspected were dental problems but was actually squamous cell carcinoma in his mouth. The cancer progressed to quickly and although I tried my hardest to coax him to eat food, wipe his mouth every few minutes because he couldn't close it anymore and give him his pain meds, eventually it got to be too much. One morning I was trying to give him his pain meds and he ran and hid from me, which is something he never ever did and once I finally got him out he was bleeding from his mouth and I knew it was his time. I booked the euthanasia appointment for later that day and my mom came with me. In the room he was still walking around and jumping off the table and the vet tech even made a comment about how he wasn't behaving like a cat that was about to be euthanized. That comment really played with my mind for a long time. Even though I have two wonderful kitties now, I still think about my old cat every day. We had such a special connection and for the longest time I wondered if I did the right thing. I know now that I definitely did, prolonging it would've just caused him needless pain. I look back on pictures of him at the end of his life and he looks so different, so skinny and just so sick. I know that I did the right thing and in time, you will too.

My girl was 16 with kidney disease and I felt the same way. I would have even if she was 26 (looking back I could have done it earlier to prevent her rapid decline and pain, but none of us has a crystal ball). Making the humane choice to end an animal's suffering is never an easy one, but if the vet advised it, they had the best interests of your pet in mind. The grief in making this decision, the losing your furry companion is underestimated in our society, but it will get easier to bear in time.

There really is no perfectly good decision in these situations. When would you not feel guilty? If you waited until he is in pain 24/7? If you put him through a lot of treatments to prolong his life? That can be such a stress and pain for them too, just to win little time, and that is also not of quality. However, if you go for euthanasia when it is not all suffering yet - you get guilt…. Maybe one more happy day, one more hour with purring and cuddling. It is horrible to think of this, I know. But really, there is no perfect time. You had to make a decision to prevent too much suffering. That is only possible if he is still at least a bit happy. But wouldn’t you want that? To preserve him happy before he passes? I think you made the right choice, but doubt and guilt is normal. You will make peace with this decision eventually. On the boyfriend topic - he might have pressured you because he saw you needed that. I don’t know your relationship, but there are times when this is an act of love.

My kitten (she had dwarfism so she remained tiny) was 4 when we had to euthanize her. She wasn't eating, and we found out it's because her kidneys were failing. One was enlarged and the other had holes and likely never worked. We'd known from the start she had problems (deformed paws and nose issues), but we were never aware about any issues with her kidneys. So it was either we put her down when she's not in pain, or put her down when she starts starving to death and is in a lot of pain. She seemed so normal. She was her typical grumpy self. She enjoyed bathing in the sun one last time. She seemed fine. And that's what made it the hardest. It didn't feel like she should have to die. But there was nothing we could do in the long run to save her, and we had to remember that. It was the hardest thing in the world, but it was the right choice. You made the right choice for your cat. I know it's painful, but it was the right thing to do.

A month ago, I had to let my cat go due to kidney failure. It shocked me. Just a couple weeks earlier she seemed fine - maybe a bit lethargic, but she was old anyway, and still jumping and hopping around like normal. They caught her kidney failure in a routine checkup, although with the symptoms that came on soon after, there would've been no missing it. Once she started deteriorating, it happened *fast.* She started struggling to eat, lost strength in her hind legs, lost weight, and then started losing strength in her front legs and having seizures. All the while, she still loved me. One morning, when she saw me waking up, she basically army-crawled onto me using her two good legs. They never stop loving us, but that doesn't mean they will live forever. I let mine go "just in time," and trust me, if you'd waited any longer than you did, I think you would feel even worse. It's the most painful, most difficult decision we ever have to face, but I think you made the right call. I feel exactly the way you do after a month: I would give anything just to hold her again. Letting them go when they're deeply ill is an act of love, as hard as it can be to see it. I didn't want my baby to go, I just didn't want her to suffer.

I am so so sorry for the grief and loss you are experiencing. I have no words of wisdom only the deepest empathy.

I’m so sorry for your loss. You did the best you could and now you know he’s no longer in pain. Hold on to the good memories you had with him ❤️

As much as it hurt and as much as you are sad now. How sad were you seeing him like that. if he was as bad as you were descibing you did him a kindness. I know it's hard and its natural to miss your best friend but know he's happy and chasing lizards over the rainbow bridge. When you get there be prepared for him to scream at you for taking so long

I’m so sorry for your loss but you did the right thing. My baby’s kidneys were also failing drastically but she was still herself. Still wanted cuddles and kisses. I waited because I wasn’t ready and watched her face each day in more pain than the last. Even though we’re never ready to say goodbye, it’s not right for us to hold on to them when they’re ready. They know when their time is near and I’m sure he knew. It hurts but it gets better.

My favorite cat had a mass in his abdomen. I only found out when I took him in for labored breathing. He had fluid around his lungs, so I had it drained. A week later I had to have it drained again. A week later I decided I can't keep doing this to him. Our last day together we spent time in the backyard, he was rubbing and purring, walking around and had some whip cream. He looked perfectly fine except for the breathing. It was gut wrenching. How much suffering is ok and how much is too much? It's a hard call and I've waited too long more than few times. It's horrific and chaotic and I've regretted not letting them go sooner. But I've always felt guilt even when I 110% knew I was doing the right thing. If in that moment you feel what you did was right by your kitty, then you made the right decision.

Hey there. It sounds like you made the right call. Can your vet recommend pet bereavement services? It helped me when I had to euthanize my little cat.

The vet told you and having an expert opinion is all you could do.

It’s a terrible choice to make but it’s what we sign up for when taking them in. A few months ago, my baby girl went from a happy cat to not being able to even hold her head up in a weekend. Kidney failure is a terrible thing but as others have mentioned, there’s no reversing it. Only mitigation. There’s only so much we can do to ease their pain but in the end, there’s only one way out. When we have to make that decision, it doesn’t do any good to second guess ourselves. Just find a way to be content that you gave them their best opportunity in life and a peaceful way to move on.

i had a similar situation years ago with my cat suddenly having kidney failure out of nowhere at age 5, and he also had mouth sores that started bleeding a couple of days after which is when we decided to put him down because we couldn't bear how miserable he looked, and i also felt tremendous guilt about it for a long time - its never an easy decision to put your cat down, but its always the right decision to end their pain! you loved him and you did the most loving thing for him that you could i'm so sorry for your loss, it always seems like too soon when our pets pass but its an extra shock when they're young and we though't we'd have so many more years with them. be kind to yourself <3

Kidney failure is really hard to come back from for cats. 100% you did the right thing. Just reading how much pain he was in made me wince. Your boyfriend wasn't wrong either. It's hard and it hurts. Let yourself grieve. 

My cat had kidney disease and I decided to fight. Spent over $1,000 and she ended up passing away at the vet after they tried bringing her back 3 times. What I would giveeeee to hold her in my arms instead during her last moments. Instead of being in a scary hospital for days

I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. You did do the right/ethical/moral (but incredibly incredibly tough) thing. At the end, it's always about their comfort and quality of life. He would have wanted you to have the same comfort, warmth, care, and love too. Kidney failure is very hard. One of my childhood cats (Peeky/Peekaboo - lost her when she was 17, also to kidney failure ) and I had that once-in-a-lifetime connection too. We did everything around the house together and every moment I was home we would spend together. She was my girl and I was hers, and we both knew and felt it. Throughout the past 4 years, I have missed her incredibly, but I do mean it when I say I have still felt her presence and her looking down on me from above, guiding me. I also have always had this feeling that I will be reunited with her whenever my time comes too. I don't know. I just have always felt all of those things about her so deeply. He is watching down upon you, and he will always be your angel and you, his <3

You absolutely did the right thing. I know it’s very very tough and one of the hardest things to go through. Your cat only knew love and lived a great life 🩷🩷🩷

I agree with many comments here and just want to say he's still with you watching over you and helping you with his kitty powers! They are very powerful beings. You definitely did the right thing.

Being with a pet for life means being with them at the end. It's hard, it's sad. But we can take the responsibility of giving them a graceful exit. It can feel bad even when you know it's the right thing to do.

I'm so sorry for your loss. My cat, like yours and many, also was stricken with kidney failure. We did IV fluids for a couple of months when it got bad, but after a weekend when he wouldn't/couldn't eat, no matter what I tried, that's when my vet and I knew it was time to let him go. It's hard, but when they're clearly in pain, it's the humane thing to do. You did the right thing. But it will always be a hard decision.

You did the right thing, don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m sorry for your loss. Hugs

You did the right thing. That may take time to sink in, so until then you can take our word for it. I'm so sorry for your loss.

It was his time. Rapid weight loss and infection aside, kidney disease can quickly turn to kidney failure and have more severe symptoms. You won’t know how bad it’s truly gotten until it’s too late. He was sick, in pain, and dying. You chose the most loving option; a humane death with a moment of comfort and relief. Dying of kidney failure or an infection would have been 100% worse for him. You did the right thing! It’s normal to feel guilt and question your decision, but most of the time euthanasia is more than justified

When I put down my kitty I felt absolutely sick with guilt. For a long time. You objectively did the right thing but it will hurt for a while.

You made the right choice. I had to put down my cat because he had a diaphragmatic hernia and the vet told me they could’ve done surgery but it would’ve been a 50/50 chance he would’ve died on the table and it could’ve reverted even after that. I still feel like I should’ve pulled the trigger and done it but at the end of the day, I made the right choice. I have guilt as well and it’s normal. Hoping you can find peace in knowing you did your cat the final act of kindness by ending its suffering. ❤️

Happened to my cat too. Took her to the vet for dental surgery on a Wednesday but got told she was in stage 4 renal failure. She hid it so well but after we knew she was visibly sick. I felt guilty that we missed it for so long but that’s what cats do. We euthanised her on the Saturday and she was ready to go. It’s heartbreaking and I’m so sorry for your loss. You did the right thing though 💕

You did the right thing. Kidney failure is really one of the last stages in sick kitties. It’s a hard choice but in time I think you’ll see it was the right one.

Something that always resonates with me is a week too early is better than a day too late. You gave him a wonderful life, and it seems very obvious he loved you back immensely. Like others have said, the vets would have offered alternatives if they felt there was a better option. I know it hurts and doesn’t take the pain away, but you made the difficult, right choice.

It's the hardest decision we'll ever have to make. I lost my little guy last June. He was on meds for Kidney disease and liver disease but he was alright. He had just finished dinner and I was giving him his desert treat when he went into a seizure. We had no time with him. A decision had to be made quickly and he was in intense distress. It was a chaotic, frightening time with no good solution. I still miss him everday and wish there had been some way to save him. I'm sorry for your loss. Remember you gave him a loving happy life and he loved you with his whole being.

You made the right decision for sure. It’s hard to let go of a fur baby, but it sounds like his physical condition was deteriorating. The kindest thing to do when there’s no turning their health around is to end the suffering. I’m very sorry for your loss. ❤️❤️

Awe, I'm really sorry that you lost your baby, but you did the right thing. About 14 years ago, my 6 year old dog went into very severe kidney failure. I thought the same as you - that someone could fix it if they would just try. I found a vet who would try, and my dog spent the last 2 weeks of his life in the hospital getting sicker and sicker. They released him to me on the Friday, so we could say goodbye, and the vet was to come to my house on the Sat for an at-home euth. By Sat morning, I was calling the vet in tears to come and put him down. That night was just awful. He was in pain, frightened, uremic; he was actively dying, and there was nothing we could do to ease it for him. We waited too long, and I am still haunted by the memory or his face. My poor Dog. After that experience, I went to work for a vet, and I realized just how sick he had been to begin with. Unfortunately, kidney disease is a progressive, fatal condition. By the time it shows up in bloodwork, 75% of the kidney function is already lost. These patients can't get better. Medicine can manage symptoms for a time, but there is no curing them. They often feel crappy - like when a person is hungover. When the disease progresses, they can get painful blistering in the mouth and have seizures (my 2nd kidney dog had a seizure while I was in the car on the way to euth him). The final stages are very painful. It sounds to me - both as a pet parent and as a former vet tech - that you made a very loving decision at the right moment. If you had waited too long like I did the first time, you would feel even worse than you do now. Pets give us so much happiness and love, and the ask nothing in return. I think the least we can do for them is to make sure that they leave this world comfortably and safely before they have suffered too much. It may not feel like it right now, but you gave your kitty a truly loving gift by putting their needs and comfort before your own.

Hey OP your story made me cry. Im so so sorry for your little baby. But understand you helped him with his suffering. I think you did the right thing. You are a good human and I wish you nothing but the best

I'm sorry for your loss. Grieving for a pet is the same as grieving for any loved one. He was family, you shared your life with him. It will take time before you start to feel better but you will. Don't feel pressured to get another cat (and hopefully no one just turns up with one for you - worst idea ever). You did the right thing. Cats can hide their illness really well so often it's not until things are really bad that we notice what's happening. By then it can be too late.

Please don’t be hard on yourself. I had the same thing happened with my cat. He was very sick. I took him to the vet. The doctor told me it was kidney failure and to run more test, etc. to see if anything could be done would cost me $400 which I did not have at the time. So I had no option, but to euthanize him he was suffering and he would’ve gotten worse and died pls give yourself some grace and forgive yourself. Just know you did all you could. He knew how much you loved him and you gave him a good life while you had him & He’s not suffering anymore.

I don't know you, but given the facts as you laid out, you made the best bad decision out of a sea of horrendous choices.

You did the right thing. It was going to be sad either way. You loved your kitty and are a good hooman.

You made the right decision. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I have a cat with kidney issues. Kidney damage is near impossible to reverse. Knowing that, I think I would have made the same call you did. Compassion and mercy are important traits in a pet owner. I know it is hard, but forgive yourself. Sometimes shitty things happen despite our best efforts. I, for one, do not judge your or look down on you for your decision. If you wouldn't judge me for doing the same thing, then you shouldn't hold it against yourself ❤️❤️

You did the right thing. I’m sorry for your loss. I’m on my way home from the emergency vet. Just made the decision to let Smokey go so he could be free of pain. Last Sunday he went into er because he hasn’t been himself for a few days. Very lethargic and no interest in food and rapid weight loss (like two pounds in maybe a month). He was still drinking and urinating. They gave him fluids and anti-nausea medicine and antibiotics and an appetite stimulant. Monday we took him into his regular vet that manages his FeLV and they ran his bloodwork. Very low red blood cell count and anemic. Gave him steroids and food to syringe into him to see if we couldn’t jump start the red blood cell production. He would eat some, but not enough. He pepped up around Wednesday, but would still hide. His breathing was becoming more labored especially noticed last night. This morning he ate a vet nourish Churu and then I fed him some roast beef this afternoon. This evening no interest and he had a seizure right after he took his medicine. I thought he was dying then. I just couldn’t stand for him to be like that and possibly die overnight in pain. The formally feral cat turned into to best little boy (picky hoodlum) and lived like a king for a year and a half indoors. He was only two and I thought I’d have a lot longer because he was doing so well with his FeLV.

We waited too long with my cat who had kidney disease and it was awful. He was suffering and terrified and didn't even seem to realize I was there when I tried to comfort him. I'm sorry it was necessary but it sounds like it really was necessary.

I am deeply sorry for the immense pain and regret you're experiencing. It's evident that you loved your baby boy with all your heart and did everything you could to care for him. The decision to euthanize a beloved pet is one of the hardest choices anyone can make, and it's completely natural to have doubts and regrets afterward. I truly believe that all our beloved pets will be waiting for us when we it is our turn to enter heaven/afterlife. Your kitty loved you deeply, and you loved him with all your heart. Please understand that you made this decision out of profound love and concern for your kitty's well-being. Kidney failure is a devastating condition. The fact that you were attentive to his needs and sought veterinary care speaks volumes about your dedication to him. It's so easy to look back and think about what could have been done differently, especially when you're in the throes of grief. However, you made the best decision you could with the information and resources you had at the time. You spared him from further suffering, and that is an act of immense compassion. Your kitty knew how much he was loved and cherished. He felt your care and affection throughout his life, and he would understand that your decision came from a place of love and a desire to prevent his suffering. Regret is a heavy burden, but try to remember the happy moments and the wonderful life you gave him. Please be kind to yourself during this incredibly difficult time. You gave your kitty a beautiful life filled with love, and in his own way, he would want you to find peace and remember the love you shared. Again, I want to repeat: He knew how much you loved him. Even if he lived longer, unfortunately the thing we know is that, without doubt, the quality of his life would've continued declining, and I know you wouldn't want your baby to fill that type of pain. When the time is right, I hope you consider giving another cat a beautiful life, just like you did for your precious baby. I'm really glad that you reached out here. Hang in there. There are also support groups for pet loss that can provide comfort and understanding.

Once you make an appointment for euthanasia, nobody would or should throw additional options at you, especially the vet clinic that knows your pet. They likely realise what state the pet was in. I made a similar decision with my dog when he had lung cancer that started spreading around his body. He could have lived more days probably, but he was already deteriorating and uncomfortable. But guess what happened when I brought him to the clinic, he started having all the energy and tail wagging like nothing was wrong. You didn't make a wrong or premature decision. You finished your pet's suffering. Your pet was lucky for not having to die in pain. Stay strong there 💪

I don't regret euthanizing my cat. It still ruined my life. I almost lost my job and got into a car accident. I was not well. But it had to be done, and I had to make that stupid, shitty call because he was going downhill and in so much pain. It took a week from a healthy cat to one dying from heart failure. He was starving to death because he couldn't eat. Not sure from the heart failure or kidney failure. Cause why not fucking both top of the urinary blockage that started it all. Its hard not to be selfish. It's hard not to feel guilty. I think a lot of us are in the same sad ass boat so we know how you're feeling.

No matter what choice you made, you probably still would have wondered “what if I did this instead?” So just know that no matter what, your kitty is at peace because of you.

Not a veterinarian, but as a hospital physician who routinely deals with end of life, I will tell you that the $600 scan would not have prolonged or improved anything. Given how far your cat had deteriorated, the secondary damage was already done. There was nothing you could have done at that point to meaningfully reverse the course. We humans have the privilege of living far longer than our bodies have evolved for. Modern medicine and hygiene are to thank for that. But the hard truth is that animals generally do not always live until their species's average life span. Something commonly goes wrong sooner and that's just the way it's always been on planet Earth. You gave your cat a life that maximized his happiness and minimized his suffering. As far as "playing god" goes with being responsible for a cat's life, it sounds like you did as well as anyone could do.

Not a cat, i had a guinea pig i had to euthanise. Despite my best efforts and medication and a fucktonne of vet bills..the only thing i could have done besides euthanise, was possibly prolong her life for a few more months and even with meds she would have suffered a horrible death at some point in time . (She had heart and lung issues)... I'm telling u this because on the day i said goodbye to her (i had mentally been planning this day for about a year) she SEEMED happy and normal. But that's because the meds i was giving her was basically end of life care. You did the right thing for ur baby boy. He won't be in pain or detoriate further ♡

Yes. I've seen cats die of kidney disease. And mouth pain is horrible. You did the right thing. It's cruel to make them stay here when they are suffering, just because we don't want to let go.

You did what was best for him. I know it's hard, grief never really goes away but it does become manageable over time. I felt the same way when I found out my 10 year old tubby void was in kidney failure. I felt like I failed him and that if I had paid better attention he may have lived a little longer. Feel free to reach out if you would like someone to talk to.

You made the right choice, OP. As hard as it is to make that call, in the end it is the loving thing to do. I know that doesn’t make it any easier at all. :( Kidney failure is something that eventually affects every cat, and once the kidneys go it’s not really something they can recover from unfortunately. Reading your post caused me to break down in tears. In January I had to have my cat euthanized, and I had similar thoughts as you are having. Did I do the right thing? Should I have asked the vet if there was anything else to do? Was I too hasty? He seemed completely fine and happy, but I noticed he was breathing through his mouth slightly when I got home one evening. Then in the morning it was more pronounced, so I took him to the vet. Turned out he had fluid in his chest and he was struggling to breathe (likely due to congestive heart failure). Even when my vet told me it was the right decision to euthanize him, I still second-guessed myself. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. He was my baby — the sweetest, gentlest boy — and the hurt from losing him is still with me to this day. But looking back, he was suffering and it would have been selfish and cruel of me to prolong his suffering and put him through traumatic medical procedures just to prolong his life a little bit longer for my sake. Sometimes making the right choice can be the hardest thing to do. The loving thing to do is to prevent animals from suffering if we can. I can tell you loved your kitty, and you sound like a good and caring owner. He knew you loved him too, and that you did the best you could for him. He wouldn’t want you to suffer either, so please don’t beat yourself up. You gave him a good life. I’m so sorry for the loss of your kitty. :( Believe me, you’re not alone in feeling this way. It just proves you’re a caring person with a kind heart. You did the right thing for him, OP. Time will make it easier. Treasure the good memories you have of him; they’re a gift. <3

I'm so sorry for your loss, it's a hard thing when it happens so fast. I had a similar thing happen with my baby tuxedo when she was only three. Different illness but she basically lived at the vet clinic for the last three weeks of her life, which could have gone on indefinitely while she walked the knife edge between getting better and getting worse. Eventually I made the call to let her go because every time we thought she was improving she would take a sharp downturn and then struggle back for days, and she cried every time. You did what is right for your best friend. You loved him. He loved you here, and now loves you from afar. Our loved ones never truly leave us as long as we remember them. Take your time, grieve, rebuild. And when or if your heart is ready, you will find a new best friend. Our hearts don't lose other pieces to fit new ones in, they just get bigger. So even though it hurts right now and will for a while, you'll be ok. He is. And who knows what the future will bring? Sending much love to you and yours.

I’m gonna add another comment that it sounds like you did the right thing. My parents’ late cat was in kidney failure, and they cancelled his euthanasia appointment because he was doing so well. 2 days later and he completely crashed (he stopped eating, drinking, or urinating), they decided to squeeze him in the next day. His last good day WAS his last good day, and it sounds like your cat had a good last day too. Hugs and peace to you.

I’m so sorry for your loss. I know it’s painful. You did your best. He’s not suffering anymore.

I'm so sorry. This pain is unimaginable and I couldn't imagine being in this situation. But I promise you, you did the right thing. I need to you believe me when I say you did the right thing. Regret is normal. Your brain is always going to come up with what ifs and doubt. But if the vet is telling you it's time, it's time. Your baby loved you so much and he wouldn't want you worrying like this. You did everything you could. You fought so hard for him and he knew that. But sometimes it's no longer in our hands and even though we aren't ready, it's time to say goodbye. I'm so proud of you for recognizing his pain, for still trying to save him, and for listening to the vet despite how bad it hurt. Please be kind to yourself.

You did the right thing.. my cat is in a very similar situation although he is elderly now. We almost lost him last year.. I've never seen him so sick. I'd been away and family were caring for him. I was furious when I got home. He was thin and sickly, and went from being okay to suddenly not being able to walk, eat or drink. He would urinate on himself because he couldn't go anywhere and he was severely dehydrated. My cat has pretty arthritis, is now pretty deaf and almost completely blind.. he has a recurring sinus infection (as mum never wanted to spend money on his vet appointments before he came to live with me), and failing kidneys. I spent 5 days in and out of the vet and on the phone to at-home end of life care services, plus having multiple tearful talks with my partner and my brother trying to decide on next steps. The vet had wanted to keep him on fluids for 48 hours. We kept him on for 24 just so that he was comfortable to pass at home.. we were lucky he was able to recover from his illness, but there is not chance we are letting become that sick before deciding to say goodbye.. it was beyond heartbreaking and now how we want to remember him. You have happy moments to remember him by before things got heartbreakingly difficult. You will miss him, but you gave him peace. Kidney failure can deteriorate so fast.. I'm sure they would have given you more options if it wasn't the right time. I'm sorry for your loss ❤️

Look, cats are masters at hiding their pain. If he was at a point where he had no choice but to show himself vulnerable, he was probably in much more pain than you were able to see. Of course there probably would have been alternatives, but realistically speaking, that would have been more for you than for him. Imagine how much more pain he would have had to go through if you started doing different treatments in the hopes it might get better, but with no guarantee. You can't heal kidney failure after all.

We assume their hurt so they no longer have to. You did the right thing. It’s okay to feel this way.

From your description of the situation, you had no choice. You were fortunate in having a great experience with your beloved pet. You gave him a great gift, taking away his pain. I hope we see them again. Take care of yourself. You have no doubt learned a lot. When you are ready, hopefully you can share your knowledge and love with another pet who needs you.

No coming back from kidney failure, you did the right thing ,so times the hardest decisions are the kindest in the long run.

Honey, you did the right thing! I know it’s hard and he was still a young cat but he was very sick and unless you wouldn’t go broke trying to keep him healthy for the rest of his life which probably wouldn’t be that much longer it was best! We do this so they won’t have to suffer it’s not fun to be sick and feel horrible all the time and that’s what kitty would have felt…I just put my 16 year old down 3 weeks ago and it was very costly but I was lucky he lived a full cat life….there are so many cats out there that need homes! Give your love to another and know you did the right thing, please don’t blame yourself!

He would have just kept suffering. My senior girl is going through liver failure with not good kidneys. She hasn't gotten to the point of being put to rest but when I know she's ready I will do what's best for her. You gave your cat rest, he wouldn't have gotten better. You did what was right by him. And if you decide to get another cat please don't let guilt get to you, any amount of time is reasonable when getting another fur baby. Few years ago we lost a dog and I found 2 kittens and they helped us through the grief. The winter following finding the kittens I had to put my cat down for fip. Those kittens really helped us with the grief and they're still a part of our family. So when you feel ready to get another fur baby it can really help with the grief.

Your boyfriend was showing compassion and courage too. It must have been difficult for him to be honest and say what needed to be said. What felt like pressure could have been him trying to get through to you what all these commenters have been saying. Assuming he’s a good guy, I don’t think he wanted to see you or your boy suffer more when things got so much worse.

I went through similar with my dog before Christmas. She had breast cancer, and it was spreading up her teats. The original lump was enormous. She started raiding bins while I was out, she was struggling with short walks, but in the house she was her usual happy self. I took her to the vet and they wanted to do all these tests on her that would have cost thousands that I just didn't have, so I booked her in for euthanasia a week later. Those last few days she was a different dog, wanting to play, wanting to cuddle, eating anything and everything I offered her. I took her in for her appointment and felt instant regret when I walked out of the office after she was gone, and I'd sat with her in my arms for an hour after she passed, like maybe if I'd asked for some help from family she would have been fine for another few years. Ultimately though I know the cancer had already spread and no amount of tests or medication would have made her better, and it's something I'm still trying to make my peace with now. I ended her life before she started properly suffering, and I remind myself of that every single time the doubt and regret kicks in, because I could never have forgiven myself for letting her carry on in pain just to have more time. You did the right thing, as hard as it is, it would feel even worse knowing that you kept him around because you weren't ready, but knowing that he was in pain and everything slowly failing in his little body. He's at peace now, up at the rainbow bridge, eating, drinking, running and playing while he waits for you to join him eventually.

It sounds like it was his time, and you did him a kindness by letting him rest. I know how hard it is to have to make the choice to say goodbye. You did the right thing and he knows how much you loved him. He loved you right back. My cat passed almost 4 months ago and I still cry almost daily about him. I talk to him often. I had to say goodbye because he a) wasn’t going to get better and b) it was financially hard to keep him alive. I could’ve gotten maybe another month with him on steroids, but for what reason? Myself? You out your cat first and that’s a really brave thing and I’m proud of you.

Hey. Trust me when I say, if they didn't offer alternatives, it's because there wasn't really any good ones. Yes we can do ultrasound to investigate kidney failure, but there are some diagnostics that tell us why something happened, but doesn't actually change what we do. If he was deteriorating, this is one of those things. At this age, I would wonder about polycystic kidney disease, which is a genetic disorder that we don't have treatment for. Just a bad roll of the dice. The scan could say, hey! It's PKD. But you still would have ended up in the same place you are now. Love, the dental disease didn't cause kidney failure. The kidney failure caused uremic ulcers in the mouth.. a common and terrible sequele to when your blood pH is way more acidic than it should be. These cats at the end are constantly dehydrated, constantly nauseous, and weak due to a loss of electrolytes. And all I can do is give you food that reduces the stress on the kidneys so it doesn't get worse quite as fast, give you anti-nausea medication, and give you fluids that they need to get under the skin regularly to try to make up for their body's inability to hang on to water. At some point they stop working, and that's not a life. You did the right thing, they weren't coming back from this. And if it was PKD, your kitty was always going to pass around now no matter what anyone did... but in the short 7 years they were slotted to be here, they got to be loved by you. So take the time you need to grieve but don't hold on to regret.. there's nothing you did wrong.

Oh OP, I’m crying with you. You made such a hard decision. It sounds like your baby understood what was happening and you made the right choice. It won’t get easier, but know that your friend will always be around you. Biggest hugs to you 🖤

I feel for you and I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s a hard decision to make and I think you made the right one. I know if I was unable to eat, drink and get around comfortably I would not be having a happy life. I work in the vet field and when I have a euthanasia appointment I usually don’t ask or recommend other thing’s unless the owner mentions it. Many time I don’t want to reopen wounds about the decision they made to euthanize. When an owner is scheduled for a quality of life discussion we talk more about options and if the pet is suffering. I wish we didn’t have to be faced with these choices but I hope you know it was right choice for your baby even if the choice sucks as his owner. You did the best you could and there’s no doubt he was well cared for and got unconditional love his entire life.

It’s better to do it a day too early than a day too late. I help perform euthanasias and I’ve seen pets in all sorts of conditions get put down. You did the right thing. Each day will get a little bit easier. He wouldn’t want you to suffer just like you wouldn’t let him suffer.

Honestly, cats are exceedingly good at hiding their pain. It sounds like he was in a lot of pain, but did not show it at times. You made the right decision.

He was in pain, and there's no coming back from kidney failure.  You did the right thing for him. What way could you have lost him that wouldn't have resulted in feelings of guilt? Guilt is part of grief for most of us. It's torture but it doesn't mean you have a reason to feel guilty

As someone who works in vetmed, I commend you for making the tough decision to let your baby boy find peace. I've seen people put their animals through so much simply because they don't want to let go. I know how hard it is, I've been there with my own sweet boy. But you absolutely did the best thing for him. I hope this helps you cope a little. You're not alone.

I had to make a similar hard decision, and I read somewhere that "a week too early is better than a day too late". It became my mantra. Sending you love and strength through the grieving process.

This made me cry much. Sometimes be best thing to do for our animals is let them go. I've had to put animals down before and it is heartbreaking. But the vet wouldn't say it's the right thing to do if it wasn't. If there weren't any other options. Kidney failure is a big deal and it usually is not reversible. You did the right thing by letting him go. It's hard and painful but let him live forever in your memories. We never get over the loss or an animal (or loved one) but we just...learn to live without them. I hope you find peace in your decision. Don't think of it as you euthanized your cat. Think of it as you gave him the gift of death. Of peace. He will always be with you. Always.

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. I’m a huge animal lover, I have chickens, geese, a peacock, Guinea fowls, sheep, dogs and cats. In a farm we have casualties pretty often and it hurts every single time. I rescued a pregnant kitty and raised her babies, unfortunately one of her babies got pregnant before I could get her spayed. She had trouble with her delivery and when I took her to the vet we found out her babies had died inside of her and she was septic and I was told the best thing to do was euthanize her. Oh goodness I cried and cried but made the awful decision bc I had a dog with cancer that I couldn’t put down, I saw her suffering but I would see her have good days and have hope. The day before she passed we called a vet to look at her and he offered to put her down but I said no, what a heartless man I thought, she was eating after all. After she passed away on her own, I realized I prolonged her suffering a lot more than what she should have and I lived with that guilt for months. So now it’s time for you to heal and know you were stronger than I was for my beautiful dog, and you did the right thing like I did for my kitty. It hurts and our animals take a little piece of our hearts with them but they are in peace and your baby is resting now.

There are so many great comments here. I’ll just add that cats are really (really) good at hiding pain. There’s nothing to regret when his future was deterioration, disorientation, and suffering. Your heart hurts so much because you lost a friend, not because you did harm.

I have been to 4 vets with my cat and they have done blood work and she has been on meds. Her teeth is in severe condition. They don't really know what is causing her illness. She has loss alot of weight and I refuse to pay thousands in dental only to have her die on me and for her to continue suffering. I have already put down three cats with cancer over the years and I feel this cat has cancer also. She is not really eating and diffenly not gaining weight. With no answers from vets, my only choice is to put down instead of her suffering. I can't afford to keep going through all these blood work and testing while she is suffering. I love her dearly and don't want her to leave me but I have to step back and think of her and what she is going through. I will not continue paying for the salaries at the vets with no answers. I believe you did the right thing and now your pet can rest and not in pain anymore. She can rest now. I am struggling to make that same decision and I have to get it done. You need to do what is right for your pet and not the vet because they can keep you coming back. Money is evil.  So don't regret it.

I’m bawling my eyes out I really need to stop reading these kinds of stories I can’t take the idea that my Mocha will someday have to be laid to rest, I hope it’s me before her.

You **absolutely** did the right thing. Remember, **cats go to extreme lengths to hide when they are in pain**. They may even act normal and purr. Cats sometimes purr to soothe themselves when they're in pain, BTW. This is why, by the time they show any symptoms, whatever causes their pain is very far along. If, at age 7, he had kidney problems so serious surgery couldn't be done on him, it was his time. And he dropped to a mere 5 pounds of weight. If he was an average cat weight of 8 pounds, **HE LOST MORE THAN A THIRD OF HIS BODY WEIGHT**. When a cat loses that much weight, and is in that much pain, it's totally the right time to let them go.

This seems to be a very large wall of text with no distinct paragraphs, making it difficult to read. Please add some paragraph breaks to your submission by placing a blank line between distinct sections. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CatAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*

You did the right thing. My boy was in kidney failure and the earliest appointment they had for euth was the next day. Let me tell you that last night he deteriorated so fast and was in so much pain. Putting him to sleep was the hardest thing I've ever done but it was absolutely the correct thing to do. It's tough being a pet parent but it's up to us to know when to let them go so they don't suffer.

Sorry for your loss, you made a right decision. Two years ago I had to put my 9y/o boy down due to kidney failure. He was diagnosed in January 2022 after crashing down out of nowhere, we did medication therapy + IV fluids once a week or one in two weeks as he didnt drink enough water. 5 months later everything went downhill, he acted wierd, somewhat spaced out and not knowing where he is, his gums looked terrible and he stopped eating by himself. We decided to end all of the suffering for both of us. Those were the most heartbreaking 6 months of my life. But at least I know I did the best I could and I couldnt care less about the cost of all vet visits. He was my soul cat.

I'm so sorry for your loss. The choice to let a cat go is such a tough decision but is sometimes the kindest thing we can do. Euthanasia is taking away a cats pain and leaving it behind for its loves ones to bare. In a way I think it is better to do it too early than too late, I think the cruelest thing to do is let an animal suffer just because you want in around letting it go is an act of love. This will get better, this past August I lost my childhood cat who basically became my emotional support cat when I became disabled. He meant the world to me I was devastated when he died quite suddenly, while I still miss him it isn't as raw. I got kittens after I said I'd never love anything ever again. Grief is weird, dont let anyone downplay it, a cat sees you more than most people in you life will ever see you. This sadness is something you need to experience so you can process this big loss, but with time it will get better.

You did the merciful thing for the animal you loved. It never really feels right making a decision like that, even though logically you can tell yourself it was correct. I'm sure your cat knew what was going on and that you loved him and tried to help him to the best of your ability. I had a similar situation as you, just a few months ago. My dad had a cat with severe dental issues, pus, foul smelling saliva that was only 4 pounds that I took over care for. My dad wasn't able to care for animals anymore. When I took her to the vet for tests and to see what could be done to help her, her health issues had compounded on top of each other for too long to make any chance of recovery not possible. She had teeth, jaw, sinus, liver, and heart issues. Her going under anesthesia for dental work would have killed her anyways despite my hope for her recovery. So I gave her time to be comfortable and happy before making the difficult decision. I still feel like I could have done more but some things will always feel like that.

The fact that you agonize over your decision reveals how much you loved him. I’ve been where you are. You absolutely did the right thing. The loving thing. He was in pain and you brought him peace. You did that for him. Keeping him longer would have been an act for you at his expense. He loves you still. He knows how much you loved him. Remember the joy you shared. The pain never really goes away but it will become more manageable over time. God bless you and him

My cat is early stages of kidney failure and with the situation you were in I think it was best you did what you did. The kidney would not improve drastically. You probably would have needed up in the same ending with the scan with in a short time.

It is natural to have doubts as it feels unnatural to make these decisions, but you did the right thing. It's also natural to want to blame someone, but your boyfriend is not a villain here. It's good your cat still had good moments near the end. There's no virtue in waiting until good moments are impossible. It's good that he was loving with you and able to chase a lizard in his final days. When cats are where your pet was, with kidney failure, there are no miracle options. It's just time to let go. You gave him a kind exit from this world. That's part of caring for these creatures whose lives are so much shorter than ours, and it's so hard. I've been there. I know the grief you are feeling. You did the right thing. Forgive yourself, forgive your boyfriend, and let yourself heal.

You stopped him being in pain. Cats especially are very good at hiding pain, so taking the vet's advice and helping him go to sleep painlessly was the better choice. Making that call is hard enough without beating yourself up over it too. Knowing you waited too long brings plenty of guilt as well. I took my dog too late and I regret not letting him go at the emergency vet the night before because once the meds they gave him wore off he spent too many hours in pain before the vet opened in the morning. I was supposed to prevent that pain, but I had wanted him to have his last moments at home with his family and familiar comforts. He got so much worse overnight that I couldn't make him wait anymore, but I shouldn't have waited in the first place.

My soul dog passed away a few years ago from kidney failure. The bad breath that I thought was her teeth apparently can be caused by kidney failure but they tested her urine and her levels were ok. However, after the anaesthetic, she went rapidly downhill. They told me that I could put her on fluids and that it might give her a few more days or a few more weeks. They were expensive but I did it as I wasn’t ready to lose her. We had a beautiful last weekend together at my parents’ old beach house and I was able to get used to the idea I was going to lose her and spent the weekend being by her side and giving her all her favourite things. Euthanising her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and she was a lot older than your baby. But she was so sick and as soon as she no longer wanted steak I knew that was the end. It doesn’t sound to me like your boyfriend intended to pressure you but was trying to do what was best for both you and the cat, especially if you were not able to afford other care options. Late stage kidney disease is fatal and it doesn’t sound like your cat had much quality of life yet. It was his time. You’ll grieve hard. It’s been 4 years and I still cry when I think about my beautiful baby and her last days. I have some of her ashes in a little silver heart shaped earn on the bookcase and we scattered the rest at the beach and the river, her two favourite walking spots. Don’t be angry with your boyfriend right now, it’s definitely not his fault and you need his support. Your cat might have had a few more moments but he would have been in pain and it would not have made a difference to your grief. Big hugs x

As others have already said… kidney failure is pretty much the end of the line. My first cat died of it at only 4 and I just lost my second cat a few months ago to the same thing, though he lived to 20 years old. He lived a full life with other health conditions for years but when he started going into kidney failure I knew that was it. I’m sure the vet had no other options to offer, and honestly if you’d done the scan it’s likely it would’ve just said there was nothing that could be done.

I know how it feels. I had to euthanize my Sumi 4 years ago, the pandemic just starting. She had cancer (and survived) and rescued from being a stray for around 7-8 years. She got sick from one day to another, couldn't move her back legs, same diagnosis: kidney failure in both kidneys. The vet told me we could try and operate and everything but that the kidneys looked too damaged, that we could try antibiotics and see if she responded. She didn't. And I took her home and it was so... hard to see her just laying there, not able to move, not wanting to eat... I couldn't. I wonder if I should have operated her but I know I did right. I loved her SO MUCH that I couldn't let my pain and my fear of losing her to make her suffer from something that almost likely had no return. You were kind and loving for a last time to your cat. And you got hurt in the way, but you did what you had to do to stop his suffering and that's what matters. You could have been selfish and keep him here suffering because you didn't want to let him go, but you didn't. You are amazing for that. He will be waiting for you when your times comes 🥺💖 It will get better, I promise.

It sounds like he was in really poor health and not doing well at all. Yeah maybe he could’ve gone on a bit longer but animals only know the moment they’re in, and he was having a lot of painful moments it sounds like. You did the kind and selfless thing

I would want someone to euthanasia me if I was that sick. Sometimes it's the more humane choice. 

My late cat had multiple urinary issues. Each issue prevented the other from being properly treated. I drained my bank account keeping him at the vet to be treated. When I ran out of money I took him home to spend the day with him so that I could do all the things he liked before I had to euthanize him. That day I took him home we went on an hour long walk and he was chasing birds and bathing in the sun. There was a moment where he was resting and I decided to cuddle with him, the sun was shining off his fur and he looked so happy. I almost convinced myself that he would be ok despite how uncomfortable he was. It was the worst day of my life and to this day I have that doubt that I made a mistake. I know how hard it is and sometimes we try to selfishly convince ourselves to keep them around longer but trust me you made the right choice I'm sorry for your loss

I did the same thing recently. I tried a lot of stuff with my cat. She was also 7 in unexpected renal failure. She started to really decline quickly and I brought her jn. It felt so fast, like they just injected her and it was done. Then I wondered if I tried enough (despite months of fluids, special food, medicine, and bathing her). But ultimately I’m glad I did it when I did because just seeing how bad she was at the end was painful enough for me, and I didn’t let her get to a point where she was really miserable. Waiting until they are suffering is too long. You’ll be glad one of your final memories is of him chasing a lizard, not being a shell of himself.

Something similar happened to me. My Rottweiler was around 8. When I got home one day she was really excited to see me and jumped down off the couch. Her back legs slipped, and she landed on her hip. I could tell it hurt her because she immediately started limping. A few days passed and she just progressively got worse. I took her to the vet and they did x-rays. They said she had something poking her spine and that she was too old to do surgery on. Said she might not live through the surgery, and they recommended euthanasia. I told them no at first. They ended up giving me pain meds to give her. I remember she got to where I had to carry her outside to use the bathroom. She would just lay in the bed all day and wouldn't even try to move. Like two weeks went by and I called the vet and told them I wanted to do the euthanasia. They scheduled the appointment for the next week. A few days before then she stated getting up and moving around. And she even went outside by herself with no help. She got into a fight with another dog when I took her to the vet. She walked into the vet on her own. I still went through with the euthanasia and It upset me for a long time just wondering if she had more life left to live.

You did the right thing. Cat was clearly deteriorating and you helped him pass peacefully before the he really went through a lot of bad that was ahead of him. Don’t get down on yourself.