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trickykittyWe had to euthanize one of my family's cats today. Cow-Cow was 15 years old and used to be absolutely obese, hence her name. She was my sister's cat, and when circumstances came that she needed to find a new home, she was adopted into my parents' household about a year or so ago. She was a beautiful tortiseshell calico, who had grown so thin that I was always worried I would break a bone while petting her.
Eldest nephew acted nonchalant about us taking her to the emergency clinic; this is his way of dealing with death, as I had learned when my grandmother died a few years ago. Little Bit was sad and at first wanted to go with us, but then decided to stay behind. Dad started crying while holding Cow-Cow as mom and I got our things together. Mom and I took her in, and she was evaluated. She was 15, "legally" blind and walking until she would almost bump her head into objects (feeling them with her whiskers and eye lashes before her actual forehead in most cases, but still causing a jump-back reaction), and had arthritis that prevented her from jumping any longer, and only barely allowed her to make it up the one step into the kitchen and back down into the living room.
Saturday morning dad found her walking in circles, and more or less no longer responding to us calling her, which would previously get her attention and orient her in the right direction to us. She showed no signs of the typical head tilt found in ear infections and vestibular disease. I'm not sure why they didn't take her in to the vet yesterday, but when it comes to things like these dad leaves it to mom and mom leaves it to me. I felt a bit like she was waiting for me to be the deciding factor and to help discuss it with the boys. My sister saw Cow-Cow last weekend, and knew that it was getting close to time, so she had made sure to spend a few extra minutes giving her love even then. The vet confirmed our suspicions that she most likely had a stroke or some other brain issue, and that she was unlikely to get much better.
As per our family's usual wishes, Cow-Cow will be cremated and her remains will be brought home and placed with our previous pets.
Eldest nephew acted nonchalant about us taking her to the emergency clinic; this is his way of dealing with death, as I had learned when my grandmother died a few years ago. Little Bit was sad and at first wanted to go with us, but then decided to stay behind. Dad started crying while holding Cow-Cow as mom and I got our things together. Mom and I took her in, and she was evaluated. She was 15, "legally" blind and walking until she would almost bump her head into objects (feeling them with her whiskers and eye lashes before her actual forehead in most cases, but still causing a jump-back reaction), and had arthritis that prevented her from jumping any longer, and only barely allowed her to make it up the one step into the kitchen and back down into the living room.
Saturday morning dad found her walking in circles, and more or less no longer responding to us calling her, which would previously get her attention and orient her in the right direction to us. She showed no signs of the typical head tilt found in ear infections and vestibular disease. I'm not sure why they didn't take her in to the vet yesterday, but when it comes to things like these dad leaves it to mom and mom leaves it to me. I felt a bit like she was waiting for me to be the deciding factor and to help discuss it with the boys. My sister saw Cow-Cow last weekend, and knew that it was getting close to time, so she had made sure to spend a few extra minutes giving her love even then. The vet confirmed our suspicions that she most likely had a stroke or some other brain issue, and that she was unlikely to get much better.
As per our family's usual wishes, Cow-Cow will be cremated and her remains will be brought home and placed with our previous pets.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-09-05 10:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-09-05 01:58 pm (UTC)I've cried a few times since yesterday, and I have to stiffle a cry every time I see our own cats. I know the mourning will pass, but I really hate this part.