PLEASE HELP with further cat advice

[mum_I'm_hungry]

:( a couple people may remember I posted a week or so ago with my cat's colon problems. A bit :o to be posting with cat problems when I'm sure people are having many, many baby/kid problems, but I don't really know what to do and think I'm too close to it all now to make half-decent decisions.

History so far is our cat has colon problems, has been getting very backed up despite special medication/diet and has had one enema that cost $800 a few months back. She had another one this week for $600 and it now looks like she has a perforated bowel as has a raised temp. for over 2 days now, despite antibiotics (and they are probably masking the problem, as well) add another $200 for the extended stay. The vets want to do imaging and then fix the perforation if they can find one, but that's another $300 for the imaging and then more for surgery on what is already a dodgy colon.

Our other options are to put her down (cheap :() or to remove most of her colon plus a 7 day stay at the vet. That will cost around $3500.

I just don't know what to do. She is five years old and still okay at the vet, as in, perks up when we get there, purrs etc.. But this is going to cost $5000 realistically and on some levels I just feel that it's not right to spend that on a cat and that I'm being emotionally fleeced. We give money to doctors' without borders every month and I just read their newsletter the other day and realised what that kind of money can buy when it comes to medical treatment for people.

If she could have the surgery and be a normal cat I would do it, but she will have diarrohea for 4-6 weeks and then, at best, 'frequent soft formed stools' for the rest of her days.

Too many ifs. And I am too gutless to walk in and end it. I could bring her home on antibiotics and watch her go downhill and then end it, but that's even more gutless...

:crying:

Any advice anyone can give would be a big help right now. She is scheduled in for surgery tomorrow, so we have till very early tomorrow morning to decide, I guess...

[em1984]

oh gosh that really is a tough decision :( My instant thought would be do the surgery, she's still young and it appears will still have good quality of life?....But then money wise, it would depend I suppose where I stood financially :( I know for certain my partner would NEVER pay that for our cat so it would be up to me, and as I have NO income at the moment, that would kind of make the decision for me, unless I had a generous family member who would help me out... Oh god its awful when it comes down to money :(

Just had another thought, as horrible as this sounds if it was my dog I know for certain my partner would pay it, so putting it into that perspective I know it would be given no second thought that we would get the surgery. I know thats awful, but he really dislikes cats, and I know that he wouldnt spend it on the cat but he would the dog. Just trying to put the scenario in my head where I would have more options iykwim. So basically, yes we would get the surgery...

[garfield13]

big :hugs:

if i remember rightly it has gone up a fair bit since last weeks post?
Its so hard, Our cats are our babies and if we were in your situation we would probably not do the surgery. If the cat would be back to normal after the surgery we would probably stretch the bank and do it, but if the cat wouldnt be back to normal after the surgery i dont think we would.
Its so hard to say not being in your situation, but this is what i 'think' we would do

im so sorry you are going through this:hugs::hugs:

[~Candy~]

That's a lot of money!....but no-one can tell you where to go from here. It's really up to you...it's such a hard decision to make..but it's one that only you can decide. No-one is going to judge you no-matter what choice you make....a lot of us have been there before too.

:hugs:

[mum_I'm_hungry]

Thanks everyone. My husband looked up a lot of information on the operation and its complications and already knows a lot as he does the anaesthetic for people having the same operation every day at work. As she's already sick, her risk of complications is probably around 10 per cent, so that combined with the diarrohea and small children aspect has led us to think about not proceeding. He's gone in to the vet now and will either put her down, or bring her home and then we'll have to put her down the next time she gets backed up.

Either way, pretty #$%&...

:crying:

[garfield13]

im so sorry. i was nearly tearing up before posting thinking about having to make that decision. Its just not fair

:hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:

[biscotti]

Oh A :hugs::crying:

I'm so sorry. The toughest of decisions when it comes to our cats, I know. Our burmese a few years ago had kidney disease and was basically incontinent and very unwell, very unhappy and we had to make the terrible terrible decision.

I am so so sorry :hugs:

[MyFourCubs]

I'm really sorry. I would be very torn too. I have paid a lot for an operation for one of my cats, once upon a time I would ahve paid anything if they were reasonably young and I could justify it- but this was pre children and now with 3 kids I really don't know. $5000 obviously is a lot. I echo the PP's- it is your decision and nobody at all would judge you. You have already given this cat many chances at life and have looked after her well. Given that there are many people on this earth who would have abandoned that cat at the first sight of trouble, you do not need to feel guilty.

:hugs: to you and I hope you get through this ok.

[nothanksbye]

my cat had that op.

it was horrible, he had diarrhea all the time and would literally explode once a week.:barf:

it was horrible and we ended up having him put to sleep.:crying:

[amandaw]

Oh Alli ...no advice, just great big :hugs:to all of you...what a crappy place to be in :hugs:

[Uniquey]

Oh Alli, I just found this thread, I knew this was inevitable for you from your last thread (making the decision) :hugs: and it breaks my heart to hear the time has come, as we have two Cats and I know I too, have to make a similar decision in the not too distant future. :(
Lot's of :hugs::hugs::hugs: for you all. xx

[mum_I'm_hungry]

Thanks, mate. Well, he went in there and they had already put a canula in for the operation and it would have been sooooo easy to put her down, but he couldn't do it. She just still seems so well. I know she's not, she is a cat with a diseased colon, but you know what I mean -- she is perky, alert and responsive. So, he brought her home and she is on four different drugs, but still a happy cat.

We now have to decide whether we risk the operation and the money (which could mean putting her down shortly afterwards if it doesn't go well, or putting her down if she gets complications six months afterwards etc.), or putting her down when she gets backed up next time. I would hazard a guess that might be a month or two months from now if we're lucky.

While we can afford to do it (at a push -- husband will just take a few overtime bullets!), on some levels I don't think it's a good call because of the risk and I also sort of don't think it's a nice thing to do to her. She'd obviously have the surgery, be locked in a little box at the vet for seven days then have diarrohea for at least six weeks. It's not normal and cats are dignified animals. It's just not... nice. Not to mention hygienic when you've got two young kids around, plus our nanny's daughter.

I also feel on some level that we're being fleeced emotionally. I know its the vet's job to do everything they can for her, but that's a lot of money to spend on a cat and when you even mention the Other Option, they tend to go a bit snippy on you. Like you're a crap cat owner. But it is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a diseased cat who still won't be normal after the surgery. We have discussed putting her down when she gets backed up and donating some of the money we would have spent to doctors without borders, who we donate to every month. It would be nice to think that some of that money went to humans who really needed medical care and might not have it otherwise.

Bleh. I know we are totally over-thinking it all, but can't help it, really!

[MountainGirl]

Oh Alli!:hugs: I just found this thread,... so sorry you are caught in such a horrible situation.,..

We go through something similar with our dog Hugo every year or so,. he has auto immune dif. syndrome and ends up on meds,..having MRI's,.CT scans and blood tests,.. He has horrific bowel movements,.and is miserable,. Every time I decide that this is the end though, he perks up,.and is fine,.until the next time:o.

Honestly,.. I would be inclined to put him down if he is rin any way uncomfortable for extended periods of time,.but you know that.

Could you get a second opinion? In Sydney there is a teaching practice that is part of Sydney Uni,..it doesn't cost anything to get your pets treated there,.and they like 'interesting' cases,...:hugs: maybe an option.

Discomfort is not fair on any animal though:(:hugs:

[mum_I'm_hungry]

Could you get a second opinion? In Sydney there is a teaching practice that is part of Sydney Uni,..it doesn't cost anything to get your pets treated there,.and they like 'interesting' cases,...:hugs: maybe an option.

:laughing: this is our third vet and we're at the uni now. The last place was a specialist cat place that we went to after the vet down the road seemed a bit dim. Nowhere else to go, really. The uni is actually more expensive than the cat place :confused:

Know what you mean about the pain. If she was in pain, or looked really ill, it would be an easy decision. But putting down a perky, responsive cat just seems wrong, you know? But then it also seems wrong to wait until she is in pain, or to put her through a huge surgical procedure that she doesn't understand.

We were at a bookshop yesterday and husband bought a book on ethics (collated columns) called Should I Flush my Goldfish Down the Toilet? I think we are grasping at straws now :laughing:

[CaelsMum]

I remember your post and have had to make the same decision for a cat but with a different problem. In the end my DH asked what we wanted to do and I had him put down as there were no guarantees with a costly surgery and even though he seemed totally fine he was very sick and uncomfortable. I still remember how normal he looked and how cuddly he was hours before we went to the vet and put him down and it still breaks my heart. However the vet told us not to feel guilty as we had done what we could for him and after they admisitered the anaesthetic he passed so quickly the vet said he must have been very sick and I guess that answered my question if I was doing the right thing or not.

Many :hugs: to you it's extremely hard and I hope I don't have to make a decision like that again.