Reply #12: I understand [View All]

[LibertyLover]

last year my 10 year old whippet (whippets normally live to be 14 or 15 and 17 and 18 is not unheard of) developed intestinal cancer. He lost interest in eating his food, but for several months lived on McDonald's chicken nuggets, french fries and deli meats. And he would only eat if I fed him. He would very infrequently take something from my husband or my daughter. Something we also did, although I don't know if it would work for cats, is to give him one of those frozen fruit ice squeeze things. That gave him some sugar and energy and he would then eat. But through it all he kept doing the things he usually did - sleeping in bed with my husband and I, running in the yard with the other dogs, barking at strangers and intruders to his domain (aka dogs walking past the house and squirrels) although he wasn't as fast as he had been. He slept more and tired easily, but he still wanted to do things and to live. The night before I took him to the vet's for the last time, that all changed. He refused food, even the icy pops, and comfort. All he did was pace, fall down, get up, pace, fall down. It was obvious to us that he was sinking and fast. The spark was out of his eye. The body was there, but all that had made him what he was, was gone. That's how I knew it was time. All of that aside, you know your cat best - if you think there might be a blockage, see if the vet will check it out. It may be the case. Do as much as you feel comfortable with (and can afford - I know from vet bills) so that if and when you make a decision to put Heidi down, you know that you did everything you could for her.