This is his current state, he is 14. I have had him since I was 6.

Over the last 2-3 weeks his health has progressively got worse each day it seems. Noticed his spine being boney but figured it was just him not eating enough, now last week started to develop a little eye infection it seems, but now everyday the right eye seems to get shut cuz of it and I have to clean it out so he can see again. Now it seems he has lost most power in his back legs + balance and now he’s really just skin and bones vs how he used to be :(

With that being said I think it’s time for him to go cause I can’t stand seeing him like this cause it really hurts me more than anything to see my first son go

(Update as of 1:50pm, he’s going to the vet at 2:30 within the next hour so we will have a verdict soon)

2:55, he is no longer with us. Took him to the vet and It was to late to even attempt to save him, he was actively dying. He had a BPM of 40. wish I saw sooner I feel so fucking bad that I didn’t notice it sooner. Hes gums were also pale so he was anemic. I feel so bad I didn’t do anything sooner . I appreciate all the comments and advice.

We had to put our black Turkish angora Jet to sleep 6 weeks ago.
With hectic work and life for last few weeks I haven’t been thinking about him much, but yesterday I checked the mail and the vet hospital sent us a nice card with Jet’s paw prints. Well, I was in tears all over again. We adopted him in Spain and he was with us through our life in different countries.
He was a good little traveller. (Car and plane). We had 18 great years with him and he was a very social and friendly cat. As sad as I am we knew it was time for him to go, kidney failure is terrible and there is no cure. I think he hid his pain from us for as long as he could.



This is Winston, my 18.5 exotic shorthair I got when I was 23 years old. I’m now 41.
His appetite is off and on the last few weeks, but he has lost a lot of weight and has stage 3 kidney disease. He still wants to play though if I bring out his favourite toy.
He has been going bathroom outside of his litter box for over a year, and I’ve managed with puppy pads for the most part. He seems in great spirits most days.

His balance is really declining, and he always “backs into” me or a pillow to hold himself up while sitting. He has been cuddled up to me more than he ever has, and now sits on me (he was never a lap cat). Which I love and think is so sweet. I think he knows, too.

When he drinks water, his face gets abnormally soaked and now he is losing his hair under his chin and neck area because of it :(

Every morning I usually find him facing the sun, which for some reason just makes me really sad knowing we are entering winter and the days are getting shorter and less sunny. And that’s one thing I think he really loves.

In a perfect world I wish when it’s his time he passes quietly in the night. I’m just not ready.

I’ve had a pretty dysfunctional home life and relationships for most of my 20s and 30s and Winston has been the only consistent thing in my life.

I've had Mia since she was 12 weeks old. She is an absolutely amazing cat. She is incredibly cuddly. She sleeps with me every night near my stomach. She just loves everyone. Everyone who meets Mia just falls in love with her. She has helped me through so much over the years and I cannot even begin to say how much she means to me and how much I appreciate her. On Wednesday I noticed her limping, and then Thursday I noticed a large mass on her shoulder. I immediately took her to the ER vet near me, and they recommended xrays and labwork. So the night before they gave her gabapentin to keep her calm for the xrays. On Sunday, the vet said she didn't like how hard the mass was and with the results of the xray, she suggested cancer. Today I received a call from the Radiologist who confirmed osteosarcoma and recommended that we amputate her arm immediately since it hasn't spread to her lungs or anywhere else. I was in complete shock because other than chronic constipation, she has never had any other health issues. If you could keep Mia in your thoughts, I would seriously appreciate it ❤️

This girl, around 16yrs ago, I picked her and siblings off the street. My old Tom only let her stay and found homes for the rest. She was slowing down until back in Jun, we brought home a 3week old rescue kitten. This girl has gain back her appetite, spunk, and activity increased. We even adopted another kitten to give the other one someone to play with.

I don't know how much longer I will have her but she is more active and social in a long time. She is around 16yrs. She has a more healthy weight too.

Our family has had Ziggy since he was a kitten. He's now either 16 or 17, and in my care along with Bubs the tabby. Hes on BP meds and 2.5mg steroids for a year now but bloodwork came back perfect even before that regimen! I suspect he either has IBS or IBD because his palate changes daily and he's very picky unless its human food, and has some real humdingers in the pan. 2 years ago I knew something was up when he wouldn't even eat boiled chicken after trying every kind of food imaginable. I thought that was the end, as he dropped to 9 lbs. I thought it was a tooth problem but the back ones got absorbed back into his jaw (its what the doc told me) and he had no pain or evidence of swelling. Switched him to wet food instead of just supplementing with minimal improvement and no appetite stimulants or anti nausea pills helped. Since then I've gotten him up to 13ish lbs and he's back to his normal self... ish. lol. Sure, my social life has suffered since he can't go more than 10 hours without feeding but I'm blessed to have my brother to watch him when I'm out of town. His and my stubbornness are whats keeping him healthy at this point. lots of wasted food to get a meal in him. My guess is I have about a year left with the old guy maybe more, maybe less.

I couldn’t add a pic of her beautiful face to my other post and I just wanted to share her some more! 🥹❤️

I’ve had this old baby since 2006 and I have never EVER stopped loving him, and the best part is he’s perfectly healthy too

I volunteer at a cat shelter. There is a cat there, Chata (10), who is stress grooming herself naked. She is a shy but sweet orange tabby.

I still cry for Clark everyday. It's so hard and I miss him so much. My other cat misses him too and is constantly meowing for him. Even though I would have liked to wait a little longer, I decided to adopt Chata to ease my other cat's anxiety. It would also be nice to have a more social cat around.

So i decided to get Chata. She couldn't stay in that cage.

I applied for her and on the application it asked for past cats. I wrote that I had Clark and he was gone.

The owner proceeded to grill me. I grew up in an abusive family, so I shut down. I told her I didn't want to talk about it, but she walked all over my boundary. My husband and I ended up leaving and I sobbed for days.

A week goes by and I haven't heard anything. So I ask another adoption coordinator about Chata. The owner wants to speak with me again. I say okay.

During the 1 hour and 45 minute integration, she told me that:

I'm a sheep who doesn't question vet advice

I should have seen this specific vet (I took him to a specialist in a nice vet hospital)

That the specialist I talked to lied to me about how a procedure was done

How I was quick to euthanize

How Clark was treatable and that I didn't go the extra mile

That she thinks as soon as Chata gets sick that I'll euthanize her.

That I should have asked her about Clark's illness

I told her:

she is speaking in hypotheticals

Would, should, and could are not productive arguments

She wasn't there

Why would I euthanize Chata?

I did the best I could with the information I had

That she was being mean

I should mention that she sometimes keeps cats alive who are miserable and in pain just because they are eating.

I was sobbing. She knew she was taking my peace away. She's convinced me that I could have done something more for my beloved Clark. I miss him so much and I am gutted at the thought that I could have done more.

He never got to skin and bones. Maybe I should have held on that long? I don't know. He was having more bad days than good. She told me I could have changed that.

The family and friends I have talked to about this are angry at her. My husband is angry. He says we did the right thing. He says I can blame him because he didn't cancel the appointment when I begged him to.

I can only blame myself, though. I wish I would have tried harder. I miss him so much. I would have done anything for him. The thought that I was so close to 'curing' him but didn't do it is eating me alive.

He had either ibs or lymphoma. The vet said that she wouldn't recommend the biopsy because of his age and how invasive it was. She gave us a steroid that gave us two more months with him and then he declined quickly.

The owner said the biopsy wasn't invasive, that that vet lied, and that I need to think for myself.

I feel like I gave up on my best friend in the whole world.

How do I find peace? Was Chata worth the price I paid?

EDIT: Thank you all so much for your kind words. You've brought peace to my heart and I can't thank you enough for that. I know you all have faced The Decision with your senior babies. Reading your responses, I'm glad I opted to not go through with the biopsy. Sounds like the vet was right about needing to cut him open. I didn't want him to be in pain from a surgical site and his guts. I loved him too much.

I.... I'll always miss him and wish I had just one more day... You all understand. Forever isn't long enough.

I’ll love her forever.

I stumbled across this account and I’m in tears reading everyone’s posts. My first cat, Loki, is only 5yrs, but I think about when his time comes and I have no idea how I’m going to continue without him. He’s my baby. All of your sweet old babies are so precious and seeing the posts make me smile and cry. I’m sending you all lots of love and hugs.

I’ve had this old baby since 2006 and I have never EVER stopped loving him, and the best part is he’s perfectly healthy too

I booked my girl in to the vet to be put to sleep but now I’m second guessing my decision.

She’s 18 but looks really young. she mostly looks fine on the outside but she’s disappearing for days at a time, only cleaning herself in one spot repeatedly and nowhere else, sometimes does weird things like meowing at the oven or wall, she’s lost a fair amount of weight but doesn’t look super thin yet. She has also had a go at my 1 year old a couple times, we obviously work hard to mostly keep them separated unless we are holding one of them and making sure it’s safe for them both.

And she won’t sleep with anyone anymore just sits alone downstairs and meows loudly all night it sounds to me like she’s sad or in pain and she just won’t stop but also won’t be with any of us. I feel like she’s miserable.

And most recently she now seems to lose her back legs under her when she jumps down or falls (she’s also falling a lot more recently) and essentially land on her legs for the front of her body and then on the side of her bum.

But she wasn’t too much better a year ago and I tried to take her then and they treated me like I wanted to kill a healthy cat or give her up and she seemed to be in a good day and have bounced back just before the appointment.

I’m going somewhere else but I’m a bit scared I’ll be treated similarly but I can’t listen to her cry alone all night any more and I don’t think a bunch of tests and medications at her age makes a lot of sense.

My 18 year old started slowing down noticeably over the past few months. About a week ago, she started peeing on the floor sometimes. I put down paper to make cleaning up easier. She also poops outside the box. She does use the litter box sometimes, but she used to never eliminate outside of it. She’s very skinny at about six pounds.

But, she walks around, jumps up on the couch, and eats most of her two meals per day. She no longer eats dry kibble. Total food is about 4.5 oz/day. I think she has arthritis which is noticeable when she is preparing to lie down which she does gingerly, but otherwise doesn’t appear to be suffering.

I know her time is coming soon, and I’ll take action if I see suffering but now she is spending her days mostly sleeping on her pillow next to me and still gets exited at mealtime.

I’m just trying to do what’s best for her, and let her spend her last days peacefully.

our lovely, kind, makes house calls doctor is gonna be here in a little over an hour to help us get a ticket to send our 16 year old MeowCow across that Rainbow Bridge.

we've got two other cows already over there on the other side of the stars, and while they never knew her i hope they'll be waiting for her so they can gossip about me, and if there are day passes then hopefully my Momma can go visit with her, with all of them.

we'll be getting her back in a week or so. and i'm wondering if i should send her favorite toys with her, or keep them safe for her. she hasn't felt like playing in a long time.

i'm not ready for this, but i'll break my own heart to help make sure she's not hurting anymore.

and between us? i think yesterday should have been the day, and i had to weigh the stress of making her be an astronaut and going into outer space to go to the clinic, or waiting until today when our (ok, my) preferred doctor could come to us.
...i've gotten a few snuggles, a couple of tiny purrs, and a whole lot of pictures & videos.

we have another kitty - they're the same age, grew up together. those of you who've done this, how did you let your other furchild know? do i bring him to her? take her to him? or let him wonder where that other fuzzy critter has gone off to this time.

then again i think maybe he kinda already knows, he's been keeping himself in a different part of the house from her for the last couple of weeks. like he's been practicing. he's not avoiding her completely, i mean even this morning around 5 he came in here to check on us. but didn't stay long.

Please excuse the sand he trucked in on his paws

12 years of flops from this perfect kitten. I wish I could have spent many more years with you. 💔

Thank you for being my kitty xoxo

Veronica, aka, Ronnie.

We met you, Ronnie, seventeen years ago. It was Christmas and our Aunt had adopted a new cat. A shaggy black and white tuxedo with an hourglass over your nose.

You were friendly, eager to know everyone. You were in the middle of everything which happened and my Aunt was always in dread you would get out the front door.

Which you did. Seemingly, all the time. But you always let yourself get caught.

Over the years, you became the model everyone wanted. Every new pet that came into the family always came with "I hope it's like Ronnie." Of course, they never were because each pet is their own selves and there is only one Ronnie.

You became everything to my Aunt in her retirement. She spared nothing when it came to you and you gave her everything she wanted in a cat. And some of the things she could have done without, but that's the price of a cat which she had no trouble paying.

I adopted a cat thirteen years ago, largely because she remined me of you, Ronnie.

I never expected we would have you. But that came in June when my Aunt became too ill to take care of you. Still, we hoped you would be reunited. Alas, that became impossible at the end of July.

Now, you're a part of our house. Even if the potted tree in the entry hall would rather not be your cat bed. Over time, your meow has become quiet, yet it can still be heard across the house. Gladly and sadly, you made friends with 20 year old Lizzie. You became best mates just before we lost her. Loss has been your constant companion this year.

But you are still Ronnie. And we are the ones my beloved Aunt trusted to take care of you. I hope you're with us for many, many years.

📍GEORGIA (the country)
Hi everyone! I’m adopting a 15 year old FIV+ male cat soon and wondering if I need to vaccinate him against rabies. He was found in the street by a cat organization and has been under their care for around 4-5 weeks now. They say he shows no signs of it, and is eating and drinking well. BUT! Knowing he’s been outside for maybe a major part of his life, should I vaccinate him against rabies or is this a bad idea since his immune system may be weak?

Please comment, I’d really appreciate the advice.