My mother is 86 and she’s had a furry kitty companion for about five years now. He’s elderly and it looks like he’s got health issues and may not make it through the next 24 hours. She is prepared for euthanasia, but I know this is still going to be hard for her and I’m concerned about her well-being afterward. She has grieved over the loss of her son so the kitty has been a great comfort for her. Any suggestions or advice? I will be traveling to town to be with her to help at the vet so she doesn’t have to do go through it on her own. Any suggestions or advice for me to consider in the long term?
Thank you all for your suggestions and I wish you all the very best.
Be strong, be kind at heart and be fearless. ❤️
One quick thought, is there a vet that could come to her home? There is a wonderful vet in my community who does house calls and I have a few friends who have had her come to put down their cat or dog. It maybe less stressful for your mother than going to a busy clinic.
If going to a clinic is the only option ask about a late in the day appointment, it will be less busy and hopefully the vet will give you the choice of staying with the cat and remaining for a while afterwards. When we had Cassie euthanized, we were the last appointment of the day and we were allowed to stay with her during and after the procedure. It gave us time to say goodbye.
I am a terrible one to give advice on what to do moving forward. But I am young enough to have time for a long commitment to a pet. We have an agreement in my family that I will take in whatever dog Mum may have if she is no longer able to care for it.
But Mum does not have dementia, lives in her own home independently at age 85. Currently she has LeRoy a Pitty cross who is a delightful dog and gets along well with my two dogs and the cats. He is 8 now and is feeling aches and pains in his joints, but still a happy dog. When he goes, she may just borrow my dogs for visits, but if she gets another, I will be fully supporting her.
When Tucker died, I found her a senior dog who needed a home. Ginger was a beautiful dog who lived with Mum for almost 3 years, before she did not wake up one day. LeRoy joined her when she had Ginger and it was a blessing that he was there to help with the grieving process.
I agree that getting her another cat may not be a good idea unless you have every intention of adopting the cat when she can no longer take care of it.
God Bless all three of you.
I know one person suggested having your mom be there when her cat was put to sleep, but I would follow your mom's lead on that. I simply can't be there when my pets are put to sleep. Another family member is always there for them, but I lose my mind and sometimes get chest pains.
I will pray that your mom will find some comfort in the good memories she has with her beloved kitty.
There was a story online about a retired gentleman who volunteered at a cat rescue facility. He would just sit on a couch and pet the kitties or let them snuggle up next to him while he and the kitties took "cat naps". These places love having people come in and give the animals human contact. You haven't said what your mom's physical condition is, but perhaps she could do something like that.
I asked the vet if I could hold my cat during her last moments. He handed me a box of tissues and said of course I could hold her. I cried the entire drive back home. She was 16 years old. They are a part of our family.