# question about not eating at the end of life



## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

I hope I can verbalize my question so it can be understood. I believe my 19 year old cat is almost at the end of her life and she has stopped eating; this is the third day since she ate. I took her to the vet to have subcutaneous (sp?) fluids today on my vet's advice, just as a last ditch effort to restart her appetite. I'm not planning to do anything invasive to extend her life. I've had it in my mind that if the fluids don't help and she isn't eating today or tomorrow, I will make the appointment to have her put down. After all, I thought, I don't want her to starve to death. 

However, she seems very peaceful and does not appear to be in any pain. I remember when my mom was dying of cancer and not eating, the hospice worker said that at the end of life, people cease to need food and don't feel hungry like the rest of us would. I am now wondering if that is true and if it is the same with animals? I would prefer to let Snowball die a natural death as long as she isn't suffering. Does anyone know anything about this? Like all pet owners, I so wish for them to die peacefully in their sleep. Unfortunately, I know that is rare.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

All I know is that I have only let one die on it's own...and I regretted it - he was a semi feral who moved in when his companion died, they had lived in my garage when I bought the house - moved from the city neighborhood where I had fed them and provided shelter (and neuter/spay!)....if she is in kidney failure and at 19, I would probably opt for letting her go at the vets with me holding her....I lost a 20+ year old last November...she had been getting sub-q fluids for almost 2 years at that point...still miss her :'(

Lee


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Animals rarely die peacefully at home. I know it may seem that way, but there usually an underlying problem. Just because they can't verbalize their discomfort does not mean they are not experiencing it. 

At 19 to I would bet your kitty is in Renal failure. It's common in older cats. I am NOT a vet, so I certainly cannot diagnose if this us what us happening to your kitty. 

But if it is, they stop eating because the kidneys can no longer process the toxins in the bloodstream. These toxins make them feel very nauseous. Hence they won't eat. Their whole body shuts down. 

Have you done any blood work on your kitty? 

The subQ fluids can help flush the toxins. But you need to get your kitty eating. That may mean multiple days of subQ fluids or IV fluids. 

There are drugs that help stimulate the appetite. I would ask you vet about them. You can also try warming up canned food in the microwave. Sometimes that will increase the smell and stimulate them to eat. 

At 19 I, personally, would be hesitant to do a lot if treatments to prolong life. But please know that it's not an easy death on the kitty. And if you don't want to treat, the kindest thing it is to let the kitty go. 

Sorry to be so straight forward. The wish they would go peacefully is for US, not them. Think if the kitty, not your wishes. 

God bless. It's a tough spot to be in. I have been there. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

Ok, hope this is helpful. You should try to feed her some Science Diet Critical Care(and no, I don't like SD) but this food is what they feed in pet hospitals with critical patients and it will spark their appetite sometimes. Also try giving some human grade tuna and juice or clam juice. I have been where you are numerous times. Sometimes my kitties have come back(I had a 21 year old, a 17 year old and numerous others that didn't live to be over 14) from not eating. I have also tried the stinkiest canned cat food that I can locate and they will sometimes eat that. When they don't eat any of that, then I don't know what else to suggest. Make sure that you try everything but don't wait until your kitty is so emancipated that she is in pain. It really is very hard to tell with cats because they tend to hide their illnesses until they are sometimes very sick. I am in no way an expert and am not a vet, just wanted to give you some suggestions.


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

And yes, most of mine passed away from kidney failure. Very common in cats this old.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Last week, I lost an aged horse. She had years of health issues and we did all we could for her. On Sunday she stopped eating. Tuesday I started making arrangements to have her PTS at my place. My husband arrived home from work before I did, and she had already passed. 

Although she passed on her own terms, I feel like I shouldn't have waited. It was my responsibility to help her along. I feel rotten that she died alone. I can only hope she wasn't in pain. I searched her stall for any signs of a struggle. I studied her dead body looking for signs that she went peacefully or in pain. I feel like I didn't live up to my end of the deal. 

I said that when she stopped eating she was ready. Why I waited three days, I just don't know. I suppose I was hoping she'd change her mind.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks. I have always found it strange that I have gotten more support on cat issues here than on a cat forum I used to visit. For some reason I have found that a lot of primarily cat folks believe in doing EVERYTHING to prolong life no matter what. To summarize, it sounds like letting Snowball die naturally is probably not a good idea. She does have kidney issues. 

Lilie, please don't beat up on yourself. You did the absolute best possible for your horse. I think we wait because the decision is irrevocable. If we wait, theoretically, we can always have the animal put to sleep tomorrow, but if we do it today and tomorrow decide we should have given it another day, there is no going back.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Forgot to say that I have tried the medicated Science Diet, her regular canned food, dry food, tuna and warm ground deer meat. Nothing...

I think my plan is to see if she will eat later today or tomorrow, as I want to give the fluids a chance. I am not prepared to do the fluids repeatedly and my vet agreed that we would do it once and see if it helps. If she hasn't eaten tomorrow (day 4), I will make the appointment to put her to sleep Friday morning. I think the vet will get us in Friday after work. Thanks again for the benefit of your experiences. It helps.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I know when mine stop eating, somethings not right I had two sister kitties, one I lost last year at age 20 and this year her sister at 21..they stopped eating, and I 'knew" 

It's hard enough losing an animal, ones that have been with us 1/2 our lives are even harder I think..


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

To me trying to get her to eat or to give her SQ fluids is disrespecting her right to die. 
Id she is calm I would let her die in peace. if you see twitches she may be in pain and I would let her go.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I am very sorry to hear about your cat. Cats stop eating for many reasons and it's not necessarily because they are ready to die. 

Usually with SubQ fluids you see an increase in appetite immediately after they are administered. Sometimes it takes a couple of times (I did it at home for my cat, Cleo) and sometimes you need a B12 shot too. If your cat is otherwise healthy, she may just be feeling nauseous. 

However, you know your cat best and you will know when she is ready to go. Kidney failure is not painful, btw...


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Wolfie - I have felt that way about the fluids too or intraenous feeding, etc., especially in a case like this, but not about coaxing her to eat. If she is ready to die, I am very certain that she will refuse my efforts, as she has been doing so far. 

The vet has recommended that we try the fluids one more time, so we are having this done tonight. I have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon for euthanasia if the fluids don't help again. 

It is really hard to watch an animal die, which is what I think is happening.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

When we brought our kitty, Mr Magoo home from the vet and he started eating less and less I knew his little body was starting to shut down. There was no way I cod convince my husband that we should bring him back to be pts. It was so hard to watch and I know he waited for my husband to come home that night before he left us. So heart breaking. I just kept praying for peacefully in his sleep.


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Cats need to eat much more frequently than dogs. If the sub-q fluids do not bring back her appetite, PTS as scheduled.

No matter how you phrase it, an organism that is not eating is in the process of starving to death. Cats are masters at not showing their pain. Even if they don't feel their grumbly tummies, their systems do. We as owners have an amazing gift to help our pets leave while they are still whole and peaceful. Letting a pet starve to death, no matter how lethargic or rested they seem, is still a choice that some owners make. When an animal leaves our clinic with an owner that makes that choice we all feel bad for the pet. It is our anthropomorphization and projection that makes it difficult for us to accept our final responsibility to our pets; if I had the opportunity to allow one of my loved ones to choose when to let me go I would take it in a heartbeat. I would not want to spend the last days or weeks of my life prodded and poked, filled with fluids, and forced full of medication. I would want to enjoy my last day whole and unfettered, and go before all my systems shut down.

That's my opinion, of course. To each their own. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Marbury, you don't know how helpful your post is to me. I so needed someone to say Do it! Thank you. I know it is right, but I keep getting try one more thing, one more day. Tomorrow is the day unless she starts eating before 4:40 tomorrow.

As an aside, having seniors is such an emotional rollercoaster. Every time you turn around there is a medical issue and you always think it's the end. You don't like it, but you get your mind around it and then...they rally and it's all fine for a few weeks or months until the whole thing is started all over again. I wouldn't trade my seniors for anything though.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

My vet helped me a great deal with the decision when to put down a sick pet: "if life is stressful for both owner and pet, it is time to let go." Not talking about curable issues of course.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

We did the last fluids last night. No noticeable improvement last night. This morning, she did eat maybe 1/3 of a portion of food. Just enough to make me second guess my decision. But then I gave food to her again before I went to work and she didn't touch it. I think maybe she is just trying to stay alive one more day for me. I think we are to the point that this is more for me than for her, to keep trying. Unless she gobbles up food at lunch time, I will keep the appointment for this afternoon.

I feel like I am getting an amazing lack of support from my family on this. My adult children are young, self centered and busy with their own lives. My husband has never experienced euthanasia and is scared to death of it. If it were up to him, all our animals would die naturally no matter how long it took. I may feel differently tomorrow. But today, I will take care of Snowball alone. 

I thought about taking today off work, but decided against it. I was off on Wednesday and sat with her almost all day. I want today to be normal for her, just another day, and as peaceful as possible. One good thing about doing the fluids for the past two days is she went to the vet and came home, so I hope today won't be as stressful for her, just another trip to the vet. 

Thanks for all of your support. I appreciate it.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

:hugs: for you today, I pray for a peaceful ending and strength for you and your family


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I am so sorry to hear this...most old cats do die of kidney failure....it takes love to let the animal go when it is so hard on your heart....I know I did the right thing to let Kinu go instead of letting her die...that would have been so so so much worse to watch.....

<<<hugs>>>> to you today and to Snowball.....

Lee


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Reprieve, sort of. The vet left a message for me asking if we can change Snowball's appointment to tomorrow morning; something came up. Since this is day 5 of her not eating, I feel like saying **** no. She still didn't eat at lunch time either. Strangely, she was up on the couch when I got home from work, something she hasn't done in months. I think I will take it as a sign and let them postpone the appointment till tomorrow.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

I canceled today's appointment because Snowball has started eating again! Apparently, the second round of fluids kicked in because all of a sudden she was on her feet and she has eaten five meals in 12 hours! We are so happy and I am so glad the vet rescheduled that appointment (which made me mad at the time). Don't know how long it will last, after all she is still a 19 year old cat, but we will enjoy her for a bit longer.


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Congratulations! That's wonderful news. Hoping you have many happy months (or years!) together. Keep a good eye on her and let us know.


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