# Should I euthanize my cat?



## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

I've had my cat, Otis, for about 9-10 years. He was given to me by a relative. I think he is about 10.5 years old.

He has never been reliable with the litter boxes. We have three of them - different styles and different substrates. He still defecates right outside the litter box- literally within a 6 inches of them.

The urine is the bigger problem. He has ruined hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of our belongings. He's urinated in my daughter's bucket-style car seat. He's gone on my graduation gown. He's destroyed a futon mattress, a vintage chair and many pillows. Strangely enough, he'll pee in things that look vaguely litter-box-like, such as paint trays, toolboxes, and boxes of belongings. Last week he urinated on a box of cherished childhood momentos that were store in the basement - in the same room as his litter boxes.

We've spent hundred of dollar eliminating any medical cause. We've talked to an animal behaviorialist and followed most of her advice. The one piece of advice we didn't follow was to have 3 litterboxes on each level of our house, for a total of nine. I have one small child and one on the way - I can't have litterboxes all over my home. 

The basement room where the litter boxes are located it lit 24 hours a day (the behavioralist thought he might be scared of the dark) and temperature-controlled.

So ... after 10 years I am reaching the end of my rope. As I'm getting ready for my new baby, I'm pulling out the carseats and the crib and the bassinet and I am just terrified that he is going to pee on all of these things. (He did with my 4-year-old). My husband is sick of cleaning up after all of his "accidents." I've spoken to our local Humane Society, and they've told me that such a cat would not be adoptable. I can't imagine that anyone else would want him, though he is otherwise a sweet cat.

So - I'm thinking about having him put down.

Is this reasonable in this situation? 

I want to reiterate that the urinating and defecating in inappropriate places is not new - I've put up with it for almost a decade. I've just reached the point where I feel like having a sanitary environment for my family is more important than my problem cat.

Also, he would not do well on a farm or as an outside cat, so re-homing him into that kind of environment is not an option.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Unless you are able to find someone (individual or group) that would take him in with his problem, then yes, at his age it is time.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

yes ...unless you can find him an outdoor home you trust ...
too many highly adoptable cats are PTS daily - your fellow won't get a home through traditional means


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## Harmony_Meadows (Nov 4, 2007)

I feel for your dilemma. It is a tough situation. You have given him a lot of good years. You need to do the best for him and your family. I feel it is best to put them down surrounded by love and caring than risk them being tossed about or thrown away by someone who may not be as tolerant and loving as you. Take no shame in your decision, it is the most loving thing you can do for you cat. Good luck and take care!


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

Why do you think he wouldn't do well as an outside cat??
Our cat prefers the outside..


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

If he really would not learn to like the outdoors I would say that 
the peace to the family would outweigh keeping the cat. 

I could not live with that 10 days and you have survived 10 years...


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## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

He wouldn't do well as an outside cat because he was lots for 6 weeks one time during the coldest part of the winter, and I think this experience has traumatized him (he would go outside before this incident). I even have a screened-in, covered porch and he won't tolerate being put out on that - he howls and scratches to be let back in.

Thank you for the support, everyone. When I brought the possibility of having him euthanized to my vet, my vet acted like I was being an absolutely terrible person. I went home and cried. The vet and the animal behavioralist really tore into me with the guilt trip. I am an animal lover, but I can't stand this anymore even though I care for the cat.

*sigh*


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

You need to find a new vet!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Ravenlost said:


> You need to find a new vet!


I agree!

Who are the to judge your decisions? They don't deal with it!


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Either put him down (I would have done so 10 yrs ago) or put him outside and make him tough it out. 
I'd probably try putting him out first, if I were him I'd rather be outside than dead.
My mother has a cat who's done the same thing for 15 yrs. He's ruined untold dollars worth of stuff, and nobody can stand to go in her house because of the stench. The wood floors under the carpets are ruined. I just don't get it. 
I have tons of animals, and more rescue type animals than I'd like to admit, but I'd not allow one of them to ruin my home.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

In answer to your question...Heavens, YES! I put up with that kind of behavior for a year and that was a year too long. There is no worse smell on this earth than cat pee.


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## kohburn (May 21, 2009)

tell the vet that if he didn't want to put the cat down then he should have to keep the cat in his house. 

its easy for them to judge when they don't have to put up with the consequences.

I have two cats that recently became outdoor cats for the same reason, I'd had enough of it and with a new baby was not going to put up with it any more. it took a few weeks but they are very happy outside now.


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

Why would you feel guilty? The cat would have been dead or thrown outside 9 years ago at my house. Its bad enough having kids in the house let alone a pet thats makes constant messes.


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## HorseFeatherz (Feb 16, 2008)

Thank you for loving and caring for him so much - I mean that sincerely - there are people who would have left him at the pound years ago without a thought for his future. 

Find another vet, there are many who will understand and be supportive. Some will also make a house call.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

You might try sticking him outside since the other option is PTS....but know that he may wind up getting killed outside. I remember I had a male that was peeing on mattresses and furniture...I got upset after he peed on my rug and freshly washed clothes when I was getting ready to go to work and tossed him out the door instead of the crate while I cleaned it up so I didn't strangle him. I went to call him back in after I finished and he did not come. I left for my job with one of the boys and guess who was by the highway by our drive when we came home- yup. For years I lived with the guilt of tossing him outside and being the reason he was hit and killed- even my husband was upset and he brought it up a couple days ago- even though this happened 11 yrs ago. Blaming me for killing his favorite cat- but it was not the cats first time being put out the door and he always came home safe before. So ask your husband if he will blame you if the cat does get killed- if so- take him to another vet to be put down- and have him go with you.


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## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

Thanks everyone. You've made me feel so much better about this difficult decision. I think that I will give him a week full of attention and good food - making him as happy as possible before he goes. 

I live in a regular old subdivision neighborhood, too, so letting him roam around is not really an option, unfortunately. I think that he would probably try to get into my neighbor's houses ... at the very least, someone would probably catch him and take him to the Humane Society where he would be euthanized anyway.

I just felt so bad after the vet got angry at me. Especially over the fact that I didn't want 9 litterboxes all over my house - even if I did that I don't think that it would matter since he will do his business within inches of the basement litterboxes. It's not an accessibility issue. 

(This same vet also gave me an earful when I admitted that sometimes my dog sleeps in bed with me, because it disrupts the natural pack order).

Thanks all.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

yes...different vet for sure. So sorry you have to go through this  I support your decision to have him put to sleep.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Your vet would have a hissy fit over my household! We sometimes have as many as five dogs and a couple cats in bed with us!

That IS our natural pack order!


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

Have you tried giving him his own towel/towels by the litter boxes to piddle on? You'll need several and change them during the day but it might keep the behavior contained.

It's a sad decision to have to make, I feel for you


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Katlara said:


> Thanks everyone. You've made me feel so much better about this difficult decision. I think that I will give him a week full of attention and good food - making him as happy as possible before he goes.
> 
> I live in a regular old subdivision neighborhood, too, so letting him roam around is not really an option, unfortunately. I think that he would probably try to get into my neighbor's houses ... at the very least, someone would probably catch him and take him to the Humane Society where he would be euthanized anyway.
> 
> ...


If you can, find a different vet!

It is none of his business where your pets sleep and what decisions you make for your pets. He is supposed to be supportive not judgemental.

Of course you don't want nine litter boxes in your home! Not with little children around!


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

I just put down our 10 year old cat that did the same. She had agrophobia on top of it so outside wasnt an option even though we have 10 acres. She lived in a cage for two years, I finally was able to convince the Mr she had no quality of life.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

From the cats point of view it is not scarey or cruel.
They get sleepy and then drift off to sleep. We agonize over 
the decsion but they have the easy part .

ps.I just reread this and it sounds like I am making light of it.
I only mean that when it is necessary the pet does not suffer.


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## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

Well, he's gone. I was a sobbing mess in the vet's office, and I'm still shedding tears now.

It was so hard. I just held him until he was gone. 

I know it was the right thing to do - I can't have cat urine and poop all over my house - but it broke my heart.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Katlara said:


> Well, he's gone. I was a sobbing mess in the vet's office, and I'm still shedding tears now.
> 
> It was so hard. I just held him until he was gone.
> 
> I know it was the right thing to do - I can't have cat urine and poop all over my house - but it broke my heart.


Bless your heart! I'm sorry. I know how it hurts.


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## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

It does hurt. I was never expecting to be this emotional about it. He slept with us in bed last night, and he's been eating tuna and fancy feast all week. I tried to make his last week as good as it could be.

I did end up taking him back to the original vet. This time the vet was much more compassionate - maybe he could see by all of my tears that I really did love my cat, and it was a "last resort" type of decision. 

I gotta stop typing ... this is making me so sad.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I am so sorry for your loss  hugs to you. It will be very hard for a while and so just let yourself be sad and grieve. You did the right thing. It's so nice that he had a wonderful, loving life with you and you had the courage to stay with him til the end. Very, very painful decision, but the right one. He would have been miserable anywhere else. And now he is at peace...going potty wherever he wants and looking forward to seeing you when you go to heaven too.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

I think you did the right thing. I could not live with a cat that destroyed my house and belongings on a regular basis. You gave him 10 more years than most people would have. You did more than enough. May he rest peacefully in kitty heaven, where litter boxes are not needed.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

My heart goes out to you. I know how hard it is to make such a decision.


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