Putting my cat to sleep

by BFord
(Fayetteville Arkansas )

I have a 15 year old female indoor cat. In the past year or so she has lost a bunch of muscle mass, started peeing on piles of clothes in the floor (when she used to never do that), she sleeps 99% of the day, & doesn't groom herself well. In the past month or two she has started peeing on other stuff, even where she sleeps and drinks tons and tons of water. I've also noticed her having really bad breath. The last time I took her in to the vet they wanted to do a elder cat workup on her, but we just couldn't afford it at the time. As much as I hate to say it, I can't have her peeing on stuff all the time, and was wondering if these could be signs that her kidney's are failing or something. Should I just go ahead and put her down?
Thank you!

ANSWER:

While I understand how difficult it can be to get the money together to pay for geriatric blood work, a urinalysis, and an examination, it sounds like your precious cat could benefit from all of these right now.

Her symptoms could indicate diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or a urinary tract infection, to name a few. All of these illnesses can be treated and prolong your kitty's life for quite some time. You could have a few good years left with your little girl.

Kidney disease is also a possibility, which could potentially be treated with fluid therapy and medication, depending on her renal function test results. Again, even in this case, you could have another year or two with your kitty.

I cannot advise you to euthanize your cat without knowing what is going on with her medically. If paying for testing is still a concern, you may want to look into a program called Care Credit, a financing plan that helps people pay off medical, dental, and veterinary expenses at low or no interest over time.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely