Propping up a dodgy memory

Oh darling, I was there last year with Lenny. He was ailing with liver disease and it was so hard. He would poop all over the place, meow constantly for food, though thankfully he liked to sleep a lot as well. Lenny was about the same age, too. For him, an infected tooth got too painful, he stopped eating much and his kidneys just gave up the ghost. He was still able to have his feelings known, he could run around a bit but he would just sit there, face full of pain, not eating food, not really enjoying life much at all. I knew that there was no getting better for him, this was as good as it was going to get. He was drinking constantly, unable to pee much at all, uninterested in food entirely. When he reached that point, I knew to call the vet. I relied on their word. It was hard cause he still had some fight left in him, but cats don't know when to quit. They will hang on beyond reason. Don't be afraid to ask the vet what they would do in your situation. I asked that question and it was a good thing I did, because they assured me I wasn't being cruel or putting him down too soon. For Lenny's sake, I'm glad I did it at that point, before he would suffer too badly. It was a quiet, gentle way for him to go. I wish I'd made the decision sooner with my cat Melma, who was pooping badly, bleeding from her butt and generally miserable. But it was the first cat in my care that I had to decide on the needle for. I wasn't emotionally capable of doing the right thing soon enough.

I say, go with your gut. Go with what your love says. The cat will also let you know if she's had enough. They look at you - you know the look.

I'm so sorry you're going through this, it's never easy. I still have the ache in my heart from saying goodbye to Lenny (and Melma, really, even though it was four years ago). My love and sympathies to you and your family.