Nah the black dude in front of me agreed she was a crazy bitch

that's racist
It sure sounds like she was. I never understand people who do the 'watcha looking at' thing, it must be an exhausting life being all paranoid like that.

You’ll be chillin out perusing America’s Most Demented on YouTube and there you’ll be edited down into the new narrative: Friendly black woman minds her own business at the shop when the crazy cracka comes out of nowhere droppin the white power hammer on her ass.

I spoke of this in another thread, but am transferring it here as I guess this is where I'll put any updates:

http://www.trollheart.ie/eddie2013.png

It may be the end of the road for Eddie. The last of our three cats has been losing weight for the last few months, looks weak and acts listless. I took him to the vet two weeks ago and was told he had (as I suspected) something wrong with his teeth - gum disease, in fact. Not a problem, right?

Well.

Eddie has, as you may or may not know, cardiomyopathy, or something, basically an enlarged heart. This causes problems with his breathing. I've seen him struggle in what I think in a human might be called a panic attack or hyperventilation; I pet him and make a fuss of him and he calms down. It's like he has something in his throat he needs to get up - like when he used to choke up furballs when younger - but there's nothing there.

The upshot of this is that Eddie would not be a great candidate for an anaesthetic; the chances of him coming back are pretty low. So the vet decided/advised he should be left as he was, that the pain could be managed with painkillers, anti-inflammatories and so on.

Here's the thing though. In order to get those into his system Eddie has to eat his food, and, well Eddie is not eating his food. I'm watching weight fall off him, watching him stare at his food rather uncomprehendingly, obviously hungry but unable to satisfy that hunger due to, presumably, the pain of his teeth.

So now Karen and I have to make a decision: demand the operation be performed, knowing that in all likelihood we're sentencing him to death, but holding on to the very slim chance he might pull through, or let him continue as he is, basically watch him starve to death.

I ****ing hate this year already. :(

Oh my goodness, sorry to hear that TH. Poor little thing. Hope he comes through somehow. How old is he?

Trollheart, I'm so sorry that Eddie is so ill. This is terrible, knowing that he is in such pain - and so terrible that you and Karen must make this decision. I feel awful for you. As adi said, I hope there is some way Eddie can pull through. Is there any other way to administer his medication besides putting it in his food?

Thanks man. He's 18. He's had a good run. I just can't bear the idea of him wasting away and literally starving to death. :(
Thanks Ribbons. I don't think there's any other way to get the meds into him, and even if there were, that still doesn't help him eat. He's not eating (much) and drinking very little water, so with already a heart complaint he's not giving himself much of a chance.

My only real option here is to have the vet attempt the operation to sort out his teeth, but the chances of him coming back from that are minimal at best. We've decided to do that though; even if there's no chance, we can't see him suffer. Some tiny chance is better than none at all.

Also, as I mentioned in the other thread, were I to just say to hell with it let's put him out of his misery and forget the operation, I'd be in bits and crying in a mask in a public place doesn't appeal to me. At least this way, we can a) give him a chance, even if it's a miniscule one and b) if/when we get the bad news I can cry in comfort at home, maskless.

Damn covid! :mad:

I think you are absolutely making the right decision, T. I had hoped if painkillers could be administered another way, maybe Eddie would be more willing to eat - but that's a longshot and probably not the best course. And yes, damn Covid! Makes everything more difficult and situations such as yours all the more agonizing. Sending you and Eddie and Karen my love and prayers that Eddie will make it through this. <3

@TH: Gah! I feel for you. I had to put my cat down and it was devastating. One of the few times I remember crying as an adult. Best of luck to you guys.

I'm so sorry man. What a choice to make. Watching your cat go is devastating.