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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsMoving with two cats; one is terminally ill. Advice?
A family member has two beautiful black cats. They are both males, not siblings but very very bonded and devoted to each other. One of them, the younger, had a leg removed two years ago because of cancer. He did well, but now it appears that he may have something going on again, and will probably need to be put down.
The family is moving in June, to a new neighborhood. The question: Would it be better for the well cat if they put the kitty down prior to the move, or after the move?
Will the well cat be confused if kitty isn't at the new house, and continually try to find his way back to the old house to search? My opinion is that it's better to move kitty with the family, and then deal with the euthanasia a couple of weeks later.
Sad. This is a darling, very sweet cat.
hlthe2b
(102,342 posts)It has been my experience that animals that are close to each other, benefit from being able to "say goodbye" in a sense as well. I think problems come when the dying animal dies elsewhere and simply "disappears"....While it may not be possible (or humane) for that cat to die naturally at home, at least if the well cat gets to experience the last days and observable decline of their "pal," I think it is better for them.
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)grasswire
(50,130 posts)It's one of his front legs that's gone. He copes beautifully.
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)For many reasons.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)I believe if the sick cat moves with the well cat the stress of a different environment would be less for the well cat, even after the sick cat dies, if they both are together...my two cats died in my arms, the daughter first, then the mother, both within a month...both were over 13 years old...
Edit to say, I cried for days over both of their deaths..
grasswire
(50,130 posts)I have shed gallons of tears over precious cats' leaving this world.
I'm sorry. Two in a month is very hard.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Over my poochies too...
The daughter cat was skinny and ate plastic, which I had to make sure she could not get hold of, and the mother was a real fat cat...the daughter took about 8 years, after a traumatic event, to even come out of hiding, at which time she would not leave my side...when I went to the bathroom she would be there at my feet....for the rest of her precious life...
The mother my sweetie pie, was the sweetest kitty in earth! She loved to be loved and one stroke on her head brought purring at volumes that needed no speakers!
They both died in 2007 and I miss them to this day.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Must have been something awful.
The pets that hit me the hardest are the ones who really bond and trust me for protection and compassion. Working right now with a rescue dog with issues. He trusts me. He so funny.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)he took the last kitty and dropped her off to 'get rid of her'...I battered him (emotionally, not physically) till he told me where he put her off, and I found her in a tree crying her little heart off...ever since she hid, cause I moved many times, till my new husband and I found a house and moved in...it took a couple of years of stability for her to come out..and when she did she never left my side...
I miss that skinny little baby...see you got me crying again!
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Poor, poor thing.
My ex dumped our cat once. It crossed a major freeway and traveled six miles to get to our previous home, where a neighbor spotted it hiding in the bushes and let me know. I had that dear kitty til he was 18 years old.
Bastards!
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)any animal...small and large...including elephants...tigers...rhinos...
I think Mother Nature might have it in for us?
MerryBlooms
(11,771 posts)I think the grieving process for the well kitty would be somewhat easier.
Poor babies.
applegrove
(118,758 posts)cats have moved pretty easily. Then again they've moved a lot.