I'm going to have to put my baby to sleep, monday 23rd Feb

[MissAnaHappy]

Luna's been sick for a while, but now they say she's in pain. I've had her since she was one month old. She turned 12 years old this month, so it'd be 12 years I've had her next month.

They didn't explain themselves very well, but I'm supposed to go there with her Monday so they can put her to sleep. There's something I need to sign too.

I have a couple of questions, and I was wondering if anyone could help?

Will it hurt? I know it's like a vaccine, but once they give it to her, will she be in pain or agony?
I didn't want her to die in a vet clinic anyway. I was thinking of calling them to see if they could come to my house and do it here, but I don't know if it'll be possible.

And afterwards? I wanted cremation but I don't even know if it's possible where I live. What would be the alternatives? There aren't many pet graveyards around, and I'm not just throwing her body away...

I'm extremely sad right now, and I don't know what to do. I know what needs to be done, but yeah...
Thanks.  

[Anlina]

:hugs: I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. Making the decision to put your cat to sleep is one of the most painful things to do and also one of the most selfless and compassionate things you can do.

The injection shouldn't be painful. Ask your vet about doing a two stage injection, where the first one is a sedative to relax her and the second one ends vital functions. Alternately, get a sedative that you can give her yourself before hand.

Have them do the injection directly, not through an IV - our Macray was euthanized post surgery and they put the injection through the IV tube, which caused her some pain.

Definitely as your vet if you can have them come to your home. If they won't you can also look around - in big cities you should be able to find a euthanasia specialist that does in home calls. Take a look at this article and the comments: http://www.dolittler.com/2009/02/11/When-it’s-timewhere-will-your-pet-be-euthanized-.html

Cremation is a really common service, so it should be available in your area. If not, you can check with your city to find out if it is legal to bury a pet in your yard. If you have the resources you can do your own cremation, too. That's what my mother did with Macray's remains - they made a huge bonfire at the home of a friend in the country and cremated her there.

:hugs: I hope that helps, and you have my best wishes. It'll be hard, but just always remember - this is a final act of love. Being strong enough to make the decision and end her pain, and to be with her at the end is the best thing you can do for her.  

[NightWolvesCry]

I know when we had to put our cat Midnight down they said that their may be a noise or twitch the cat would make but that that was just residual and they were not in pain. Most places offer cremation and with that you can order special things like an engraved stone with their picture on it. In private cremation I know around here they will give you a pawprint also. If they don't you can always do that yourself.
It is always sad to put your cat to sleep but it is the best thing to do for their sake.
We got a card that was The Rainbow Bridge, its a sad poem but it brings peace of mind. sorry if its so big.
 

[MissAnaHappy]

Well... she got worse and we had to do it today. I still can't believe this happened. The only comforting thing is that she's not in pain anymore.


@ Anlina
That's a very sweet thing to say, thank you.

It was all very short notice. One more day and I don't even know what would have happened to her. So we decided to take her to the vet.
They did do it with two shots - one to anesthetize and the other one to put her to sleep. She was a bit scared and struggled at first, but then she slowly started to go numb. We were allowed to stay with her until she completely fell asleep. But it's over now.

We asked about cremation, but their only option was incineration (meaning they'd just 'dispose' of her really). We decided to bury her on a terrain near a (human) cemetery, something which apparently people have been doing for a while. The man who works at the cemetery went with us and dug up a little hole, lined up with the other improvised graves. It's a quiet place it has a nice view to the river.

I still wish I could have cremated her and kept a little urn, but I think I can find some peace this way too.


@ NightWolvesCry
Yes, Luna struggled a bit as well. But again, yes, I know it was for the best.
That's a really nice poem, thank you for sharing.  

[Venuslady]

crying May Bastet hold your kitty in her arms forever and touch you and bring you comfort. My heart to you for your loss....