[rabid_child]

My parents put my 16 y/o cat, Cleo, to sleep yesterday.<br><br><br><br>
I don't know exactly what was wrong, because they didn't have the courtesy to call me and tell me that they had euthanized her, and right now I wish I didn't have to go home this weekend because I don't even want to talk to them, let alone be in the same house for the weekend, but I have to go for a bridal shower of a close friend of mine.<br><br><br><br>
They called yesterday morning to tell me they were bringing her to the vet because she seemed disoriented. They also mentioned that she hadn't really been eating or drinking much FOR A WEEK. And that when they heard back from the vet, they'd call me back.<br><br><br><br>
They never called back.<br><br><br><br>
I IM'd my sister before bed and she said they'd put her to sleep and she'd just assumed they'd called me.<br><br><br><br>
I am really frustrated with the whole situation. I moved upstate to go to graduate school and moved my two young cats with me, but she was so old, and doesn't travel well and is very stressed in new situations. I knew she wouldn't be able to handle the frequent 3 hr car trips back and forth to my parents house like the boys can. My parents insisted they would take good care of her, and I thought she'd be dead within a year from me moving, and surprise, a year and 3 wks later she's dead. When I was home in May she was VERY hyperthyroid, and obviously had been for a while (shes been on tapazole for years) and my parents said they'd take her to the vet and it took over a month for them to get her there. She also was hospitalized in February because she wasn't eating/drinking and was vomiting for a week or so, and again they just waited to see what would happen.<br><br><br><br>
I guess I'm more angry than upset right now. I would have made the same decision in the end. At 16, I wouldn't put her through lots of medical tests/treatments, but I don't feel like I would have waited until it got to the point where nothing could be done to have her seen by the vet.<br><br><br><br>
Blah. Can I stay home from work today?

 

[karenlovessnow]

You can absolutely stay home from work today! Unless you think your boss will be mad....I'm so sorry to hear about Cleo. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""> My Mandi is only 11 and has been on tapazole for about a year....she had one bout of not eating and vomiting a few months ago...I was hoping it would not be something I was going to have to look forward to...I panic if she has a day or two with little or no appetite...it put us in a financial strain as well, with the $1500 vet bill.... Anyway, sorry again for your loss and the way in which it was done.

 

[Amy SF]

Call your boss and say you can't come in because there was a death in the family. It's absolutely true.<br><br><br><br>
And I'm really sorry about Cleo. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":hug:">

 

[Wolfie]

Sorry to hear about Cleo and that your parents would do something like that w/o consulting you. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
You should definitely stay home from work if you want. Just call in and say you don't feel well. I've done it before.

 

[Ludi]

I'm so sorry, what a sad thing. It's a shame your parents weren't more responsible with her.

 

[rabid_child]

I can't actually take off today. Heck, I'm at work right now! I've got an incoming students Q&A that I'm running at 3, then new student field orientation at 5. Both sort of big crazy events today...<br><br><br><br>
I'm not as upset that they put her to sleep because from what little details I've heard it sounded necessary. I'm upset by the neglect that led up to that point and the fact that they didn't tell me that they did it.

 

[berrykat]

I'm so sorry <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":hug:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[Tom]

I'm sorry about your losing her, Rabid Child. 16 years is a long lifetime for a cat.

 

[MZCsmpsns]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":hug:">

 

[MZCsmpsns]

*someone walked across the keyboard and posted my reply twice*

 

[LadyFaile]

aww i'm sorry <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
i know how you feel. my mom has this nasty tendency to put off telling me these things. i live a few hours away but when my dog was put down and a few years later when my cat was, if i'd known ahead of time i would have made a trip up so i could say goodbye to them and be there with them. when my dog was put down she told me 3 days later. i think she told me about the cat beforehand, but like a day before or the day of i think.<br><br>
i think on her part it was partly because she was upset and partly because she didn't want to upset me, but i was really hurt that she couldn't tell me beforehand so i could be there for them, and i suppose for her too. heck even when my grandmother passed away, she told me a few days later because it was christmas and she didn't want me to be upset over the holidays. i was so mad but i never said anything, she was upset over each death enough, there was no point in making a big stink and upsetting her further. but i think i'll always be a little bit mad about it.<br><br><br><br>
but moreso, as you said, i'll always be angry and have regrets that with both animals we didn't take better care of them to begin with, that we neglected to bring them in when we knew that something wasn't right. we couldn't afford to, and i was a teenager with no income of my own so it wasn't up to me. but it was so hard to sit there watching her blow $40 or whatever a month on cigarettes and then tell me she couldn't spare the $60 a year for a checkup at the vet.<br><br>
"well if we go they'll tell us something's wrong and we'll have to pay to get it fixed"<br><br><br><br>
yeah, cause if we don't find out, it'll just go away by itself!?<br><br><br><br>
anyway i don't want to take over your thread, i just wanted to let you know that i've been in your situation and understand how you feel. try not to hold too big a grudge about it. it's ok to be hurt and angry but try to understand their point of view and their feelings, and remember that they may not have the same strong ethics as you when it comes to animal welfare, maybe they just don't understand. i know ignorance isn't really an excuse, but try explaining your feelings about it to them. once they see it from your point of view i'm sure they'll understand why you're upset.