OT. How much would you pay to treat 16-year-old cat?

My dear cat just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She is losing weight, always begging for food, drinking excessive water and lots of litterbox clumps. The vet said she also has some kidney problems, possibly related to too much thyroid or a separate problem. The standard treatment is radioactive iodine. I would have to take cat to Memphis for a week and total costs could exceed $2,000. She probably only has a couple years of life left. I certainly would not close to just not treat her and watch her starve to death with heart and kidney failure. I'm trying to decide what to do, I don't have $2k and struggle to pay my own medical bills.

Give $2000 (or $20) to a children's hospital in memory of the cat and let the cat die.

As much as I love my shepherd, I would do the same if he were in that cat's condition.

VikingGnome wrote:My dear cat just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She is losing weight, always begging for food, drinking excessive water and lots of litterbox clumps. The vet said she also has some kidney problems, possibly related to too much thyroid or a separate problem. The standard treatment is radioactive iodine. I would have to take cat to Memphis for a week and total costs could exceed $2,000. She probably only has a couple years of life left. I certainly would not close to just not treat her and watch her starve to death with heart and kidney failure. I'm trying to decide what to do, I don't have $2k and struggle to pay my own medical bills.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I know first hand how difficult this is. That said, even if you did have the means, I don't think prolonging this would help her or you. Since the vet said she also has kidney problems, she might not even make it another six months. Let her go with love... I think you'd be doing her a favor.

My cat is around 16 too. Two years ago she was diagnosed with kidney disease, as is common with older cats. I spent a ton of money trying different prescription kidney diet foods on her until I finally found one that she likes. It's Purina NF Kidney food: http://www.amazon.com/Purina-Veterinary ... n+cat+food.

She also liked Hi-Tor Neo and I fed that to her for awhile but her health was terrible, only to learn later that a review said Hi-Tor is more like "junk food" for cats, and I believe that to be true. Once I switched her to NF, she has been so much healthier. I mix about 3/4 c. water with the NF because older cats are not inclined to drink. She gets terribly dehydrated unless I always mix the water with her food. I just saved you a ton of money.

BTW, she's very skinny. I don't know how much longer she has but I'm doing my best. I found a ton of good info on kidney cats here: http://www.felinecrf.org/

Also, she's on high-blood pressure medicine, Amlodipine, as high blood pressure is common in older cats too.

I would not just let her continue on feeling like crap though... do what you have to so it'll be quick and you'll be with her at the vet's. She'll thank you one day when you're together again. Don't beat yourself up... things happen and even if she were on meds, etc. it would not be the best of times for her anyhow. Take in some fosters in her honor afterward.

VikingGnome wrote:My dear cat just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She is losing weight, always begging for food, drinking excessive water and lots of litterbox clumps. The vet said she also has some kidney problems, possibly related to too much thyroid or a separate problem. The standard treatment is radioactive iodine. I would have to take cat to Memphis for a week and total costs could exceed $2,000. She probably only has a couple years of life left. I certainly would not close to just not treat her and watch her starve to death with heart and kidney failure. I'm trying to decide what to do, I don't have $2k and struggle to pay my own medical bills.

The decision is a tough one, especially if funds are limited. My Siamese cat was diagnosed with thyroid problems when he was 12 yrs old. He even had to have surgery ( I was told cats have 2 thyroids!) he was put on thyroid meds and lived to be almost 19 yrs old!
Both of my Sheltie dogs had thyroid disease, one is still alive after being on thyroid meds for 9 yrs. I don't regret spending one cent of the money on my animals, but that's easy to say considering I had the money on hand. I've had a few dogs with cancer too, and it's really tough to have to just let go, and let them not suffer any longer. After all my years of seeing them go, it never does get easier.
I'm sure that after all these years of loving and caring for your cat, whatever decision you make will be the right one.

We have a 15 year old cat. She is in quite good health right now but we would not be able to spend thousands of dollars on her either.

My husband and I have discussed it and have decided that, if she gets a serious illness that would cost too much to treat, we would do what we feel is the best thing for her anyway - have her "put to sleep". She is also not of a temperament to take medication and she is a very fussy eater. Certainly if she develops something untreatable we would also "put her to sleep" without question.

Three years ago we lost our other cat (the orange one in my avatar). He developed diabetes and we did give him insulin twice daily (he was much easier to give medicine to that this one) and he was on a special diet as well. We did not spend a lot of money but he did not do well and he became so depressed with his lot and continued to get worse. We finally made the hard decision and we know it was the last act of love we could do for him.

This had made us assess what we would do should this one get very ill. We feel better that we have discussed it and agreed on what we should do.

It is one of the hardest decisions to make, as anyone who has or has had a pet knows, but we feel we must do what is best for her. Going through any treatment may not be the best thing even it is relatively inexpensive. We learned that hard lesson with our boy and put him through needless suffering. Won't do that again!

In 1998, my Maine Coon was 16. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I didn't have the $2000 either. Hyperthyroidism, according to the vet I found, often comes from feeding kibble, so Star was switched to a raw diet. It was a bit tricky, getting her off the kitty crack. We included this and that in her food, and Star lived, and lived well for another three years. If I had had the money, I would have treated her.

Another cat I know of was treated with the radioactive iodine, and lived for another five years, finally dying at the age of 23.

But if you don't have the resources to research and do a raw diet, or the iodine, then, much as it pains me to say it, let her go with dignity.

"I have sent you on a journey to a land free from pain. Not because I did not love you, but because I loved you too much to force you to stay."

I've been where you are before, several times. First 2 times both my Weebles & Wobbles were candidates for treatment using pills for thyroid & subQ fluids every other day to manage kidney disease. Both cats did very well. Weebles lived 2 1/2 yrs with this therapy. Wobbles became diabetic, so had to add insulin shots 2x daily. Wobbles lived about 18 mos. I let the quality of each cats life tell me when it was 'time' to give them the 'gift' of letting them go through euthanasia.

Next cat, my beloved Portia Marie was NOT a candidate to give pills or use fluids. She was younger, only. 10 vs Weebles 17 & Wobbles 15. And she had only thyroid, her kidney function was great at that time, so I scraped together the $1,200, that was the fee in Indianapolis, and did the iodine therapy. Nine mos later she and another of my cats, Jookey, were exposed to a virus we apparently brought into the house on our feet. Although all my cats (11 at the time) were vaccinated, the thyroid treatment (Jookey was on pills, had healthy kidneys). Those two died overnight. We went to bed with 11 cats & woke up with 9, they died in their sleep & they never showed signs of being sick! Apparently their treatment invalidated the vaccination for that virus. Only the cats living in the house at that time who had been or were being treated for thyroid disease contract reacted the virus, panolukepenia.

I tell you this so that as you make your decision, know that you may spend all this money on your fur-baby and still lose her to something the meds make her immune system powerless to fight as I did.

I've changed my outlook, I've given another cat since then the 'gift' of euthanasia, different diagnosis, but lots of money & some pain so I choose to let me Natalie Kay cross the rainbow bridge, rather than spend over $2,000 for treatment that might not work.

Now why did I share this with you? I hope I can help you by knowing the road I have traveled. I will pray for you & your girl as you make this difficult decision.

Jen

I had to put an 18-year-old cat down a few years back. She had bone cancer of the jaw. That decision was a no brainer as it was untreatable and she couldn't eat without pain.

I volunteer three times a week at local no kill shelter. I have my dog who is not quite 5. I'll just love the cats at the shelter.

What a hard thing, and with no easy answers. Thinking of you as you deal with this in the best way possible for your cat and you.

VikingGnome wrote:I had to put an 18-year-old cat down a few years back. She had bone cancer of the jaw. That decision was a no brainer as it was untreatable and she couldn't eat without pain.

I volunteer three times a week at local no kill shelter. I have my dog who is not quite 5. I'll just love the cats at the shelter.

Shelter cats appreciate the love & kindness you give them. You are in my prayers tonite.

All my (lots!) cats have been special, but the one I have left now (not my avatar but a Bombay for all intents etc.) is as good as they get and more... maybe extra special? He's from a no-kill (as of 7 yrs ago) and just seems to have it all, whatever 'it' is. Spent an hour at the place looking for 'the one', and was outside at my car thinking I hadn't found him, but went back in for a last look, and there he was (at 5 mos old) in an area I hadn't really looked at, and that was that! But if the time comes for him to go, I'll have lots of terrific memories and belief that I did the best I could.

I would check with other vets and call some vet schools. Some colleges with a vet program will do various treatments for far less so that their students can learn.

I have a friend who had a cat with this problem (and treatment), and he improved and did well. She was living on disability, so I doubt she paid anywhere near that for the treatment.

A very hard decision to make.

If I was in your shoes I would let my cat go, as much as it would hurt.

Best wishes