Animals and pre emptive euthanasia

orcestra

All my life I have kept cats. Since about 1982. Some of my cats have lived in my house till extremely old age [for cat years] of 19 or 20. In some cases my cats have suffered a lot in their last few months. From kidney failure or severe athritis. At that point I go to a vet and ask for them to be put down; at taht stage my cat can't walk or is constantly asking for water to drink. Cats are one of the most efficient animals at not needing to drink water. So to need it a lot is always kidney failure.

Having seen the above I will in future go to the vet earlier to avoid suffering. As soon as my cat is 18 or older and starts to ask for the tap to be turned on every 20 minutes to drink the tap water, I will know that there's only pain ahead for my cat and the end would be better to spare the pain. I add as well that the cat suffers mentally and emotionally as well and makes sad sounds.

So I will be having pre emptive euthanasia at that point for my cats. I don't consider that there's anything ethically wrong with me getting a vet to do this. Just wonder if anyone thought differently or had other experiences. [apologise for typos ; as I said in an earlier topic me and typing don't mix]

BC

A painless death is the last gift you can give to a pet when they are suffering the debilities of age and disease. "When" is a judgement call, of course.

orcestra

I guess that less clearcut cases are things like horses. A blind horse can be very hard to keep. On the other hand other horses can help a blind horse by showing it where water is. That would be a hard decision.

TheMadFool

↪orcestra

Euthanasia is still controversial among humans. Yet we do it with little resistance in animals.

I wonder why?

Shawn

↪TheMadFool

Deep question. Topic worthy, if you don't mind me saying so.

Shamshir

↪TheMadFool

Due to there being less pet humans, than pet animals.

We butcher animals with little resistance, but cannibalism is controversial.

So and so.

Relativist

↪orcestra

My wife and I also have cat companions, and in almost all cases we've chosen to put them down eventually. The criteria we use is: are they getting some enjoyment from life?

We had one cat that was suffering from failing kidneys (as you know, this is a common problem in older cats), and we addressed this (per the vet's instructions) by giving it subcutaneous fluids once a day. The cat didn't like getting poked and held down, but except for those few minutes each day - he was very happy, playful, and loving throughout the last year of his life. Toward the end, even the fluids were not enough. (My mother did this with her cat for close to 3 years).

A neighbor adopted a cat with feline leukemia. The Vet said the cat should be put down. They chose not to, and the cat lived 2 years, and appeared to be quite happy during most of that time. It finally went into a sharp decline and and at that time, they put it down.

My point is that you needn't be overly hasty with putting them down. Consider whether or not they are having a reasonable quality of life as a factor in your decision.

Frank Apisa

I think you are being reasonable, Orcestra.

At some point, every cat lover realizes that "the time has come"...and does what has to be done.

Tears come to my eyes as I write these words...in remembrance of the several times I've had to make that trip to the Vet with a pet cat.

Right now we have three...two who get along very well and one (an outdoor cat who decided we were going to give him a permanent home) who gets a bit feisty.

Hope that day for all three is far, far into the future.

orcestra

I only found this out this year. But there is also the aspect of burial. The euthanasia drugs used by a vet are toxic and remain in the dead animal. So any other animal that eats it could get poisoned. So I have buried my euthaniased cats in my back yard; I might do something different in that respect next time.

Shawn

I still think about my two cats left in Europe when I moved back to the States 10 years ago. They're pretty old by now and approaching that age.

One was called "Chudy" and the other "Kiełbasa", which translates to "Skinny" and "Sausage" in Polish, respectively.

Good times.

Baden

↪Shamshir

This misses the point that the reason given for euthanasia of animals is benefit for them, i.e. an end to their pain.

↪TheMadFool

It's easier to 'other' animals and then confabulate reasons why we want to be rid of them when they become a burden. Harder to do that with our fellow humans as they hold up a much clearer mirror to our fears for ourselves.

Shamshir

↪Baden

I get that.
But as @TheMadFool mentioned

Euthanasia is still controversial among humans. Yet we do it with little resistance in animals. — TheMadFool

Which means, purportedly, that it's more often than not, perceived to be beneficial to pull the plug on the pet, in comparison to the human - who is often almost forced to live.

This is portrayed through the game Life is Strange, when the character Chloe Price asks the player to turn off her life support and end her suffering; and yet half the playerbase denied the request.

So, the question remains: If euthanasia of animals is, purportedly, for their benefit - why isn't its practice amongst humans as accepted?

To which my answer is: Due to the status of the animal in comparison to that of the human, which is pet vs kin. Ask yourself: Which is harder to replace, a pet or a kinsman?

The example of animal butchering vs cannibalism alludes to how one is commonplace, whereas the other is frowned upon even if the cannibalised one may request it with the intention of 'living on through the living', which is benefit for him, according to his intention.

In short, it's a power thing.

Baden

In short, it's a power thing. — Shamshir

:up:

TheMadFool

It's easier to 'other' animals and then confabulate reasons why we want to be rid of them when they become a burden. Harder to do that with our fellow humans as they hold up a much clearer mirror to our fears for ourselves. — Baden

:up: That's correct. Reminds me of @Devans99's thread: Bottle Imp Paradox. The risk or danger is closer with human euthanasia than animal euthanasia.

Possibility

When humans are diagnosed with kidney failure, we have options such as kidney transplant and dialysis. I’m wondering if anyone knows the reason these are not available options for a cat?

Just a thought.

Animals and pre emptive euthanasia

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