Some months ago, I started a topic about my cat's end of life due to a chronic renal failure diagnosis - Stage 4 at that time. With my vet, I've managed to control the disease, reducing it to Stage 3 for a long while, but it's crept up again to 4 with the last few blood tests showing no improvement. She hasn't voluntarily eaten anything substantial for 10 days now and her only fluid intake is her 150-175 ml/day Ringer's solution. Weight has dropped about 30% in the last 5 weeks. During the treatment, the vet often tried to reassure me with 'When the time comes, I'll put her to sleep'. That was a crutch I leant on heavily. Yesterday, I asked the vet to put her to sleep but, despite earlier assurances, she refused. She knew my cat hadn't eaten, was staggering on the odd occasion she tried to walk, was hiding away in dark places, indications of pain and discomfort - all the negative signs I'd read about. The reason for refusal was "She's looking around and can walk a bit - seems OK. I can only do it if she's unconscious" which sort of defeats the object of euthanasia, surely. I tried to reason but, of course, it was useless. I was inwardly raging! Obviously the vet's view of Quality of Life is a million miles away from mine! I won't be trying to feed her any more, maybe I'll reduce or end the Ringer's since fluids will only delay her passing. No other meds. except Ringer's during the whole period of illness. She'll die soon of starvation as much as her disease, as I see it, so can anybody here tell me what to expect during her inevitable decline? How does the process of dying proceed? Is there such a thing as a 'typical' time period for her to die? Anything else? Thanks.
