Feel very guilty about putting our cat to sleep

We faced the same decision with our cats. You made the right one. You can have no idea of what your cat would have faced. A few more years of what kind of life? We love our pets in life, we have to love them enough to let them go.

I just wanted to say how very sad I feel for you. The same thing happened to us last year and although our little cat was only 12 she just collapsed out of the blue. I knew she wouldn't recover but my husband thought the vet could work miracles. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be and we did have her PTS. It's so painful and it does take a long time to get over losing a much-loved pet. Our remaining British shorthair is 16 and I try not to think about him getting poorly. Thinking of you

The cat was 17, she sounds like she had a good life with loving owners. She would not improve by the sounds of it, she was sedated and knew nothing about it.
Please stop beating yourself up about it. The cat would become more frightened having to undergo si many testa and more operations. My cats hated the vets.
You are right she is a beutiful cat.

Tests not testa.

A beautiful cat who had a wonderful life with loving owners. You did what you thought was best for your cat and in your circumstances, as someone who has had dogs and cats and had to have some put to sleep, I would have done the same. Your cat was 17 so a long life that you would not want to see end in agony.
Thinking of you 💐

Animals hide pain, so she may have been suffering more than you realise. I would have done exactly the same thing and so would a lot of other people.

She was dearly loved and had a great life. Please forgive yourself, you did nothing wrong. She's at peace now.

It's hard to let our pets go, but they can't tell us if they're in pain
and we want to do our best for them and not have them suffer,
I think it's kinder to let them go, you know you did your best and she had a lovely home with owners who loved her..

I agree with all that has been said. She was 17 years old and I think she would thank you as she was obviously miserable. She had a lovely life with caring owners.

What a beautiful cat. She had a long and happy life with you, and I know how hard it must have been for you to make that decision. Our vet always says it is better to let them go a day too soon rather than a day too late. You made the right decision for her.

I've been faced with having to make this decision and it's heartbreaking... I would say you did the kindest thing for your cat because you saved her from suffering. I didn't put any of my cats through invasive tests in their later years because it's so distressing for the animal.
Have a good cry and take things slowly while you grieve her loss .

What a beauty! Please try not to feel guilty , she was an old lady and had a happy and comfortable life. You have made the correct decision.
💐🌸🌹.

My mother suffered from guilt about leaving one of our cats too long before taking her to the vet. When I had cats of my own, she said “Better too early than too late”. True, I think. Try not to feel guilty.

A beautiful cat indeed. Please don't feel guilty. We had our 20 year old boy PTS, a day before his 21st birthday. It was dreadful but he had shown us he was ready to go. Later the same year our 2 year old long haired tabby died really suddenly. Both occasions were dreadful in different ways and we were heartbroken both times. My sympathy

Such kind and empathic responses. Thank you all. Taking all her blankets, electric blanket, bowls, catfood, pet carrier etc to a cat rescue tomorrow. Painful seeing them now. We have 2 dogs as well so they are giving us cuddles.

Oh, I feel for you, mrsmeldrew. However painful a decision, it was the right one, without a doubt, and that is the last kindness we do for the animals that share our life.

For a cat life is in the present, not the future and it’s quality of life which matters, not quantity.
A gentle end is kinder than vet visits, investigations, tests in old age when she just wants to sleep.
And sadly the big corporate vet businesses will keep sticking needles in your poor old pet because they are there to make money.
Don’t feel guilty.

Oh, please don't feel guilty. She had a wonderful long life with you, and she was unwell and unlikely to fully recover. You did the right thing by relieving her of pain.

We had a bit similar with our cat, age 16. She kept getting thinner and thinner, then started losing control of her bladder and lost appetite. We finally made the decision to put her to sleep. The day of the appointment, she seemed quite happy and lively, and so we were torn about going to the vet. But we decided that her last day would be a good on, since we knew there would have been more painful ones to come.

It is always a hard decision, but made for the best reasons. Hugs to you.

She’s a beautiful girl and it sounds as though she enjoyed a beautiful life.

We had two rescue Russian Blue brothers. One of them became ill and an op and tests showed he had lymphoma. We could either take him on a 250 mile round trip every two or three weeks to a specialist vet hospital to have chemo or we could take him home and look after him as long as possible. He hated the car and was travel sick so a long trip would have been utter misery for him, plus there was no guarantee that the chemo would work.

He was sixteen years old so we decided to simply take him home and care for him. He had another four or five good months over the spring and early summer and we finally did the kindest thing after a couple of weeks of declining health. It was right for him and for us.

Were the few more years of life for her or for you? Sometimes we have to let go and do the right thing but it’s so very very hard and we love them so much. You wouldn’t have wanted her to have been in pain. She was a very beautiful cat and as the pain eases you will have treasured memories of her.

This won't make it any easier at this point in time but you made a decision which, at the time you made it, was the correct one (you wouldn't have if it had been deemed the wrong choice). We have done the same many, many times, and it's heartbreaking.

You want what is best for your pets and in this case, that was PTS because she is now at peace and no longer suffering. You're obviously a responsible, loving cat owner.

Please do not feel guilty. She will be in pussycat heaven thanking you.

Oh please don’t feel guilty. The average life expectancy for a British Blue is about 15 years, so your pet did well in a loving home.
My very first cat was a British Blue.
I wrote the A to Z of cat breeds and that meant researching into their life expectancy.