The ethical dilemmas of daughter and cat-carer

[communicator]

Some of you might remember that 2 or 3 years ago I was looking after my parents' cat while they were on holiday, and it was pretty clear to me that it had diabetes, which they would not acknowledge. I started him on insulin without asking their permission. I thought they might not be able to cope with the injection regime. However, once I had taken

Comments

[lamentables]

Even without your not-actually-my-cat ethical dilemma, it sounds very much like the right course of action is optimistic - but not aggressive - treatment of the eye and making life as good as possible for his remaining time.

[communicator]

Yes. If he was in pain it would be a whole other dilemma. Glad I don't have to worry about that.

[sheenaghpugh]

At the moment, I'd agree; most vets don't advocate massive intervention with an old cat anyway. He certainly isn't in pain if he's eating like a horse (though the purring isn't a reliable guide, they can do that when stressed). I'd want to keep an eye on things, but don't know how close you are physically?

[communicator]

Yes, I do remember that about purring now you mention it, but just overall I don't get a bad feeling from him at all. I will keep an eye, but to be honest I think we are in the end part of the old chap's life now.

[splodgenoodles]

Agreed. He's not suffering, he's just got little time left.

[communicator]

Glad there's a bit of a consensus. The eye is horrendous - makes me glad we have antibiotics now. I guess at one time animals and people just had to endure that kind of awful thing.

[kerravonsen]

It looks as if the cat has reached a stage in its life where everything's breaking down. If it's not one thing, it will be another thing.
And I think it's a good point that trying to do a massive intervention will be stressful to your parents as well as to the cat.

[communicator]

Yes, that's it. I think if I went to them with a fait accompli: 'Hey mum and dad you have to do all this stuff every day to keep your cat alive' they would feel obliged to do it, and they are both struggling with their own medical issues. I don't want to do that to them.

[fjm]

People don't always notice things in plain sight, because they creep up. Then an outsider comes in and its obvious. It's the "Only a Mother" affect.

[communicator]

This is a generous remark, which reminds me I am being a little bit exasperated with my parents, but as you say, from their perspective this has crept up slowly on them.

[fjm]

We didn't notice our cat getting sick, It was only when we went away in 2009 and left her with my cousin that he wrote to say "she's drinking from the tap". Even then we just thought "Cats!" but two weeks away and the difference in her behaviour -- from catching trickles to begging us to turn it on--showed up more than we might have realised had we been home.

[watervole]

And bear in mind that their own eyesight may not be so good these days.