Elderly cat with bone marrow cancer urinating everywhere

by Ashley
(Dallas, TX)

I found out about 7 months ago my 18 year old cat has bone marrow cancer. She still eats but is losing weight none the less. She had started urinating everywhere but the litter box when I took her in 7 months ago and in turn after extensive testing found that she had the bone marrow cancer. She is still doing this urinating thing. It is taking a considerable toll on me after this long of dealing with it. By the way, this is not a UTI as I have taken her to two different vets for a urinaylsis to be sure. I feel like she has lost her ability to remember where the litter box is half the time or at least it seems that way. She will pee where ever she is.

It's really taking a toll on me coming home and spending hours cleaning and taking out the cat urine smell just to come home from work and do it again the next night and take care of my four year old alone as well.

I have considered euthanasia but I feel if I make that decision I might not forgive myself and feel so much guilt since she is still eating. When comes the point with a terminally ill elderly feline when you can say "this is the time"? Or will you never really be sure when making a descision like that?

I appreciate your input. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Ashley

Answer from Kate
Hi Ashley, i fully understand your situation and can appreciate how much hard work it must be for you.

I feel that this could be due to the way the cat feels at the moment. Cats will often feel the need to scent their home when they are feeling anxious, it is a common problem. It may well be that your cat does not feel right due to her illness and this is the cause of her anxiety. they urinate everywhere to make themselves feel better about their home, its a sort of comforter. Hard for us to understand I know but scent plays a big part of a cats life.

As for your concern about euthanasia. I had to make that decision a year or so back with my 17 year old cat. We had the choice of either putting her through operations to try and fix a broken leg which may or may not have worked or to let her go. We spent the whole night crying and talking and crying and talking and I too had feelings of guilt as she was still eating etc as normal but had a broken leg. For us though as soon as we looked into her eyes the next morning i just knew we couldn't put her through any more and that it would be so much kinder to let her go, which we did.

It is normal to have feelings of guilt but at the end of the day we must not keep our cats alive just to please us and if they are unhappy or suffering in any way, especially when they reach old age, it is the best and final gift we can give to our friends. we humans are not so lucky.

I cant tell you what to do, you will simply know and even then may still feel guilty but thats normal.

I have a page on my site about euthanasia which you may find of further interest here

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/pet-euthanasia.html

Best wishes KAte

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