Thread: Euthanasia - so conflicted - need help

Hi everyone,

I'm struggling with what to do for my little Maine Coon. She's 15yrs old and has never been larger than about 10lbs. Now she's down to 6lbs, has arthritis, and in the last six months has dislocated her hip twice. The second dislocation was just last week and she's showed more pain after this one. I have another cat that likes to pick on her but I've been able to keep tabs on that most of the time and he never attacks her when I'm not around (several housemates have told me this). However, she is becoming more and more sensitive and since this last dislocation she hisses and growls if she even thinks the other cat might look at her or think about her. She definitely feels threatened and rightly so as this last dislocation happened while trying to get away from this other cat. I'm concerned that he may be more interested in her because she's vulnerable.

Also, I believe that prior to these dislocations she was drinking a lot more water and peeing more. Her stomach becomes more distended and firm, and she hisses more if I try to pick her up. She also has trouble settling down and getting comfortable when wanting to snuggle with me.

All this being said she still loves to snuggle, can still groom, still using the litter, still eating and drinking (though I believe that has decreased since this latest injury), and generally seems like herself but older and slower/stiffer.

Here's the thing. We have been homeless for a year and 1/2 now. Have been couch surfing at a friends place but in June moved into a very tiny trailer in the woods. She hasn't been able to exercise, though she wasn't much for that anyway, but my point here is that I do not have the money to help her with pain meds or anything of the sort. She also HATES everyone except me though she often bites or scratches me. She always has. So it would be horrible to give her to someone else and I honestly believe it wouldn't be fair to her especially if she's in pain. She needs her mommy.

I'm struggling because the emergency vet said that once the hip pops out twice or three times it becomes very hard, if not impossible, to put it back in and just gets more painful. I don't want that for her and I have been thinking about putting her down for all the reasons above, but at the same time it feels too soon. I'm really having such a hard time with this. If she's in pain, like I think she has to be, and this is the time you would be giving her pain meds etc. to help her, I'm wondering if because I can't do that for her if this is the time. I've been scouring the internet looking for answers and everything says that 15 is old for a maine coon. I also can't tell the future so can't possibly know when her leg might pop out again and I don't really want to have to put her down in an unplanned, rushed, emergency situation. When she goes I want to be there holding her, peacefully and loving her.

One more issue. I'm having trouble finding a place to live because people around here don't want to rent to someone having more than one pet. So her quality of life is a question, as is mine. I hope this wasn't too scattered. Really struggling trying to figure out what is best for her and most humane. And I'm so sad about it.

Thanks.