I have a 14 year old Maine Coon that is terminally ill and has a few weeks at best. Our son recently turned 4 years old and loves animals. We taught him to be kind to all animals, even bugs. He is not particularly attached to the cat, but he likes it well enough (the cat is not a cuddler).
In a few weeks we’ll have to go to the vet and have the cat put down. We’re wondering how we should approach this with our son. Do we take him with us? Do we let him be present when the cat is put to sleep? Or make him stay in the waiting area? Or do we go when he’s in school? What’s appropriate for a 4 year old?
On the one hand I think that death is a part of life. And I don’t mind that he sees us crying over the cat. But I also don’t want to traumatize him or make it bigger than it is.
Any tips?
I’m sorry but I guess I just don’t really believe that. Our animals all have significant health issues and if we hadn’t stuck with them they would have died years ago. I think our animals would rather be with us than be dead, even if they are sometimes in pain, and I think their attitude towards us shows that.
I say this as someone who owns a lot of animals, and who has spent 20k on just our dog in the past year for health issues. A better way of asking this is, would you do the same for your child? A child that can’t talk, but they have a terminal disease. Sure there is a point where you remove life support, but you don’t ever actively kill them.
A final point: you say “medication is not as available”. That will always be the case if people continue to not help their animals in these situations. The medicine will never advance and the costs of treatment will never come down.
Frankly I don’t care if you believe it or not. I only honestly hope they none of your animals get to that point.
It’s not about a terminal disease it’s about chronic suffering. And yes, for humans as well im arguing for medically assisted suicide.
Your last point I don’t get either l: How do you intent to help a German Shepherd with an infected hip who has a survival chance of 0% for an operation? How do you intent to “help” any being with an illness where no medication exist?
You sound to me like the “just work harder” equivalent of health.
You’re full of strawmen to create a world that’s just wrong because of the choices other humans make. Please allow a world that is just uncaring to all living beings - and some of us are confronted with that more than you apparently are. And no, I’m no longer talking about animals.