First, I'm sorry for what you're going thru with your cat but, and I'll be blunt, how could you not get the cat some type of veterinary help by now? Even on the weekend most vets leave an emergency number or let you know where the animal can be taken.
I doubt he'll come out of the coma and is probably on his death bed.
If this came on suddenly, it's possible he got into something toxic.........especially since he was and indoor/outdoor cat. If treated sooner, the vet 'may' have been able to help him.

I wouldn't let anyone euthanize my pet if they didn't allow me to be in the room. Find another vet.

Also, I doubt the pound is going to treat the animal......but they would euthanize it.......usually for a donation.

All the vets were closed, and left a message to contact our local pound if an emergency. Kitty passed away Sunday evening, though I had made contact to see a vet tomorrow. I did try, I don't drive because of epilepsy, and hubby just had surgery and not up to a lot of moving about. I tried, prayed, and called friends, but everyone was gone shopping, or whatever people do who drive.
Darlene

I'm very sorry about your kitty.

Lisa

I'm sorry.

It does sound like he got into something toxic.

Here, euthanasia is about $30 if you take the pet home for burial, more if the vet does "disposal" (landfill).

I *never* would tolerate being sent out of the room.

I'd find another vet.

I add my condolences re your cat's death. However, it will not do you any good or bring back her life to feel guilty. We all have a fate, even a cat. It does not sound to me as though you were negligent or took poor care of her. As you said, you did not know her age and you will never know the actual cause of her death.

Last summer our rabbit had an abcess that we were not aware of. (It was inside his cranial cavity.) We saw a problem with his eye on Saturday night, Took him to an emergency vet first thing Sunday morning (Vet said it was not life-threatening but should be taken care of.) He was scheduled for surgery Monday, but passed away Sunday night. My point is that even had you been able to get your cat to an emergency vet, that is no guarantee that the outcome would have been different.

Darlene, I am sorry about the loss of your cat. It sounds like he had a very natural death and died at home with you there, and no frightening procedures. In a way, this is just what I would like for myself someday, so I guess I believe you did well in caring for your cat. There is no crime in not giving medical care to an older adopted animal. In many of our lives, medical care can be a luxury we cannot afford. I hope your grief is not too difficult and that you do visit the 'pound again soon, to get a new kitty for your home.

My cats are inside/outside cats there is alwways a chance that they can get in something. My mother's cat Bud ate warfin in the wood pile, we had no idea because we don't use any poison. The wood rats had stached the extra in the wood stack. These days warfin is made to slowley kill so an animal who eats it will not show any affects until it is too late. They will have kidney failure.
I would get another vet the vet I go to lets you hold your pet, he and the staff ceies with you, bills you so you don't have to think of payment at the sad time and sends you a nice card, remembers to take your pet out of the computer. If you bring a dog or cat he will treat them in your car if you want. He refuses to put down a healthy animal. does no ears or tails or declawing. He charges $35 for a cat. I feel fortuniate to have him as a vet.

I'm sorry for your loss. I am in almost the same situation. I have a cat who is a few months shy of turning 21. she dislocated her shoulder last weekend, which was put back in place immediately. The vet said she didn't have very long to go. after some rest she was doing well, still eating, drinking, walking using the litter...etc. THen Friday night she laid down and didn't get up. She was still responsive but refused anything i brought for her. her paws were starting to get really cold. then this morning she was unresponsive, eyes gel-like and half open, shallow breathing and slowed heart-rate. I've done my best to keep her comfortable, but it's really hard watching her hold on like this. I got her when she was 6 weeks old and she has been a constant companion to me throughout almost my entire life. I refuse to take her to the vet and get her euthanized- i feel this would be cruel being in the state she is in. I know death is near for her and there is no point easing my suffering if it would cause her the slightest bit. I just wonder if anyone knows the best way to deal with this kind of thing

To Oddcritter, I am going through the very same thing today with my kitty. He finally crashed last night after having hyperthyroidism for a year. He is 16 years old. Try to remember that death is a natural process and if the animal is handling it well you don't have to opt for euthansia. Whether I do or not is determined by my furry friends behavior and the nature of thedisease that is causing their death.

Annz is being a bit hard but did not know your situation. I live 30 miles from the nearest city and 1.5 hour drive to the nearest emergency vet. I can not drive on the highway because I get extremely dizzy and I am also completely nightblind. I would have to do what you did. I do know that our emergency vet does return phone calls and will call in pain medication to a 24 hour drug store if you expect you animal is near death.

Darlene's cat passed away four years ago, and oddcritter's is probably about two years gone.

Anyway, Skye, you have a good heart and my thoughts are with you. I've been there and it's tough to go through this with a beloved pet.

Lisa, you also sound like a very compassionate person.

I have to say, after looking up feline coma, I was directed here. I did see a few stories like mine and feel alittle better. My boo-boo kitty 19. She is the oldest of my three kitties. My cats have been indoor cats for four years. They had gotten fleas before sincethey have been inside,but I have had them on frontline which would help. This summer though, not so much. The fleas hurt all my cats. I bombed and even got "capstar" from the vet which kills all the fleas on them in an hour or so which was awesome!!!... My cats were feeling better, but then boo took a turn for the worse. She would eat then wouldnt. She would drink, I even got her a kiity ensure of sorts from the vet. I believe they had been anemic? Now, today,as the hurricaine was hitting us on shoreline of CT, She,like another cat story on here is not moving and her eyes are so unresponsive, its horrible. when I touch under her chin though, she would purrr. I feel she isnt in pain. I just feel so horrible, I know she lived a long good life, but I was not ready for this. She was my little princess kitty since a kitten and now shes going to just drift off in her sleep. I just dont want her to be in any pain.

I have an eight month old kitty Freddie Boo Boo. Healthy little kitty with a rescued 3 yr. old Ragdoll breed Missy mothering him. At 3AM Monday morning, Missy awakened me by tapping on my face.
I turned on my nightstand light to find Freddie Boo Boo totally unresponsive. I picked him up and gently shook him. His head fell back. I said "Freddie Boo Boo, don't die on me now!" I took him to the livingroom floor and gently pressed on his chest. Eyes half open, pupils enlaged. I took him to the kitchen counter and spit in his mouth.
Freddie Boo Boo had left the building for a good 5 minutes that I know of.
In the space of 15 seconds, he awoke, jumped down from the counter, used his littterbox, had a bite to eat and started grooming himself.

My 12 year old cat lost her hearing quite suddenly 8 months ago our vet checked her throughly at that time, blood profile, kidney etc. He did not find anything irregular during the through exam and testing. The past 3 days she was not eating much she mostly seemed confused. We had rescued her when she was 5 months old, and for the past 11 years she had all her immunizations and yearly checkups. During the past few days she became more confused and then did not seem able to eat, and could not walk with out falling to the left. Now she is in a coma and resting quietly in a blanket where I can watch her and pet her. I believe she either had a stroke or a brain tumor, either way she was not suffering and except for not hearing, she had another good 8 months. If she does not pass by tomorrow I will take her to her vet for euthanasia but it seems pointless at this time since she is in a complete coma and her heart beat is very weak, at least she is with me knowing by my touch that she is loved. I commend all who adopt pets needing rescuing, we never know the complete medical history. My father taught me to never judge another person until you have walked a mile in their shoes, so lets do the same for those making decisions about the last care of their family members, including their pets.

I agree saltidawg.

The most baffling comment from this old thread to me was this though: this morning she was unresponsive, eyes gel-like and half open, shallow
breathing and slowed heart-rate. I've done my best to keep her
comfortable, but it's really hard watching her hold on like this. I refuse to take her to the vet and
get her euthanized- i feel this would be cruel being in the state she is
in.

I don't understand how ending an animals suffering at the end can be considered cruel at any level, it's just.... mindboggling

Wow. It is indeed mind boggling. I had to put one of my horses down day before yesterday. I would not let her suffer. Animals are often very stoic in their suffering. It is hard for us to know the depth of their pain. I would never second guess myself on something like that. Chances are we will out live our beloved animals. It is part of owning a pet and our responsibility to make sure when the time comes it is done as humanely as possible and we should not place our dread and pain of losing them over doing the right thing.

It has been quite some time since I posted. Our kitty died from the melmine poisoning from canned food from China. Our vet could not helped, as it was the first case in our area, and it took awhile for them to out why all the cats were dying. We have another Maine Coon who eats a diet of food from the cat health food store. Prefer that to the loss of our other cat. Darlene

I'm sorry for your loss. You did the best you could do, and that's the best anyone can do. It should have been obvious from your story that you greatly and sincerely cared for your pet.

I'm also sorry a bunch of cruel-minded self-righteous know-it-alls criticized you when actually they knew nothing about your situation. They are judgmental leeches on communities everywhere they show their ignorant empty souls.

After talking to several vets, they said there was nothing to do in this case, as was a poison or toxin they knew nothing about. In our town, several hundred kitties dies from the same thing. I never buy food from china anymore, even for strays. We did get another Main Coon, about a yr. old. I am old enough to know there is a cycle of life and death, some can be helped, and others, we are at our wits end. Not being able to drive can make it hard often.