Cómo DESPEDIRTE DE TU GATO con respeto y sin sufrimiento ❤️🕊️ La decisión más difícil

This is the most difficult time you'll ever have to experience with your feline companion. And it's completely normal that you don't know how or when to make the decision. Hi, I'm Carlos. I'm a veterinarian, and this is Alchofo. Welcome to the Happy Pets and Families Channel. Right now, while I'm here with Alcatofo, and I'm so comfortable because look at how he is. He's so cute. Well, I think I have a topic today that's going to embarrass me, but it's a topic that needs to be discussed because the time is coming when we'll have to say goodbye to our animal companions. Well, in this case, our feline companions, at some point. And first of all, I want you to know that I know that it's a delicate, complicated topic that we don't like to talk about with anyone because, of course, we don't want to put ourselves in that situation at that moment, Right? But first of all, we need to know how well we're going to have to deal with it, okay? And that's why I think it's important to address it here on the channel. So I want you to stay until the end of the video, even if you don't really like the topic, because it's very important. I'll bring you a bunch of answers to questions that you may never have asked yourself or that if you have or are going to ask yourself, it will be in the future. And if you're right now at that moment when you have to make the decision, also stay tuned to the video because, well, we're going to talk about things little by little, and we're going to make it as bearable as possible. Before continuing, I have to tell you that putting our animal companions to sleep is only allowed in very, very specific situations. And above all, it's to prevent them from suffering, to make sure that when they have lost their quality of life, they stop suffering at that specific moment and only in those situations. And if a veterinarian assesses it and considers it appropriate, is when this action can be carried out. Therefore, the myth that anyone can go to the vet and say, hey, Gammire, Toby is in the way at home. Please put him to sleep. That's not true. I mean, no vet can do that unless it's completely justified. But come on, if you're watching this video, I know how sensitive you are because if you follow us on the channel, well, you're like me, and I know that this situation will Never cross your mind. If right now you're thinking about it or have to make that decision, it's because you've really seen that your feline companion needs it. Sure, but when can we intuit that it's a real situation that's being presented to us at that moment when we say, hey, look, the time has come when we think that the best way for our cat to stop suffering anymore is to put it to sleep. And it's true that there's no single answer for these types of situations. Above all, what we have to look for are a series of clinical signs, symptoms that can indicate that our cat has lost a large part of its quality of life. For example, your cat may want to move around a little less because it is a little older or wants to have a quieter, more peaceful life. That does not mean that it has lost its quality of life, because, well, it is part of how all animals age. It is true that when we are a little older, we do not have the vitality of youth. But your cat is probably happy in the activities it does, and being older does not mean that it has unnecessary pain and suffering. So how can we start to think that our cat has lost much of its quality of life? Well, if it does not have the ability to move or get around on its own, then obviously there are going to be many activities that are part of its life that it will not be able to do if it is in a lot of pain, because the vet has told us so. Look, you. Your cat cannot move because everything hurts, and this is really beyond repair. Perhaps at that point is where the difference clearly lies between when a situation that our cat is suffering is something specific or is something that is perhaps treatable. Because, for example, it could be a chronic disease that will degenerate over time, but with the right treatment, it will at least ensure that our cat has an acceptable quality of life. So many times our cats suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure, or even osteoarthritis, which is the degeneration of their joints. A cat that suffers from osteoarthritis and we do not treat it well, it is clear that it will want to move less because its joints hurt, but with the right treatment, it will have a better quality of life. Therefore, in those cases, it is not justified to put it to sleep. Do we have any alternative to make my cat live better? This is happening to it. But if we give it these medicines, or if we follow the treatment that the veterinarian tells us to, will it be able to live. Well, if the answer is yes, then it is not yet time to make a decision. On the other hand, if we see that they are disconnected from their environment, that they don't respond to stimuli, that they can't feed themselves well, all these types of things, well, maybe we should start thinking about it. It's not about giving up, but about helping them to stop suffering and giving them the chance to leave without suffering completely unnecessary ailments. But it's still normal for you not to feel prepared at that moment, for you not to know what to expect. Don't worry. In other words, go to your vet, go to the consultation calmly one day, one afternoon. You don't even need to take your cat to be assessed because your vet probably already knows what condition they're in and talk to them about all these things that are going through your head. Hey look, I've noticed that they seem very listless, that even though we're giving them medication, it's not enough. They practically don't want to move anymore. The things he loved to do and that he enjoyed, he can't even do anymore. He can't even go out in the sun because I have to carry him in my arms because he doesn't even want to move. Well, tell your vet everything like that, because together you'll be able to reflect on the current state of your feline companion and whether putting him to sleep is really an option. Because of course, many times we're afraid to even reflect on that situation. We feel bad because we say, hey, look, how are we going to do this? How are we going to make a decision about his life? But perhaps that reflection is completely necessary. Lets try not to judge ourselves. It's not a selfish decision. It's a generous decision towards your feline companion. And if there's some kind of alternative or solution that, well, can delay that decision in time, that allows our cat to gain a certain quality of life, ask your vet, because they can probably advise and help you. Your vet will never be able to make the decision. For you have to make the decision as a family. You have to reach it. When you are completely convinced that this is the best solution so that your cat does not suffer. If you are making a decision that is not appropriate, that is not coming at the time it should have, your vet will tell you no, that it is not on the table and will refuse to do it because we also have a legal obligation to not do it if it is not completely justified. What we as vets can do in the consultation. And I am sure that your vet will do is to accompany you in making the decision. But even though we are not the ones who have to make the decision, it does not mean that this process is completely foreign to us. We also have a very strong emotional involvement with both you, the families, and also with your feline companions, because we have known you practically forever. In fact, it's not uncommon to see a veterinarian who has been with your cat since practically birth until its final moments. So for us, it's also quite a complicated situation, quite complex, in fact. No one trains us to have to deal with these situations. It's something that little by little, and then also, well, if we seek some external training outside of our degree, we learn to cope and remain calm in those moments. It's not uncommon. I'll tell you that if you go to a veterinary clinic where there are several professionals, several veterinarians who treat you, it's not the veterinarian who has always treated your cat who ends up carrying out the process. Why? Well, because, as I'm saying, it can be very difficult because very complicated, and there can be many emotional implications that make it extremely complicated for us. And that's why, even though we're going to be with you, we should accompany you because we trust each other and we know each other, but we're not the ones who end up carrying out the entire procedure. I'm telling you this because, well, logically no one is prepared for these situations or is born prepared, right? So you may be faced with a situation at the veterinary clinic and that's normal. And having said all this, you may now be wondering how it's going to be carried out, what the procedure is like when the time comes. It's a calm procedure and many times we even arrange an appointment with you, because as it's something more or less scheduled at times when there aren't many people in the veterinary clinic, when we can be alone, when we have that moment of, well, being practically with family. Once you go to the veterinary clinic, you will be informed about the entire process and you will probably have to do some paperwork, such as signing authorizations and so on. There are authorizations that must be done before everything is done, so that there is a record that you are aware of what is going to be done. There is other paperwork that can be done a little later, such as canceling the microchip and all that. Don't worry about that at that point. Once we have spoken that day and we are aware that we have understood all the implications of that Procedure, then we can calmly go to the consultation, and we will first proceed to sedate your feline companion. This sedation is like any other type of procedure, such as when, I don't know, they are going to clean their mouth, and first they have to be sedated.

Okay.

It is simply applying a medication that makes our cat fall asleep. Okay, but he will be asleep. He will be breathing. He will be calm. He will feel you by his side because you will be there with him. Once we have gone through the sedation process, the normal thing is to insert an iv.

Okay.

We will put in a catheter so that we can always locate that vein. At this point, there are two ways to act, especially from the point of view of the families, because there may be families who want to be present at all times, and there are other families who decide not to be present at that moment. I want to make it very clear that this is a very personal decision. It is all good. It does not matter which one you make. Why? Well, because your feline companion is sedated at that moment.

Oh, okay.

He has been with you until the moment of sedation and has felt you close up to that precise moment. But from that moment on, they are no longer so aware of what is happening around them. So they will not feel alone and helpless, even if you decide not to be there. Because, of course, I understand that for many families it can be a very, very complicated situation to watch the whole procedure unfold, so they prefer not to be present.

Okay?

No one is going to judge you in that case. And once your feline companion is sedated, the procedure of putting them to sleep is nothing more or less than general anesthesia. Don't think that there is anything else there. They simply apply an anesthetic drug just at a higher dose, and that's it. There is nothing else. So as you can see, throughout the entire process, there is no pain, no fear, nothing. Just rest. At those moments, if you are present well, you will see that your veterinarian will be doing some checks to make sure that everything has been carried out as planned. If you're not there, you've probably stayed in the waiting room or maybe even gone home, and your vet will let you know and say, it's all over, it's all over. We always make sure that the entire process has been followed according to protocol and that your kitten has finally fallen asleep. And once the entire procedure is over, we enter a different phase, the grieving phase. None of us are prepared for this. And it's normal for you to feel sad, to feel sorry, to feel bad. There are even some people who at that moment have thoughts going through their heads, like, hey, we didn't rush things, we did everything right. I want you to know that if all this was done, it was done at a time that was fully justified and there's nothing to regret. Don't be afraid to show your emotions, to cry, to tell the vet how you feel, or even your family. People who understand you always surround yourself in these cases with people who can validate your emotions a little, who don't downplay them. Because for you it's a very important thing and it should be an important thing for the whole family. Obviously, everyone is going to experience the situation in their own way. Well, we're all used to grieving differently, but that doesn't take away from the importance of the feelings you have at that moment. One thought that usually helps is if we could have chosen for things to have gone differently, completely differently, if we had done it. If that answer is affirmative, as I hope it is, logically, of course, remember that you have only made the decisions that were best for your cat, for its well being and to prevent it from suffering more pain. And then, of course, also think about the moments you have given it in its life. Perhaps you have rescued it from the street and well, it could have had a much shorter life expectancy because, well, we already know the dangers that exist outside the home. Well, you have made it possible for it to have a long and full life with you. Perhaps it was very small when you picked it up and its mother had abandoned it and you have given it its bottle, you have helped it in the most important moments of its life. On the other hand, if you think you need it, you can also go to professionals, to psychologists. Don't feel ashamed to say, hey, look, I'm devastated because my cat has left my life. It's normal to feel it. So a psychologist will be able to help you a lot and can probably accompany you if that's what you need. In fact, here on the channel we have a video about how to cope with grief with our feline companions, where we turn to a psychologist to help us, to explain to us what those procedures were, those phases that we're going to develop in our head, and those types of thoughts that may be completely normal for you to have. If you need the video, I'll leave it in the description box so you can take a look. And another thing that can help a lot of people also, according to what professionals think, is to Perform a certain farewell ritual. That farewell ritual doesn't have to be a word. Well, a funeral like it can be done with people. Uh, can it simply be a small thing that you do in the privacy of your home, where you say goodbye to your cat, where you pick up their belongings, little things end. And at that moment, logically, you feel very sad, but you are at the end of the day, putting an end to the story that you have had together. Other people, on the other hand, what they want to do is cremate their animal companion, their cats. It is very common. It can also be done. It is a process that fortunately, is increasingly present in most countries. And for example, here in Spain, it is something very common. And I am going to explain to you a little bit in general just the possibilities that you have regarding cremation. There is the possibility of having an individual cremation where, well, our cat goes to a specific center where you can surely go, and there they cremate it, as is also done with our human relatives, and they can give us a little oven with its ashes and all that. And also in the case of animals, there is the possibility of a collective cremation where it is not only our feline companion that is cremated at that moment, but also other animal companions from other countries, families. Well, I'm telling you this because there are often people who have financial limitations, and collective burial is generally much more economical and also helps us give our feline companion a dignified end. And although this is not so widespread, there are also some places where cemeteries are being set up for our animal companions. In fact, a couple of years ago, I was very happy to see a news story that Barcelona City Council had promoted the creation of a public cemetery for pets for our animal companions. Come on. Hey, and listen, I think it's great that there are these types of alternatives, these types of solutions, so that our animal companions can also rest and relax in a place where we can even go to pay tribute to them, to remember them, or to be with them at the times that we want anyway. Well, as you've seen, for it to come out as news, well, it's not something that is very standardized. And I also wanted to take advantage of this video to demand that more and more municipalities set up this type of cemetery, type of alternatives. Well, I think it was important to have all this information on the channel to bring it to you in a video. It's something we don't want to think about too much, but we never want to put ourselves in that situation. But life must be faced and accepted as it is. And birth is as much a part of life as the moment we leave it. So, well, it's going to be something that all families who live with our animal companions are going to have to go through and experience. And that's why I think it's extremely important for us to know a little bit about the points, the focuses, the beacons that can help us on that path, which is quite difficult because logically, when it comes, we're going to have to make a decision with many emotional implications. In any case, if you have any doubts or questions that you want to ask me, leave me a comment. I'll try to answer as many as I can so that I can help you in those moments that are so complicated. And also, if you've gone through the process some time ago or recently and you want to, hey, leave a comment about something that has helped you specifically, or something that you've seen that I've missed, feel free to leave it too, because I think this could have a lot of quality information for the entire community. And even though today's topic wasn't easy, give us a like and subscribe to the channel. If you really want to help us, you can also give us a super thanks and share the video because that helps it reach more and more people. On the other hand, stop by our secondary channel here on YouTube called Questions and Answers from a Veterinarian. And before we go, we're going to meet these three little ones named Chika, Chile and Cheewi, who greet us with their human companion from Denmark. They live there with Paola. Look at them, how cute. And you know that black cats are my weakness. These two are called Milo and Pepito. They greet us with their human companion, Fabiola from Mexico City. And we say goodbye by paying tribute to Flor, who lived almost five years with her human companions. Her human companion, Gabriela, who lives in Sweden, wanted us to remember her this way. Thank you very much for following the Happy Pets and Families Channel, and I'll see you in the next video. Sleepy little fool. Don't rip my pants, okay? They're made of linen and if you dig your nails in, they'll break. I'm filling my mouth with hair right now that you see me here with artichoke in my arms. I think about that moment when I'm going to have to say goodbye to her. That will have to come at some point, and my heart breaks. The fact that at some point they're going to be gone from our lives. That moment is going to come at some point, because that moment is going to come. We're going to navigate emotions in a slightly less under the radar way. Done.

Okay. Okay.

Now that I have artichoke here in my arms.

Well.

And that I'm also with you, I would love for it to be eternal and for it to live forever. I don't think you're being melancholy. Right. Well, I don't know.

Okay.

Give them the. Give them the opportunity to leave without so much pain, without so much suffering. What harsh words. Yeah, sure. That's how it is. Yes, that's how it is. I. I mean, there's Rory. Rory, what questions do we have today? Well, the one about such and such litter box. The one about cat liposuction. Oh, that's right, cat liposuction. It seems very strong to me. Come on. Wonderful question, M.