Queen of the House

This was taken before her injuries.

Nap time together.
This was taken before her injuries.

Those who know even a little about me quickly realize I am an animal lover.  I've posted before about the number of farm cats we have (most are rescues).  This blog post is honor of our miracle cat, Paisley.  She's like a furry member of our family.  Or as our 3 yr old would say, "like a person in a cat suit."

When she was just ten months old she was hit by a car and sustained three broken legs.  After many hours of surgery, ten weeks of cage rest, physical therapy, hydrotherapy, and a ton of prayers our sweet cat was eventually able to walk again.  It took another 4-6 months before she was able to run, climb and jump.  All of this was accomplished through the daily prayers of our young children, my husband's willingness to spend a whole LOT of money on a cat, my dedication to doing the physical therapy & hydrotherapy (it's true that cats really don't like water) and the dedication of the veterinarians at Bit & Spur Animal Hospital.  She not only survived, but has surpassed the veterinarians' highest hopes.  Though Paisley is left with a limp due to her right front leg being shorter than her other legs, it doesn't seem to bother her and it certainly doesn't keep her from jumping on dressers, or climbing around behind the entertainment center.

Just 2 weeks after surgery.

Paisley is now a little over two years old and is living the good life of being ruler of our house.  We love her and in exchange she brightens our days by getting in her favorite "dead cat" sleeping position right in the middle of a walkway so we have to step over her.  She sleeps where she chooses, in whatever position she chooses and brings great comedy to our family.

Best friends watching cartoons.

Her favorite way to sleep post-surgery.  I think she became so
accustomed to sleeping in odd positions due to the external
pins on her front leg that she just prefers this now.

Lying right in the middle of Luke's school work.

This cat truly sleeps where she wants, when she wants.  She was sound asleep in the pictures above until I disturbed her with the camera flash.  Far left she's in the bathroom sink, middle she's on top of my dresser and far right she's laying in a basket of clean laundry (note the paw lifted up to block the camera flash from her eyes).

Putting a Beloved Pet to Sleep

Eventually all pet owners are faced with the tough decision of having to decide to euthanize, or "put to sleep" a pet. Though it can be a very difficult time to think about these things, here are some basic questions you should ask yourself before making the decision one way or the other.

1) If there IS a cure, will the "cure" involve additional suffering?
2) Will the "cure" further traumatize the animal?
3) How great is the chance of infection or further injury?
4) What quality of life would the animal have if the "cure" is successful or only partially successful?
5) What other circumstances are there, like the age of the pet and previous existing health conditions?
6) What are the chances of it happening again?

Every situation is different and no one can tell you when is the right time, but you should listen to what your veterinarian says and take some time to make your decision. Never rush into things or you may end up regretting it later.