re: OT how do you know it is time to put your pet cat down

OP - first off, sorry to hear you're dealing with this. it's never easy. there really is no way to know for sure that it's time, but i think the general guideline is when it seems that they are suffering. i had to put my dog down three summers ago that i had had since i was a single guy with no kids. he became a family dog as i became a family man. it was brutal. but it got to where he couldnt get around, he was clearly in pain, and he got very confused and scared easily. that said - he always knew me and that look of total trust and love in his eyes was always there up until the very last, and that makes it so damn hard. but i knew he also trusted me to do right by him at the end - and the right thing was to not make him suffer so that i could selfishly avoid grieving his loss for a little longer. and i think that's how you know - if you are keeping them alive longer so that you can avoid grieving despite their suffering...it's time.