lavendertook

Stormie sounds like she was a real character! I'm sorry she had such a protracted end. I did the same thing when our first cat to die got cancer. I made him hang around far too long, not wanting him to die at the vets, to whom he hated going. He was in terrible distress by the time I threw up my hands and brought him in, even more than I knew at the time, not realising how much suffering cats conceal. It must be hard for kind-hearted vets, looking on, knowing they can't force owners to make this heart-breaking decision, yet sorry for the pets made to suffer longer than they should. It's not as though my cat wants to finish his novel, or wait to say goodbye to far-flung family members, reasons a human might choose to linger in spite of great suffering. But, like you, I learned from that, and did not prolong subsequent cats' last sufferings so pig-headedly. I still have an awful time making the call, waiting a little too late in each case, but not nearly as badly as with that first cat to die.