How do I convince my wife to put down the cat ?

Four pounds is way too light. She sounds like she is starving to death. There's a very good chance she has organ failure of some kind. The unfortunate thing about cats is they have a very high tolerance for pain, so she very well may be suffering but not outwardly showing it. At 16 years and four pounds, realistically she's unlikely to live much longer, so I agree it's an appropriate time to think about putting her down( the cat I mean). Remind your wife your cat is a cat, not a human, and really has a very different way of experiencing it's existence. Helping a suffering cat to die is a kindness, it's humane. This will be a painful loss to your wife of course, but it's a necessary pain. Why add to that pain by forcing your cat to endure a miserable death? Let it go now, free it and know you've done the right thing, and have given it love and care, no one could have done better.

I should mention that this is still something your wife needs to agree with, obviously putting the cat down on your own would be unforgivable for your wife.

This is a marital issue, not a pet question.

You have to sit your wife down and have a "quality of life" discussion with her. You each get to talk and listen. You can discuss the cat's quality of life and also your and your wife's quality of life.

Euthanizing a pet is an excruciating decision for some people. It can take awhile to come 'round especially if the cat isn't in terrible pain. In the meantime, it's reasonable to not let the cat destroy the house and furniture. Perhaps you can negotiate that the cat only lives in one room (preferably one with a cleanable floor) and your wife is responsible for cleaning up.

There are no right or wrongs here as far as how to proceed with the cat. But you and your wife have a big marital problem if you cannot work together to find a solution that is tolerable to both of you. In a marriage you should be on the same team, not opposing teams. So focus TOGETHER on problem solving.

The only issue is that she can't hold her bowels. That is no reason to put the cat down. The cat is active and alert. Get a second and third litter box and put those around the house. Give her more places to go. If the can't make it to those boxes, have the cat wear a diaper.

Just because the cat is old and has accidents is no reason to put the cat down. Many vets will refuse.

When you lose bowel control, do you want your wife to put you down? If this is your biggest problem in life, consider yourself lucky. I have a live in mother-in-law who has lost bowel control and leaves spots on our furniture.

The cat is a member of the family. Let the cat live if it's not in major pain. You can't do this without your wife's consent or you'll have 1 less cat and 1 less wife. 16 is very old, the cat will die soon anyway.

the cat is alert and affectionate and your wife adores it. so the issue is poop outside the box. cats pee or poop outside the box to let you know it is a little painful for them right now. there is a GREAT WEBSITE called CATCONSTIPATION.ORG which suggests simple things that can be lifesaving...like if you are feeding only dry food, slowly transition to a grain free can diet like fancy feast CLASSICS (chicken and liver or turkey and liver are the two that are grain free). Add a TBS of spring water to each serving to help with motility. Add up to a 1/2 tsp of can pure pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) to the food once in the morning and once in the evening to give the cat some fiber, most cats like it off the spoon and nearly all will accept it when it is mixed well into a food they enjoy. Use a natural hairball remedy once or twice a month especially during shedding season. Add a very small amount of Mirilax laxative say 1/8 tsp each morning if needed. When you suspect things have been backed up in there for a while...let the vet check first. They even have a tiny cat enema they can give if it looks good to go. Hope this helps!

At 16 years and four pounds, realistically she's unlikely to live much longer, so I agree it's an appropriate time to think about putting her down( the cat I mean). Remind your wife your cat is a cat, not a human, and really has a very different way of experiencing it's existence. Helping a suffering cat to die is a kindness, it's humane.

You can't really put down a cat just beacuse of her being old and grossing you out a bit. If she/he is not in pain, or otherwise badly distressed, it would be better to arrange caring for the cat better. You and your wife could agree she get up with you and clean the mess while you are in the shower, then the kitchen is fine.

It might be a different matter, if the whole house smelled, perhaps - if an incontinent cat would ruin your friendships - but why not check the cat nappy suggestion?

Unless the cat is acutely suffering and in pain it would be wrong to kill a pet, friend and companion of long years.

If the cat is in pain, convince her that it's the best thing to do. We adored our cat. He was only 10 years old when he was hit by a car. We didn't want him to suffer anymore, so we made the decision as a family to put him down. It's a very difficult subject, but if the cat is suffering, it's best to let them go. Animals don't deserve to suffer.

I went through the very sad experience of watching a beloved kitty who had been with me for 15 years waste away from a painful illness; I had to have him put down last year. The vet had said, "When he goes below such and such a weight, it's time." But when he got to that weight and kept losing more, I didn't bring him in yet, because I could see that he was still enjoying being a kitty, still enjoying his life. But then, about six weeks later, he reached a point where I could sense that it was becoming too much for him - the pain and all the rest. It was almost like a kind of dialogue was taking place between us, and I was listening, and he was telling me I'm ready to go now. I spent the whole afternoon with him on my lap, loving him and petting him, and then I brought him in. I held him on my lap as he died, and he showed no signs of fear or disturbance, even though he was usually afraid at the vet's office. The vet said it was one of the most peaceful deaths she had seen; she could see, too, that he was ready. I think a very ill cat can tell us when they're ready to go, if we're lovingly listening. I hope my sharing this experience helps you and your wife.

It's a cat and a pet not a human. A pet who ceases to be an acceptable pet but a problem can be put down. It had a good life and I would never let an animal affect my life like this. I had a huge talk with my gf about her aggressive violent cat who messed all over the house and said it's me or the cat, I can't live like this anymore, and the cat is no more. Of course we arnt married but I made it clear how it was negatively affecting me, the cat. And our relationship and she made the rational decision. You could also kill the cat and make it look like it died.