The Kitty Dilemma

My Kitty will be 17 years old in June. She is having a long and adventurous life. She also, suffers from kidney disease, near deafness, arthritis and depression.

I recently spoke with a psychic who advised me wisely on an number of topics but, also informed me that my cat was suffering and putting her down might be best. I believe that only humans should (or perhaps not) prolong their lives through artificial means. My kitty is still eating and purring and taking care of herself. She does seem slower, less active and maybe, depressed. She's lost a lot of weight over the years. She used to be a fatty. Now she seems too thin. The vet advised me that when she stops eating and purring, when she is vomiting often, then I should consider putting her down.

Here's my dilemma, should I wait that long? Long enough for her to really be in distress. Or do I put her to sleep before she gets really bad. It's the first cat I've had that I've had to make this decision. The others died before I thought about it or they wandered off, away from the herd, like they do in the wild. She's the first one I've had to make this choice for.

The other component is my son. Do I tell him before I take her to the vet or after the deed is done? He's twelve and has grown attached to her over the last few years. All of this is weighing heavily on me.

Whatever I choose to do won't be easy. The advise I've received from friends and family only feels partly right. I definitely have to make my own decision here, for better or worse. I'll be sure to follow up in a few days with what I've done.