My sick cat is suffering. When should I consider end-of-life care?

I am so sorry to hear about Sunny. I know how difficult this decision is. It sounds like Sunny may have chronic rhinitis - which is notoriously difficult to treat. He also has some other “old kitty” problems like kidney disease. When I discuss quality of life with my clients, I remind them that no one knows their pet better and therefore you are the only person qualified to make that decision. We talk about “measuring” quality of life with markers such as: is he still eating and drinking? Is he comfortable? Is he pain free? Can he walk? Does he interact with his humans? Or, we use the good day/bad day system. When Sunny is having more bad days than good, it is time to think seriously about humane euthanasia. Finally, it is never wrong to seek a “quality of life” exam with your vet to talk about any end of life treatments meant to buy comfort and the best quality time you can have with Sunny. I hope that you can find peace and clarity for yourself and Sunny. I wish you all the best in the time ahead- no matter what you choose.

First off. I'm so sorry Choocherboo is sick! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this question all the time with my clients. I recommend looking at the cat's quality of life. Are they eating, drinking, doing things they normally enjoy like playing? Or are they having difficulty breathing, spend most days sleeping, don't eat, vomiting, are losing lots of weight, and/or appear very ill? When the cat's quality of life has declined, that's when euthanasia should be considered. Unfortunately I can't tell you what to do, but I do suggest evaluating his quality of life, and if it's declined, then euthanasia would be the kindest option. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I'm so sorry G is so sick. I work for an home euthanasia service, so I face these kinds of questions frequently with my clients. I would look at G's quality of life in make the decision as to when to euthanize him. If he's in pain, losing weight, having diarrhea, detached, and head pressing, his quality of life isn't very good. When a cat is in constant pain, they will be suffering daily, and in my opinion, that is when it is time to let them go peacefully. It's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet, and they are often ready to go before we are ready to let them go. By letting G go peacefully and without further pain, you will be giving him one last great gift. If you'd like to discuss this further with me, I'd be happy to consult with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Again, I'm sorry he's so ill :-(

Having him euthanized is a valid option if his quality of life is not good. If he cannot control his bowels and is not able to eat, that is not a happy life for him. Older cats can have liver, kidney disease and diabetes that can cause illness. You may want to have a vet examine him to see what the treatment options maybe before making that difficult decision. They can tell you want to expect long term to see what his quality of life will be like if he starts on a treatment. You know him better than anyone, so you will be able to know best how happy he currently is.

I am very sorry that Toby is not feeling well. It is always hard to make that tough decision. I would recommend taking a hard look at his quality of life. I feel that a patient not being in pain, eating well, maintaining body weight and being happy is how I judge quality of life. If you feel that his quality is low it most likely is time to make that tough decision. I hope that helps.

Hi there, Weight loss, hair pulling, and teeth grinding are all signs of serious disease and/or pain. I would be suspicious of something metabolic (like hyperthyroid disease) or cancerous with the weight loss and continued eating. I would expect this to continue to worsen without treatment and it already sounds like his quality of life is already in decline. Euthanasia would be a very kind option to prevent suffering. This website is helpful to many people making this decision: https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/ I'm so sorry you're making this decision right now. My thoughts will be with you and Hodges.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jake. Your question is one that is frequently asked. I try to counsel clients that once a pet stops eating, drinking, and just basically lays around, it's time to start thinking about one of several courses of action. These would be a diagnostic workup or start considering euthanasia. You said that you don't want to do a workup so I guess you should start considering euthanasia. It is possible that Jake has something that is very treatable like hyperthyroidism, but of course, that would involve a diagnostic workup. There are many things that it could be and some of them are treatable, and of course, some are not. Liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or even cancer are just some of the possible causes. The problem with vomiting is that unless you intervene, he will just continue to get weaker and weaker from fluid/electrolyte losses. This will lead to extreme lethargy, shock, and even death. I learned over the years that this experience is different for everyone. Some people can not under any circumstances, make the irreversible call of ending their pets life. I counsel clients but never push them unless I truly think that the pet is suffering. I would just say go with your heart and remember, sometimes euthanasia is the last gift of love that pet owners can give their beloved companions. Please know that whatever you decide, it is the right decision. Again, I'm sorry that you are going through this with Jake.