Feline Old Age Through to Bereavement - Knowing When to Let Go

Modern drugs are extremely fast-acting and the end is very peaceful compared to the distressing later stages of a terminal illness or age-related illness. Your vet administers an overdose of anesthetic by injection and the cat falls into a painless and final sleep. If, during its life, your cat has been a cherished member of your family, this is the last, and often most compassionate, duty you can perform for him.

Though the act provides a gentle death, it is irreversible - you cannot change your mind halfway through and can feel like a betrayal of trust. Some owners feel they have murdered a trusting friend, others feel guilt at deferring the end for "too long". With an old and frail cat it is tempting to wait another day or another week, hoping that he will die naturally in its sleep so you don't have to make the decision. The reality is that he will linger uncomfortably, finally succumbing to dehydration, starvation, suffocation or to gradual poisoning from liver or kidney failure.

Cost of treatment may be the deciding factor at a very early stage. Unless the cat is insured, the owner has savings, can get a loan or the vet offers a pay-by-installments plan, any available treatment may simply be too expensive.

What Do I Know About My Cat's Illness or Condition?

In order to make a wise decision you will want to know about your cats condition and whether treatment will gain your cat some borrowed time.

• How much do I know about my cat's illness or condition?
• Is he in pain, distress or mild discomfort?
• If I can alleviate his pain will he have a reasonable quality of life for a period of time?
• Are there any new treatments available for his condition?
• Is there a surgical option - and is it fair for my older cat to have surgery?
• What about a second opinion or a specialist opinion?
• Can I afford the treatment?
• Can I administer treatment e.g. tablets, injections, prescription diet, manually expressing its bladder and/or bowel?
• Will he physically resist treatment?
• Is pain relief alone an option (even though it means a shorter life expectancy)?
• How fast will he deteriorate without treatment?
• How fast will he deteriorate with treatment?
• How fast does his illness progress and what are the signs of deterioration?

Most vets recommend that life be prolonged only while the cat has a reasonable quality of life. While a second opinion may be helpful to you (some vets specialize in certain conditions), don't prolong life in the hope that the umpteenth consulted knows of a treatment or a that a medical breakthrough is imminent. A second opinion may be useful because different vets have different specialisms or be unfamiliar with the ailment or with cats in general. In these cases a good vet knows his limitations and should refer you to a specializing vet. Many vets and owners use the internet for information. Among the good articles, there are sensational articles and charlatans. Some omit to mention the (high) failure rate or that the treatment is experimental (laboratory animals, small field trials).