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

You cat needs plenty of water and he loses almost as much fluid in his saliva when grooming, as he does through urination. He can become dehydrated due to frequent urination, diarrhea or vomiting. Watch for frequent drinking, dry nose, mouth or eyes and lethargy. Do a pinch test. Lift (tent) the skin off your cat's back and pinch it. It should be elastic and bounce back in a second or two; if not, he is probably dehydrated. Your vet will determine the cause of the dehydration and treat any illness. If your cat is seriously dehydrated, your vet may administer fluids intravenously, subcutaneously (under the skin) at the scruff of the neck or peritoneally (into the abdomen). If your cat isn't drinking voluntarily, you may have to give him water by dropper or syringe, but don't squirt in too much as he may choke or water may end up in his lungs.

Your cat must eat when he is sick, but may lose his appetite (anorexia) because of a blocked nose. Cats rely heavily on their sense of smell to trigger their appetite. He can be tempted with special treats such as grilled chicken or poached fish. Use strong-smelling food or warm up canned food to body temperature to make it more tempting or hand feed him (he cannot see morsels right under his nose; if he cannot smell them, he doesn't know they are there). If all else fails he can be syringe fed with liquid food until it he eats of his own accord. Cats can suffer liver damage from not eating for 2 or 3 days so it is important to get food into him to prevent this from happening.

You could puree some cat food or make a meat broth and carefully syringe feed your cat if it refuses all food. Vets and pet stores may stock liquid cat food - in the UK a canned liquid food for convalescent cats (Liquivite) is available from larger pet stores. Your vet may prescribe a drug to jumpstart the appetite, e.g. Valium, and investigate the reason for appetite loss. If all else fails and the cat can expect a good quality and reasonable length of life once recovered, your vet may insert a tube into the cat's stomach for feeding. In cases where the mouth or esophagus are recovering from serious injury, this may be the only option. The tube is held in place with a bandage and a highly nutritious "glop" is syringed directly into the stomach. If this is because of mouth problems (e.g. a seriously broken jaw), you may have to continue this treatment at home.

Your cat's weight depends on its size and breed as well as his age and general condition. If you can just feel his ribs under his coat it is probably the right sort of weight. Protruding bones mean an underweight cat or one so old that it has lost the fatty layer beneath the skin. If you can't feel his ribs at all then he is probably overweight. Weight loss may not be hard to detect in a longhaired or obese cat. Fluctuations of 1.5 Kg (3 lb) over 3 months should be investigated, but minor fluctuations are caused by drinking, eating, urination and defecation. Monthly weight checks (weekly for ill cats) are advisable.

Some diseases cause wasting (cachexia) in the advanced or terminal stages. Many cats which die a natural death stop eating in the 48 hours before death - the body basically shuts down. Euthanasia is indicated if the cat is in distress at this time, otherwise provide a warm soft bed in a quiet place so that he passes in his sleep.

Deterioration

• Is he going downhill?
• Am I witnessing deterioration, the final crisis or just a hiccup?
• Is further treatment possible, or humane, at this stage?