Signs & Symptoms of when it is time to euthanize a cat

I am not a vet and it is always best to consult with your vet for professional advice. These are our personal experiences after having many cats and having to make this decision many times. This is a video of Callie which we had to let go the next day. We have some information in the video and below to help others with information which may be able to help them with this difficult decision. Here are some signs to signal it may be time to let your cat go. As hard as this decision is it is better a day or even a week early than a week late. When the outcome is inevitable it is not fair nor right to allow your loved pet to suffer. We had to let Callie go the day after this video was made. We may have been able to wait a few days, maybe even a week however she had not eaten in 2 weeks and even though she was still drinking she started hiding in unusual places and it was obvious she was not feeling good at all. Hopefully the below signs and symptoms will help you determine the right time. It is always a good idea to consult with a veterinarian however sometimes all the stress, drugs(and forcing them to take them) is all for nothing and the out come is the same. We have been through this so many times having rescued many cats, we know when taking age, symptoms and signs into consideration when it is time to have to let them go. No doubt about it, we hate it more than anything however it comes a point when allowing them to exist becomes selfish. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE END OF LIFE OF A CAT 1. Behavior Changes- While it is normal for aging cats to slow down, when they start to really show major behavioral changes it could be a sign of the beginning of the end stages of their life. Some of these changes can be becoming more loving than they normally are and/or isolating themselves more and more. 2. Loss of weight- unexplained weight loss if very typical of a normal aging cat however when they start to lose weight fast even a few ounces can signal the end stages of their life. 3. Excessive drinking of water- Long periods of time at the water bowl and noticing much more frequent urination can signal kidney failure. There are various stages of kidney failure however toward the end there is a marked increase in water consumption and hanging over the water bowl. One thing we have noticed is our cats with kidney failure started scratching with 1 paw as they would drink water. This is just something we noticed however some cats may do this their whole life. If this is something new along with the excessive drinking and urination, find out from your vet if they have kidney(renal) failure. CRF Chronic Renal Failure. Some cats can live a while with this disease however it will progress and there is really nothing to completely stop it. 3. Eating changes- While cats can be very finicky it is critical to understand even not eating for a couple of days can send them into liver problems. If your cat is not eating and you have tried switching to can or from can to dry, trying many different brands and flavors, this can indicate the end of life stage. 4. Consider age- Cats can show signs of end of life at any time however the average indoor cat lives 15 years and can develop end of life symptoms especially from 10 years and up. Especially 15 years and up it is likely even with diagnosis and treatment that they are at the end stages of life. 5. Hiding and/or sleeping in strange places never been before. If your cat is hiding and finding strange places to be isolated this is another sign of end of life stage. Even though cats sleep a lot, more sleeping also can indicate this. Even if they look cute and relaxed sleeping it still could be the end stages of life. Some of our cutest pictures were taken at the last week or two of their lives. Feel free to add to comments any signs and symptoms you experienced with your cat.

• #
• #cat
• #euthanize
• #end
• #life
• #die
• #how
• #end_of_life
• #kitty
• #how_to_know_when