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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?
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