One of the saddest feelings that cat owners will have to endure is putting their beloved cat to sleep through what is known as cat euthanasia . Yes, cats are more independent than dogs, but that does not mean that the emotional attachment to your cat won’t be as deep. Cats intrinsically become a part of our lives, just as any pet would, and that makes cat euthanasia a very intimate and personal decision. As a cat owner, that decision will not be made lightly.
Did you know that the word euthanasia mean “easy death”? As cat owners, we choose cat euthanasia as a way to end our cat’s life in the most humane way possibly, and for the right reasons. The process of cat euthanasia involves using an anesthetic that will provide the most painless death possible by literally putting your cat to sleep within seconds. An overdose of the anesthetic is key to providing this swift and painless “put down”. The act itself has a variety of names it goes by. “Euthanize”, “Painless Death”, and “Mercy Killing” are all different ways to lessen the blow of having to put your cat to sleep through cat euthanasia.
There is an old myth that you might have heard before: Cats have 9 lives. There is actually some truth to this. Comparatively to dogs, cats health may slope downhill over a very long time. They are also experts at hiding their symptoms of declining health and pain. With a dog, their health deteriorates very rapidly, and the decision to euthanize your dog is very obvious. With cats, their health will require a bit more perception and observation on your part before considering cat euthanasia. Dogs tend to communicate more overtly than your cats will, which is one reason why cat owners love their cats.
Cats can sometimes survive for weeks without eating or eating very little. They will become dehydrated and lose weight until they look sickly, whereas a dog cannot survive for long without eating. Cats are sensitive to what is called “sour stomach”. Their appetite becomes what is referred to a dwindling spiral. The less your cat eats, the weaker their appetites become. Many diseases, like liver disease, kidney disease, cancer, and bowel disease will cause your cat to have anorexia. The terrible thing about anorexia is that once it sets in, it becomes a vicious cycle very rapidly. Getting your cat to eat can become a battle against it’s own death. Veterinarians can help you with this issue, but there will come an obvious point when your beloved pet will all have given up and made it’s final decision to not eat any further, and this is when cat euthanasia makes the most sense to do. Without food, sustaining a quality life will no longer be an option.
Cat Euthanasia is a difficult decision to come to terms with and accept, but ultimately you will be putting your beloved friend down in the most humane way possible, and that is love.