How to know when to say goodbye to a senior cat with cancer?

Question

Our sweet 17 1/2 year old cat Sonny had squamous cell carcinoma. He is still eating & drinking but it is becoming more difficult. He's on pain meds 2x daily & he hasn't seemed terribly uncomfortable unless we touch the area & when he is trying to wipe his mouth after eating when he is often drooling. He still wants affection & purrs but has been sleeping more. This morning he was bleeding from his mouth. We don't want him to suffer. We are thinking maybe we should be saying goodbye this week?? Pet's info: Cat | American Wirehair | Male | neutered | 17 years and 7 months old | 9 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Oh poor Sonny! It is always so hard to say goodbye to a pet, as they are often ready to get before we are ready to let them go. I work for a home euthanasia company, so I face this issue frequently with my clients. I have my clients look at their animal's quality of life in order to make a decision. If their quality of life has declined, then it is time to say goodbye. In an animal that has a terminal illness, I tell my clients it's better to let them go peacefully and without pain before they get to a point where they are really quite ill, such as unable to eat completely or not wanting to move at all. My suggestion would be to take a good look at Sonny's quality of life, and if you feel it has declined, then I would consider letting him go peacefully. I'd be glad to consult with you further about this, if you'd like. Just click "consult online" under my answer. Again, I'm sorry.

How to know when to say goodbye to a senior cat with cancer?

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