My cat has cancer and won't eat. When is it time to say goodbye?

Question

My cat has lung cancer. He's pretty much stopped eating; I've even tried to force-feed him baby food but it stresses him too much. He spends a lot of time under my bed, but he'll still lay on my lap and purr. His breathing seems to be OK. My biggest worry is that he won't eat and is losing weight. He's down to 11 pounds (he was a chubby, OK fat cat before) and I can feel bones when I pet him. How do I know when it's time to say goodbye? My heart breaks just thinking about it. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 11 years and 1 month old | 11 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

First off, I'm very sorry Iggy has lung cancer! If he's stopped eating, unfortunately it may be time to let him go. It's actually very serious when a cat stops eating because they will develop a fatty liver after 72 hours of not eating. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. It's not fair for him to starve to death either. You need to look at his quality of life, and ask yourself if he's having a good quality of life when he's not eating. I think you know the answer, but it is the hardest decision to make. Should you let him, know you are giving him one last, great gift: You will be letting him go peacefully without any further pain. I hope this helps.

My cat has cancer and won't eat. When is it time to say goodbye?

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