Cancer is the leading cause of death in cats over 10 years. Understanding palliative care options enables better welfare management for cats with terminal malignancy.
Feline cancer welfare requires honest assessment of treatment benefit versus burden throughout the disease course. Curative intent treatment is rarely appropriate for advanced cancer, and the welfare cost of treatment side effects must be weighed against potential benefit. Palliative care that focuses on maintaining daily quality of life - appetite, mobility, social engagement and comfort - provides the most welfare-positive approach for most cats with terminal cancer. The challenge is recognising when palliative care is no longer achieving adequate quality of life and transitioning to euthanasia before the cat experiences prolonged unnecessary suffering. Regular structured quality of life assessment enables this decision to be made proactively rather than reactively.