Chronic illness in cats requires management focused on quality of life rather than solely disease control; palliative care, pain management, and daily welfare assessment are essential components.
Chronic illness management in cats requires an ongoing quality of life framework that evolves with the disease trajectory. The goal of management shifts from cure to maximising good days as prognosis worsens. Validated quality of life assessment tools provide objective structure for owner monitoring, reducing the emotional difficulty of euthanasia decisions by providing clear criteria. Palliative care — treating symptoms, managing pain, maintaining appetite and comfort — can maintain genuine welfare during terminal illness periods without pursuing treatment that imposes suffering in pursuit of marginal extension of life.