Cats with severe behavioral problems including aggression, inappropriate elimination, and self-injurious behavior are sometimes euthanized when other options have been exhausted. This welfare dilemma deserves thoughtful consideration.
Behavioral euthanasia occupies one of the most ethically complex territories in companion animal welfare. A cat that bites severely enough to hospitalize people, or is so chronically anxious that every moment appears to be suffering, presents a genuine welfare challenge. The welfare of the animal must be weighed against safety risks and quality of life. The key welfare concern is premature behavioral euthanasia before medical causes of behavioral change have been ruled out and specialist behavioral treatment has been attempted. Pain - from dental disease, arthritis, or other conditions - frequently causes behavioral changes that owners attribute to personality problems. Treating pain resolves the behavior. Euthanizing without this workup means ending a life unnecessarily.