End-of-life welfare for senior cats requires proactive quality-of-life assessment and compassionate euthanasia decision-making to prevent unnecessary suffering.
Senior cat end-of-life welfare requires the same proactive assessment approach as senior cat health management. Owners who regularly use quality-of-life scales and discuss findings with their vets can identify when palliative care is no longer maintaining adequate welfare and when euthanasia becomes the most compassionate choice. Waiting for a crisis moment to make end-of-life decisions under acute emotional stress often results in animals suffering longer than necessary.