Proactive end-of-life planning for cats enables welfare-centred decision making before crisis arrives, ensuring quality of life is prioritised over length of life.
Cats that die in crisis experience preventable suffering that could have been avoided with earlier intervention. The natural human reluctance to end a beloved animal's life can lead to extending suffering beyond the point where quality of life is acceptable. Palliative care including pain management, nausea control, and appetite support can provide excellent welfare in the final stage. Planning for euthanasia before crisis puts the cat's welfare at the centre of the decision rather than the owner's grief.