Making humane end-of-life decisions for cats is one of the most important welfare responsibilities of cat owners, requiring honest quality of life assessment and willingness to act before suffering becomes severe.
Euthanasia is a welfare intervention that prevents suffering, not a failure. Owners who delay beyond the point of good quality life allow preventable suffering from love or difficulty accepting loss. Quality of life tools help to objectify the assessment and identify when bad days consistently outnumber good days. A peaceful death before severe suffering is the final welfare gift an owner can give. Veterinary practices can provide the support needed to make this decision well.