Rosa Maria
Pets are adorable, playful, and our daily entertainment source. Generally, cats are healthy and can live up to 10-20 years. Still, they are not immortal, so some warnings should not be ignored.
Do cats really show signs that they are dying? How do they behave If they feel sick? How can you know?
Yes! And, if you closely observe your feline, you will figure them out.
Okay, you found something is wrong with your cat like it is less cuddly, doesn’t eat much, and their health also looks bad.
Now what? How would you comfort the poor kitty and console yourself or make up your mind to bear such loss?
Disclaimer: This guide is all about “comforting you (owner) and the dying cat.”
7 Warning Signs Your Cat is Dying Soon:
A dying cat may express physical and behavioral changes like appetite loss, lethargy, weakness, red eyes, weight loss, vomiting, depression, high urination, seizures, fainting, and many more.
These symptoms may likely result from old age, liver failure, heart failure, kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, and even cancer.
Read 7 alarming signs and their reasons why your cat might be living their last days:
1. Your Cat is No Longer Excited to Eat or Drink
One of the significant signs that depict your felines may be moving towards the final days of their life when they are no longer interested in eating their favorite or even drinking water.
Gone are the days when they used to get excited after seeing you bringing their food and, now, all they do is smell the food and move back depressingly.
Loss of appetite could be one of the many signs that your cat is dying of old age, liver failure, or even cancer.
Pro-tip: Give them food in a right-angled bowl to prevent vomiting and stomach aches.
2. Your Playful & Energetic Cat Has Become Weak & Quiet
Cats are playful, energetic, and full of cuteness.
But, when your kitty is sick, iIt’s hard to see it doing any activity. They feel weak, less energetic, and distant.
The puss cat that once used to rub its soft fur with your legs, expressing its love and affection and affection for you, is usually seen sleeping and hiding in the corners.
Why? They might be sick, in pain, or sadly, dying.
Note: There could be some exceptions as every cat has an individual personality. Some may become extremely vocal, aggressive, scared of being alone, or even show clingy behavior.
3. Their Temperature & Will to Live Has Dropped
The average temperature of a healthy feline is 101°F-102.5°F (38.3°C-39.2°C), and one of the vital signs of ‘there’s-something-wrong-with-my-pet’ cat is lower body temperature.
When you notice a significant drop in their body temperature that even their paws feel cold to touch, it is a warning that your kitty needs to see a vet.
Lower body temperature also signals that your cat’s heart rate is slowing down, which may lead to difficulty in breathing, gray-blue tongue, weakness, and sadly, heart failure.
Loss of appetite or weight, sudden collapse or saddle thrombus (hind leg paralysis), high respiratory rate (avg. is 16-40 breaths a minute), and lethargy are other signs of heart problems in cats.
4. Their Health & Weight Are Declining
A dying cat becomes lazy, dull, and more sleepy. You may even notice them not moving at all. This weakness will be most prominent in their hind legs.
The reason for weight loss may be intestinal (worms) parasites, food allergy or infections, inflammatory bowel illness, stress, depression, or anxiety. Yes, cats have feelings too!)
It may stop eating or is trying to eat but vomits immediately, which has caused it to lose weight. Could it be diarrhea? Stomach infection? Or, are these the signs a cat is dying of kidney failure?
Pro-tip: Even if you notice a slight change in your cat’s behavior or health, remember to visit its vet instantly, or else it will be too late. And, all you will be left with is loss and regret.
Never ignore any unusual change as it may be among the signs a cat is dying!
5. It Looks Messy & Smells Weirdly
A healthy cat doesn’t smell and often grooms their coat herself. Yes, kitties are just so easy to maintain, and their cuteness, smartness, and adorable personality are just a bonus.
Cats are just full of love and affection.
The sad thing is dying, and a sick cat shows early symptoms like sleepiness, laziness, loss of appetite, foul odors, and trouble in bathroom chores like stool and urination, but most of us fail to recognize these signs.
These could hint towards cancer, toxins build-up in their body, diabetic ketoacidosis (sick sweet odor), or even kidney failure (ammonia-like smell).
Pro-Tip: Its fur might develop bald spots, clumps, or shed vigorously, and you may have to clean it up in nearing death days, so it is advisable to use a portable pet hair vacuum to groom its fur.
You should not let it spend energy on regular bathing as its already weak.
6. They Are Not Behaving Like Their Usual Adorable Personality
As said, “It’s not always the decline that’s alarming. Sometimes, it is the other way around!”
So, Other warning signs a cat is dying may include excessive eating, urination, hyperactiveness, aimless pacing, panting, increased thirst, appetite, and heart rate.
There could be many reasons why your cat behaves like this, among which hyperthyroidism is only one condition.
Note: Increase appetite may cause it to eat anything and everything in sight, like raw meat, almonds (find if it can eat almonds), onions (leads to anemia in cats) which could further create problems for its health.
7. Their Appearance Has Changed & So Is Her Love for You
Is your cat has started to hide in corners? Does it not respond to your affection anymore? Or, their eyes are always cloudy and watery even when it looks at you?
And, you think its love and fondness for its favorite human, you, have lessened? No! It’s not like that.
Their red, cloudy, or lifeless eyes may be due to a corneal ulcer or cataracts (common in diabetic cats). Your cat is not hiding from you, but its vulnerable personality has made it think to protect itself from everyone.
The best is to take your feline to a vet and let it be checked thoroughly.
Now that you are aware of all the signs a cat is dying. What’s next? You know their end is near, and you have started to prepare yourself to let her go.
Sadly, there’s nothing you can do to make them live longer if their health is in a critical condition, but how long will it take for their comfortable departure?
It may take hours or days, followed by irregular breathing, seizures, and anxiety.
What you can do is make their last journey comfortable and shower them with all your love, affection, and care.
7 Ways to Make Your Cat Feel Comfortable & Loved in Its Last Days
There’s no easy way one can deal with a dying cat, but what you can do is to make its rest of the days comforting, relaxing, and full of your love and affection.
1. Provide Them with a Warm, Cozy, and Comfy Sleeping Place to Rest
When a cat is living it’s last days, it will start to sleep and rest more. You’ll always find them lying here and there or even hiding in corners. Get them a soft and comfy faux fur bed to let them snuggle as much as they want.
Make them sleep softly while they are with you.
2. Give Them Your Attention, Make Them Look Clean & Beautiful
Although, cats usually love to clean or groom themselves as they like to look beautiful but all of these normal things can become difficult to do for a dying cat.
Save their energy as much as you can. Use pet grooming gloves to brush their hair or a pet scrubber to give them a nice massage and bath.
Your beloved cat may be weak, but your love for it is strong as ever!
3. Let It Eat Whatever It Wants To
Sure, some things can be unhealthy for pets, but when your feline expresses signs of dying, it is not harmful to offer them treats here and there. But make sure to measure the food quantity before giving it to them.
Sometimes, it’s okay to break the rules!
4. Help Them in Bathroom Chores
Your feline is weak, less energetic, and tired. Keep their litter box closer to them or bring them yourself to help them poop and urinate.
Use their efforts to live longer!
5. Keep Their Pain Under-Control
Your feline might be in pain but can’t express it. Regularly visit their vet and, if possible, give medicines or pain-killers to ease the pain. You can mix the prescribed medication in their water or food.
Cats give us comfort. It’s time we console them too!
6. Shower It with Your Love & Affection but Don’t Overdo It
It’s about time It might be leaving you soon so try to spend more time with it. Care for them and tell them that you loved them and it’s going to be okay.
Death ends a life, not a relationship. – Jack Lemmon
7. Consider Euthanasia If Their Suffering Becomes Extreme (Unfortunately, Yes!)
You may feel sad and terrible even thinking about this, but when their pain and suffering become unbearable and extreme. It is only better you talk to their vet for medical solutions.
Make its departure easy and peaceful!
5 Tips to Comfort Yourself from The Loss of a Dying Pet:
Loss of your loving pet is shocking. You might have numerous memories with your adorable feline that won’t let you ever forget it.
But the reality is they are no more with you. Thinking about positive things will help you. Think about all the good moments you shared together, and their adorable personality.
what more you can do to cope with your loss? Read these 5 comforting tips that might help you in dealing with the grieve you are experiencing:
- Accept the reality or unfortunate departure of your poor kitty. (Yes, this is the first and foremost step you should take how hard it may be)
- Meet other pet-owners who are experiencing the same loss as you
- Join a pet-loss support or a grieving group
- Pay attention to your other pets as they need your affection too
- Lastly, you can adopt a similar-looking cat that might be waiting for your love and affection
Because all cats are just adorable and want to be loved!
Final Thoughts
“Love and affection are intense feelings that may reach an extreme level when one fears loss.”
Loss of a companion or pet is something nobody should ever experience, and every pet-owner noticing the physical and behavioral changes in their sick pets would agree with us on this.
You never know, these 7 signs a cat is dying might even help its vet in an early diagnosis of the problem with your feline.
Lastly, we wish you never have to prepare yourself to experience the deadly moment when it’s no longer with you!