When elderly or  sick cats disappear their owners often say to us that their cats “must have gone away to die”.  This will be painful for them to say but it is also distressing to hear, as this is almost certainly an old wives tale and not true,  much more distressing for their cats who may have been in urgent need of veterinary treatment or should have been given a merciful release from their pain and suffering.

Cats wouldn’t “go away to die” unless they are enduring much pain and suffering that they just don’t know what they are doing or where to put themselves to get relief.  It could also be that the cat, whilst out of doors, suffers a seizure or fit or worse and can’t get back home.   Cat owners should never let their beloved pets get to any advanced stage of any ailment, nor should they allow  ill cats to go outside until they are recovered completely.

Owners should think very carefully whether it is in the best interests of their very sick cats, when no successful treatment is available, to prolong their fragile and painful lives but rather they should give them a dignified and painless end.  It is  sometimes extraordinary to what lengths owners will go to keep their terminally ill pets alive for perhaps a few more weeks.  Unfortunately vets are often reluctant to suggest to tearful owners that their pets’ time has come. and the suggestion and decision must come from you. See 'A time to let go' which can be downloaded from our HQ site   www.cats.org.uk   via cat care, cat care leaflets then cats & people.

Keeping any pet alive beyond its untreatable decline is cruel