Use this scale to assess your cat's quality of life
For each of the 7 categories, select a number between 0 to 10 (0 = least / 10 = most)
The total is displayed below
Score
Assessment
35+
your cat's quality of life is acceptable
21-35
your cat's life is compromised (we advise you to seek professional advice)
0-20
your cat's life is very compromised (we urge you to seek professional advice as soon as possible)
Symptoms of pain in a cat include:
- increased vocalisations
- panting or open-mouth breathing
- constantly licking a particular area
- hiding or avoiding interaction with family
- irritability when touched
- not eating
- not being able to jump up to favourite places
- change in litter box habits
- nonstop purring
Often kitties can hide weight loss beneath their coats, so monitoring your sick or senior pet’s weight is essential.
If your cat isn’t willingly eating, your veterinarian can prescribe appetite stimulants such as mirtazapine.
Under your vet’s supervision, you can coax, hand-feed, force-feed, or even have an esophageal feeding tube surgically implanted.
Every ailing kitty should receive adequate fluids: two teaspoons or 10 ml per pound per day.
You can check your kitty for dehydration by lifting the skin between the shoulder blades and see how fast it returns.
The skin of a hydrated animal will spring back to his muscle almost immediately, while a dehydrated animal’s skin will return more slowly.
Dehydrated kitties will have tacky-feeling gums and their eyes may appear sunken.
To supplement your cat’s fluid intake, your vet will probably prescribe subcutaneous fluids, which your vet can teach you to give your kitty.
Cats who can’t move away from their waste will develop painful sores.
Cat with oral disease can’t groom themselves, so they quickly become demoralised.
You can help your unkempt kitty stay clean by dampening a sponge with a highly diluted solution of lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide, and gently stroke their face, paws and legs, similar to the way a mother’s tongue would do it.
Is your cat able to get up and move around enough to satisfy normal desires?
Are they having seizures or stumbling?
Do they need help to get in the litter box to eliminate?
Cats with limited mobility may still be alert and responsive and have a good quality of life.
Bad days might include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, frustration, falling down, or seizures.
Making the decision to end your beloved cat’s life by euthanasia is probably one of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever make. Being sensitive to your cat's pain is essential to decide if their quality of life is acceptable.