5 Signs Your Cat Is Dying 🙁

It is probably the worst thing you will have to go through when you have a pet who is dying.

Sometimes a vet can tell us our pet is dying but we don’t process what has been said and it is until we see signs that our pet is truly on their final journey that we realise the sad and sombre truth. 

This is the time to know the facts and prepare yourself and your precious furbaby to feel extra comfortable and safe during this time with you knowing the signs to look out for can help you do this.

Loss of Appetite/Unwilling to Eat

One of the first signs your pet is unwell is usually their unwillingness to eat or loss of appetite. This is mainly because they are too weak or ill to put in any effort to process the food. It can be very worrying for cat owners to watch as their cat deteriorates, getting weaker and usually becoming dehydrated. Easy access to water and the preparation of tasty foods nearby may tempt them but it is a good idea to have them on standby in case they perk up temporarily.

Lethargy and Weakness

Your pet will feel very tired and extremely weak and will spend a lot of time sleeping due to this. Give them something soft and comfortable to lie on. Their bodies will need to rest and you may find your pet just lying around the house all day not moving much. Just like ourselves, when the body is fighting infection or disease we need to rest as it does its work. Your cat will be going through the same and need their time out.

Decreased Body Temperature

Cats are the type of animals that tend to have a very high and warm body temperature. Their body temperature does not drastically fall before their death but rather slowly, and gradually the overall body temperature will start to decrease. This can be apparent if you examine the extremities of your cat which are the ears and the paws which tend to become cooler as they draw nearer to the end and in most cases drop below a hundred degrees. Use heated pads or extra blankets to help your pet stay cosy.

Change Of Appearance

While most cats are sticklers for grooming and keeping themselves clean, when a cat is at the end of their life they will tend to neglect this routine. They may be too weak or even simply uninterested in performing this and can develop a detectable odour which comes from built-up toxins in the body.

Hiding

The common culture of the jungle is that whoever is weak and small becomes an easy target for other animals to hunt. A similar thing happens with cats. As they come closer to their final hours they usually go into hiding. A reason for this is they now lack the strength they possessed to defend themselves and with a lack of energy, strength, and the ability to fight back or defend themselves, they would be easy targets. Hence they prefer to go into hiding and stay there so that they can be safe and can die in peace without the threat of any other animal taking advantage and killing them. 

Final Note

When your cat is dying at home they will lose their appetite, lay around the house and be disinterested in grooming themselves or playing with their toys. They will need to be kept warm, comfortable and feel safe.

 Allow them to seek out a quiet spot of their own and try to remain upbeat in case your pet picks up on your unhappiness and they too become unhappy or stressed. 

This is the time to tell them you loved them more than anyone possibly could and be sure to be with them at the end.

You were everything to them in this life and they would want you there at the end should they be scared at all. 

Dedicated to Cookie xx

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