In what cases is euthanasia the only way to help a cat? Tips +Video

Euthanasia of cats is a difficult procedure from a psychological point of view, which some owners of furry pets have to resort to.
Not everyone can decide on it. But in a situation where the animal is forced to spend its days in constant torment, unfortunately, this procedure may be the only correct solution. Euthanasia is permissible only when the animal’s pain reaches such a degree that it becomes incompatible with life. In other situations, it is considered a crime. But since in our country there are no specific laws regulating this process, it remains on the conscience of the owner.

Indications for euthanasia

This procedure is a last resort, and the doctor can recommend it only if treatment of the animal does not bring results, or the cat has developed an illness that cannot be treated. Just like that, at the owner’s request without justified reasons, the veterinarian does not have the right to carry out the procedure. The price for this procedure differs in different regions and may depend, for example, on the weight of the cat. On average, it will cost 2-3 thousand rubles.

Situations in which euthanasia is recommended and approved by a specialist include:

Serious and complex injuries incompatible with life. However, this reason is sometimes quite controversial, since many cats are able to recover even from the most complex injuries. In this situation, you should not rush and listen to the advice of doctors, sometimes even several are better;
Rabies. There is still no cure for this disease. This means that the animal is doomed to suffer and is dangerous to its owners and other pets;
Oncological diseases , including cancer detected in late stages. In a situation where metastases have spread throughout the cat’s body, it will no longer be possible to save it. You can prolong its life by constantly giving painkillers, but there is a high risk that they will eventually stop helping and the animal will suffer from severe pain;
Chronic diseases such as kidney failure;
In rare cases - old age . But only if it interferes with the cat’s normal life and causes it to experience regular suffering or if it develops chronic diseases.

Other cases are not grounds for euthanasia. And if the animal owner doubts the need for this procedure, it is better to consult with several specialists and listen to their opinions.

Help from professionals

If you don’t know how to come to terms with the euthanasia of a cat, and have already tried all available methods, then it is best to contact a professional psychologist. In some cases, people become so attached to their pets that they simply cannot cope with their death. You can’t push stress inside; severe depression can develop, so it’s better not to put off going to a professional.

Do not think that the psychologist may be surprised by the reason for your appeal; there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. A specialist will help you understand that the owner’s death is not the fault of the animal, will help you let it go and move on with your life, and will tell you how to cope with stress.

Sometimes a child may also need professional help. If he has become more withdrawn and withdraws from communication, then this is a reason to show him to a specialist.

To survive euthanasia, as many psychologists are sure, you need to start helping sick and homeless animals. It's a good idea to volunteer at a shelter. If you feel that someone needs you, that you are truly helping, your own pain will go away faster.

There is one controversial issue - to take or not to take a new pet. Here even the opinions of experts are shared. Some say it's too soon, that the pain of losing an old friend must first be endured. Others, on the contrary, note that a furry baby is the best way to deal with stress. But both of them note that the main thing, if you decide to get a new cat, is not to associate it with the old one, not to call it by the same name, and even change all things down to the bowl and tray.

Where is it held?

The procedure for euthanizing a cat can only be carried out by a veterinarian. But the owner has the choice of the location: in the clinic or at home. From the point of view of animal psychology, it is better to do this at home, in the conditions familiar to the cat, where she spent most or all of her life.

The additional journey to the clinic can cause stress and add to the anguish of the last moments of life. But if the cat has often been to the clinic for preventive examinations or vaccinations and knows the doctor well, it can go there too. The fact is that for some owners, euthanasia at home can cause a certain emotional blow, and after the procedure, the place in which it will be carried out will become associated with the loss of their pet.

Each owner must analyze all psychological aspects and choose a place where euthanasia is least likely to traumatize his pet and himself.

ATTENTION! It is forbidden to euthanize an animal yourself, even if you buy special medications. This can only increase his suffering.

How to help your child cope with loss

The hardest thing for a child to survive euthanasia and accept that their beloved cat is no more. Children are closer to pets than adults. In addition, the very fact of death frightens the child.

Psychologists say that kids will still have to learn that the life of every creature is not eternal. And it’s best to explain this to him using the example of an animal. If you already understand that the cat will have to be put to sleep, it is better to talk to your child in advance and explain to him that pets cannot stay with a person for the rest of their lives. Think about how you can make the loss less painful. Come up with a story about “cat heaven”, for example, say that your pet will watch the baby from there.

If the child is prepared, then the loss will not be a shock to him. He will come to terms with it faster, as he will understand that his pet is happy.

But you shouldn’t deceive children. You should not say that the cat went to live in the village with his grandmother, or something like that, since the deception will be exposed, and the parents will remain deceivers in the eyes of the child.

How it happens

Before starting, the doctor must tell the owner how the procedure is performed. Also, the owner of the animal must sign all documents according to which he gives his voluntary consent to the provision of this service. Next, the procedure itself consists of 2 stages:

A sleeping pill or anesthetic is administered , which puts the cat into deep sleep. The medications used at this stage are sodium thiopental, sodium hydroxydione succinate, intravenous Propofol. After the animal has fallen asleep and cannot feel any pain, they move on to the 2nd stage.

Important! If a clinic offers to carry out a procedure without immersion of anesthesia, they are scammers!

Muscle relaxants are administered , which slow down and then completely stop muscle activity, breathing and heartbeat. The drugs used are Ditilin, Magnesium sulfate, Ketamine, or Lidocaine.

Next, cardiac activity is listened to and, if absent, death is declared.

The decision about whether or not to be near the animal during the procedure is made only by the owner and preferably after the doctor explains the stages. Most often, veterinarians recommend, and the owners choose to stay next to the pet at the first stage, and watch how he slowly falls asleep. During the administration of drugs that directly kill the animal, it is better for the owner to leave. This is done to preserve the person's emotional state and help them come to terms with the loss.

Important symptoms

All owners of animals over 12 years of age should know the symptoms that portend the death of a cat!

Signs that determine the impending death of an animal are:

low pressure;
slow heartbeat;
decrease in temperature;
unpleasant odor from the animal;
labored breathing;
dyspnea;
lack of appetite;
refusal to eat and drink.

What to do with a cat's body after death?

Due to the lack of special cemeteries for animals in Russia, some owners prefer to bury their pet in the yard or forest plantation. Not many people know that this is prohibited by law, as it is an unsanitary act.

An alternative option is cremation. After it, the owner can keep the ashes of his pet or scatter them in the places where he most often liked to walk. Most clinics offer this service, and cremation is also carried out 24 hours a day in some of them.

When should a cat not be euthanized?

In addition to the ethical reasons for euthanizing a cat, there are other arguments. They are sometimes brought in not only by animal owners, but also by unscrupulous veterinarians. Here are just a few of them:

Bad behavior (damage to things, “tags” in the wrong places).
Aggression towards owners, their children, and other pets.
Loss of external attractiveness due to old age.
An illness or injury that requires long-term, costly treatment.

In none of these cases is there a real need for euthanasia. Therefore, the vast majority of veterinarians will refuse the offer to carry out the procedure. And this refusal will be completely fair.

In case you had to euthanize a cat due to health reasons or age

No need to beat yourself up here! The action is correct; in case of age, it is worth considering that the animal lived a long, happy and interesting life with its owner and his care, attention, and affection. And how many cats go hungry, freeze, and get sick on the streets every day? In this case, there should be no feeling of guilt towards the cat. In a situation with a fatal disease and euthanasia, everyone is at risk, even people ask for euthanasia in order to end their earthly suffering. Therefore, the owner, in memory of all the joyful moments of life with the pet, must perform an act of humanism; if the cat could speak, maybe she would have spoken about her desires.

The advice of a psychologist will come in handy if a person is completely devastated from the inside, is in a state of deep stress, does not know how to live further, flooding the furnace with tears or alcohol:

Do something useful to society. It is necessary to help with personal participation, and not with a facilitated transfer of funds. You can volunteer both in shelters for children and in homes for the disabled and veterans. If you have the strength, help homeless animals.
Remove out of sight all objects that remind you of grief: photographs (hide); tray, bed, toys, scratching post, return the remaining food and litter with all other props to an animal shelter or throw it away.
Share your grief and sadness with loved ones. Parents and friends are always on their child’s side and will not laugh at the “great loss.” You can cry in your vest on the cat breeders forum. Surely you can find similar cases there, hear the opinions and advice of people who have experienced similar things. Allow yourself the advice of a professional.
You can vent your emotions in the gym by beating up a mannequin. Kicking empty boxes, running until your muscles hurt. But don’t keep your emotions to yourself, otherwise they will destroy you from within.
Good, but time-bound advice is to get a new pet. There are nuances here. For example, you have not yet let go of thoughts about the previous animal, but the new one is not at all like it, it is annoying and does not cause a sinking feeling in your heart. This means the time has not come yet. Everyone is individual, but many take a period of about a year to accept and understand the death of a pet. The new pet should not replace the departed one. He needs education, affection, and habituation to a new home.
Organize an evening of remembrance for your former pet. The main goal is to tune in to positive thoughts, drive away feelings of guilt, and think about “blood on your hands” from the euthanasia procedure. You can gather all family members and remember funny stories from life related to the cat, you can take out photos of them together or look through an album. If the cat was buried in a specific place or there is simply a place associated with it with memories, visit there too.

Owner reviews

The comments below may help those who are experiencing a strong sense of loss.

“The only way to think about the death of a pet without causing yourself mental trauma is to treat it philosophically, death is inevitable.”
“I don’t even want to think what will happen if our beloved cat dies. We will cope with the pain. I have a friend who promised not to have any more animals after the death of her collie. But the time has come - she got a new dog. She is doing well! In the meantime, we are trying to give our pet more love, tenderness, and affection. And then, how fate will turn out"

“Our cat died of urolithiasis at four years old. He was treated for a long time. But it was not possible to save him - he was in poor health initially. Although we tried to feed him correctly, it did not help. Now we feed all the stray cats that stray near the entrance.”

“The cat fell out of the window, and we told the child that now he is with other cats, and he is fine. We won’t be getting any more pets in the near future—it’s painful to lose them.”
“Soon it’s been a year since our 12-year-old cat died, and I still can’t get over it. It is important to talk to someone about this, talking will bring relief. I wish everyone patience and strength to move on."

Many people believe that cats do not die, but fly away to the rainbow world, to the rainbow.

The process of euthanizing a cat

The owner of the animal has the right to choose where exactly the pet will be euthanized - in a veterinary clinic or at home. One of the advantages of euthanasia at home is that the owner does not have to transport the cat himself, since this is not easy psychologically.

Most often, euthanasia of cats consists of administering anesthesia to make the animal feel insensitive and feel no pain; a similar condition is general anesthesia, when the cat breathes on its own and has a heartbeat. Then the cat is injected with a special drug that stops the heart and respiratory system. In cases where euthanasia takes place in a clinic, the doctor may recommend that the owner leave for a while.

When everything is done (about 10-15 minutes), the owner will be able to pick up the animal and say goodbye to it and bury it. In this case, the journey from the clinic with a dead friend will be difficult when the warmth of the cat’s body is still felt (sometimes euthanized animals have convulsions and involuntary urination). Sometimes owners leave euthanized cats at the clinic, perhaps this makes sense when the cat's owner has small children who will be very worried when they see a dead pet or for other reasons.

The cat owner should always first discuss with the doctor the administration of anesthesia before directly using euthanasia drugs so that the animal does not feel pain. Sometimes veterinarians inject a cat with a lethal drug that blocks the cat's respiratory muscles, leading to the animal's painful death from suffocation. That is why you should ask your doctor about the procedure for euthanasia and the drugs administered.

What does the church think about this?

First, a story about what the church thinks about this. The priests believe that it is not worthwhile to kill too much for a pet. And you need to read prayers for yourself, and not for the dead cat, and ask for peace and common sense for yourself. Lighting candles and commemorating things is also not included in Orthodox traditions.

According to the church, a person’s soul is united with the Holy Spirit at baptism, therefore for baptized believers there is hope of being reborn for “another life.” Cats and other pets have a soul, but its nature is different, different from humans. Orthodoxy does not allow cats into heaven (in fact, there is no evidence that there are no cats there). The priest's advice is to come to terms with death, no one is eternal.

Magicians, healers and similar charlatans, hiding behind the general definition of “psychic,” can appeal to forces known to them and show grieving people their pets, talk about how bad it is for them in the afterlife, etc. All this is the usual extortion of money by advanced manipulators with knowledge of the weaknesses and psychology of human nature. Such people will not tell you exactly where the cat’s soul goes; rather, they will offer to give her some money for food.