Do cats really do this?

Question

When it's an old cat's time to pass on, do they really go off, far away, to do so (if they are able to) and WHY?

(I'm not the one giving thumbs up/ down)

Answer 1

I have heard that this is indeed what they do if they are able to.
Why they do it I'm not sure. I can only guess that they wish to be alone at that particular time. Maybe they feel that if they are alone, that there will be less stress for them to deal with, and that way they can pass on in peace and quiet.
To be honest, it makes sense to me, but then again, I am just a lowly human, who would try to make it as pain free for any one of my cats to pass on.

Answer 2

Not for the reason you're probably thinking.

When a cat's so ill it's close to death, or when they're just really sick, they want a quiet spot where they won't be bothered because noise and contact make things worse. A closet, a basement, they want some solitude. If they're outside they'll go where they think they can be safe and quiet. Because they're close to death the owners may not be observant enough to get them help from the vet, or even be able to find them if the cat has wandered further than usual or crammed himself into smaller spaces looking for what he needs.

Even we need this basic thing--when you're really sick the LAST place you want to be is in a room with a noisy party and people running all over. You want to be alone in bed, just coping best you can.

So yes, they can go off, but no they don't do it because they're going to die. They're coping with not feeling good.

Answer 3

I'm not 100% sure why cats wonder off, I think it's to find a place to pass, but yes, they do go off. My grandmother's cat when off, even though she was extremely sick, and my best friend's cat ran away too, she was really upset....

Answer 4

ANYTIME a cat doesn't feel well, it will seek out a quiet, peaceful, "safe" place. That's a survival thing, and most critters do it - even people. Cats are just more obvious because usually the places they want to go are "caves," someplace dark, private, and hidden - places humans aren't going to think to look in. So yes, when a cat is sick enough to die, they will slip off, if they can, and "hide."

Answer 5

Outdoor cats may do this, but indoor cats usually pass away in their favorite most comfortable spot.

Animals of all kinds in the wild do this...it is just nature. Also, in the wild if a mother knows her cub is dying she will abandon. It is just nature's way of dealing with the circle of life.

Take care of your cat and make her comfortable until her time.

Good luck

Answer 6

The feral ones around here do. It takes the chance of predation away from the others of their clowder for one thing and they just don't want to be bothered, for another. They want peace and quiet. In a home situation, I usually have to take them to the vet because they are very sick and have them euthanized. Or they drop dead of heart attacks right in my lap, which is most traumatic for me, but maybe their last memory of being with me is a good one for them, compared to that vet place.

Answer 7

That's what my mom said about dogs, because my dog did that...Cats probably do that too. It makes sense. They know it's time and they gotta leave the group or pack.

Answer 8

Many animals behave this way when they are ill or dying. I've always believed it is because they feel vulnerable and unable to defend themselves in the event of a threat.

Answer 9

Most animals hide when they're sick. They don't want to appear weak and vulnerable to a predator.

When my cat was close to death he would hide behind the toilet or behind the shower curtain. It's just instinct.

Answer 10

I had one do that.
She had never been out of my yard in her entire life, then one day (when she was 19 years old) she just left and I never saw her again.
(and no, I didn't put her outside at that age, she used the dog door)