My cat is 15 years old and may be on his 9th life...how can I tell if he is dying?

Question

He has overcome many issues under my care. In June he lost half his body weight but I have managed to get it back up slowly.

He moves slowly...walks slow, takes a long time to sit down or lay down, rarely jumps, etc.

I have had this cat longer than I have been in a relationship.

I don't want to take him to a vet. If he is dying, I want to make it as comfortable as possible and not add stress to his life.

He does not show signs of being in pain at all.

He follows me everywhere, all day long. He didn't used to do this.

I will not have him put down unless he is in pain. I am not taking him to a vet to try to extend his life. I am trying not to be selfish here. Of course I don't want to lose my buddy, but death is a part of life and I realize that.

Answer 1

Your kitty is getting old. Nothing works right anymore and his joints ache especially when it gets cold and damp. You are taking excellent care of your best friend but it is also time for you to understand that the end may be near. Keep in contact with your vet he will be the best one to advise you on the care and feeding of your elderly friend. He will also be the one to talk to about end of life issues. It is so hard when our furry friends are old to know what to do and when to do it. The very best advice I can give you is just to keep loving him. Pick him up when he can't jump into your lap and give him all the extra attention you can. I hope I have been of some help.

Answer 2

The best thing to do is call your vet.. Your cat is old. Basically all the signs are there... Following you around, losing weight etc.... He might just have an infection or something.

I think you should just take him to a vet and see what's going on... If he is dying, you don't have to put him to sleep you can take him back home and make him as comfortable as you can...

Good Luck!

Answer 3

When my cat was 18 I brought him to the vet for an abscess and the vet did blood tests to determine if he was healthy enough to have dental work done. Well, the blood tests showed that he was in kidney failure and only had a short while left to live. Sure enough he got worse after that and he died within a few months.

Answer 4

well he is old u can't expect him to move that much as long as he moves that should be a sign that he isn't going to die to soon the best thing u can do is what ever u did to make him stay alive this long i mean house cats only live to be 12-14 so just make sure he has food and water and a place to sleep

Answer 5

The best person to make that determination is your vet. Nobody here can check your cat's vital signs, judge his weight, inspect for parasites, etc.

Call the vet.

Answer 6

your going to have to take him to the vets.
because if you love this cat and want it to have a painless peacefull death the only way for that is to have it put down.
just leaving it to die without vet help will be painfull and cruel for the cat.
i know it must be hard for you but take your cat to the vet and see what they say because its the best thing right now for your cat.

Answer 7

well they dont have energy to move around like they used to and im not sure if there eating is effected, but if you want to know about it, then phone up your vets and see what they say

Answer 8

cat has artherites thats all as most cats have when older,he will be ok if eating drinking happy,let him live life with you till he in pain,then might be time to let go

Answer 9

Deep inside you answered your own question, prepare yourself . They like to be left alone so they can go somewhere quiet.

Answer 10

just try to mak the best out of this situstion- do what u think he would enjoy