Weight, Diet and Euthanasia - What You Should Know About Them When Your Cat Gets Older

Pay special attention to your elderly cat's weight. As he ages, he may gain or lose weight, and this could contribute to other aging problems. Use weight trends and body condition to monitor the cat's health.

Some older cats may become too thin and may require a diet that contains more nutrients and calories in each cup of food. Others, however, may tend to gain weight and require a diet lower in fat content.

Old cats in reasonable body condition should be fed a high quality diet that is easy to chew, has more than adequate protein and is lower in calories. These cats may do poorly on some lower protein senior diets because they need protein to keep their muscles in good condition.

What about euthanasia? When your cat can no longer eat or drink on his own, and has lost the will to engage in his normal pastimes, it is time to think about doing the kindest thing you can for him, and that is euthanasia.

Completely outdoor cats and feral cats will remove themselves from their colony and creep off somewhere to die. However, your indoor cat does not have this option. The decision to have him humanely euthanized is difficult.

Not only are you contemplating the loss of your trusted friend, but you could suffer feelings of guilt. Just remember you are truly doing the right thing in putting an end to his misery and suffering in the kindest possible way.

Phone in pet loss support hotlines can connect grieving pet owners with trained professionals who can offer support during their time of mourning. When your cat is one year old, he is similar age to a 20 year old human.

For each year after, simply add for humans' years to every one of his. For example, if he is 15 years old in cat years, he is 76 years old in human years, and may have health problems that accompany that age.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Cat Pet Supplies [http://www.catpetsupplies.org/] and Reader Sunglasses [http://www.readersunglassesdeal.com/]