Is it possible to euthanize a cat, cat or kitten without indications, how to do it at home painlessly?

Choosing to put a beloved pet to sleep is one of the most difficult decisions a pet owner must make. It’s critical for people debating this choice to comprehend when it’s appropriate and if doing so is morally right in the absence of obvious medical justifications. Euthanasia is a grave act that must never be treated casually.

Many pet owners are unclear about whether it is permissible or even legal to put a cat or kitten to sleep at home if there isn’t a life-threatening illness or vet advice. Although it makes sense to want to stop suffering, it’s important to handle this subject delicately and compassionately.

This article will go over the pros and cons of home cat euthanasia, including the moral ramifications and the safest, most humane ways to end a life when the circumstances really call for it. Remember that the best course of action to guarantee your pet’s wellbeing is to consult a veterinarian.

Indications for euthanasia of a cat

The deliberate taking of a seriously ill, suffering person or animal’s life is known as euthanasia. The phrase, which translates from Greek to mean "good death," describes this peaceful way of passing away rather well. Cat euthanasia typically occurs when the animal suffers from an incurable illness and there is no way to lessen its suffering.

Euthanasia is occasionally used for reasons other than medical necessity (aggression, poor character). The owner’s will is the only factor determining the pet’s destiny in our nation, as there are no legal documents controlling this process. Even though it raises ethical concerns, it is impossible to forbid the owner from putting the animal to sleep for any reason other than its health.

In the field of veterinary medicine, rabies is the only illness that always requires the death of a cat. It is communicable, spreads from animals to people, is incurable, and quickly results in the patient’s death. The illness is characterized by convulsions, excessive salivation, fear of water, aggression or apathy, lack of appetite, and increased sensitivity to light.

When a cat needs to be put to sleep for medical reasons, the following situations are handled:

• oncological diseases in the terminal stage;
• severe injuries incompatible with life (fall from a height, being hit by a car);
• serious congenital pathologies in kittens;
• significant deterioration in the quality of life due to old age;
• staying in a long coma;
• decompensated chronic diseases of the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys.

See also: Long-lived cats: What breeds did the world’s oldest pets come from and how long did they live?

How to decide on euthanasia?

Making the decision to put a pet to sleep is never easy because the owner is responsible for ending the pet’s life, and not everyone is able to accept that responsibility. It is imperative that you confirm the diagnosis. It is always advisable to consult multiple specialists if there is even the slightest doubt, as medical errors do happen. A different veterinarian may be able to provide a course of treatment that offers a possibility of recovery or at least a marked improvement in the condition.

Euthanasia is a compassionate way to lessen a pet’s fate if specialists agree that the animal is suffering greatly and cannot be saved. If the vet recommends euthanizing the cat, it indicates that death is inevitable and that it would be best to facilitate its quick and painless transition from this life to the next.

How the procedure is performed in a veterinary clinic?

There are various steps involved in the euthanasia of a cat in a vet clinic:

1. The owner signs consent for the euthanasia of his pet, stating the reason.
2. Introducing the patient into anesthesia. After the sedative is administered, the animal falls into a deep sleep. It continues to breathe, its heart beats, but the nervous system switches off, it does not feel pain and does not react to external stimuli. At this stage, farewell to the pet usually occurs.
3. Administration of drugs that lead to blockage of the respiratory center and cardiac arrest. For humane reasons, the owner is taken out of the office.

Some vet offices give a deadly injection to an animal without first putting it to sleep with medication. Given that the cat is conscious and experiences pain, suffocation, and panic, this approach is not the most humane. Prior to the procedure, you should find out how it is carried out in that specific clinic. If required, you should also insist on pre-operative anesthesia.

Why is it necessary to euthanize a pet at home yourself?

Occasionally, owners choose to euthanize the animal at home by hand rather than calling a veterinarian. The decision is typically justified by the high cost of the procedure and living in a remote area away from populated areas. For impressionable owners, euthanizing a pet at home—especially with your own hands—is not the ideal choice. In addition to being morally challenging, the location of the cat’s death will cause you to feel bad and bring back painful memories for a very long time.

It is preferable to euthanize the cat in a hospital if it made frequent trips to the clinic and behaved well there.

In cases where an animal is in excruciating pain and must leave its natural surroundings, it is preferable to allow it to pass away in a comfortable and familiar setting rather than adding to its stress level with a trip to the veterinarian.

How to carry out the procedure quickly and painlessly?

A veterinarian is involved in the process when it is performed at home. It is improbable that you could assist your pet in dying rapidly and painlessly on your own. Medication dosage calculations that ensure your pet sleeps soundly and painlessly are only done by trained professionals. Euthanasia can become a torturous and agonizing method of dying if independent acts transform it from an easy one.

Preparation for euthanasia

The most important thing to do is mentally prepare yourself for the procedure; no special preparation is needed. Selecting the area of the house where it will happen is essential. It is best to remove children from the house because what they see could cause psychological trauma. Isolating healthy animals is a good idea because it is not worth killing one pet in order to save another. Making a decision in advance regarding the body’s destiny is essential.

If you choose to entrust the process to a professional, you must locate a veterinarian with the necessary experience. He is informed in advance about the time and cost of the euthanasia as well as the medications that will be used to put him to sleep and end his life.

Drugs used

Barbiturates (sodium thiopental, pentobarbital, hexenal, phenobarbital) and anesthetics (propofol, lidocaine, droperidol) are used to induce narcotic sleep because they depress the central nervous system. These medications cause respiratory arrest when taken in excess. Increasing the dosage of these medications later on or using one of the following agents (the animal must be put into a narcotic sleep) are the two methods used to kill sick animals:

• Depolarizing muscle relaxants – ditilin, listenon, adilin, succinylcholine, suxamethonium. In small doses, they immobilize, in large doses, they cause respiratory arrest due to relaxation of the respiratory muscles.
• Magnesium sulfate. Respiratory and cardiac activity cease due to vascular collapse.
• Lidocaine. Local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic agent, acts similarly to the previous drug.
• Potassium chloride. Relaxes the muscle tissue of the heart, causing it to stop.

While other drugs are used overseas, these medications are actively used in Russia. In the USA, euthanazin is frequently administered to dying animals. Potassium chloride and procaine hydrochloride are its active ingredients. They cause cardiac arrest by lowering the myocardium’s excitability, conductivity, and contractile activity.

The medication "T-61" is used for euthanasia in European nations. Embutramide, a potent opioid analgesic, mebezonium iodide, a muscle relaxant, and tetracaine hydrochloride, a local anesthetic, are all present. The anesthetic drugs take effect first, sending the cat into a deep slumber; later, the heart stops beating and the muscles relax. Occasionally this sequence is broken, the animal suffers while still conscious, so the use of sleeping pills beforehand is required.

See also: What happens if you contract toxoplasmosis while pregnant, and how is it spread from cats to humans?

Procedure

The manipulations carried out in the clinic are comparable to those carried out at home. An injection of a hypnotic and anesthetic drug is administered to the cat. A medication is given to the cat to induce drug-induced sleep, which blocks the respiratory center and results in cardiac arrest. It takes fifteen to twenty minutes.

Determining the fact of death

The termination of cardiac and respiratory activity is how veterinarians determine when a patient has passed away. A phonendoscope is used to listen to the chest in order to do this. The primary indicators of an animal’s demise are loss of consciousness, irregular heartbeat and breathing, and bluish skin and mucous membranes.

The body should be given to the veterinarian for removal and cremation as soon as death is confirmed. In Russia, it is illegal for an animal to be buried by itself.

One of the most difficult decisions a pet owner must make is whether to put their pet to death. It’s critical to keep in mind that the animal’s best interests should always come first when making this choice. Speak with a veterinarian to learn about your options if your cat, kitten, or pet has an illness that is incurable.

Attempting to euthanize a pet at home without proper medical guidance can result in unnecessary pain and suffering. It"s always best to seek professional help to ensure that the process is as peaceful and painless as possible for your beloved pet.

Recall that although bidding farewell to a pet is never easy, giving them a respectable and humane death is the greatest act of love we can do for them. Consult a veterinarian for guidance and assistance during this trying time.

Not only is it unethical, but it is illegal in many places to euthanize a cat—adult or kitten—without a clear medical reason. Euthanasia should only be performed under the supervision of a veterinarian if your pet is in pain and you want to make sure it is as humane and painless as possible. Without the necessary information and resources, trying to euthanize a pet at home can result in needless suffering. Always look for expert counsel and direction in these challenging circumstances.

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