12 Critical Signs that Indicate Your Cat is Going to Die

As a loving pet owner, it’s important to watch out for signs that signify the end is near. This will help you provide your pet with the proper care to keep them comfortable during their final days. In some cases, keeping an eye out for these signs can help you to identify an issue early enough to extend their life a bit longer.
In this video, we will talk about 12 critical signs that indicate your cat is going to die and tell you about saying farewell to your beloved pet.

Incontinence
Cats often lose control of their bladder or bowls as they age.
Some cats may poop or pee in their sleep, while others may dribble urine as they walk without seeming to notice.
Some medications and moving their litterbox close to where they rest can help.
Decreased Mobility
As a cat nears death, their legs will start giving out and they will become less mobile due to muscle loss and pain from arthritis or other health challenges.
Weakness is often progressive, starting with something small like no longer being able to jump up onto the kitchen counter, and this may progress to difficulty navigating stairs and even being unable to get in and out of a tall litter box.
You can help your cat by making sure that all of the things they need are easily accessible. If your cat is suffering from arthritis, your vet can prescribe cat-safe pain medications.
Seeking Solitude
Cats often withdraw and prefer solitude when they are gravely ill.
They may hide somewhere, or move to a secluded corner of your home. In the wild, a dying cat instinctively understands that they are more vulnerable to predators. Hiding is a way to protect themselves.
Changes in Appearance and Smell
Cats are very clean animals. They spend most of their day grooming. If your cat has lost interest in keeping themselves clean, this may be another clue that they’re reaching the end of their life. They will also develop a detectable unpleasant odor due to toxins building up as their organs stop properly working.
They don’t want your treats
Lack of appetite is common at the end of life. Your cat may start eating less and may have a hard time finishing their daily portion.
You may also notice that your feline will stop drinking water.
But remember, almost all diseases — and even stress — can cause loss of appetite in cats.
Not Interested in their Favorite Things
When a cat nears the end of its lifespan, they begin to lose interest in the world around them.
Their favorite toys will gather dust, and they may no longer have the energy to follow you to the kitchen or jump onto their favorite cat tree to watch the world go by.
This is because your cat feels more tired than usual, and it may be painful for them to move around too much.
Odd Breathing
When a cat is very close to death, they may breathe in an odd manner.
Your cat’s breathing may be very fast or very slow. They may also simply have to work hard to move air in and out.
Weight Loss
As a consequence of not eating enough, you will notice a decrease in your cat’s weight. But weight loss can also be common in senior cats, and it will start well before the end of their life. This is because as cats get older, their body becomes less efficient at digesting protein.
Drastic weight loss can also be an indication that your cat is suffering from cancer.
Behavioral Changes
As you might expect, your beloved pet probably isn’t feeling their best near the end of their life. They could be in pain, sick, uncomfortable, and going through a lot of changes all at once. This can lead to them behaving differently, becoming irritable, hide more than usual, or even hiss at you.
Reduced Body Temperature
As death inevitably approaches, your cat’s body cools down and they lose the ability to control their own body temperature. Owners often notice cold paws and cooler breath.
You can keep your feline comfortable during these times by using warm bed and heated pads.
Their Gums Change Color
If your cat’s organs are no longer functioning properly, their gums may change color.
Blue gums can indicate that there’s not enough oxygen in a cat’s blood.
Bright red gums could be a sign of toxicity or overheating. White or pale gums can be a sign of blood loss or poor circulation.
Yellow gums indicate organ problems such as liver disease.
Normal gums should generally be a bubble gum pink color.
SAYING FAREWELL TO YOUR CAT
The weeks leading up to the end of a cat’s life may be stressful, but try to cherish and enjoy the remaining time you have with your pet.
Provide your cat with care and affection.
Keep them warm, with easy access to a cozy bed and a warm spot in the sun. Make sure they have easy access to food, water, litter box, and sleeping spots. Help them out with maintenance grooming by brushing their hair. Keep their environment quiet and peaceful, and don't let other pets or kids bother your feline.
It's important to remember that if your cat is suffering from a lot of pain, assessing the option of euthanasia is humane.

[TheScreenScience]

For anyone here who has lost their fury friend, my heart goes out to you.

[Galenarnen]

My cat passed away two weeks ago. He had none of the signs until one day he suddenly vomited with blood. In the next day he grew very cold. Then I drove him to an animal hospital, where his organs where giving up one after another. The day before he died, I was visiting him there, holding him, petting him. He seemed better than before and wanted to go back home. His body gave out, though. He was only 7 years old.

He was my best friend. I miss him so much.

[TehSmokeyMan]

I grew up with a white cat and she reached an impressive age of 25 when she fell asleep for the last time on my lap... Seeing this makes me realize what an amazing trooper she was; she barely showed any signs at all, being active and elegant to the very end. That did however make it slightly soulcrushing, along with the vet trying to cheer me up by saying "she really lived for her owner the past couple years"...
Makes me realize how lucky I was, spending all those years with her😊

[nanmatar]

I have a 23 year old kitty, she has recently lost her vision and sense of smell but still keeps hanging in there, I love her

[geraltzrivii]

Im crying right now during watching this. Someone please hug me. 😭😭😭😭

[ngh.kayden]

I cried while watching this my cat died from a disease
And the first thing I remember was she stopped walking completely couldn't even get out of her litter box or stand for a second
It was so so much painful as day by day went by she got worse and even the doctors gave up almost
She was my sweet little angel ♡
I will never forget her...never!

[zamasusenpai]

I lost my beloved gray tabby. Her name was Libby. she died in May 18, 2018. There’s still a hole in my heart. And I’m coming to terms with the fact that that’s never gonna go away. The only thing that I have left of her if anything at all is a picture of her. It breaks my heart to know that I can no longer remember the sound of her meow? I can no longer remember what she looks like unless I look at the picture. and it breaks my heart to know that I will never have her follow me around the house again. I will never have her wait for me outside the bathroom door after a shower. I will never have her cuddle up with me next to me in bed again. I will never be able to feel her giving me kisses. And I will never be able to hear the sound of her purring or feel her warmth that she lays down in my lap.

I will never forget the day that I lost her. It is a memory that is forever etched into my minds eye and one that will forever painfully twist and burn my soul.

[SweetestPup]

I put my baby of 14 of years down yesterday. She jumped into my arms like she did when she was a kitten. She laid her head onto my shoulders like she was saying it was okay. She is being cremated and i got a paw print of her. God. I woke up from sleeping after and i immediately went to go look for her. I panicked and started to cry. Gah. Its still so fresh.

[brad]

hardest part of owning a cat is to know you will out live one of your closest friends.

[pfonseca]

This may be hard to watch but I’ve already lost two of my 3 cats and I never “replace” them. I simply cannot suffer like I did and deal with the guilty feeling of having to put an end to their suffering. Both cats were in my arms while the vet gave them the shots. It seemed peaceful for them but I miss them so much. Now I channel all my love to the one I have and, when time arrives, I will never ever have any more pets. It’s simply too painful. Pardon me for my need to express my feelings here.

[dariusbrock]

My cat passed at the age of 18. He had a stroke and was really starting to improve when he took a turn for the worse and passed away. I noticed a lot of these signs looking back. I still have his sister whose 17 and I watch her even more closely now. Thanks for this video, it'll help a lot of people!

[devon]

9 months later, and still heartbreaking

[peekaboo]

The video that every cat owner dreads. Losing them is heartbreaking.

[MsMadmax]

I worked in a veterinary clinic, and I witnessed my fair share of dying animals. I knew my cat was at the end of her life when 1) she stopped grooming herself. 2) she could no longer get to the litter pan in time. In fact, she'd lay there and urinate all over herself. 3) her appetite diminishes significantly. In fact, she would rarely eat or drink. 4) she had lost all her playful energy and slept most of the time. In most cases, cats will die from kidney failure or cancer. If your cat is in kidney failure, she may drink and produce little or no urine. It may be painful when they urinate, and they cry. There may be blood in their urine. If they have cancer, there will be a fast-growing lump usually on the lymph nodes or mammary glands that will feel solid rather than fluid filled. If your cat isn't eating but doesn't appear to be losing weight, x-rays can look for cancerous growths in the abdomen that don't leave room for food. In any case, it's best to have your vet run x-rays, blood and urine tests to check. While it could be a routine infection or stones, if your cat is getting up in years--over 11 or 12, chances are good they may be going into renal failure which if caught early may be treated to extend your pet's life. But it's basically a band-aid and if they are in renal failure, it can't be reversed or cured. Special diets and meds can give them a better quality of life but sooner or later, those won't be enough either. I had my cat for 16 years--she was my constant companion, my little shadow. It was hard to let her go, but I loved her too much to let her suffer and I knew she would let me know in her own way that it was time. I keep her picture above my desk in my office. I also looked at it as a sign that once the pain of her loss wasn't quite so acute, the universe would give me the opportunity to give another shelter cat a forever home.

[animabellas]

It’s really frustrating that I learned more from this video than I did at the vet when my cat clearly had all these signs. They were not very honest with me about the severity of her condition, but judging by most of these signs, they knew she was at her end. I just wish I knew sooner. Please please trust YOUR gut when it comes to your fur babies.

[Verbsdescribeus]

Such dignity in these pure souls! At 14 yearsl old, my cat is terminally ill and there is not a day that this kind heart is comforting me! It is a paradox, right? She knows I suffer from seeing her in this state and still purrs and comes near me to show affection. Unconditional love forever!

[TsukasaFanTc]

I will never forget the day my beloved Pouncer died. He didn't have a lot of the things listed in the video, aside from being very underweight due to Hypothyroidism. It was a gut feeling the day he passed.
I was getting ready for work, and as per my daily routine, I opened the cat door for him (he was spoiled rotten all his life) and he just... Took a long look outside, looked up at me, and went back to my room and layed in the middle of my floor. I knew his time was near, as his health was in decline and he was the ripe old age of 19 years old. I just... Burst into tears. He was my life long best friend, and the bes cat I could have ever asked for. I was living with my parents still, I told my mom that I was pretty sure Pouncer was dying, that I was pretty sure today was the day. My mom comforted me and suggested that I should call out from work today. I'm a very dedicated employee, and rarely call out (even to this day) so when I called in, I was expecting some level of understanding, but was met with "can't you just take him to the vet or something?" my mom was right next to me, and heard my boss say this, and my mom said "Are You F***ING Kidding Me?!" loud enough for my boss to hear, and my crying got harder. My mom says "He's been with you all your life!! Give me the phone! I'll tell her what's what!" in that moment my boss said "uh- I'm sorry, I... Um... Will see you tomorrow." and hung up. (she fully apologized to me the next day I worked, and said that what she said was insensitive, and that she would have called out too if her dog was dying)
That boy was spoiled til the end. He got all he could eat shrimp and ham, and after he had enough he put his paw on my hand. He did pee himself, but I cleaned him up. I cried so hard I fell asleep beside him in my bathroom. When he decided it was time, he moved away from me and went behind my toilet. My mom had to drag me out of my room saying "He's holding on because you're here. Let him go."
I secretly returned to my room about an hour later, and looked at him. His breathing was barely there. He didn't acknowledge my touch. I kissed my fingers, and touched his head... And said goodbye, and that I loved him for the final time, and left the room. I went back another hour later... He was gone.
That was the hardest I've ever cried in my life. I still cry recounting that day. I miss him every day.
My favorite hello, and my hardest goodbye.
1995-2014

[wrinkledasian]

I want to thank everyone here with all my heart for loving and caring for your cats.

[LashLeRoux.]

Whatever you do, when the time comes, be with your cat. Many vets have told stories of cats looking around frantically for their humans because they don’t understand why they were “abandoned” in a room full of strangers at the end of their lives.

[michaellee]

My wife and I have lost 3 cats in the last year. Each one extremely heart wrenching. We have one left. We will spoil her until it is her time. We are not sure if we will adopt another one. It's too hard to watch them die. My prayers go to you and your little fur buddies.