A cat who was dear to me died this week. It’s always very hard for me to hear news like this.
Jane Ear's death in 2006 broke my heart.
There was a stretch of 4 years in which 3 of my own cats died, and during that time I had a lot of ideas of how to make their last days more comfortable. I plan on writing about that soon. For now, though I just wanted to pass along my biggest tip on making their deaths as easy as possible when you know you’re near the end…
If at all possible, have the vet euthanize them at home in their favorite bed surrounded by their family instead of taking them to the vet to be put to sleep. By avoiding that last trip to the vet, it makes their last hour or so much more comfortable.
Many vets, including my own vet, make house calls for euthanasia.
If your vet doesn’t provide this service, contact Peaceful Transitions to talk about this option. It’s a bit more expensive than my own vet’s fees but if my vet didn’t provide this service I wouldn’t hesitate to contact Dr. Burggren at Peaceful Transitions. I’ve heard wonderful things about Dr. Burggren and his assistant Amoreena. They sound like loving, sensitive people who truly care about every animal they meet, even though they know it might only be that one meeting.
