Palliative care discussion for end of life

I am feeling very overwhelmed right now. Whiskers is 15 and his arthritis is getting worse, and Lady is 9 with kidney issues that seem to be progressing. I know I need to start thinking about palliative care options, but I don't know where to start.

I have been reading kidney care tips and arthritis management but those feel like maintenance, not end-of-life support. What actually counts as palliative care when a cat is declining? Is it just pain meds, or are there other things we can do to make them comfortable?

I am so sorry you are dealing with this, donna_w65. It is hard when you have multiple seniors in the house.

For my cats Shadow and Sunny, I focus on environment changes when they are unwell. I think of palliative care as removing stressors. Does that help? I saw a thread about when to stop feeding a sick cat that really helped me set boundaries for myself. I think part of it is knowing what to stop doing so you can focus on what brings comfort.

I worry about this a lot because Bella is 6 and asthmatic. I want to be ready. Is there a difference between palliative care and just treating the symptoms? I feel like we are always treating the kidney or the lungs, but what if the body is shutting down? I read distinguishing temporary loss of appetite from terminal illness and it was helpful, but I still don't know what the next step is when the vet says "there is nothing more to do."

Also, does pain management options for senior cats apply to non-pain suffering too? Like if they are just weak?

Hi all. Copper is 5 and diabetic, so I am used to the routine of care. But I think palliative is about quality of life more than quantity. I recently started using managing feline asthma at home techniques for Copper just because he gets short of breath when stressed, even though it is diabetes. It is about keeping them calm.

I also found comfort measures for the final days very moving. It talks about keeping the cat warm and quiet. I think that is a big part of it. Are you providing warm blankets or soft bedding?

Oh dear, my heart goes out to you. :((

I lost Pepper recently and now just have Mittens. I think the most important part is letting them rest. I used to try to keep them active, but now I just sit with them. I think comfort measures for the final days said something about not moving them unless necessary? I am trying to be gentle with Mittens because her arthritis is bad. :)

Does anyone know if it is okay to just let them sleep all day? I am worried I am being too passive.

Thank you for the specific suggestions. The idea of removing stressors makes sense. I think I have been trying to do too much.

I just posted an update in a follow-up thread because Whiskers had a bad night and I need to talk through the immediate next steps with the vet. I will link it there.