Galaxy Cats Vet Center
Cat End-Of-Life Care in Newcastle, WA
End-Of-Life Care
At Galaxy Cats Vet Center, we care for cats across all life stages, including offering hospice and end-of-life care. Our dedicated team recognizes that every cat is unique and deserves individualized attention during this sensitive time. With a focus on empathy and understanding, we work with cats and their humans to balance comfort, wellbeing, and the human-cat bond.
Every cat, and their humans, have different needs during this time. We promise to listen without judgement, offer honest and compassionate assessments of each cat’s health, and support the bond between cats and their families. Our veterinarians are experienced in assessing the sick or aging cat, supporting a good quality of life for as long as possible, and helping our patients and their families through one of the most difficult parts of loving a cat.
Please click the links below to view more information and give us a call at 425-537-3033 if you have any questions, or to schedule an appointment.
Palliative Care
Palliative care focuses on providing comfort and helping to maintain or improve quality of life, even when a terminal diagnosis is made, or additional treatments are not possible. Here at Galaxy Cats, we will help make a plan that is best for your cat to help keep them comfortable for as long as we can. With palliative care focuses on helping to treat the symptoms, and depending on the situation pain medication, anti-nausea medication, fluid therapy, or appetite stimulants may be appropriate. We will discuss with you your cat’s individual needs and if palliative care is appropriate for them and what options we have.
Quality of Life
When deciding if palliative care is appropriate for your cat’s needs, it is very important to consider quality of life. Sometimes despite our best efforts, we can’t keep our beloved cats comfortable and happy, and the most loving decision is to help them pass peacefully. This is where looking at their quality of life can be very helpful in knowing if it is time to say goodbye or if there is more, we can do. With quality of life, we are looking at the whole picture and asking ourselves things like “Is my cat still wanting attention or are they hiding all the time now? Do they still lay in their favorite napping spots? Are they able to get into their litter box on their own still? Are they more vocal than normal?” When discussing if palliative care is right for your cat, we will ask about their symptoms and changes in behaviors to help form a wholistic view of the current quality of life of your cat.
End-of-life is not always linear, and it is not uncommon for cats to have both good days and bad days even when they are very ill. But when the bad days start out number the good ones, this is a sign it is time to prepare to say goodbye.
A quality-of-life assessment can be useful in helping us have an honest view of our cat’s current state and help us make decisions.
https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/how-will-i-know_rev_mar2024ms_0.pdf
Euthanasia or a Natural Passing?
It is everyone’s wish that our cats will one day pass peacefully in their sleep, but all too often a natural passing is not this way. Death is not a single moment in time but a series of events, and even once the process starts it can take hours or days for our beloved cats to leave this world on their own. In their last hours we can see labored breathing, changes in cognition, seizures and other signs that can be distressing for both us to witness and our pets to experience. Here at Galaxy Cats, we strongly recommend helping your cat peacefully when the time comes.
Saying Good-Bye – With Us or At Home
When the time comes, we would be honored to help assist you with your cats passing here in clinic. If you prefer for your cat to pass at home, there are several in-home end-of-life service options that can help as well.
Furever Loved LLC
We especially love Furever Loved. Dr. Mattick was previously a feline-only veterinarian at another cat hospital in the Seattle area. We have worked alongside her before, and admire the compassion she has shown to our patients and their families.
(206) 705-9811
https://fureverloved.vet
contact@fureverloved.vet
Coda Pet
(833) 263-2738
info@codapet.com
Lap of Love
(425) 208-6072
https://www.lapoflove.com/
Compassion 4 Paws
(425) 802-2444
https://compassion4paws.com
Peaceful Pet Transitions
(425) 902-9202
https://www.peacefulpettransitions.com/
Gentle Hands Cherished Paws
(425) 507-5274
https://gentlehandscherishedpaws.com/
Euthanasia Process
Whether you decide you would like to have your cat pass peacefully with us or an in-home service, the process will be very similar.
We will first give your cat a small injection of pain medication and anesthetic. This medication will ensure your cat falls asleep and is as peaceful as possible. We use a very small needle for this injection, it is very quick, and afterwards your cat will start to feel very good as they fall asleep. You are welcome to pet and snuggle your cat as they fall asleep. This process usually takes just a few minutes.
Once your cat is deeply asleep, you may wish for a few minutes alone with them and we will do our best to accommodate this. Sometimes this deep sedation is just enough for their little bodies to start making their journey on their own. If we see signs of this, we will recommend moving to the next step quickly as we may see changes in their breathing. It is important to know that even if this is happening, your cat is truly not feeling a thing and completely peaceful.
We will next give an overdose of an anesthetic to help them pass peacefully. As they pass, we may see a big breath or stretching out of their body. This is not a sign of distress or discomfort; it is simply their body letting go of their remaining energy as they pass away peacefully.
You may stay for as much or as little of the process as you like. We promise we will take good care of your furry family member the entire time.
After Care
After your cat is at peace, the next step is deciding how is best for you to honor them and their life. We can arrange cremation through our crematory partner, or you may take them home to bury if you wish. If you decide for cremation, we can arrange for you to receive your cat’s ashes back in the urn of your choice or have their ashes respectfully scattered. Our crematory partner is located on a former apple orchard in the Cascades and they will scatter ashes in a small meadow if you so choose. There are also options to have a clay paw print or fur clipping as a memorial keepsake. There is no judgement whatever you decide, and we fully support whichever option is best for you and your family.