There are many different causes of cat exhaustion and possible death. There are many clear signs that a cat is about to die that owners can recognize with just monitoring and observation. What these signs are will be detailed in the article below.

1. Monitor your cat’s heart rate

Cats are animals that are very pampered and loved by people. But during the breeding process, for many reasons, cats become sick, exhausted and at risk of death. The most obvious sign that a cat is about to die is to monitor their heart rate.

You can check whether your cat is about to die or not by monitoring its heart rate. The heart rate of a dying cat is much weaker than average, in the range of 140 – 200 beats/minute. A weak heart rate and slow heartbeat indicate that your cat is having serious health problems. 

If you don’t have tools, you can do it manually by placing your hand on the cat’s left chest. You press the time to measure the cat’s heart rate directly, measure for about 1 minute to know if the heart rate is normal or too slow. 

If the heart rate is slower than 140 beats, it shows that the cat is weak and gradually exhausted. At this time, you need to check whether the cat’s blood pressure is okay to determine the condition. 

2. See breathing condition

A dying cat’s breathing will show signs of being very tired, breathing heavily, panting, breathing slower or more quickly than usual. With a low heart rate, the amount of oxygen transferred slowly into the blood also makes the cat feel short of breath. If the cat is tired, can’t breathe normally, and is accompanied by lethargy, it means the cat is in critical condition.

Cats breathe about 30 times within 1 minute which is normal. If the number of breaths is much higher or lower, it is not good. You also check to see if the abdomen is unusually raised and then contracted. Dying cats often hold their stomachs in deeper and longer. 

3. Watch the cat’s body temperature

One of the most obvious signs that a cat is about to die is that the body temperature drops rapidly, the cat gradually becomes cold and stiff and is no longer warm. If you directly touch the cat’s body and feel it is cold, it means the cat is gradually exhausted and about to die.

Or you can use a thermometer specifically for cats to measure specific body temperature and judge the situation. You measure the cat’s ear and see if the temperature drops sharply or not. 

4. Clearly recognize body odor

Signs of a dying kitten can be identified through body odor. Cats that are about to die will emit a very unpleasant odor from their bodies. You just need to get close to know this. Not to mention cats in critical condition due to illness or poisoning have signs of foaming at the mouth and bleeding, making the cat smell fishier and fouler. The bad smell emitted by the amount of toxins inside the cat’s body is different from the bad smell caused by regular dirt.

5. Watch your cat’s waste

When a cat is about to die, the urine excreted is dark yellow and has a strong odor. Cat feces contain mucus, possibly mixed with blood. In many cases, cats are so weak that they can urinate and defecate at any time, proving that they are losing control of their behavior and are gradually fading away. 

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6. There are many unusual changes

Cats that are about to die will have many behavioral changes that you need to be aware of to determine their current condition. Cats lose their appetite, often lie down, are lazy to exercise, do not want to play, and are not interested in running and jumping as vigorously as before. Cat eyes are lethargic, feel tired, and don’t care about the world around them. Because at this time, the cat’s body is gradually weakening and no longer has enough strength for activities. 

7. Often hides in dark corners or wants to be alone

For cats that are about to die, they no longer like noise and bustle. They go to a quiet place to rest or hide from their owners, wanting to be alone so they can leave more peacefully. Some corners that dogs often go to before they die are the corners of the house, the corner of the wall, under the bed, etc.