How will my vet put my cat down?

How will my vet put my cat down?

Bernadine D. Cruz. DVM (Companion Animal Medicine Expert, Laguna Hills Animal Hospital ) gives expert video advice on: How can I keep my cat comfortable when she gets old?; How can I prepare my kids and myself emotionally before putting our cat down?; How long should I wait to get a new cat after my cat's death? and more...

Euthanizing a cat is quick, it's painless, very humane and very dignified. Whether or not you want to be present is totally your decision. Typically a veterinarian (if you want to be present) is going to place an intravenous catheter (a tube) into a leg vein. The injection is a very strong barbiturate. The same kind of medication that can be used to put a person or pet under anesthesia. By the time the injection is done which is literally a matter of moments ,the brain stops functioning first, they feel no pain, the heart's almost simultaneously thereafter. We can only hope that when it's our turn to pass we're surrounded by love and it's this fast.