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I haven't tried them myself or for any of my pets but I think pet CBD treats may address the anxiety and nausea. I think its worth looking into, at the very least.

You may be approaching the time where the kindest choice is to say goodbye 😢

We’ve tried CBD oil but it doesn’t seem to have any impact

I absolutely love my cats and can't stand to think of them dying - But I can't stand the thought of them suffering even more.

If your cat is in constant terror and needs to be consoled frequently, she's suffering. And at 17 (and with other physical symptoms suggesting she may not be in the best of health), it's not like she has all that long left anyway.

You should probably talk with your vet about whether or not it might be time to send her over the rainbow bridge. If the vet says no way, she's fine, hey, forget I said anything! But don't make her suffer just because you can't bear to let her go, you'll regret that more than the alternative.

Hmmm. Does the vet you use approve of any mental health meds. Some pets need things like prozac and other antidepressants. Something along those lines may be the better route. Though, like in humans, it does take a while to show its effect.

17 is a long life for a cat. Do the right thing. At home euthanasia. It costs a bit more, but is 1000x more peaceful for them.

Put that cat out of its misery

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Time to say goodbye

So I always say with pets, it is always better to put them out of their misery a little too early than a little too late. And if you're starting to have that ethical debate it's probably about that time.

This is what my family did and it was the best choice. Ours was a little older and had a myriad of health issues. Having that closure at home was worth everything to us. I cannot support this enough.

We had this with one of our cats and our first dog.
The cat was severely ill. His kidneys were dying. With the right medication, he could have lived for about three more years. But he was vomiting constantly, totally incontinent, and rapidly losing weight. The decision was made to euthanize him.
With our dog, he was showing clear signs of severe lethargy and he had this hacking wheeze related to an enlarged heart. He’d stand still for several minutes straight and not respond to us at all. We made an appointment to take him is for a check up, but we knew that a 13 year old cockapoo showing these signs meant the end was coming. We were prepared to euthanize him if it came down to it.
He died of a heart attack two days before his vet appointment.
Pets are not forever. They’re real creatures with a finite lifespan. It’s better for them to go out in peace than struggle until their body gives out.

It sucks. My Orion,17yom, went through this. He had a mini stroke and got progressively vocal during the day and then at night. Went to the vet and tried to find a solution.

Decided to put him down. It was hard, he was awesome. Hardest thing that I chose to do.

Miss him so much.

Let'em go.

Thank you for sharing this. I'm sorry for your loss but recognizing his suffering was a really empathetic response and I think you made the right choice. It's so hard to lose the ones we love! RIP Orion.

Hi friend. My family had to make the tough decision to put our dog down earlier this year. He also had dementia and cancer. It was a hard decision to make because it was such a slow decline and some days (and weeks) were better than others.

Our vet shared with us this quality of life calculator. There are a few online like it. We assessed our boy once a week until it became obvious that it was his time.

I second was other people have said in this thread about at home euthanasia. It was nice getting to say goodbye in a comfortable and safe environment. The vet was so kind and let us take as much time as we needed.

I’m sorry you are going through this.

For what it’s worth, out vet also told us it’s always better to let them go day to early than a day too late. We really struggled with the “when” and not wanting to rob our beloved friend of any time he had left, but because they can’t tell us what they want all we can do is the best we can do and try to let them go gently without any pain.

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One of the things my vet said that was super helpful when I was trying to figure out when to put my 15.5-year-old dog down was "don't let it get to the point where you feel resentment toward him for doing things that are beyond his control."

I keep in mind that animals don't seem to perceive time and end of life the way we do; they live in the moment and don't anticipate/dread dying from an illness. If they're miserable and have no chance of getting better, it's probably time to let them go.

It sounds like it's time to let your kitty go. I send my best supportive juju to you in this difficult time.

Dedicated cat lover here. I've gone to some pretty extreme (and costly) measures to bring my cat back to better health...but in this case, with a 17 year old cat who is clearly suffering and clearly near her end, it would be a kindness to help her pass with whatever dignity she has left. Without your help she may last a day, a month, or even a year, but eventually she will pass-- and her life will only get more agonizing.

Could you please share how this works?

Uh, it's time dude. There are vets who make house calls to put pets down painlessly and peacefully.

A vet comes to your home and performs a brief exam to make sure euthanasia is appropriate. Then, they will administer a sedative. They will then leave you with the pet to say your final goodbye. At that point, they will return and administer a drug that stops the heart. The vet will remove the body if you desire and then notify you when cremation is completed. I will simply never do it any other way.

This sounds much much better than the alternatives. I'm sad to say that we may be approaching this point in the next few years with our cat and it's a comfort to know that such a humane option exists.

Have you left a light on for her? I got a 16 yr old and she does yowl, I left a decorative light that has a timer so it stays on all night and she seems happier, he eyes could be going too which will not help her. Warmth and mini stairs too

It’s so good. They at home, no nasty car rides, no weird smells at waiting room and a cold table. It lets them be in their home like an elderly person should.

I know that this is not easy to hear. But if she is suffering as much as you say she is, and there is no cure, I would honestly out her down. It's hard but it's the best thing to be done. Speak to your vet about this.

not Being able to see could be a big cause if she’s only doing it at night. You can get those baby additions that you put on ur main light and it emits a dim light, then you can use an eye mask if it’s too bright.

Is there any meds that could help her sleep? Melatonin or something?my Nan has some else she wounders at night.

I had to put my 17 year old cat down 4 weeks ago. She was suffering and in pain. I know you want to help her and this isn't the answer you are looking for, but you really need to consider the quality of kitty's life, and the toll her care is taking on you. The kindest thing you can do might be to say goodbye. I'm so sorry.

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High blood pressure can cause this, there can be different causes of the high BP.

Just got news our 14yo cat has liver cancer, and this is really helpful. Thank you for such a well-explained response and for the link.

In my experience (not a vet, cat sitter of 15+ years) the yowling is probably from the deafness, and to a lesser extent, the dementia.

Has her activity level changed?

Does she exhibit any signs of physical pain or distress?

Is she grooming herself?

Has your vet suggested anything like Zofran or Cerenia for the nausea?

How's her appetite? Does she stay sufficiently hydrated? (drinks enough water)

Is she eliminating and urinating normally? Does the output look normal.

What behavioral meds have you tried?

If you have the means and it won't unduly stress out your cat, then the bloodwork could help figure out what's going on with her.

While many say 17 years is a long life for a cat (it is) many of my own cats and those in my care have reached 20 and beyond. If your cat has an issue that might be a be easily remedied and allows her to have some more happy and pain-free time, then why not look a little longer for non-heroic options before considering saying goodbye?

My 2¢.

You’re welcome. It was a really emotionally draining experience to go through for me, so I wish you peace and your kitty comfort as you two travel this road together.

Echo this. Make it a good day for the cat, lots of cuddles, a nice fish dinner, etc. My mom’s cat really enjoyed Haagen Das vanilla bean ice cream when she got into her 20s.

My cat did a similar thing towards the end. I left a light on and some clothing with my smell in her space. I also tried kitty CBD treats and I noticed she was able to move more freely but it didn’t reduce the howling. Eventually her kidneys began to shut down and she had what the vet assumed was a blood clot to the spine and it was time to say good bye. If kitty is eating and drinking and socializing still I would say try to keep the nighttime environment as friendly and welcoming as you can, it may be they suddenly feel alone and are disoriented by the change.

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My elderly cat has started screaming as well. But he’s purring, eating, using the box, and demanding attention. It’s annoying, yes, but not enough to put him down! He’s still happy. Just loud and obnoxious.

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My elderly cat was on cerenia for nausea - it helped a lot.
I was fortunate enough to work from home and her dementia didn't progress to the point where she couldn't find me. She did have periods of late night activity, and the vet told me to give her melatonin. It worked until it didn't, and it's hard to find a brand with tiny enough pills for a cat to swallow, but might be worth a shot. It sounds like your other options are earplugs or letting her pass on. Only you can make the call when it's time. I sincerely wish you the best in this difficult time.

When the time comes, if you can, I’m another one that says you should have them make a house call. We’ve lost 3 of our dogs in the past 3 years (and another one is heading that way, unfortunately) and there’s a nice lady who comes and gives them the help they need in a place where they are most comfortable. I don’t have any advice but I do understand what you’re going through and I wish you the best

You should be putting that cat down and the fact that your vet suggested tests on a sick 17yr old cat rather than euthanasia tells you you need to find a new vet that isn’t all about the money. I’m sorry for your loss.

If the poor kitty doesn't understand what's going on in her life, then what is left to preserve?

I thought i needed to put my dog down but couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was my sweet dog that let me know. I was the hardest thing. My heart goes out to you.

My 18yr old chihuahua does the same. She is blind and deaf with bathroom problems.. she wants to be pet, but gets startled easily when I do pet her. Eats and drinks (and pees) normally tho. Our pets are like people - especially when they get old. Have the vet rule out any pain she may be experiencing, and just love her until the end. That’s about all you can do.

I was having a moral/ethical argument with myself over my very old dog whom I loved deeply. It finally occurred to me that in prolonging my own misery, I was prolonging hers. I’m glad I made the decision that day and gave that sweet girl and wonderful companion some peace. Hugs to you!

My dog died several years ago, and he had dementia before he died. He didn't bark (in fact, he forgot how) but instead he paced. All night long. The pacing, his nails clicking on the wood floor, made me batshit.

It eventually subsided and we had another decent year with him. So, it might go away. Some things that helped him were a weighted blanket when we went to bed (he slept with me), a crate for when he was very confused, and an occasional melatonin (vet approved) to help with sleeping.

It's hard, though. Be gentle with yourself and kitty.

My cat did this because she had a UTI and bladder stones. The doctor told us "that's just what cats do. You must not have owned many cats." Which was the most annoying thing I'd ever heard. I would check for UTI or even stones (with an ultra sound specialist, not just some nurse/vet at your local vet clinic). Of course, this could be something entirely different since your cat is quite old.

My cat ended up being diagnosed with anxiety & FIC which means giving her generic Prozac (liquid fluoxetine) every night. Its been a year or more and we haven't had any issues.

I'm really sorry this is happening to you. I know first hand how stressful this is and I hope that things get better for you and your cat.

Will your cat do at someone else's home that is always th4er? Like an old folks home? Constant petting & supervision

Its a tough pill for any owner to swallow , but you're absolutely right. Letting them go with grace and dignity is a final gift to our babies

It’s your cat.. you will know when it’s time, she could also be lonely and missing her sister if she was always used to having a companion with her. I’m sorry your going through this. .. Just make the best of the time you can with her and know your doing the best you can and your cat loves you.

Our Peke started finding his inner wolf at 3 am every night. Vet said it was dementia setting in. He advised us to give him Prevagen. Stopped the howling immediately.

Having gone through this in a VERY rough way about a year ago, the best route is to put them to sleep in a comfortable way. Our cat suffered longer than he should have, and I still feel horrible for not being more assertive with my parents about it. We mentioned that he should be put to sleep for months, and only after some REALLY bad setbacks did we all finally budge.

Sometimes the right thing is to put an animal to sleep

Let the vet do bloodwork. Hyperthyroid is a common ailment of old cats, is curable and a very common cause of nausea and yowling.

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Broad spectrum CBD oil for pets to provide anti anxiety and anti nausea/pain until it’s time, which sounds like soon.

Don’t ask us what to do. You already know. If you truly love your cat then you know suffering is worse than death and your just being selfish

Gabapentin really helped our 20 year old cat toward the end without the severe side effects of painkillers/opioids.

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Gotta think about whats best for the cat.

Would getting another cat help? She lost her sister maybe the cat is missing having another feline?

Former vet behavior and neurology nurse, currently working ER. It could just be cognitive decline, and a behaviorist (a DVM, not some nonsense/trainer) can recommend brain health supplements and possibly prescribe sleeping pills. Or it could be something more serious, like they had a stroke, and prognosis varies. Does she take anything for the nausea or arthritis? Have you had her kidneys evaluated recently? It could also be end stage renal failure. What anxiety meds has she taken? Were they prescribed by a GP? She may be in pain. And a cat not eating is an emergency. No matter what, if it's more than you can deal with or afford, im sure you gave her a long and wonderful life, and if you can't help her, there's nothing wrong about letting her go ❤️. I really wish you the best.

came here to say this - the cat could also have diminishing sight and lights definitely help

As someone who went through this last year, I feel your pain and I'm sorry you're going through this. Give your cat some love for me.

This is ridiculous, I’ve had cats that lived for longer than 17 years. You don’t have to euthanize them just because they’re getting old

What we found worked for our extremely old cat when the constant yowling started was a kennel, as bad as that seems. During the day he was noisy but ok if someone was around him. At night he just yowled and cried. We got a medium sized dog kennel so he would have room to move, put some cushions in it, put him in there and covered it with a blanket. He would go right to sleep. We would leave him in it for only a max of 4-5 hours though, we had housemates on different schedules so this worked for us. We did eventually decide to put him to sleep though, he was just too old. This worked for a few months though!

Did you read the post? A cat with dementia on that level lives in a world of fear.

This sounds like what one of mine started going through when he was 19. At the beginning of year 19 the vet said he was in excellent health especially for a cat that age. He had to be put down 8 months later. Everything caught up with him suddenly. He was skin and bones, dementia, going blind, going deaf, yowling at night. Near the end he started having seizures and stability issues. He was a sweet boy and a very cuddly guy sometimes. I hated having to put him down, but it was the right thing to do.

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Put the cat out of its misery.

We're going through almost the exact same thing with our 17 year old cat. He eats at least six times a day, uses the litter box normally and drinks plenty of water. He keeps losing weight. The vet has done blood work and says no sign of cancer. He yowls randomly but mostly from about 4 am until someone gets up and feeds him. Could it be a tape worm? Both of our cats had fleas last summer but our other cat is going to turn into a fatty because she keeps trying to eat all the extra food we're feeding him. We have no idea what to do.

I 100% agree with this. If they are yowling they are probably trying to tell you something. Could be that they are hurting but only a vet can help you get that insight.

I am really sorry to hear about your cat.

It’s better to have a sweet good by then a sour one.

As my daughter said, “Do we have to wait until our animal is miserable and in incredible pain before we let it go?”. No. The answer is no.

I had a cat who was afraid of the dark. We had to leave lights on by the litter boxes or he wouldn't use them.

Another cat might be a welcome distraction for everyone

I'm sorry friend but it's time.

My old boy is screaming the blues as well. Lately, the howling is beginning to sound like a child suffering from night terrors. Like your sweet one, he goes to the same spot and starts howling. We say his name and he settles right away. Makes me think he's forgetting we're here.

What’s the point in keeping him alive if his quality of life is poor? My cat, Wayne, was propping himself up against the wall, just to keep upright. I felt absolutely guilty when I saw him do that one day. It was not fair to him. I had him laid to rest, in a humane way; he was so ready to go. We have to think about the pet, not about ourselves. Anyone who insist on drawing blood on a 17 year old cat is doing it just for money. Keep in mind, that a 17 year old cat is not the same as a 17-year-old person. You have to times the 17 x 5 or seven, (I forget which one) Let’s think about the cat, first and foremost. It is a tough decision to make, but you’re doing it for him.

Yes, I was going to ask if there’s another pet. That might be reassuring. All of our cats got loud in old age. And the yowling in the night, I think they were calling to be reassured, especially if deafness is an issue. Wasn’t constant. But, when the cat is no longer enjoying life, it’s time to let go. :-(

Just my own experience here, but I had an old dog growing up with a similar problem. She had just the general issues that a really old dog would have, but nothing that impacted her quality of life too much. But then she ended to going blind and deaf around the same time, and she would wander around the house barking like crazy until somebody reached out to her. I think she calmed down because she knew she wasn't alone, I think she was just scared. After a while, one of our other dogs actually started to help her with that. He would walk beside her, with his body touching hers, and she'd calm down. The way your cat calms down when you reach out to her is why I was thinking of it like this.

You mentioned that you lost your cats sister recently. Did her yowling start or get worse after that happened? Because maybe your other cat was what had been keeping her calm, and maybe without that connection she doesn't feel as secure and safe now that she's losing some of her senses. It's just a thought based on my own personal experience

Much as I hate to say it, you should seriously consider putting her down. I had a dog in that situation; constantly pacing the room whining, jumping and frantically looking for hiding places at the slightest disturbance. You could see in her eyes she was miserable, no amount of comforting helped. We didn't dare leave her alone in the house. I waited too long; she eventually seriously injured herself frantically clawing her way under a power recliner, and afterward was in such pain we finally had no choice. Your cat is clearly similarly miserable; don't wait too long to give her peace.

My old cat used to yowl at night. She'd be in the basement, where it was extra dark. I started leaving a light on down there for her, and that helped. I think her eyes were not so great at that point, so she'd get confused in the dark.

Seconding deafness! My last cat went deaf around 15 and she didn’t realize how loud she was meowing. She was healthy enough otherwise, just went from normal meowing to loud AF.

If she’s at the end of her life and miserable, make the difficult decision and let her go in peace with her loving family by her side. That’s my opinion. I don’t want my pets to suffer at the end just so we humans can feel better about having them around longer. Not saying it’s easy, and I do feel for you

Cats going deaf don't know their volume. When mine was near the end, I took her on middle of the night walks around the neighborhood, and I let her sleep on the bed. I certainly had the nights where she'd be yowling, and then look at me (noticing I am right here) and give a quiet "meh". I've seen ideas of having lights on, or night lights. Probably a good idea. Or at least a cat bed in that corner, with a favorite blanket, or an old shirt that you wear for a bit before putting it down as bedding.

The weight loss is a concern, though. Mine did that on the last year of her life, due to hyperthyroidism, then the slow death of kidney failure. I knew her time was coming when the urine sample was practically water. Eventually, the kidneys just can't detox the body, and fluids build up, suffocating them.

As for my cat's final days, I had the last nightly walk the night before putting her down. No regrets. She wanted it, and I let it. She was feeling well enough to try and be a cat one more time, and who would I be to refuse? Let her sleep on the bed, held her to the end.

The final decision is a hard one to make, but important to not delay if you know the time has come. Cherish the good times, and make sure kitty's last memories are good ones. They often do know when it's their time to go, too.

I felt so guilty being annoyed with my pup for this same reason. I miss him every day .

I wish you and your feline friend the best. May you both find peace. I lost my best friend to this a couple years ago now, and something that helped me was the fact that to euthanize is Greek for ‘good death’; is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering.

Got to a point where it almost seemed selfish for me to let my buddy go on the way he was, in a state similar to your cats, because it was me who was scared to let go, and I think that’s what kept that final thread attached for so long. It was his time and I was not ready for it, it was a miracle he was still kicking really, but it was not a good existence for my buddy, I had to learn to let go so that he could as well.

I think it might be time to let her go. All that matters is that she had a good life so you need to ask yourself. Is that what shes having right now

That's a tough call as I can tell it sounds like she perks up when she's around people but is miserable otherwise. In this case I would think of the miserable hours outweighs the positive interactions it's time. If you sleep 8 hours and work another 8 with no one home to sit with her that's 16 hours out of the day. That's over half the time miserable. This assumes someone sits with her at least 8 hours. I wonder if you could have a cat sitter to sit with her all day and see if she's happy at least 8 hours of the day.

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Our vet said with our cat, (and our previous dog- who did the same thing except with barking,) that she did not appear to have any pain, but she was confused and frightened and weak, so did not feel safe alone and was probably crying out for comfort. My dog had his first episode of confusion and weakness last month. He's fourteen, and again, the vet said there's no signs of pain. I did get painkillers, just in case, but they had no effect. He just wants to be held. So I second checking it out with a vet, but it seems to be pretty common for animals to cry for help towards the end of their lives when they are probably not in pain.

So my 16+ year old kitty is going through something similar. We have found a thyroid issue to explain the weight loss. she also has been staying in a different room much more lately, she is also spending more time standing on the heat exhausts.

Its my understanding that as cats age, they need to be in a better lit environment, staying warmer, and on softer surfaces. I've adjusted those things and it's made a pretty decent difference.

Hope this helps and I'm sorry you're getting to that point where you're questioning on how best to care for your friend.

This! Also a common cause of weight loss. Let your vet do labwork to rule out treatable disease.

If it helps, when it was time to put our cat down, they administered the first dose (relaxant) and the cat looked so relaxed. We didn't realize how tense she had become in her later years. That helped us to reliaze we were making the right decision.

I just quickly did the test for my 20 y/o boy and scored about 50/55. It says 80 is a happy and healthy pet and 8 is bad and you should end the suffering. I thought he was doing pretty bad but it's a little reassuring that even though he is starting to look very weak, apparently it isn't as bad as it looks. I think when he scores 30/40 we will let him go as he has had a very long and loving life with us and I would hate to see him suffer. Thanks for the link

My dog had to be put down, I wish I had down it at home with her. I had such a hard time leaving her at a vet to have it done!

Me too! The worse day of my life the day my dog was put down. I’ll never forget it!

Jackson Galaxy did a video on YouTube about this. My Siamese started yowling and meowing a lot after she turned 15 and we thought it was dementia. We tried keeping lights on at night for her to help, and kept everything as same as possible.
It had turned out she had an undiagnosed brain tumor that eventually took her. I would suggest trying out the dementia tips Jackson Galaxy suggests, and further testing with your vet to address whatever you can. Sometimes the yowling is your cat trying to tell you they need medical help.
My personal experience, as long as your baby is eating, drinking, using the bathroom, and has an okay quality of life overall (do they enjoy playing, spending time with you, etc), they can have a good few years left. Sorry you are going through this, it’s really hard to watch our baby’s health decline as they age :(

This is way too far down. This is your answer, or at keast a path and not immediate euthanasia. Bloodwork isn't super expensive and the meds are pretty cheap.

What you've described is exactly what our 16 year old cat was doing. It started last year when she suddenly went blind (vet couldn't explain how). We also noticed that sometimes she would sit still with her mouth open, almost like she was in pain, and drooling. She started losing weight, but like your cat, continued to eat normally, could use her litter tray with no problem, and could still find her way around the house and garden (the fact we've been here 14 years probably helped). However, she would often yowl loudly in the garden like she was lost, but could always find her way back inside. She would also yowl loudly for several minutes when going into her bed for a nap during the day. The vet thought she probably did have dementia. For the weight loss, the vet kept saying that they could do more tests to find out what might be wrong, but in the end we decided that she was old, had had a good life, but the outlook wasn't good for her. So, sadly, we put her to sleep. But, we know we did the right thing for her in the end. We think she may have suffered a stroke at some point but couldn't be sure. What ever you decide to do with your cat, I'm sure you'll do what's best for you and them.

I’m just throwing another recommendation for a heating pad that might help

I'm so sorry you and your friend are going through this. A client recently found that swaddling her old man and leaving lights on helped some.

I adopted an elderly cat from the pound and she used to go downstairs, “get lost”, and howl so I put up a gate at night. She was also hyperthyroid and demented so she took meds for her thyroid. The vet switched suppliers and the meds stopped working.

My cat did this too; I plugged in small nightlights to help him get around. He didn't yowl after that.

I’m so sorry that you’re going through this with a companion has meant so much to you… let your heart guide you and I truly believe you will be together again one day over the rainbow bridge. 🙏❤️🌈

I’ve had many cats in my life who I have loved dearly. They truly were members of my family.

The excessive weight lose is a bad sign to me.

When they got to the point where they needed to be put down, there’s not one of them that I didn’t wish I had put them down sooner.

Save your cat the suffering. Please take it to the vet and put it down. Make sure it’s she’s hydrated.

Now I'm glad that my old cat just go away one day. She knows that her time is up

Have you had your cat's thyroid checked?

I keep my apartment cool. My cat is a little over 10. I have a cat bed that has heat. As I type this she is sleeping in it, as she does most days. She sleeps with me at night though.

Has she had her thyroid checked?

My twenty year old cat was doing the same thing as you described to a tee and figured she had mild dementia, she stopped once I got another cat although my other cat was terrible with her, tackling her and trying to mount because he's a young male. I had to put her down about a month ago because her health just kept declining. I would absolutely recommend what you plan which is to put your cat down but within the comfort of your home. One of my biggest regrets aside from getting another cat while my little old lady was still kicking was having to bring her to the vet when that time came. I wish I could have avoided the stress I'm sure she felt, also had to wait a while despite coming early for the appointment which prolonged it and had me crying with her in the waiting area. It sucked.

My old boy has dementia at about 18. He would yowl and call out for help on and off chairs etc. He did get a tad incontinent, though mostly associated with a scare (thunder storms etc). We regularly checked with the vet to ensure he wasn’t suffering. Outside of that, there wasn’t much more that could be done. If you have some heat packs and a jumper you’ve worn for a few days, it can help during times your away

My elderly cat started howling (more than normal) late and night and was getting lost and going missing.

The vet recommended these tablets that really helped. They’re called Aktivait and they’re pretty much just vitamin tablets but they are made for those with cognitive decline.

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Especially where the cat keeps returning to one spot, there could be lights or shadows that she’s interpreting as dangerous.

My cat did this. It was hyperthyroidism. There's a medication you put in their ear that helped a lot. I hope your cat gets better!

I had to make the choice to help my 16 year old girl cross the bridge a couple of years ago.

She was much the same as yours, lost weight, lots of yowling, not sure where she was, losing her sight, going to the toilet in my bedroom because she felt safe there etc.

If you look at your kitty, and can't really see any of their personality that you remember anymore, then it's time.

My old cat used to do this until she was put on daily meloxicam for arthritis. It 100% fixed the problem.

My family had a cat (16 years old) with dementia, hyperthyroidism and later cancer as well. What ended up calming her was Valium/Diazepam. First two where quite good to handle with meds and she ended up gaining weight and less vocal/yelling. Eventually she ended up having cancer and they decided it was ready to let her go. But in the mean time she had a good and even beter quality of live with the Valium.

My family let our dog of 14 years fall asleep at home in October. It was so fucking hard to do, but it was worth doing knowing that the next few weeks of his life would have been painful. From my heart to yours, I hope you are recovering well from your loss

It’s hard, but the best thing to do is to have the cat put to sleep. Make sure you are there with her at the very end tho. I can’t state enough how important it is to be there with her in the end. You got this OP. No more suffering for your lil cat, who is also a family member and lifelong friend.

Seriously, as hard as it is she needs to be put down

Indeed. My 16 year old moggy is on medication for an hyperactive thyroid and is doing well on it.

She could be hurting and in pain. She might be suffering.

lol i did this calculator for myself. At one point in my life I would have been euthanized if I was a pet

Yowling in the night is a thing- we have had several very old cats and they tended to do this in their later years. We would call to them or go find them. It’s almost like they get lost. For ours it was a mental thing

I think its time my friend :(

Those symptoms sound very similar to when our dog had Lymphoma, the losing body weight, diarrhea, general lethargy, we scheduled at home euthanasia and 2 weeks later he started to limp around and fall down when walking. If you can take her to the vet and get her healed that is great but at a certain point you are only prolonging her suffering and delaying the inevitable.

Take that cat to the other side of the freeway and give it a push out the car.

While I’m sure it’s not this nice of an answer, is it possible that there’s a toy she’s playing with/ “hunting”? My cat will sit and scream for hours on end in the middle of the night, and it usually ends up being that she got into some catnip or is chasing one of her toys around, do you think your cat could be chasing after something? Again, it’s probably wishful thinking on my part, and if that’s not the case I wish for nothing but the best for her and your family, good luck

*does

Corrected, thank you!

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’ve experienced very similar behaviors with an elderly cat, and here’s what worked for us:

1. We did take her to the vet and get a full senior panel done - as another commenter stated, the weight loss could be related to hyperthyroidism. Our cat was put first on oral medication, which was a nightmare to administer, and then an inner ear topical medication. Worked wonders! It’s compounded, so it’s expensive, but with her hyperthyroidism managed, she lived 3 more very happy years.

2. Others have suggested a source of warmth: absolutely yes, do this! Cats need warmth more than dogs or people, and if your fur baby is older, she’ll definitely need more assistance with this. In our case, we ordered a couple of those extra large heating pads and kept them on low, covered by a thin blanket, and placed them in her favorite nap spots so she always had a source of gentle warmth.

3. I haven’t seen anyone else mention this: movies or music. Do you have any movies that you watch repeatedly? We found that putting movies (that we rewatch often) on in the background helped her feel like we were around, even when we were out of the house. This worked so well that I use this method for all of my pets! I tend to gravitate towards movies, but any familiar audio could work (music, tv shows, audiobooks, etc.). If she tends to gravitate to a specific spot when she’s yowling, maybe putting the comforting audio in that area can help her feel not so disoriented.

Good luck to you, thank you for being such a loving pet parent, and all our love to you and your fur baby in this difficult and emotional time.

Yep. Full senior work up.

For anyone following this thread, my cat passed away today, she passed peacefully in my arms at home with everyone she loved as I sung to her like when she was a kitten. I will never forget my baby. I loved that cat unconditionally and will continue to love her until the day I die. The decision was made because her health had been declining over the most recent months with the past several days being particularly hard. I wanted her to pass with dignity and leave this world with grace. Thank you for everyone’s suggestions and I hope to see her again when I pass away.

If she’s lost 25% of her body weight in the last six months, I don’t think she’s “eating normally” as you say.