Quality of life is a conversation

Notice what still matters to your cat

Write down familiar pleasures: a window seat, greeting you, grooming, quiet play or sleeping near the family. Note whether they can choose these activities comfortably. A cat can adapt to changes, but a withdrawn or unusually still cat may need assessment rather than praise for being calm.

Track good and difficult periods

Describe specific events instead of simply calling a day bad. Could the cat rest, reach the litter box, eat and move without obvious distress? Share the record with your vet and ask which changes may be treatable. A calendar supports memory; it does not measure suffering precisely.

Ask about the next step

Discuss comfort care, practical support and what a crisis would look like before one occurs. Ask for a contact route outside normal hours. Do not wait for a numerical threshold if your cat is distressed. Sudden breathing difficulty, collapse or inability to urinate needs urgent care.