How does one actually know what the cat is feeling?

[6jase5]

Originally Posted by bassybill

It's always sad for a person to lose a pet, but from the pet's point of view I'd guess that this is one of the easier ways to go. Easier than what the big majority of living things get dealt by good old Mother Nature, anyway. Shame we can't do it for humans when they'd choose it.

I'm on board with this as well. I have no desire to suffer and can't understand why everyone was up in arms with Kevorkian. Not trying to open that bag of worms, but I get it 100%. I certainly don't want to waste away or die of starvation and I really really don't want to be eaten.

(Part of the reason I don't surf)

[tastybasslines]

[Pilgrim]

To me the question is irrelevant.

When it's your cat, you are responsible for its fate. You make the call, you do the best you can, and you go on with life. I don't really know what the cat feels, and I'm not going to get hung up worrying about it, I just make the call that I think is the best.

I say this having recently had to put down a lovely little dog that I had the privilege of owning for 12 years.

[bolophonic]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Wow can't even ask a question the way I want to.

To be fair, the question "how does one actually know what the cat is feeling" is basically a rhetorical one, since none of us is a euthanized cat.

As the guy who euthanized his cat earlier this week, I can say that if the animal was able to feel any pain after sedation, it would have been short-lived because her lungs stopped within 5 seconds of the second shot and her heartbeat was finished within 5 seconds of that.

If anything about this situation gives me pause, it is the fact that I never reflect on the suffering of a cow bleeding to death while strung up by one leg when I bite into a burger.

YMMV.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by bolophonic

To be fair, the question "how does one actually know what the cat is feeling" is basically a rhetorical one, since none of us is a euthanized cat.

As the guy who euthanized his cat earlier this week, I can say that if the animal was able to feel any pain after sedation, it would have been short-lived because her lungs stopped within 5 seconds of the second shot and her heartbeat was finished within 5 seconds of that.

If anything about this situation gives me pause, it is the fact that I never reflect on the suffering of a cow bleeding to death while strung up by one leg when I bite into a burger.

YMMV.

The question was asked because some people claim to know exactly how a cat feels, when I just want to know how do they really know.

[bolophonic]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

The question was asked because some people claim to know exactly how a cat feels, when I just want to know how do they really know.

Now I am regretful for posting in a wank-off thread.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by bolophonic

Now I am regretful for posting in a wank-off thread.

Call it what you want. That's the problem with tb. decent conversation(s) are far and in between.

[bolophonic]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Call it what you want. That's the problem with tb. decent conversation(s) are far and in between.

The problem is that if we are to strictly stick to the original question, the whole thread would be people who have allegedly claimed to know "exactly" what a euthanized cat feels (zero, I'm guessing) responding to admit that they were wrong. If that's your idea of a decent conversation, then I can see why you are left wanting most of the time.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

The question was asked because some people claim to know exactly how a cat feels, when I just want to know how do they really know.

Which people, just out of interest?

[bassteban]

I'll take *the very definition of rhetorical* for $400, Alex

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

The question was asked because some people claim to know exactly how a cat feels, when I just want to know how do they really know.

They're obviously either eating some heavy-duty modified brownies, or lying outright. In neither case is a conversation about it really meaningful...because those who are convinced they know the impossible are not going to move from their position.

[AaronMB]

I don't think anyone claimed they knew/know how an animal is or was feeling emotionally - just that in some cases, when it was time to put the animal down, there was a brief change in behavior, which indicates--just that--a change. It's not rocket science to notice a change that may go from tense and in pain, to relaxed and numb (or whatever), because the owner is familiar with the animal's behavior, health history, and applies some common sense. We don't know if ol' Rex sick with cancer went from happy to sad, or grumpy to gleeful, in the end. But we sure know and can recognize that his pain diminished and he relaxed for a moment before succumbing. And in that final moment, because there was little, then no pain, perhaps a glimpse of that animal's "former" personality came through (and that's where it's most meaningful to pet owners). Anyone who has had this kind of familiarity with an animal understands this - those who haven't, simply won't.

Was my cat "happy/happier" (or scared?) before he went under for good? Hell, I don't know - but I do know that the last few moments were much better for him, at least physically (that's common medical science, too).

[onosson]

The answer to the OP depends whether you believe feelings are equivalent to some state of the physical body, or not.

If the former, then with a good understanding of the current state of the individual cat, and knowledge of feline physiology, you should be able to provide an answer. (I have no idea where current knowledge is in regards to either of those)

If the latter, then we can't really know anything about any feelings - perhaps not even our own.

Of course, this all depends on what exactly you mean by "know"!

[Eric Perry]

Why the hell is everyone over-analyzing so much?? No one knows the answers in religious or political discussions either, but people can still participate without becoming all smarmy.

[pacojas]

what humans fail to theorize, is the possibility that animals are psychic. modern research has monitored the brain waves of almost every creature on this planet that has a brain. there are some very interesting and relative comparisons between the species. all creatures with a heart-beat experiences raw emotion under stress, pleasure, recognition, etc.

here's one for you Doubter's,... plants exhibit stress and possibly communicate with one another at any threat of fire! spectum analasyst suggests this.

EDIT: by psychic, i meant to say they communicate telepathically. they definitely use vocal and physical cues.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

What does the comment on plants have to do with doubting the psychic ability of animals?

Plants, like most organisms, react to changes in the environment, be it physical or chemical.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by pacojas

what humans fail to theorize, is the possibility that animals are psychic. modern research has monitored the brain waves of almost every creature on this planet that has a brain. there are some very interesting and relative comparisons between the species. all creatures with a heart-beat experiences raw emotion under stress, pleasure, recognition, etc.

here's one for you Doubter's,... plants exhibit stress and possibly communicate with one another at any threat of fire! spectum analasyst suggests this.

EDIT: by psychic, i meant to say they communicate telepathically. they definitely use vocal and physical cues.

Certainly all living things are sentient and conscious, to one extent or another. And all living things exist simultaneously as spirits, and as corporeal beings.

If we limit our own consciousness, by skepticism and disbelief, to only those things that we can perceive concerning the natural world, via our five natural senses, we then fail to perceive a great deal of the flow of information that happens all around us, at all times, in the spiritual realm. This would likely include any "psychic" or "telepathic" communication that occurs between animals or between plants...or between us and the animals and/or plants - if we would permit it...

MM

[Roscoe East]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

And all living things exist simultaneously as spirits, and as corporeal beings.

[placedesjardins]

Originally Posted by skychief

Most competent vets will administer a sedative to put the cat to sleep before the euthanising agent.

So, i would disagree with the decapitation method as being the least painful.

Oh, that's great. That kind of makes the OP's question moot.

[Pilgrim]

I've had two pets euthanized and both were sedated before the fatal dose was administered. I'm confident neither one felt anything...which also makes the question moot.