Quality of life (QOL) refers to a standard of physical and social behaviour commensurate to what is expected for a particular cat’s age and social location.
QOL embraces the five freedoms that minimizes physical and psychological stress, and is a matter of consideration when euthanasia is being contemplated due to disease, abandonment and possibility of restoring a cat’s physical health and social welfare.
For example, a cat suffering from terminal chronic renal disease with unremitting vomiting and anorexia has poor quality of life.
| Score | Assessment | Interpretation[1] |
| 0 – 10 | Pain | Inappropriate vocalisation, dyspnoea, guarding, aggression, response to NSAIDs or other pain-management drugs |
| 0 – 10 | Mentation | Awareness of surroundings, cognitive function, depression, predictor of degree of encephalopathy |
| 0 – 10 | Hunger | Searching for food, appetite, interest in food |
| 0 – 10 | Hydration | Dehydration as an interpretation of renal function, assessment of polydipsia and polyuria |
| 0 – 10 | Hygiene | Grooming ability, self-care |
| 0 – 10 | Happiness | Interest in usual bonding with owner or other pets |
| 0 – 10 | Mobility | Degree of stiffness, severity of arthritis, ataxia due to lameness |
| Total out of 70, divided by 10 | = No. of good days per week | |
| <3 days a week is a poor score |
References
- ↑ Adapted from Villalobos, A ((2010) Pawspice. In August, JR (Ed): Consultations in feline internal medicine. Vol 6. Elsevier Saunders, St Louis