Feline End-of-Life Services

In-home quality of life consultations and in-home gentle farewell euthanasia. Every visit is calm, unhurried, and tailored to your cat.

Euthanasia Services Quality of Life Consultation
Compassionate in-home care

The Gentle Farewell

The entire process, from start to finish, is designed with your cat’s comfort in mind and to support you throughout. We know it is a very difficult time.

Knowing what comes next can ease the weight of uncertainty. Here is a walkthrough of the entire experience, from your first contact through aftercare.

Before the Visit

It begins with a conversation. You reach out when you’re ready — by phone or through our website — and we listen. We answer your questions, talk about your cat, and, if desired, schedule a time that works for your family.  We usually give you an arrival “window” of one hour - the doctor will arrive sometime during that hour (and will text upon heading your way).

Once scheduled, you will be emailed an authorization form to complete prior to your appointment. Ideally, you would send it back to us prior to the visit- even by taking a photo of it and texting it to us. This allows us to be prepared for the aftercare arrangements you choose and to quote you for the associated fees. If you choose to print it off to give us a paper copy when you arrive, that is fine too.

Once we know which aftercare options you have chosen, we will email or text you a secure payment link. Most people prefer to make payment in advance so they can focus solely on the sacred and precious time with their cat.

Before the Veterinarian’s arrival

You will get a text (or a call, if you prefer) when the doctor is leaving for your home, along with an estimated time of arrival.  Once she pulls up to your home, she will text again to tell you she has arrived and ask if you are ready for her to come in. We try to keep in close communication so you know what to expect.

During the Visit

When your doctor arrives, she takes time to talk and address any questions you may have. When you are ready, she will meet your cat, read their body language, and let them acclimate to her presence. There is no rush. The process begins only when your cat is comfortable, and every step is guided by their needs. When the time comes, the process is gentle and peaceful.

What is the actual process?

The gentle farewell is a two-step process designed to keep your cat completely comfortable. First, a sedative injection is given to help your cat drift into a deep, peaceful state of calm. It takes just a few minutes usually for them to reach optimal relaxation and comfort. You can hold your kitty on your lap if you wish, as they become relaxed. We can be wherever you are most comfortable - and your cat is most comfortable, during this time.

Once your cat is fully sedated and unaware, a second injection, this time given intravenously, guides them through the final transition. This injection is very quick, and they will pass peacefully within a minute or two. You can hold them throughout this entire process if you want. You decide what feels right for you and for them.

After this second injection, the doctor will listen for your cat’s heartbeat with their stethoscope and provide you with assurance of your cat’s passing. It is normal for this to be a very emotional time, and everyone deals with it differently. We understand.  The doctor will offer to leave the room, often going out to the car for a few minutes to give you some privacy.

At the end of the visit - Aftercare

Afterward, there is time for you to say goodbye. You may choose to have Dr. Mesher or Dr. Dillon make ink paw prints of your cat’s little foot, or to take a fur clipping. We can do those things at your home, though some people choose to have us do that back at our office.

We will ask you if you’d like some time alone with your cat - we can step out to our car for a few minutes to give you the space and privacy you will likely want.

If you have chosen to have us take your cat for cremation (either communal cremation or individual/private cremation), when you are ready, we will wrap your friend carefully in a soft swaddle. This is a moment of reverence, a final act of care that honors who they were.

Unless you have chosen home burial or to take your cat for cremation yourself, our doctor handles all aftercare arrangements. Your cat is transported with dignity and care to our office in Tigard, where they will then be picked up by our cremation partner (Family Animal Services).  If you have chosen a private cremation, ashes will be returned in a pretty carved wooden box. You can decide if you’d prefer to pick up the ashes (and/or clay paw print if you have chosen that option) at our office in Tigard, or from Family Animal Services in NE Portland ( 17819 NE Riverside Pkwy B, Portland, OR 97230). Regardless of whether you have chosen a private/individual cremation (ashes are available) or a communal cremation (ashes will not be available), memorial options — clay paw prints, ink prints, and fur clippings — can be arranged.

Quality of Life Assessments and Consultations

Quality of Life Assessments provide a second opinion when you are struggling with your decision.

If you’re asking the question, it means you’re paying attention. It means you see the changes — the way your kitty has slowed down, the meals left untouched, the quiet that has settled where play used to be. You are not being premature. You are being present, and that matters more than you know.

During a quality-of-life visit, the doctor comes to your home to spend unhurried time with your cat in familiar surroundings. Together, we evaluate comfort, mobility, appetite, and joy — the markers that tell us how your cat is experiencing their days. We use a feline-adapted quality-of-life framework, not the standard scales designed for other species, because cats express discomfort differently and deserve an assessment tailored to them.

After the assessment, we talk — openly and honestly — about what lies ahead. There is no pressure, no timeline imposed from outside. Whether the path forward is comfort care, a return visit, or a gentle farewell, the decision is yours, and we will support it completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the farewell visit take?
A typical euthanasia visit lasts 30 to 60 minutes, though there is never a clock running. Often, the paperwork (the authorization form, decisions about aftercare wishes, and payment) is completed online before the doctor’s arrival. People tend to want to focus on their cat rather than on paperwork details. There is no rush, and often the conversation turns naturally towards stories about your beloved cat - how they came to be in your life, their favorite things, funny quirks they have - whatever you want to share, if anything. The transition itself is quiet and takes only a few minutes. We will walk you through everything in as much detail or as little detail as you want.
What will my cat experience?
Every cat is different, of course. We will offer tasty treats (unless your cat is nauseous) if you allow. The treats can be a nice distraction during the administration of the initial sedative injection. We try to slip the injection in without them noticing - that is the goal. The calming medicine produces a very deep relaxation— they will likely be able to hear you and feel you petting them but they have no concerns about a stranger in the house or about what is happening. Many families tell us their cat looked more peaceful in those final moments than they had in weeks. All cats deserve a peaceful, soft transition when the time is right to release them from their tired bodies and to prevent suffering.
Who can be present?
Everyone is welcome. Family members, children, close friends — anyone your cat would be comforted by, or anyone who needs to be there for their own heart.
What about other pets?
Other pets in the household can be present too. Many families find it meaningful for companion animals to be nearby, though this is entirely your choice. You know your other animals and can do what feels right for your particular family. Sometimes people will decide to have their other pets be outside the room but will give them a chance to see their friend’s body afterwards - a chance to say goodbye or perhaps to provide closure. Often, the doctor will leave the home during this time to give the entire family - other animals included - privacy and the freedom from distraction.
What is a Quality of Life consultation?
An unhurried in-home visit where your doctor evaluates your cat's comfort, mobility, appetite, and joy using a feline-adapted framework — not a generic scale designed for other species.
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