When will we sure it’s time?

[Benji13]

Our oldie cat Alf will be 17 in 3 weeks. He’s been a joy to love since he was 8 weeks old - the biggest furriest and most chilled lovely lad.
He has bad arthritis in his back legs/ hips for the past couple of years which is getting worse and the daily metacam makes little difference now I think. Over the past 6 months he’s stopped coming downstairs and is just asleep upstairs or eating. He uses a tray fine but what quality of life does he have - I’m unsure. He sleeps and eats and when he does walk is very doddery and stiff.
He does still like a fuss and brush.
In addition I think he has catty dementia as he now yowls for no reason plus has a large skin cancer on his chest which he really don’t want to put him through surgery for - it doesn’t seem fair.

Will we know when the time is right? We lost our beloved dog in January to very sudden liver cancer and are still devastated from losing him. We knew we had to make th decision then as our dog was clearly become very poorly and in pain.

Views welcomed please from fellow feline lovers. We do have 2 other younger cats who Alf gets on fine with.

[Fluffycloudland77]

You’ll know. You just do.

[PawsQueen]

You will know
My neighbours cat is 22, very stiff and pottering and mostly sleeps but when he comes over and miaows for a treat and then stretches out blissfully in the sun.. you can see he's happy
My cat has seraquin for joints, it's fairly cheap and he loves the taste so much he pesters for it!

[Toddlerteaplease]

I agree. You will just know.