Vet Offers End Of Life Choices For Your Cat

BIRMINGHAM (WWJ) - A Birmingham vet is offering what is believed to be the first service of its kind in metro Detroit; a hospice for cats.

Dr. Cindy Houlihan at the Cat Practice says with pets living longer than ever before, many owners want to make sure they're doing the best they can for their pets at the end of their lives.

"It's almost like us, if we were approaching the end of our life, what would we want to do - to be happy. There are many things people can do at home with very little cost or no cost,"  Houlihan told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.

Houlihan says that clients were looking for alternatives and options to euthanasia.

On-call nurse Laura Kramek says pet owners usually have one over-riding concern.

"How to know when ... maybe the time that we just can't do anymore and it helps the people because they feel they have control over the situation, to some degree,"said Kramek.

Pets are more comfortable in their own home being taken care of by their people says Dr. Houlihan.

The average time in hospice is three months and Houlihan says it's really not that expensive.

The service also includes discount pain medication and daycare.