Is it common for pets to run away to die?

[Mike]

I am miserable right now.

I have been treating my 17 yo cat for arthritis for the past three months....trips to the Veterinarian for checkups, different meds, extra attention, etc. I though all was going well, was hopeful I could get her another 9-12 mos down the road.

However, she has been obsessed with getting out of the house lately (specifically, getting into the garage). Well, yesterday she managed to get the door open while the garage door was up, and out she went.
I have searched thoroughly the entire neighborhood, and have also looked in the wooded area behind my home to no avail. Not a trace of her to be found.

I guess my question is, is it common for aged pets to want to run away to die? Can they actually sense that they need to get out and find a place to pass away?

[latergatorj]

:-( I am sorry. The answer from what I know is yes. When animals are in pain or dying, their instinct is to hide so that predators won't sense their weaknesses and hurt them. It is a self protective instinct that concides with their death.

I hope you're able to find your kitty. But if you aren't able to, I'm very sorry for your loss. It sounds like you've done everything you could possibly done.

[kelbel1024]

Thanks for concern and reply to my worries. I will try to find some way to get my cat to the Veterinarian, but it won't be easy and I don't want to stress her out.

I am also sorry to hear about your cat. I, too have heard that cats may hide to die. I wish I could tell you differently.

I feel your pain and worry. I have no children but my cat, Wendy, is like my baby to me.

Again, I am sorry for your loss.

[cichlidfreak]

Well they pretty much said it but I have heard of that with both cats and dogs, she was pretty old though, and if you had her all her life I'm sure a part of why she would run is partly to protect you from her pain... I have had cats most of my life and know how sensetive they are to our emotions, and now I am not sure how to word the rest but I am sure you get the picture. She could have done it cuz she loved you
And I am deeply sorry for your loss if you don't find her
I DO hope you find her though!

[spaniel13]

Our Ginger went missing on Saturday, all my cats had been outside cats, coming indoors when they wanted to. Ginger had thyroid trouble and was being treated for this, her heart and kidneys were still strong. We have searched high and low for our cat, we had lived on our busy main road for the past twenty four years and we have been very lucky to get our cats to the age they are, as I still have a cat mischief who is eighteen. We feel Ginger has gone off to die and just hope she is at rest now. We hope we can find her as then we can bury her in the back with our other dog and cat. We have been in touch with the council and there are no reports of her being run over and the RSPCA have been notified We know how you are all feeling but it is in God's hands.

[Tucker'sMom]

My cat, Skeeter, passed away a couple weeks ago. He, too had a thyroid problem and at last Veterinarian's check, kidneys were fine. He started hiding and didn't want anything to do with me. (He was a very strict indoor cat.) I took him to the Veterinarian's the morning after this started, and he was in total renal failure. Renal failure can come on so quickly, so maybe that's what happened to your cat. I understand what you are going through.