Answer: Nowadays the method usually adopted for feline euthanasia is for a veterinary surgeon to inject an overdose of a barbiturate anesthetic, usually intravenously but occasionally in very young, elderly, or weak animals by another route. The cat goes to sleep as if being anaesthetized for an operation but does not recover. This method inflicts no pain and with an intravenous injection id extremely quick, since only a matter of seconds elapses before the animal become unconscious. With a very aggressive cat handling can present a problem and it may be necessary then to place it into an anesthetic cabinet and to let it inhale an anesthetic gas or vapour. In general, it is preferable for euthanasia to be performed on a vet’s premises, since all the specialized equipment and trained assistance will be available there.
Animal welfare societies, faced with the unpleasant duty of having to destroy many unwanted animals, but with limited charitable resources, may be obliged to use a less expensive method. Reports suggest that the most suitable is to induce unconsciousness and the death by using nitrogen to flush all the vital oxygen out of cabinet holding the animal.
