Research overview: quality-of-life assessment and end-of-life decisions for captive felids

Deciding when a chronically ill or aged big cat's welfare no longer justifies continued life is among the most difficult tasks in captive felid care. This overview surveys structured quality-of-life assessment tools, which score factors such as pain, mobility, appetite, hydration, hygiene, normal behaviour and good days versus bad, and how they support consistent, evidence-based euthanasia decisions. It discusses managing chronic pain and disease, the ethics of prolonging life, the role of veterinary and keeper teams in monitoring decline, and how training facilitates humane procedures. It also considers welfare during the dying process. The synthesis frames quality-of-life evaluation as essential for ensuring that the welfare gains of longevity are not undone by prolonged suffering at life's end.