small white fluffy dog with a blue collar sits in green grass with its tongue out

Pet Quality-of-Life Survey for Families in Santa Barbara, CA

Deciding when to say goodbye is one of the hardest choices you will make for a companion you love. This survey looks at seven areas of daily comfort to help you see how your pet is feeling.
Download the Survey

How to Use This Survey

Check the one description in each section that best fits the past week, then add up the scores. Repeat every few days or whenever something changes, so you can see the trend rather than a single hard day.
Quality of life is personal, and no scale can replace an examination. Please use your results to start a conversation with our doctors, not to make a decision alone.

When to Call Us Right Away

Call right away if you see struggling to breathe or open-mouth breathing in a cat; pale, gray, or blue gums; collapse; a seizure lasting more than 3 minutes or several in one day; straining without passing urine; or pain that medication is not controlling.

Current clients can call us at (805) 967-0121. After hours, please go to the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital.

How Is Your Pet Feeling?

Pain & Breathing

Cats hide pain: watch for hunching, squinting, hiding, or not jumping up.

  • No signs of pain. Breathes easily and gets up and lies down comfortably. (10)
  • Occasional stiffness or discomfort that improves with medication or rest. (7)
  • Often uncomfortable: restless, breathing harder at rest, hiding, or sensitive to touch. (4)
  • Pain or labored breathing is constant or not controlled by medication. (0)

Appetite

A cat who stops eating for even a day or two can become seriously ill.

  • Eats normally and shows interest in food. (10)
  • Pickier or eats less, but eats with a little encouragement. (7)
  • Eats only when hand-fed, offered special foods, or given appetite medication. (4)
  • Has refused food for 24 hours or more. (0)

Hydration

  • Drinks normally and keeps water down. (10)
  • Drinking more or less than usual, but keeping up. (7)
  • Needs encouragement, wet food, or fluids under the skin to stay hydrated. (4)
  • Cannot keep fluids down or is dehydrated despite help. (0)

Hygiene

Cats who stop grooming often feel unwell.

  • Keeps clean and uses the usual bathroom spot. (10)
  • Needs some help staying clean or has occasional accidents. (7)
  • Frequently soiled, matted, or has regular accidents. (4)
  • Lies in urine or stool, or has sores that will not heal. (0)

Happiness

Greeting you, play, purring, interest in walks or the window.

  • Engaged and interested in family, toys, and surroundings. (10)
  • Less interested than before, but still enjoys favorite things. (7)
  • Withdrawn, anxious, hiding, or not responding to the family. (4)
  • No interest in anything, including favorite people. (0)

Mobility

Getting up, stairs, jumping, reaching the yard or litter box.

  • Moves normally for age. (10)
  • Slower and stiffer, or needs help with stairs or jumping. (7)
  • Struggles to rise, slips or falls, or needs help to reach the bathroom area. (4)
  • Cannot stand or walk without full support. (0)

Good Days vs. Bad Days

Think about the past week.

  • Nearly all good days. (10)
  • Mostly good days, with some bad ones. (7)
  • About as many bad days as good, or more bad than good. (4)
  • Mostly bad days. (0)

Total score: ___ out of 70

What Your Score Means

50–70: Comfort Looks Good Right Now

Retake this survey weekly, or sooner if anything changes. Track good and bad days on a calendar, and remember that senior pets benefit from exams every six months.

36–49: Quality of Life Is Changing

Schedule a quality-of-life consultation with one of our doctors. Pain control, appetite support, fluids, and mobility aids can often bring back good days, and we can help you plan ahead so decisions are made calmly.

35 or Below: It May Be Time to Talk About Saying Goodbye

Please call us. We will listen, examine your pet, and help you decide what is kindest. Choosing a peaceful goodbye before suffering becomes severe is a final act of care.

Any section scored 0? Even if the total looks reassuring, a single area at the lowest level deserves a call to our team.

Tracking Good Days and Bad Days

Each evening, mark the day as good or bad. When bad days begin to outnumber good ones, it is time to talk with us. The downloadable survey includes a calendar and a survey log for scores, medications, changes, and questions for the doctor. Please bring it to your visit.

Questions to Ask Us

  • Is my pet in pain, and can we control it better?
  • What signs should I watch for?
  • What would palliative or hospice care involve?
  • What can I expect when it is time, and who can be present?
person in a striped top gently cuddles a brown dog outdoors

Plan Ahead

Many families find comfort in deciding aftercare wishes in advance and planning a favorite meal, a quiet afternoon, or time with loved ones. Our team will walk you through every step.
Pet End-of-Life Care

About This Survey

This survey is adapted from the HHHHHMM Quality of Life Scale developed by Dr. Alice Villalobos and is consistent with the 2016 AAHA/IAAHPC End-of-Life Care Guidelines, which encourage families to track good and bad days and partner closely with their veterinary team.

Call (805) 967-0121