I took care of my parents in their later years. Made sure they went out as nicely as possible. I had to give up my life and career for a good many years, but, in retrospect, it was one of the great experiences of my lifetime. As an adult, I had forgotten how much fun my parents were (we had fun every day until the very end) and was reminded just why and how much I loved them.
I wouldn't put one of my cats in a nursing home to die, given what I know about their treatment of people.
My brother on the other hand thought our parents should be put in a nursing home and ignored. He and I don't speak anymore.