Pet owners should look for signs of aging in cats
While they say cats have nine lives, the truth is, they only have one. And in most cases, the cat’s owner outlives them. As pet parents, we have an obligation to keep them as happy and healthy as possible, from the first hello until the last goodbye. What can you do to keep them safe and comfortable right up until the end?
A lifetime of better care means cats today live longer, healthier lives that ever before.
“Cats are living a lot longer because of advanced medicine and surgery, better nutrition, vaccinations, parasite control, and routine early sterilization,” said Gary Norsworthy, a feline specialist at Alamo Feline Health Center in San Antonio. “Also, many cats stay indoors where they’re much safer from dogs, cars and other cats. Plus today’s clients are more likely to opt for state of the art diagnostic tests and treatments that add years to a cat’s life.”
What is considered old for a cat? According to the “Complete Care For Your Aging Cat” by Amy D. Shojai (New American Library, 2003), the question is complicated by the impact of genetics, environment and individual characteristics.
In the early 1980s, an 8-year-old cat was old. Now, that’s considered middle-aged by many veterinary gerontologists.
“Most experts agree the last 25 percent of a cat’s life constitutes old age,” Shojai said.
The beginning of old age for cats is arbitrary.
“To simplify matters, most veterinarians consider cats to be senior citizens starting at about 7 to 8 years old, and geriatric at 14 to 15,” said Margie Scherk, editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and owner of Cats Only Veterinary Clinic in Vancouver, Canada. “It isn’t uncommon for cats in my practice to reach their late teens or early 20s.”
An aging cat’s health mirrors that of aging humans. The most common “old” feline problems include kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, obesity and dental disease.
| To help make your cat’s last years the best they can be, you can do the following:¢ Foods: Veterinary diets for senior cats let their internal organs go on cruise control, yet are very tasty. Warming foods increases the tastes and scents to spark the cat’s appetite. Older cats are often arthritic, so don’t put the food where the old cat can’t easily reach it.¢ Water: Thirst diminishes in aged cats, but their need for fluid intake actually increases. It is important to keep old cats well hydrated. “Fountains stimulate cats to drink more water,” says Dr. David Twedt, professor at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.¢ Litter boxes: Provide more potty breaks for indoor/outdoor cats or extra litter boxes to reduce distance between pit stops. Litter boxes with a lower rim allow arthritic cats better access.¢ Helping hands: Adding a foot stool to shorten the distance to jump, making steps to the bed or couch, or fashioning an inclined plane is often appreciated by geriatric cats.¢ Comfort: Something as low tech as extra padding for their beds or anti-arthritic drugs are available from your veterinarian for arthritis.¢ Accommodation: Hearing impaired cats may meow more as they can’t hear themselves, or you, and so they use their “alarm cry” to get attention. Cats that are losing their sight need our protection from injury, so cat-proof the house just like you would for a toddler. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, from Tufts University, suggests not rearranging furniture. |
“Cats can have similar lesions in their brain that humans with Alzheimer’s have,” said David Twedt, professor at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Older animals get diseases more frequently, and most of these diseases are progressive,” Norsworthy said. “But pets can live with these conditions and enjoy a happy, healthy life for months to many years after a diagnosis. Even cancer is not the death sentence it was once considered.”
Rather than looking for a cure, quality of life issues become most important for the older animal.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman, from Tufts University and author of “If Only They Could Speak,” has observed that some cats age quite gracefully, while others become disoriented, show less interest in social interactions, and sleep more but with disrupted sleep patterns. They may engage in house-soiling.
So you know your cat is old. How do you know it’s nearing the last years of its life?
“Weight loss that can’t be explained should alert you this may be the twilight of your cat’s life,” Dr. Twedt said. Research indicates cats suffer the greatest weight loss during the last three months of their life.
Dr. Twedt’s experience shows a severe loss of appetite, increased thirst or failure to keep themselves well-groomed can also be signs cats are nearing their end. But of course, only a thorough veterinary exam can determine if these are clinical signs of an illness or condition that can be treated, or if your cat will succumb to the grip of old age, where we look for comfort rather than cures.