Love And Care For Your Older Cat

Psychological Changes

Your aging friend may display memory lapses and disorientation as well as symptoms of physical ailments (see Health Changes in Ageing Cats, post#3).

I like to treat my older cat with the same consideration I would like when I myself no longer can take care of my daily hygiene or keep up a smiling disposition when my hip hurts. My recipe, in other words: treat your cat as you would treat an ailing human friend or family member!

Stimulate With Play:

Mostly I like to remember my cat several times during the day with a petting, a quick stroke of the fur, some grooming, and even my all to inadequate attempts at play. I believe stimulation makes for a more alert and interested cat being, and although senior will not run with a ball of yarn the way a kitten does, I move a long feather (nothing hard to harm her weak teeth) back and forth, or play “hide-and-seek”, a sort of peeka-bo game our family have developed. I cannot see the value of only a “sleep and eat” existence. My frequent appearances also strengthens our bond and there is always the change my ageing friend has had another memory lapse and forgot that I exist and love and need her.

Routine And Habits:

Routine is good and your older pussycat deserves to get it the way it has grown accustomed to, including feeding times, placement of furniture and the general petting and shared quality time it received as a kitten. Even though your cat may not let on, it still wants to be appreciated, have the same importance in your life (actually to be the center of your life), and to receive so much attention kitty has no choice but to walk away from you after a while with the tail in the air (a sign of a happy and proud cat, I believe).

The Changes:

So if your senior “bed wets”, take precautions with a plastic under the sleeping spot if that is on your own bed. In case the vision has deteriorated, employ night lights to guide your feline through its nocturnal wanderings.

Your aging cat’s routines may change as it ages, and that’s OK, as long as Senior changes them and you don’t! Kitty may no longer jump up into your lap when you are watching TV together, finding herself more comfortable being able to stretch out on the couch next to you. (Besides, your legs may be too bony!). Your cat may also change out its favorite chair, again for height and comfort reasons.

I have noticed that my older cats vocalize more – that is a polite way of saying there is louder meowing, at night especially, or when I haven’t remembered to go and look in on them. It may be a projection but it seems my furry friend had a sudden loneliness attach, a “senior moment”, and forgot that she is part of our family and we are always there for her.

Water And Food:

Food needs to be altered to suit the lack of activity, so buy especially composed products for older cats that every brand name produces nowadays. (For a list of ingredients, see my post “Cat Food Ingredients”). Usually specialty cat food contains lower protein (to help the kidneys) and lowered fat. I also buy hairball treats to help on that front.

Lets not forget water – it is so important. Lots of water means clean and fresh, with easy access. If your cat still is frisky enough to jump up on things, try placing a cup on the table in addition to the regular water bowl on the floor in the feeding area. Cats do not drink out of the toilet as some dogs do, but I have caught my pussy lapping water from my own drinking glass if I leave it unattended.

When Is A Cat Considered Fat?

There is a lot of talk about cats getting fat as they age, but personally I haven’t seen this as a common (as in “to be expected”) occurrence. If you can feel the cat’s ribs it is not fat in my opinion. If seniors belly slouches and hangs a little, remember a 10 year old cat equals a 56 year old human, a 15 year old cat compares with a 75 year old person, and nothing is as taught as it was in our teens. And often a cat will loose weight as they age (hyper thyroid is not uncommon) and muscles (=mass) do deteriorate with age.

A Few Words About Kitty Litter:

Brand and type is up to you, keeping it clean is more important as your cat ages. Grooming is not as easy for your cat now, and kitty litter that is left “stewing” for a few weeks does carry possible disease. Also, be mindful that the very deep tub your young kitten had no problem jumping in and out of, or the plastic flap-door you may have, may now present obstacles for your senior. Putting a larger piece of plastic or even a bathmat under the kitty litter is an easy way to deal with cleanup if your cat suffers from incontinence or simply prefers to pee besides the box

I have tried a number of the self-cleaning or water-washing litter boxes, great and easy for me, but mostly my cats would not get near them. Maybe I just happened to own a bunch of “scarycats”, or maybe I should have trained kitty from the very beginning. Anyway, they tend to be quite costly and I actually want to know if what I clean out looks healthy so as to be aware of any changes in digestion early on.

Stress:

Remember to shield your senior cat from outside tension. This include such considerations as not bringing it to family Thanksgiving dinner at Your house, let senior have a closed room with food, water and litter box all for herself where no toddlers wander in to pull the tail or loud laughter and quick movements by strangers frighten it.

Stress also comes from changes in temperature, and as your cat grows older it will like the sleeping place to be nice and warm.

Is it stressful for you to have an outside dinner on a mosquito infested evening? I’ll jump to the conclusion that yes, you agree it is. So make sure you control fleas and other parasites by using some convenient flea control product such as monthly drops or flea collar, and your cat won’t have to spend endless hours and energy cleaning itself.

I personally do not bathe my older cat as they tell me that is stressful for them too, and being wet and cold does not feel good. Give senior cat some assistance and do a daily comb through to help with the hygiene chore, have some special time together, and cunningly also check for fleas and skin condition at the same time, the ears, cut her claws etc.

Ultimately there is no greater stress than to be physically ill and in pain, and we cannot always help out there. But prevention goes a long way, and it is never too early to start with regular vet visits and immunization shots.

In Conclusion:

See the vet regularly, show your senior cat that it is still loved and needed, and provide “light entertainment” to your senior cats capacity to enjoy it. This is not only about making the golden years as good as they can be – indeed I also have the need to look into those beautiful eyes and hear that purr of contentment when all things in the world are just right.

In my upcoming post here at How to Live with Older Cats I will share some more anecdotes about the interaction between all of us in our cat family.

I hear the sounds of food so I must go now, but please let me hear from you at email: 1catnap@gmail.com

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Health Changes in Aging Cats

These are the main physical areas to monitor for decline or illness:

Hearing, Ears

Eyes

Teeth

Fur and Skin

Weakness in Hind Quarters

Kidney and Urinary Tract, Incontinence

Diabetes

You will see that symptoms overlap and thirst, for example, may indicate many different ailments, so I really recommend you don’t try to self-diagnose but leave the medical arena for the vet visit.

Hearing and the Ears:

Cats can lose their hearing just as older people sometimes do. You may notice that senior doesn’t make any physical body movements to acknowledge when you are entering the room or calling out to it. Kitty may not come when you are filling the food bowl – you know that sound of dry kibbles hitting the bowl or the sound when you open a can of cat food – in the past surefire signs your cat would quickly stroke your legs with its body in anticipation and appreciation.

If you figure deafness is setting in, there is really very little that can be done says my vet. Take precautions like not touching your cat from behind before senior can visually see you, and go to them often during the day to for a petting as assurance, since your cats universe is now less full of stimuli in terms of interesting or familiar noises. Needless to say use very good judgment to let a deaf cat outdoors as one of her early danger signals – sound – is now on mute. (Cars, animals, and, sadly yes, even humans).

The physical visible outer ear, middle and inner ear are all areas where infection or inflammation (otitis) can set in. This is painful and may show up as a temperament change in senior’s behavior such as irritability or disinterest in food, constant licking of ears, scratching of ear area etc. Check for a dark mushy substance in the outer ear or pussy discharge. Please take it to a vet for proper treatment. In my experience, if there is problems with the ears there can also be signs of loss of balance, such as misjudging when your cat leaps from one place to another, or simply taking a “cat walk” on a narrow fence, and not being as sure-footed as it used to be, etc.

Eyesight and the Eyes:

Cataracts (cloudy spot in the eye) do impair vision and can lead to blindness.

Signs may be that your cat is startled by your presence, responds more to your touch than to the sight of you, or the famous cat night vision is not as good as it used to be (install night lights in your rooms). Again, this can often be treated and let a veterinarian decide what’s best. Here also be careful with outside visits. If you really don’t have to, delay rearranging the furniture for a later time.

Eyes that have mucous or are running can often be healed with ointment, both prescription and over the counter. You can always clean them with a cloth dipped in lukewarm water and pussy will appreciate your daily hygiene care and attention too!

Teeth:

There are probably more than one opinion regarding brushing your cats teeth. The indulgent parent will no doubt do this from kittydom up and that is certainly the best for your cat, but I must confess that personally I have been remiss in this area. Too busy was/remains my excuse.

But just as in humans, cat teeth do need maintenance, and you can use a VERY soft children’s toothbrush (make sure it’s tiny) or a lukewarm wash cloth without anything else on it. No People-Toothpaste, please. “Regular check-ups” are recommended and your vet can scale away the buildup of tartar which, if left alone, will loosen teeth as aging sets in.

This will result in tender teeth even before the actual tooth loss, infections and pussy gums with bleeding, and this condition will certainly result in the need for a change in diet to softer, mashed foods (to add a little water is a good idea and stay away from dry cat food as it dehydrates your Senior), and no hard toys.

Fur and Skin:

Ah yes, graying, dull, frizzy hair, wrinkly skin lacking luster, I wouldn’t know anything about that personally (just kidding). Now I don’t recommend shine-conditioning shampoo, but maybe a daily grooming session when you comb your felines fur while also checking for sores, fleas and general health. I found my older cats actually enjoyed this assistance and I also put a light application of olive oil on the fur afterwards.

Personal experience also proved they tended to like to lick butter or canned red/pink salmon bits from my fingers – in moderation of course.

Weakness in Hindquarters:

This is probably mostly seen in the older cat that may suffer from arthritis and does not have the flexibility it once enjoyed. If you notice kitty sitting on the floor looking wistfully at her favorite perch on the windowsill as if saying: “How did I use to get up there, I don’t know if I want to risk it”, try placing a series of steps for your cat to make smaller jumps from – maybe pull up a low chair by the window as an intermediary step. There are even ramps and step stools to purchase for this if your cat is used to sleeping on your bed and it seems too high now.

Or senior may altogether change the favorite sleeping places. Too small a space is no longer comfortable to curl up into and I have found that bean bags can become comfortable places to stretch out on yet provide the needed support. There is the option to supplement your older cats diets with glucosamine and/or chondroitin, which relieve the symptoms of arthritis, your vet can prescribe or buy over the counter in pet section.

Kidney and Urinary Tract, Incontinence:

Definitively your aging cat needs a change in diet from high to lower protein intake. Grocery store shelves all have age-specific formulas and it is worth the effort to choose one for adult or older cats. It is also good to switch, if you haven’t already done so, to canned cat food as it contains more moisture and water is very important.

Felines are used to getting their water in their food (remember when they eat wild animals there is blood = water). We humans add milk to our cereal for the very reason that if eaten alone it will draw out existing water from our bodies in order to be absorbed, and the same goes for dry cat food, those pebbles makes kitty thirsty!

The kidney is probably the internal organ that can wear out first. It removes waste products from the blood and eliminates then in the urine. When the kidney function decreases in old age it becomes less effective to clear the blood and in an effort to do a better job produces more urine. Fine so far, except your cat may need more water now. The real catch 22 is that potassium is lost with every urination. Lower potassium levels are harmful to kidney function. The body compensates this lowered kidney function by producing more urine – which lowers the potassium levels even more – leading to even lower kidney function. And so on…a bad cycle as you see. Check with your trusted pet clinic to see about supplementation with potassium.

All of this results in more frequent urinations and sometimes even incontinence. Please don’t punish your older cat for wetting outside the litter box or in bed. It doesn’t know that it is, it can’t help it, and punishment (in my opinion) has never been a good instructional tool (well, on second thought, when our household had to train kittens a roll of toilet paper, thrown from a blind angle, used to be named “the hand of god”, and in severe cases of youthful impertinent cat behavior I have been known to use a water gun to stave off bad cat habits). Anyway, I believe in treating my aging cat with sympathy and loving concern for its well being, both physical and emotional.

Diabetes:

Medically the same as in us humans. Symptoms are thirst; frequent urinations, weakness, and can lead to coma. This is the territory of your vet and insulin may be prescribed.

In Conclusion:

Ageing is usually slower in female cats, and often the first symptoms are psychological changes (more on that in my next text). Spaying (female) or neutering (male) your cat can extend its lifespan 1.5 to 2 times longer compared to non-neutered cats.

See the vet regularly, show your senior cat that it is still loved and needed, and do not ignore behavioral changes as they may be the only way your cat can describe to you that all in not well. Kitty may be in denial, refusing to verbalize internal symptoms to you! Conceal your “health examinations” as grooming or petting sessions to make them less threatening and more friendly.

In my upcoming post here at How to Live with Older Cats I will discuss some psychological and behavior changes.

My paws are tired from typing and I'm headed for a little cat walk, but please let me hear from you at email: 1catnap@gmail.com

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VIEW MY COMPLETE CAT PROFILE

Welcome to a totally non-informational and lacking in cat facts page!

This is all about my cats and I thought to invite you into our family.
This presentation will be in chronological order, so lets start with my very first pair of adoptees.

During this time we were living in California, and my chiropractors receptionist begged me to take in a little kitten that she couldn’t take care of herself. She explained it was an orange boy and begged me to talk to my family and think it over. I immediately had to tell her: “NO, absolutely impossible”, as I was then doing commercial illustration and could not have tiny paw prints on my drawings.

As I told my family, they reminded me that just the previous night I had a very vivid dream about an orange kitty cat, which I absolutely was in love with! My wife (the soft spot that she is) proclaimed it was meant to be and promised she would take on the feeding, care, vet visits, what training could be done, and especially the kitty litter.

Next week when I entered my doctor’s office, kitty-carrier in hand, the receptionist absolutely glowed as she, too, had predicted my saying yes. There was only one tiny little bitty problem: the boy cat had a twin sister and they were devoted and dependent upon each other. Could I take both?

A quick phone call and my wife resigned herself to take on the pair.
So Andy and Candy started to share their lives with us. They may have been “twins”, but Oh Boy, they were different. Candy was silver gray, very demure, much smaller in size, with white socks and pleading green eyes. Andy was rambunctious and as wild as young boys can be, always in trouble.

Candy would hardly eat unless we were nearby and she had assurance she could eat in peace. Andy, on the other hand, rarely ate out of his food bowl, but preferred to scavenge for his food. Until I figured a way to prevent this, every morning our kitchens garbage plastic bag was overturned and its contents spread all over the floor. It was like living with house raccoons! He always brought in his kills into our living room carpet and we got accustomed to the little field mouse or sparrow; once he actually got a seagull (they are larger than you think!) and there was feathers and blood everywhere – signs of a struggle no doubt – or maybe merely cat “play”. What a mess!

Since my articles are about older cats, I will get on with it and tell about my other friends and what happened to everyone in a later chapter.

Next will be a proper article about Health Changes in Aging Cats here in How to Live with Aging Cats.

I hope to hear from you. Please email me at 1catnap@gmail.com


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Cat Longevity and Aging Comparison Table

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Cat Longevity and Ageing Comparison Table


HOW OLD IS YOUR CAT?


Human Years = Kitty Years
6 Months = 10 Years
8 months = 13 years
1 Year = 15 years
2 years = 24 years
4 years = 32 years
6 years = 40 years
8 years = 48 years
10 years = 56 years
12 years = 64 years
15 years = 75 years
18 years = 88 years
20 years = 100 years
30 years = 136 years
Several cats have reached this ripe old age

34-36 years = 152-160 years
There are longevity claims of this age in the
Guinness Book of Records

43 years = 188 years
There are only unverified claims of this occurring.


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For more on the care and maintenance of Living with Older Cats, please return to my Archive: How to Live with Older Cats

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How to Live with Older Cats

Welcome to Living with Older Cats. This post provides tips and techniques for cat owners as their loved best friend ages and both their physical health and psychological wellbeing may change. If you have questions or comments not covered in How to Live with Older Cats, I welcome your emails at 1catnap@gmail.com


Living with an ageing cat is not the same as when they were kittens.

There are special diets, health concerns and stress reduction considerations I want to discuss in this chapter.

First of all, I am not a veterinarian and have no official expertise beyond my own varied experiences during a lifetime of living with my furry friends. I have, you will find, plenty of opinions based on my long experience with having a kitty as a family member. After all, they say that the main ingredient in truth is consensus, and so I agree with myself and hope to hear from you also.



Health Changes in Aging Cats

There are many similarities regarding the health concerns of your aging parents and your aging feline, and many of the same considerations should be given.

First and foremost I recommend regular visits to the vet from an early age on. This will make your cat accustomed to be “put in the box” and she will learn that she will always be returned back to her own territory.

An acutely sick cat does not need to be freaked out by stressful new experience, and it is very important to give her all the shots and also a background history with a vet who then, if there ever is a need, will have a history on his patient.

Longevity remains an issue of genetics as well as early care (just as in us humans). Prevention counts!

Aging is usually slower in female cats, and often the first symptoms are psychological changes (more on that later on). Spaying (female) or neutering (male) your cat can extend its lifespan 1.5 to 2 times longer compared to non-neutered cats.


I love my cats – all of them, past, present and future – and I’ve cared for more than I have fingers and toes.
And they all chose me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that makes me special in any way, I hold the opinion that all cats decide who’s lap they jump up to, and even non-cat-lovers will be the recipient of a soft swish on their trouser leg or an uninvited and often unannounced jump into their lap.


What I mean to say is that I never bought a kitten from a pet store or sought out a purebred for bucco lineage and bucco bucks. All my cats showed up at my back door, sat patiently waiting in my garden, or slunk in when I opened my front door to grab the paper with an urgency and deliberation as if a fox was at their heels.

One sauntered into my kitchen on a sunny summer day when I keep the door open to the garden and seemed to prefer my menu options in the bowls by the stove to her own selection in her own home. This pattern repeated itself all through the summer, and by fall Cleo was part of our cat family and accepted by all members. (No, I did not kidnap her, and Yes, I tried diligently to find her proper owners by posting flyers and inquiring in my neighborhood – all to no avail). So Cleo stayed with us till her end.

Some cats were adopted from friends who couldn’t or wouldn’t care for them anymore. Which brings me to a sore point: the average lifespan of a cat, nowadays, hovers around 20 years, and to “take on” a kitten is surely not an impulse decision and should not be the first pet on your young child’s birthday list. Consider a rabbit instead (I mean nothing derogatory, fact is they have a shorter lifespan with less human attachment).

Owning a cat as a pet is a long-term commitment and shouldn’t be taken lightly, even today with all the pleas from pet shelters. In my experience felines are territorial and even though they may not always show it, they do bond with their “parents”.

The sole queen of our current household is Cinnamon, and she was found 17 years ago in a drawer in an empty file cabinet in my neighbors furniture storage warehouse as a blind, flea infested three-day old fur ball of a kitten.
More on her in a later chapter.

I’m ready for a quick nap, but always happy to hear from you at email
1catnap@gmail.com


Look for Caring for Your Older Cat – part 2 on my next post here at How to Live with Older Cats.