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Keeping Your Older Cat Healthy

As your cat enters old age, decreases in organ function are inevitable as the cumulative effects of everyday living begin to take their toll. You don't expect an older cat to run around like a kitten, nor should you expect its internal organs to function as efficiently. Older cat health problems can be mental as well as physical: Cat behavior often changes with age and, in some instances, it's quite possible for an old cat to exhibit signs of senility.

Age and the Older Cat
With proper health care, many cats can live into their late teens or early twenties. Check your cat's age against the list below to see how old he is in human terms.
  • A 1-year-old cat is similar to a 15-year-old human.
  • At age 2, your cat's age is equivalent to 25 human years.
  • After age 3, add four human years for every year above age 2.
Thus, to calculate the human equivalent for your 12-year-old cat, add 10 X 4 = 40, plus 25, or 65 years.

Older Cat Health Issues
Arthritis affects cats just as it does humans, and can compromise a cat's quality of life. In addition to the pain that comes from joint inflammation, the cat's mobility is affected. Cats with arthritis can't jump up onto beds and other raised surfaces as easily as they used to (For one old cat who loved to snooze on the bed, I moved a low chest next to the bed so she didn't have to jump as high).

Covered litter boxes can also cause trouble for arthritic cats who have trouble getting through the box opening. In severe cases, the arthritis can even affect feeding, leading to cat weight loss. If your cat has difficulty lowering herself to her food and water dishes, place the bowls on a thick phone book to make it easier for her to feed.

Older cats sometimes produce excessive thyroid hormones. Left unchecked, the excess hormones can lead to cat weight loss and damage to internal organs, particularly the heart. Symptoms may include weight loss, but not always. Sudden weight changes and behavioral changes such as restlessness or aggression may indicate a cat with excessive thyroid hormones.

Weight Loss
Sudden fluctuations in weight (either increases or decreases) may indicate a variety of health problems in older cats. Hyperthyroidism, kidney problems or other internal organ problems may cause sudden weight loss. On the other side of the coin, obesity can strain and overwork an older cat's heart, organs and musculoskeletal system. Monitor your cat's weight, and report sudden changes to your vet.

Hair Loss
Cat hair loss and some decline in coat quality occurs with all older cats to some degree. As the cat ages, the fur becomes more sparse, and often the cat requires more help grooming. Check your cat occasionally: Hair loss that leaves bald patches may indicate parasites, hormone problems or infections.

Senile Cat Behavior
Senile cats often display certain behavior patterns. Meowing for no reason is quite common, and can be nerve wracking (It's 3:00 am, and you've got a cat yowling in the hallway because she thinks she's lost). Wandering and restlessness are also common. Cat aggression may increase as your cat experiences some loss of mental sharpness associated with aging.

Look for these behaviors in your elderly cat if you suspect she's senile:
  • constant meowing
  • wandering
  • staring into space
  • forgetting to use the litter box
  • yowling
  • restlessness
  • aggression
  • skittishness.
Many of the symptoms of feline senility can also indicate physical problems. Is the cat yowling because she's senile, or does the meowing indicate that she's in pain? Wandering and restlessness might indicate that she can't settle down comfortably because of physical discomfort. The same can be said for cat aggression: A sudden change may indicate a health problem. Have your vet decide what's causing the behavioral change.

If the cat's strange behavior doesn't have a physical cause, you might try some behavior modification. Cats who forget how to use the litter can be retrained: Shutting them in a small room with the litter often reminds them what it's for! Cat yowling, restlessness and wandering may indicate nervous problems. Some of these problems can be alleviated with medication.

In all cases, your veterinarian has extensive knowledge about aging cats and can help you decide on the best course of action.
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