Senior Cat Care – Special Considerations for Cats

There are now more pet cats than dogs in the North America. 

Improved nutrition, prevention of infectious disease and advances in veterinary medical care have resulted in our cats living longer and healthier lives.What are some of the changes that occur in aging cats?

"Lack of exercise can result in a fall in energy requirements of up to 40%."

• Many aging cats are affected by osteoarthritis, which contributes to a lack of activity. The lack of activity then contributes to stiffening of the joints and worsens the symptoms of arthritis.
• Reduction in exercise may result in reduced muscle tone, which may further reduce the cat's ability to jump, climb or exercise.
• When coupled with reduced activity, common in older individuals, this lack of exercise can result in a fall in energy requirements of up to 40%. If a cat maintains a good appetite, its daily food intake must be reduced to prevent excessive weight gain that can cause obesity-related health issues.
• Inappetence or lack of desire to eat may develop in some senior cats, since the senses of smell and taste become dull with age.
• Periodontal (dental) disease is common in senior cats, and may contribute to inappetance.

Does my senior cat still need to have regular booster vaccinations?

Immune function deteriorates with age. This may in turn result in a reduced ability to fight infection or destroy neoplastic (cancer) cells. However, if your cat's lifestyle means that it has a low risk of contracting certain of the common preventable diseases, your veterinarian will advise you on the most appropriate vaccination program for your cat based on its physical condition and lifestyle.

What diseases do senior cats commonly get?

"In older patients diagnosis and treatment may be complicated by several concurrent disease processes."

The major health problems seen in older cats are:

• Obesity
• Periodontal disease
• Hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Neoplasia or cancer
• Infections such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
• Osteoarthritis

You should remember that, while young cats usually have only one disorder at a time, this is often not the case in older patients, where diagnosis and treatment may be complicated by several concurrent disease processes.

What can I do to make my senior cat as happy as possible?

Most cats age gracefully and require very little. Since older cats do not generally respond well to change, it is important that any changes be introduced slowly. Elderly cats should have easy access to a warm and comfortable bed, situated where the cat can sleep safely without fear of disturbance.

You should feed your older cat a high quality, easily digestible food such as a veterinary brand senior diet.

Geriatric cats should always have easy access to fresh drinking water.

My veterinarian mentioned a Early Detection Tests. What does this involve?

"The earlier we can diagnose a disease, the more the likelihood that we can slow or reverse it."

The aim of early detection tests is to maintain the quality of the patient's life and to slow the progression of age-related disease. Because most of the chronic diseases we see in senior cats are slow to progress, early recognition is usually only possible through diagnostic tests. The earlier we can diagnose a disease, the more the likelihood that we can slow or reverse its progression and maintain a longer period of high quality of life for your senior cat. Senior cats should have regular health checks (every six months).

While it is true that "old age is not a disease", older patients do merit special attention. This is important so that if your cat develops disease, we can recognize and treat it as early as possible, thereby maintaining its quality of life for as long as possible.