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General Practice Service
Willows Information Sheets
Looking after your senior cat
Looking after your senior cat
What to expect when your cat is showing signs of ageing
As in humans, the effects of the ageing process will vary with each individual cat. The first signs
of ageing start anywhere between the ages of 7 and 11 in most cats. Cats over 14 years old are
considered geriatric, although many live well beyond that age.
The first sign of ageing is often a general decrease in activity combined with a tendency to sleep
more. Older cat’s bodies are not as mobile and reflexes not as quick as they once were. Hearing,
eyesight and the sense of smell and taste may deteriorate gradually. Many elderly cats eventually
develop signs of senility with loss of memory, reduced ability to cope with changes in their routine,
increased vocalisation, or inappropriate urination or defaecation.
Sooner or later significant changes will occur which require attention and should not be accepted as
‘just due to old age’. These changes are signs of disease or discomfort and may be sorted out or made
better with some care. If you are in any doubt, please arrange an appointment with us to discuss any
concerns you may have.
© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE
Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070
How to keep your senior cat comfortable
Older cats are fond of their regular routine and like to live a
peaceful life.
They are often less able or willing to groom and look after their nails.
This can be ‘just’ due to ageing but may actually be a sign of arthritis
or toothache. If you are worried about the possibility of underlying
pain, please arrange to have your cat checked at the surgery. Reduced
nail care can lead to the nails growing too long and, as they are curved,
they can grow into the cat’s paw, which is very painful and leads
to infections. It may therefore be necessary to start trimming older
cat’s nails on a regular basis. Grooming is very important for cats,
so when this is no longer possible or easy, it greatly improves an
elderly cat’s wellbeing if the owner assists with it. The eyes and ears
may need to be wiped more regularly. Brushing is also advisable,
both for comfort and also because poor coats can make a cat less
resistant to cold and wet. Thin cats or cats with arthritis may find
being groomed with normal combs or brushes painful, and they
may object! In these circumstances try using a soft baby brush for
grooming. If matted parts of the coat cannot be teased out, they
may need to be cut, but this should be done very carefully as older
cat’s skin can be very thin and is easily cut away with the matted
hair. If you are in any doubt about this please ask us for assistance.
Cats with deteriorating eyesight or hearing may be more easily startled
or may fail to respond at times, so you need to be understanding and
make allowances for this. Affected cats may also be more accident-
prone. When you initially notice such changes, please book an
appointment for your pet to have a health check. Whilst sometimes
just being related to ageing, deteriorating eyesight in particular can
be a sign of disease, which may lead to total blindness when not
treated promptly. Poor vision in older cats can also be associated with
other treatable problems such as high blood pressure, so having your
cat examined by the vet is very important under such circumstances.
Older cats need warm and soft bedding for a comfortable nap. Please
make sure your cat has a personal place to retire to and is left undisturbed
by other family members and pets when he/she is in this private bed
– older cats may well be less patient when disturbed!
Regular exercise is important to prevent stiffness and loss of muscle
mass. Older cats often suffer from arthritis, but as they are rarely lame,
it is difficult for owners to recognize that they are in pain. Please book
an appointment if you feel that your cat’s activity level has dropped,
so that we can assess whether chronic pain plays a role. This can
significantly reduce your cat’s quality of life and also make him/her
grumpy when groomed or cuddled, but the good news is that we are
now able to treat chronic pain in cats much better than previously.
Bladder and bowel function can deteriorate with age, and jumping
through the cat flap on arthritic joints to go to the toilet in cold and
wet weather may be not something an elderly cat looks forward
to. It is therefore a good idea to provide litter trays if you have not
done so already. This also gives you the chance to monitor the trays
and, therefore, your cat, for signs of urinary problems or constipation,
which can be troublesome in older cats.
Nutrition
Nutrition plays an important part in helping your senior cat to
stay healthy.
Eating Some cats tend to put on weight as they get older, usually because
they are less active and spend more time sleeping. Excess weight
can worsen health problems such as heart disease or arthritis, so if
you feel your cat is overweight please consult us about how to get
rid of those extra pounds.
Other cats have the opposite problem and lose weight. This is
sometimes just because their senses of smell and taste deteriorate –
as cats depend very much on these senses, affected individuals may
eat less because they feel their food is less tasty. Often, however, the
weight loss is due to an underlying chronic disease or ‘wear and tear’
on the body and may initially be the only sign of problems. If your
cat starts to lose weight, it is advisable to arrange an appointment at
the surgery.
Generally, it is fine to feed elderly cats normal cat food or food
designed for senior cats. However, if your cat has been diagnosed
with one of a number of diseases (e.g. kidney problems) you may
need to feed a prescription diet. This is a complete food especially
designed to reduce signs of the disease and to delay deterioration.
Different prescription diets are available for a number of conditions –
we will advise you which one is best for your pet.
DrinkingAs many older cats tend to drink less, a tinned diet with a higher
water content may be preferable in some cases. Fresh drinking water
should always be available – some cats drink more when a drinking
fountain is offered.
Some older cats start to drink more than they used to and this is
usually a sign of a developing disease. It is advisable to arrange an
appointment with us if your cat seems more thirsty than normal.
Preventative healthcare
Older cats are more prone to disease and, as prevention is usually
better than cure, it is a good idea to start thinking about the health
of your older cat before signs of disease are obvious.
© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE
Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070
Older cats’ immune systems become less efficient, infections are
picked up more easily and the body has more trouble to fight them.
In view of this regular booster vaccinations are still advisable in
senior cats. (See Vaccination in cats information sheet).
Regular worming is also advisable, even though sometimes the
intervals between worming can be increased when older cats
stop hunting and tend to stay indoors. (See Worming your cat
information sheet).
We perform yearly health checks for any cat that comes for annual
vaccinations, but in older cats more frequent health checks may be
advisable. Additional tests such as blood pressure measurements,
urine or faecal analysis, and/or blood tests are sometimes beneficial
and will be discussed with you on an individual basis.
Many diseases of older cats are due to wear and tear on their organs.
The onset of symptoms is often slow and insidious and it is easy to
miss early signs. Subtle signs such as weight loss, increased drinking
or a change in appetite or behaviour, even if mild, should prompt
you to arrange an appointment. Often such diseases can be much
better controlled when they are diagnosed early.
Many older cats are in chronic pain due to tooth problems or arthritis.
Even if the pain is not severe enough for them to stop eating or be
obviously unwell, constant low grade pain reduces their quality of life
considerably, just as it would for a human. We can usually help, and
many owners are amazed at the improvement in behaviour and wellbeing
of their cats after the problem has been sorted out or controlled.
Common health problems
Arthritis
Recently it has been shown that arthritis is actually very common in
older cats. However, cats rarely go lame – they usually show much
more subtle signs of the problem such as stiffness or reluctance to
jump. Some cats show no joint related signs at all, but just become
grumpy, stop grooming or even go off their food. Several options are
available to help cats with arthritis, so please contact us for advice
and/or mention those subtle signs when you next see us for an
appointment. (See Arthritis information sheet).
Dental disease
Dental problems are very common in older cats but affected
individuals often soldier on very bravely even when their problems
are quite severe. Cats rarely show obvious signs of pain or stop
eating. Other, less obvious signs of dental disease include salivation,
reduced grooming, reduced activity or grumpiness. If dental problems
are diagnosed, then it is usually necessary to treat the teeth under
general anaesthesia. Tartar (which can become very severe in cats) is
scaled off with the help of ultrasonic equipment and the teeth are
polished. All diseased teeth are removed – fillings are very rarely
performed in cats. Many people feel worried about general anaesthesia
for their elderly pets. However, even though it is true that every
general anaesthetic carries a certain risk, anaesthesia is much safer
now than it used to be and we can take steps, such as the use of
intravenous drips and blood testing prior to anaesthesia, to lower
the risk even further. We will discuss these issues with you when you
bring your cat for a dental check up. Many owners are impressed by
how much happier their cats are after dental treatment. (See Dental
care for dogs and cats information sheet)
Hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid gland
This disease is very common among older cats and leads to deterioration
of the whole body due to an abnormally rapid metabolic rate. Its onset
is usually very subtle and many people put initial symptoms such as
weight loss, increased appetite or thirst, down to old age. Although
an overactive thyroid gland is potentially serious, is can be treated
in several ways and the disease can usually be controlled or cured
before it shortens the life-span of your pet. (See Hyperthyroidism
information sheet).
Kidney disease
Most people know that kidney disease is quite common among older
cats. It usually develops due to wear and tear on the kidneys and
cannot be cured. However, if we diagnose the disease early we can
usually take steps to slow down the progression of the disease and
allow patients a longer and better quality of life. (See Chronic kidney
disease information sheet).
Heart disease
The heart is another organ that is put through a lot of wear and tear
throughout the life of a cat, so we do see heart problems in older cats
on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we often diagnose heart disease in cats
at a much later stage than in dogs because cats lead such a relaxed
life that problems in heart function are often seen only when the
heart is severely diseased. We usually have to do some tests to find
out exactly which disease affects the patient’s heart and to find the
right medication. Once on medication, some cats can lead a very happy
life for several years, although unfortunately other cases may be
diagnosed so late that the heart cannot stabilise, even with appropriate
medication. Signs of heart disease to look out for are reduced activity,
weight loss and breathing problems, such as fast or very heavy breathing.
Unlike dogs, cats with heart disease rarely cough.
Diabetes mellitus
Sugar diabetes is quite common among older cats, particularly
when they are overweight. Cats are the only animals in which sugar
diabetes can occasionally be cured by slimming them down to
normal weight. Many diabetic cats, however, need to be on regular
insulin injections, which they usually adapt to surprisingly well. Early
signs of diabetes are again subtle and mild, for example weight loss,
increased hunger and thirst. Blood and urine tests are necessary to
diagnose the disease. Once stabilised, diabetic cats can have a very
good quality of life. (See Diabetes mellitus information sheet).
© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE
Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070
Lumps and bumps
As cats get older, they are more prone to develop lumps or growths.
Some of those are nothing to worry about, but others unfortunately
are cancerous. It is advisable to book an appointment as soon as possible
if your cat develops new lumps anywhere on his/her body – it is
important to remember that we may be able to just reassure you
that everything is fine. Often we recommend a fine-needle biopsy,
a simple and painless procedure which does not require sedation
or anaesthesia. Should we find that the lump is not completely
benign we may still be able to offer treatment by surgery and/or
medication in order to improve your cat’s quality of life and his/her
life expectancy. The sooner such problems are addressed, the better.
Dementia/senile brain changes
With improved nutrition, better living conditions and veterinary care,
many cats become very old these days, and as a result we see more
and more cats with signs of dementia and reduced brain function
due to ageing. Aggression, confusion, a reduced ability to cope
with stress or changes in their routine, frequent – and sometimes
loud – vocalisation and urinating or defaecating in inappropriate
places are among the signs that can point towards senile changes in
elderly cat’s brains. Some cats can also show loss of memory and for
example demand to be fed shortly after they have had a good meal,
simply because they have forgotten they have had it. Of course we
cannot turn the clock back, but it makes sense to try your cat on
dietary supplements or gentle medication to hopefully improve the
brain function in such cases.
If you have any queries or concerns about your elderly cat, please
do not hesitate to contact us.
© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE
Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070
General Practice Service
www.willows.uk.net
The information contained is proprietary to Willows Veterinary Centre
& Referral Service and may not be modified, reproduced, distributed
or utilised in any manner in whole or in part, without the express prior
written permission of Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service.