Oct. 28/2020

 

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6 Tips for Caring for Senior Cats

“With good care—& good luck—our cats can live well into their late teens, & even their 20s. But as cats age, their physical & behavioral needs change. 

While these changes are obvious as your kitten matures into an adult cat, the changes when your cat transitions from an adult to a senior—starting at 11 years old—can be harder to spot.

Here are the top 6 ways to care for aging cats.

1. Pay Extra Attention to Your Senior Cat’s Diet

Senior cats have unique dietary & behavioral needs. It is more important than ever for your cat to be a healthy weight to maintain optimum health…

A cat’s digestion is also improved by feeding them small, frequent meals throughout the day & night. Measure your cat’s daily food & distribute it in small portions…

2. Increase Your Cat’s Access to Water

As cats age, they are prone to constipation & kidney disease, especially if they are not staying hydrated enough.

Increase your senior cat’s water intake by providing canned food & more options for drinking water.

As your cat gets older, they might not be able to jump up on to counters or access the usual water dish. Add more water stations around the house with plenty of bowls &/or pet water fountains to entice your senior cat to drink more.

3. Know & Keep an Eye Out for the Subtle Signs of Pain in Cats

Cats are masters at hiding their pain. As many as 9 out of 10 senior cats show evidence of arthritis when X-rayed, yet most of us with senior cats have no idea.

The most important thing you can do to prevent the pain from arthritis is to keep your cat at healthy weight. As little as a pound or 2 of excess weight can significantly increase the pain of sore joints...

4. Don’t Neglect Your Cat’s Dental Health

Dental disease is very common in aging cats. Cats can get painful holes in their teeth, broken teeth, gum disease, & oral tumors that significantly affect their quality of life.

Infections in the mouth enter the bloodstream & can slowly affect the liver, kidneys, & heart. So paying attention to your cat’s dental health is essential to caring for them during their senior years…

A thorough veterinary exam & routine dental care can drastically improve your cat’s quality of life, & can even extend their lifespan.

5. Give Senior Cats Daily Exercise & Mental Stimulation

Environmental enrichment is an essential part of your cat’s quality of life.

All cats need places to climb, places to hide, things to scratch, & ways to hunt & play. All of these things will help your cat stay physically & mentally stimulated as well as healthy.

However, as your cat ages, providing these things may require some extra thought. Your cat’s mobility may become more limited, so you will need to make your home more accessible so that it’s easier on their older joints.

For example, a carpeted cat ramp can act as a scratching post as well as a climbing aid for cats with arthritis. A covered cat bed can give aging cats a cozy, warm place to hide that also helps to soothe sore joints & muscles. You can move their food & water bowls to more accessible locations on the ground instead of on tables or counters.

6. Don’t Skimp on Biannual Vet Visits

Finally, & most importantly, maintaining a good relationship with your veterinarian is critical when discussing care & quality of life for your cat in their senior years. Ideally, cats over 11 years of age should see the veterinarian every 6 months.

Blood work done during these visits can detect the onset of health issues—like kidney disease—while there’s still time to make medical changes that will improve & extend your cat’s life.

Weighing your cat twice a year will also show trends in weight loss or gain that can be valuable clues to overall health changes. And oral exams will detect dental disease before it negatively impacts your cat’s health.”

Reviewed by Dr. Liz Bales, VMD

Petmd.com

Sept. 21/2012

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