Aging Cat Behavior February 9, 2012 at 4:37 am
With reference to to the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest cat lived to be in its 30’s, but most cats, even ones with protective owners, don’t maintain their health or lifespan that long. It may be surprising to find out that the cat who was a kitten when the owner’s human child was a baby is now its twilight years as the human baby has not even reached maturity. But understanding elderly cat behavior, as well as attention and caring, can ease the old cat’s passage into their latter years and that last cat run.
Cats retain their dignified carriage into old age, though they do have lower activity levels. Their movements become less graceful and the coat may not appear as healthy. They may sleep more and more in their favorite warm location or in the laundry bin. Other than this, elderly cat behavior is a lot like younger cat behavior.
Senior cats still purr with contentment, knead the laps of their persons and feel like kittens when they’re cuddled. They will still play with their toys, but without as much enthusiasm as they did when they were younger. They might even catch a bug or a moth occasionally. It’s important for more mature cats to get their exercising to keep their joints from becoming too stiff and their muscles from losing their strength. The older cat may keep its hunting instincts, but will lose some hearing and sharpness of sight and speed. So older cats who are allowed to roam are more susceptible to attacks by hawks, coyotes or even dogs.
The guardian should pay particular attention to an older cat’s teeth and gums, and if the cat tolerates it the guardian might brush their teeth occasionally. If the cat won’t put up with it, the owner might give it some meat occasionally, to help with keeping the teeth clean. If the teeth have to be removed, the cat can still manage soft food. The addition of fiber to the meal also helps to keep cats’ bowels working normally. By the way, sometimes an old cat might miss the litter box. It’s important that the litter box be cleaned and the litter replaced fairly regularly. Older cats can be particular about a box that’s dirty.
Other signs to watch out for in an elderly cat are:
Loss of appetite
This may be because their mouths are hurting because of periodontal disease, or loose teeth.
Increased thirst
This could be a sign of kidney or liver issues, or even diabetes.
Stool that’s too hard or too soft
This might be a sign of a difficulty with the GI track.
Incontinence
This can be because the bladder is paralyzed, or that the more mature cat has a case of cystitis. Cystitis can be treated fairly simply, however.
Lumps and Bumps
These may be harmless, but the owner needs to watch them. If they change in shape or grow they might be tumors.
Many more mature cats also begin to lose kidney function, a consequence of their high protein diet. The weaker kidneys cause the cat lose weight. Sometimes the diet can be altered, but there will come the day when the guardian will have to discuss with the veterinarian what to do about a cat who’s clearly losing its strength and will to live.
When the time occurs to say goodbye, the cat guardian who has been good, loving and responsible will be sad, but will know they’ve done all they could to give their old cat a good, long and satisfying life.
Author Arlene McKanic is a cat expert and sometime writer for upscalecats.com. For complementary information about older cat health issues and how to deal with them, please reference Steven Fletcher’s article entitled “Older Cats Health.”