Aging in cats can be a very individual process, just as it is in humans, but generally speaking, most cats are considered to be entering the senior years at 8 years of age, and are categorized as being geriatric once they are 10 years old.
Many aspects of caring for your cat change once they enter their geriatric years, including the expense of their veterinary care: this is something to be aware of in advance so that you can be sure to be able to provide the necessary medical care that they may require. Just like in humans, diseases of all kinds become more prevalent with age. Dental disease is a particularly commonly seen issue in older cats, and maintaining your older cat's dental health is both essential, and rather costly.
To begin with, your veterinarian will likely start recommending that annual, or even semi-annual, health screening tests be performed at your cat's regular physical exam times. These diagnostic tests will include blood pressure measurement, blood tests, urine tests, and sometimes survey x-rays as well.
The purpose of these tests is to assess overall organ function and health, and check for many common problems that are seen as cats age. For example, these blood tests generally include thyroid hormone levels, electrolyte levels, a total blood protein value, blood sugar, kidney values, liver enzyme levels, red blood cell and white blood cell counts, platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, etc. The urinalysis is used to help interpret the kidney blood values, and also to detect bladder or kidney infections, liver dysfunction, and diabetes. Blood pressure measurement is very important in older cats, because elevated blood pressure is seen quite frequently with diseases that are commonly seen in aging cats, and like humans, high blood pressure is considered to be a 'silent killer' (despite the fact that it occurs in cats for different reasons than in humans).
Survey x-rays are also invaluable, particularly in obese cats; as cats get older and older, their physical exams become of greater and greater importance, particularly for the detection of masses and diseased organs. However, because obesity in cats greatly limits what can be detected on physical exam, survey x-rays can help provide a better overview of organ shape and size than can be obtained on physical exam.
If your geriatric cat becomes ill with kidney insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, or other diseases, your veterinarian will treat your cat accordingly, and will advise you on what treatments can be done both in the clinic and at home to manage your cat's disease. More frequent examinations and tests may be recommended if your cat has been diagnosed with a health problem.
Even if your elderly cat has received a clean bill of health from the veterinarian, there are still methods with which you can provide your geriatric cat with greater daily comfort and improved quality of life. Some important techniques you can implement at home are discussed below.
Diet
Your geriatric cat should be fed an appropriate diet, and your veterinarian can give you samples for your cat to try, or make recommendations about suitable commercial diets available
Mature cat diets generally have more restricted protein levels in comparison with adult cat diets, and you will want to be cautious not to over-restrict your cat's protein intake since some geriatric diets will do so
Many geriatric cat diets are restricted in phosphorus and sodium levels in case of the presence of kidney insufficiency, hypertension, and/or heart disease
Geriatric diets often have increased fiber levels to help with slowing intestinal motility and encourage healthy daily bowel movements
Geriatric cats should be fed highly palatable canned food to optimize hydration status, particularly because renal insufficiency, which can result in dehydration and constipation, is so common in cats as they age
Access to the essentials
Geriatric cats often become less easily mobile due to decreased muscle tone and the onset of arthritis
It is important that geriatric cats have easy access to food and water dishes, as well as to their litter boxes
Weight loss and dehydration are common in older cats, so having food and water dishes on all floors of the home is important to encourage optimal intake at all times
Having comfortable access to litter boxes is necessary, which also means having access on all floors - geriatric cats that are forced to contend with staircases and longer distances to reach their litter boxes, may or may not end up doing their business in their boxes
Arthritis
Many geriatric do gradually 'slow down' as the years go by, and frequently we are too fast to assume that this is a regular part of the aging process
Well, it is a 'normal' part of the aging process in the sense that older cats are quite prone to developing arthritis, similarly to humans
However, arthritis is an ailment that all too frequently goes untreated in our feline family members, and it is well worth inquiring about pain management and nutrient supplementation for your cat with your cat's veterinarian - while we are unfortunately rather limited in the types of medications available and safe for long term usage in cats, there are some options that may be tried, and it can be amazing the transformation that can take place in your older kitty once it experiences relief from the chronic pain that arthritis imposes on them
Providing your arthritic cat with steps or boxes with which they can more easily access the bed and the couch, rather than needing to struggle to jump up or down onto them, can greatly decrease daily stress levels and also help avoid self-injury from an unsuccessful jump
Litter boxes themselves not only need to be placed in easily accessible locations, but they also need to be amenable to easy entry and exit for the geriatric cat - jumping in and out of litter boxes becomes more challenging as age progresses, and having roomy litter boxes with shallow entrances becomes more and more important
Monitoring Behavior
While your veterinarian will review your cat's behavior with you at its geriatric wellness exam, it is important for you to monitor your cat at home for any behavioral changes and bring your cat in for an appointment if you note any changes
The reason that behavior in older cats is so important, is because it is very commonly associated with underlying medical problems, despite the fact that the changes may seem 'personality'-related
Changes to watch for include differences in activity levels, alterations in sleeping habits, increased or decreased vocalization, increased or decreased appetite, increased thirst, increased socialization with people within the household, or conversely, withdrawal from the people in the house, increased irritability, aggression, and decreases in grooming behavior
Dental Care
Dental disease can easily lead to kidney and heart disease, systemic infections, and significant pain for your geriatric cat, and maintaining your cat's oral health will be one of the most important aspects of prolonging your cat's quantity and quality of life
Older cats with dental disease will not stop eating, contrary to popular belief, because to stop eating means to starve to death
Many owners expect that their cats will let them know, or will show symptoms, if they have dental discomfort, but this is simply not the case - animal instinct dictates survival above all else, and so cats that experience even severe daily dental pain will continue to eat, because doing so means that they will continue to live
While dental care for your cat is quite expensive, as it is for humans as well, it is one of the most important aspects of taking good care of your older cat, and ensuring that it is not suffering - it is an expense to consider before ever adopting a cat, and one that is well worth the investment once you are caring for your elderly cat
While this summary provides some good pointers on caring for your elderly cat, it is not a comprehensive list of all aspects of geriatric health care, and should you have any questions or concerns about the health of your geriatric kitty, it is best to contact your veterinarian to inquire about your concerns.
To read more articles written by Veterinarian Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com
The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian. © 2011 K & J Ventures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.
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