Caring for the older cat

Cats show few of the obvious signs of ageing associated with dogs, such as greying of the fur in the case of black cats. As a result it is often harder to detect signs of ageing, but you must keep a close eye on your cat as it grows older. While it will probably not be possible to reverse the symptoms of old age, much can be done to offset the worse effects and allow a cat to maintain a fairly active life. Recent advances in feline geriatric medicine are confirmed by the fact that nearly 30 of every 200 cats in the USA are now at least 15 years old. Once your cat reaches the age of eight, take it for a twice-yearly check-up with your vet, who will be able to detect any problems at an early stage.

 

DENTAL PROBLEMS

Older cats are naturally less active than kittens and their metabolism also slows down, leaving them at greater risk of obesity. If, in contrast, your cat is proving to be rather a finicky eater, this may not even be linked with its food but could well be the result of a dental problem. Your vet will examine your cat’s teeth at its regular check-ups, and will de-scale them and give treatment for gum disease if necessary.

 

KIDNEY DISEASE

Bad breath is often linked with tooth decay, but it can also be a sign of kidney disease. This will affect all older cats to some extent, but only once the functioning capacity of the kidneys falls significantly will signs of illness become apparent. The kidneys will then be unable to concentrate the urine as much as when the cat was younger, so the cat is likely to produce larger volumes of urine.

 

This increased output will also affect the cat’s water intake because it will require more fluid, so if you feed your cat on dry food it may be better to switch to a canned food containing a higher percentage of water. Special foods are also now available to meet the changing nutritional needs of older cats. A cat with failing kidneys is likely to be at greater risk of suffering a deficiency of water-soluble vitamins, which are lost through the kidneys, so giving a vitamin B supplement in particular is likely to be useful (ask your vet for further advice on this).

 

FUR BALLS

Older cats are probably at the greatest risk of suffering from fur balls because their digestive systems are less efficient, so you must groom your cat regularly to remove loose hair from the coat before it can be swallowed and form a solid mat in the stomach. An affected cat will only eat small quantities of food because of the obstruction, while still appearing to be hungry and returning to its food. Your vet will prescribe a laxative to overcome the blockage, although surgery will be necessary in a serious case.

 

Bad teeth and inflamed gums are not uncommon in older cats. If you feed your cat on dry food and it loses some of its teeth, you may need to change at this stage to offering canned food, which is softer and will be easier to eat.

 

OVERGROWN CLAWS

Your older cat is likely to be less active and will not climb trees as it used to do, so its claws may become overgrown. A typical sign of this is if the cat appears to experience difficulty in freeing itself from the fabric in its bed, indicating that the claws may have become slightly hooked at their tips (this is seen more frequently with the front claws).

 

If your cat’s claws are overgrown they will need to be trimmed with special clippers (ordinary scissors may split the claws rather than cutting cleanly through them). If you do this yourself, be sure to cut beyond the point at which the pinkish streak in the claw disappears towards its tip, or it will bleed. If you are not confident about cutting your cat’s claws, ask your vet to do it for you.

 

LEAVING YOUR OLDER CAT

An older cat can present a problem at holiday times, as it may not settle well at a cattery. You may be able to persuade a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your pet and to provide food and water in your absence. This will avoid any major disruptions to the cat’s lifestyle, but is not the same as having company at home; and visiting care will only work if your cat is used to letting itself in and out via a cat flap.

 

A very good option, especially if you have a number of pets, may be to arrange for a home-sitter to stay in your house while you are away. However, be sure to use only a reputable agency – ideally, one recommended by word of mouth – which chooses staff carefully and offers insurance in case of any mishaps.

 

HYPERTENSION

There is now a growing awareness among vets of the significance of blood-pressure readings taken from older cats suffering from organ damage. Raised blood pressure occurs in approximately two-thirds of all cats with kidney failure, and can result in other symptoms such as hypertensive retinopathy (a degeneration of the retina at the back of the eye on which the image falls, caused by high blood pressure).

 

Treatment of hypertension in cats is not yet particularly advanced, but drugs such as beta blockers – which are used for the same condition in humans – can help to alleviate the symptoms. These are frequently used in conjunction with a low-sodium diet, which is also recommended to support the failing kidneys.

 

An older cat may often be reluctant to venture far outside when the weather is wet or cold, preferring instead to pass its time sleeping.

 

One of the pleasures of owning a cat is that it will remain playful and active right up until the end of its life. Be sure to keep your cat’s vaccinations up to date as it grows older, because its immune system may be less able to resist infections at this stage of life.