Caring for Your Senior Cat | Vet Tips

I'll admit it it's not a secret anymore my favorite patients are senior cats in this video I'm going to talk through a few top tips for caring for your favorite feline as they get older so they stay the happiest healthiest versions of themselves tip number one age is not a disease well yes it's true certain disease processes tend to be more likely to pop up as our pets get older aging itself is not a disease that just happens and doesn't need to be addressed many conditions we diagnose in our senior cats can in fact be well managed and significantly improve their quality of life tip number two keep up with your veterinarian all cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of disease so sometimes the only way you'll know if something's wrong is by taking them to see the vet regularly typically after the age of about 7 to 8 we like to recommend cats be seen at least twice yearly for an exam rather than once a year these trips will likely be more frequent if your cat has a health condition that's chronic now routine vet checkups can catch symptoms that have been missed for example a cat becoming less active may be a sign of something like joint pain from arthritis similarly a lack of appetite could be due to several issues including common senior cat ailments like dental problems or kidney disease other common diseases that can affect an older cat include things like hyperthyroidism high blood pressure diabetes gastrointestinal inflammation cognitive decline weight issues and cancer a full health screening will typically include things like blood and urine tests a blood pressure check and potentially Imaging like x-ray or ultrasound these could catch some diseases even before they show clinical signs and allow us to start making a plan on how to best address it these tools are also how we can search for the cause of a problem if a cat is showing symptoms at home an important note for pet owners often times most of our senior Kitty diseases present with the same few General symptoms which is why vets need to use the tools I mentioned to help determine the cause when I say General I mean very vague these symptoms include a decrease in or loss of appetite lethargy weight loss Andor vomiting if you notice these symptoms in your senior cat or any age cat for that matter please consult with your vet for an assessment don't forget the vaccination and parasite prevention are still important to keep your senior cat safe just because they're aging doesn't mean they aren't susceptible to infectious disease your vet can help you decide what regimen is best for your cat based on their health and their lifestyle tip number three watch their weight as they get older you may notice your cat's weight change they may start putting on weight even if you're feeding them the same on the flip side senior cats can also be prone to losing weight and muscle mass for a variety of reasons with any change in weight it's important to consult your veterinarian to determine the cause and get recommendations on what actions should be taken if your cat is losing weight it could be that they may just need some adjustments to how or what they are fed that being said a vast majority of our common senior cat diseases can present with weight loss as the symptom or complaint from the owner so it's essential that you get them checked out before making any changes to their diet now weight gain could be due to decreased activity levels and a slower metabolism your veterinarian May suggest a tailored weight loss plan or a switch to a commercial food that's balanced specifically for mature cats and or weight loss I talk about changes like this in more detail in our video on senior pet diets older cats are more prone to dehydration especially if they have a chronic condition such as kidney disease or diabetes so I really encourage owners to make sure that they have easy access to plenty of fresh water at all times number four exercise regular activity is still very important for senior cats to keep them in a healthy body condition and to maintain their muscle mass which helps to keep them jumping and climbing short burst of play with their favorite toys like Mouse on a string or time with a puzzle feeder are great for keeping senior cats active and mentally stimulated caos are also a great way to give an indoor cat space to climb and play keep your play sessions short and sweet if your older cat has a joint issue their exercise limit may be lower than before so follow their lead if they want to stop number five make your home accessible whether or not your senior cat is struggling with their Mobility moving all of their Essentials like food water and their litter tray onto one level of your home can be a big help to them you may also find that a senior cat has less control over their bowels and bladder so it's a good idea to provide additional litter trays in different areas of your house particularly litter trays with lower sides help make it more accessible when they start to get painful senior cats tend to like routine and predictability less stress so if you move their items to help them make sure it's a gradual process keeping them familiar with the layout can also help cats with vision problems as can nightlights this also Rings true for cats with cognitive dysfunction or hearing loss familiarity is extremely beneficial your vet can also help give you additional ideas for support of cats showing signs of cognitive decline if your kitty has a favorite spot that they're now having trouble reaching then you can provide them with an easier way to get there and this can mean things like Steps platforms or ramps number six a assisting with grooming cats typically are very good at self- grooming but as they get older this can become more difficult it's harder for them to reach certain areas because of Mobility changes and pain and the composition of their saliva tends to change and get thicker as they age some gentle brushing or combing can remove Loose Hair which can be especially helpful for those long-haired breeds whose fur can get matted so let's wrap up with some good news cats are living longer than ever due to the advances in medicine nutrition and an uptick in indoor only cats it's been more common for cats to be living well into their late teens one of my first patients ever as a vet at my feline only practice was a 22-year-old cat I had just turned 25 and the owner joked that the cat was almost the same age as me because our companions have the potential to live so many great years it's essential that senior cat parents monitor their cats closely and arm themselves with the knowledge to help our cats thrive