http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-your-cat-senile.html
Is Your Cat Senile?
On the outside, our felines often look younger than their physical years. But cats, sadly, are not immune to cognitive dysfunction. Some do indeed become senile in their senior years. I always assumed my 20 year old cat was senile–lots of deep meooowing and copious amounts of time spent staring at the wall–but I never really knew for sure, until I read about cats and senility in The Cat Behavior Answer Book (Storey Publishing, 2007). Here, author Arden Moore addresses the issue of aging cats.
If you notice excessive yowling and confusion, you should have your senior cat examined regularly by your vet to rule out any possible underlying medical condition. Hyperthyroidism, liver disease, kidney disease, and urinary tract infection are examples of diseases that may cause hypervocalization or confusion. Some cats who become deaf also start yowling frequently.
Some cats start to exhibit certain telltale signs of cognitive dysfunction around age 12, Many animal behaviorists use the acronym DISH to refer to the symptoms and signs commonly associated with feline senility.
D IS FOR DISORIENTATION
Cats who are disoriented often walk aimlessly, stare at walls, get “stuck” in corners, seem to be lost in their own home, or lose their balance and fall.
I IS FOR INTERACTIONS
Cats with impaired mental function often display changes in their interactions with people. They’re less likely to greet people when they come home or to seek out a lap.
S IS FOR SLEEP
Cats who once slept through the night may prowl restlessly, vocalizing as they roam.
H IS FOR HOUSETRAINING
Proper bathroom habits often go by the wayside, not for medical reasons or displeasure with the state of the litter box, but because the cat just forgets to use it.
To ease nighttime howling, try to break his daytime sleep cycle by frequently but gently waking him during the day. Try to make him more tired at night. Some golden oldies will snooze through the night if you treat them to a heated or cozy pad; look for one that plugs in at a very low temperature and has a washable cover. If these steps do not work, you may ask your vet for help.
Try to stick to routine as much as possible. Add some extra litter boxes in different rooms and on each level of your house. This will help cut down on any missed litter box opportunities. Avoid litter boxes with covers, as alder cats find it harder to get into them. Lower sides are also best too as the hind legs sometimes become stiff.
Most important, shower your cat with love. Spend plenty of time cuddling him and speaking to him in reassuring tones. Enjoy the time you have left with him.
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12 comments
add your comment »Great article! This actually helped explain a few things that I was wondering (but I was thinking I was just being silly). My cat's showing a few of those signs, some days are worse than others. It's just hard looking at them and we all still see them as young as the day we got them.
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Thanks, Shaz. We wil start turning the lights on when we come home. That will help. Thanks for the tip.
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Cecily, my cat is deaf also. He can't hear anything. He actually has learned a little sign language :)..I wave for him to come here and he will come,etc. I flip the lights on and off when we come home and he will come out and we try not to walk up behind him,without him seeing us cause he gets scared.
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I just learned about this blog when I looked at "Is Your Dog Senile?". I have a 22-year old cat (please see picture). We thought that he might be developing some sort of senility because he would go to the middle of a room and just stand there and look around.
Off to the vet he went. His blood values were fine, but the vet did some simple evaluation points, and it turns out that
Tommy has probably gone deaf. (I am deaf so no big deal.)
Sure enough, we began noticing that if something was going on in a room, he would briefly watch then go to his chair or food. If there was no activity in the room he would stop and "study" visually.
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Good luck w/ your cat Taylor. It is hard when our sweet pets get old and sick. My cat was also w/ me during rough times and I feel the same as you about giving back. My cat Tootie has been sick for a few months,he is 18 also. We found out he has a tumor on his Gall bladder duct. He is on steroids and a medication for his gallbladder and liver. He has his good days and bad,but doesn't seem in pain and still has lots of love to give. I know it is probably just a matter of days. I have to watch for signs if he gets worse. right now though,he is eating and using his litter,still snuggles and purrs. I will miss him very much when it is time..my little best furry friend and buddy..
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I just posted this note on the article about senility in dogs, prior to seeing this article on cats. "Don't have a dog but my 18 yr old Taylor cat has been diagnosed as having cognitive dysfunction (senile). The behavior, dependency, all listed here in this excellent article is present; he reminds me of the way my mother acted/behaved in her late 90's with dementia, just the same kind of "dementia", yet he is a 4-legged mammal. He wears diapers, his eating is healthy, he receives diet supplements, vitamins and Cosequin for creaky joints, and continues to function although he gets disoriented quite a bit and it is increasing. A gentle voice and touch soothes him; he still loves to be brushed/combed. Taylor had diabetes for about 5 years, and just within the last 2 years was removed from insulin since he can maintain his glucose levels. He has remained healthy other than the dementia creeping into his life. I will care for him as long as he remains functional and healthy yet aged. He was a rock for me during rough times, now it is my turn to give back with love and care for him."
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thank you this helped me understand my cats a lot better my cats are all in their teens , and their behavior has changed . And some of this is right on the nose as to their actions.
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my feline companion will be 23 this year and the tips you offered are very similar to that related to people when they get old. we all need more love, understanding, time, patience and attention as we age - animals are no different.
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Thank you so much for posting this. I have a 18 yr old cat and he has been having accidents out side his litter box. This was very helpful and interesting.
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I've never seen a cat show much enthusiasm for covered litter boxes. Cats are partial to ease of escape, and I've seen a cat wait to ambush another cat when it emerged from a covered litter box.
See ASPCA Blog, In Praise of Older Cats.
Nutrition must be optimized to meet the needs of the older cat.
See ASPCA Pet Care, Top 10 Tips for Feeding Older Pets.
Veterinarians also encourage office visits twice a year or more for older cats.
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