General Practice Service

Willows Information Sheets

Looking after your senior cat

Looking after your senior cat

What to expect when your cat is showing signs of ageing

As in humans, the effects of the ageing process will vary with each individual cat. The first signs

of ageing start anywhere between the ages of 7 and 11 in most cats. Cats over 14 years old are

considered geriatric, although many live well beyond that age.

The first sign of ageing is often a general decrease in activity combined with a tendency to sleep

more. Older cat’s bodies are not as mobile and reflexes not as quick as they once were. Hearing,

eyesight and the sense of smell and taste may deteriorate gradually. Many elderly cats eventually

develop signs of senility with loss of memory, reduced ability to cope with changes in their routine,

increased vocalisation, or inappropriate urination or defaecation.

Sooner or later significant changes will occur which require attention and should not be accepted as

‘just due to old age’. These changes are signs of disease or discomfort and may be sorted out or made

better with some care. If you are in any doubt, please arrange an appointment with us to discuss any

concerns you may have.

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

How to keep your senior cat comfortable

Older cats are fond of their regular routine and like to live a

peaceful life.

They are often less able or willing to groom and look after their nails.

This can be ‘just’ due to ageing but may actually be a sign of arthritis

or toothache. If you are worried about the possibility of underlying

pain, please arrange to have your cat checked at the surgery. Reduced

nail care can lead to the nails growing too long and, as they are curved,

they can grow into the cat’s paw, which is very painful and leads

to infections. It may therefore be necessary to start trimming older

cat’s nails on a regular basis. Grooming is very important for cats,

so when this is no longer possible or easy, it greatly improves an

elderly cat’s wellbeing if the owner assists with it. The eyes and ears

may need to be wiped more regularly. Brushing is also advisable,

both for comfort and also because poor coats can make a cat less

resistant to cold and wet. Thin cats or cats with arthritis may find

being groomed with normal combs or brushes painful, and they

may object! In these circumstances try using a soft baby brush for

grooming. If matted parts of the coat cannot be teased out, they

may need to be cut, but this should be done very carefully as older

cat’s skin can be very thin and is easily cut away with the matted

hair. If you are in any doubt about this please ask us for assistance.

Cats with deteriorating eyesight or hearing may be more easily startled

or may fail to respond at times, so you need to be understanding and

make allowances for this. Affected cats may also be more accident-

prone. When you initially notice such changes, please book an

appointment for your pet to have a health check. Whilst sometimes

just being related to ageing, deteriorating eyesight in particular can

be a sign of disease, which may lead to total blindness when not

treated promptly. Poor vision in older cats can also be associated with

other treatable problems such as high blood pressure, so having your

cat examined by the vet is very important under such circumstances.

Older cats need warm and soft bedding for a comfortable nap. Please

make sure your cat has a personal place to retire to and is left undisturbed

by other family members and pets when he/she is in this private bed

– older cats may well be less patient when disturbed!

Regular exercise is important to prevent stiffness and loss of muscle

mass. Older cats often suffer from arthritis, but as they are rarely lame,

it is difficult for owners to recognize that they are in pain. Please book

an appointment if you feel that your cat’s activity level has dropped,

so that we can assess whether chronic pain plays a role. This can

significantly reduce your cat’s quality of life and also make him/her

grumpy when groomed or cuddled, but the good news is that we are

now able to treat chronic pain in cats much better than previously.

Bladder and bowel function can deteriorate with age, and jumping

through the cat flap on arthritic joints to go to the toilet in cold and

wet weather may be not something an elderly cat looks forward

to. It is therefore a good idea to provide litter trays if you have not

done so already. This also gives you the chance to monitor the trays

and, therefore, your cat, for signs of urinary problems or constipation,

which can be troublesome in older cats.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays an important part in helping your senior cat to

stay healthy.

Eating Some cats tend to put on weight as they get older, usually because

they are less active and spend more time sleeping. Excess weight

can worsen health problems such as heart disease or arthritis, so if

you feel your cat is overweight please consult us about how to get

rid of those extra pounds.

Other cats have the opposite problem and lose weight. This is

sometimes just because their senses of smell and taste deteriorate –

as cats depend very much on these senses, affected individuals may

eat less because they feel their food is less tasty. Often, however, the

weight loss is due to an underlying chronic disease or ‘wear and tear’

on the body and may initially be the only sign of problems. If your

cat starts to lose weight, it is advisable to arrange an appointment at

the surgery.

Generally, it is fine to feed elderly cats normal cat food or food

designed for senior cats. However, if your cat has been diagnosed

with one of a number of diseases (e.g. kidney problems) you may

need to feed a prescription diet. This is a complete food especially

designed to reduce signs of the disease and to delay deterioration.

Different prescription diets are available for a number of conditions –

we will advise you which one is best for your pet.

DrinkingAs many older cats tend to drink less, a tinned diet with a higher

water content may be preferable in some cases. Fresh drinking water

should always be available – some cats drink more when a drinking

fountain is offered.

Some older cats start to drink more than they used to and this is

usually a sign of a developing disease. It is advisable to arrange an

appointment with us if your cat seems more thirsty than normal.

Preventative healthcare

Older cats are more prone to disease and, as prevention is usually

better than cure, it is a good idea to start thinking about the health

of your older cat before signs of disease are obvious.

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

Older cats’ immune systems become less efficient, infections are

picked up more easily and the body has more trouble to fight them.

In view of this regular booster vaccinations are still advisable in

senior cats. (See Vaccination in cats information sheet).

Regular worming is also advisable, even though sometimes the

intervals between worming can be increased when older cats

stop hunting and tend to stay indoors. (See Worming your cat

information sheet).

We perform yearly health checks for any cat that comes for annual

vaccinations, but in older cats more frequent health checks may be

advisable. Additional tests such as blood pressure measurements,

urine or faecal analysis, and/or blood tests are sometimes beneficial

and will be discussed with you on an individual basis.

Many diseases of older cats are due to wear and tear on their organs.

The onset of symptoms is often slow and insidious and it is easy to

miss early signs. Subtle signs such as weight loss, increased drinking

or a change in appetite or behaviour, even if mild, should prompt

you to arrange an appointment. Often such diseases can be much

better controlled when they are diagnosed early.

Many older cats are in chronic pain due to tooth problems or arthritis.

Even if the pain is not severe enough for them to stop eating or be

obviously unwell, constant low grade pain reduces their quality of life

considerably, just as it would for a human. We can usually help, and

many owners are amazed at the improvement in behaviour and wellbeing

of their cats after the problem has been sorted out or controlled.

Common health problems

Arthritis

Recently it has been shown that arthritis is actually very common in

older cats. However, cats rarely go lame – they usually show much

more subtle signs of the problem such as stiffness or reluctance to

jump. Some cats show no joint related signs at all, but just become

grumpy, stop grooming or even go off their food. Several options are

available to help cats with arthritis, so please contact us for advice

and/or mention those subtle signs when you next see us for an

appointment. (See Arthritis information sheet).

Dental disease

Dental problems are very common in older cats but affected

individuals often soldier on very bravely even when their problems

are quite severe. Cats rarely show obvious signs of pain or stop

eating. Other, less obvious signs of dental disease include salivation,

reduced grooming, reduced activity or grumpiness. If dental problems

are diagnosed, then it is usually necessary to treat the teeth under

general anaesthesia. Tartar (which can become very severe in cats) is

scaled off with the help of ultrasonic equipment and the teeth are

polished. All diseased teeth are removed – fillings are very rarely

performed in cats. Many people feel worried about general anaesthesia

for their elderly pets. However, even though it is true that every

general anaesthetic carries a certain risk, anaesthesia is much safer

now than it used to be and we can take steps, such as the use of

intravenous drips and blood testing prior to anaesthesia, to lower

the risk even further. We will discuss these issues with you when you

bring your cat for a dental check up. Many owners are impressed by

how much happier their cats are after dental treatment. (See Dental

care for dogs and cats information sheet)

Hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid gland

This disease is very common among older cats and leads to deterioration

of the whole body due to an abnormally rapid metabolic rate. Its onset

is usually very subtle and many people put initial symptoms such as

weight loss, increased appetite or thirst, down to old age. Although

an overactive thyroid gland is potentially serious, is can be treated

in several ways and the disease can usually be controlled or cured

before it shortens the life-span of your pet. (See Hyperthyroidism

information sheet).

Kidney disease

Most people know that kidney disease is quite common among older

cats. It usually develops due to wear and tear on the kidneys and

cannot be cured. However, if we diagnose the disease early we can

usually take steps to slow down the progression of the disease and

allow patients a longer and better quality of life. (See Chronic kidney

disease information sheet).

Heart disease

The heart is another organ that is put through a lot of wear and tear

throughout the life of a cat, so we do see heart problems in older cats

on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we often diagnose heart disease in cats

at a much later stage than in dogs because cats lead such a relaxed

life that problems in heart function are often seen only when the

heart is severely diseased. We usually have to do some tests to find

out exactly which disease affects the patient’s heart and to find the

right medication. Once on medication, some cats can lead a very happy

life for several years, although unfortunately other cases may be

diagnosed so late that the heart cannot stabilise, even with appropriate

medication. Signs of heart disease to look out for are reduced activity,

weight loss and breathing problems, such as fast or very heavy breathing.

Unlike dogs, cats with heart disease rarely cough.

Diabetes mellitus

Sugar diabetes is quite common among older cats, particularly

when they are overweight. Cats are the only animals in which sugar

diabetes can occasionally be cured by slimming them down to

normal weight. Many diabetic cats, however, need to be on regular

insulin injections, which they usually adapt to surprisingly well. Early

signs of diabetes are again subtle and mild, for example weight loss,

increased hunger and thirst. Blood and urine tests are necessary to

diagnose the disease. Once stabilised, diabetic cats can have a very

good quality of life. (See Diabetes mellitus information sheet).

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

Lumps and bumps

As cats get older, they are more prone to develop lumps or growths.

Some of those are nothing to worry about, but others unfortunately

are cancerous. It is advisable to book an appointment as soon as possible

if your cat develops new lumps anywhere on his/her body – it is

important to remember that we may be able to just reassure you

that everything is fine. Often we recommend a fine-needle biopsy,

a simple and painless procedure which does not require sedation

or anaesthesia. Should we find that the lump is not completely

benign we may still be able to offer treatment by surgery and/or

medication in order to improve your cat’s quality of life and his/her

life expectancy. The sooner such problems are addressed, the better.

Dementia/senile brain changes

With improved nutrition, better living conditions and veterinary care,

many cats become very old these days, and as a result we see more

and more cats with signs of dementia and reduced brain function

due to ageing. Aggression, confusion, a reduced ability to cope

with stress or changes in their routine, frequent – and sometimes

loud – vocalisation and urinating or defaecating in inappropriate

places are among the signs that can point towards senile changes in

elderly cat’s brains. Some cats can also show loss of memory and for

example demand to be fed shortly after they have had a good meal,

simply because they have forgotten they have had it. Of course we

cannot turn the clock back, but it makes sense to try your cat on

dietary supplements or gentle medication to hopefully improve the

brain function in such cases.

If you have any queries or concerns about your elderly cat, please

do not hesitate to contact us.

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

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