Senior Cat Care - How to Take Care of Older Cats

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Unfortunately we lost our elderly cat Bob who was 19 a few months ago. Having being diagnosed with diabetes nearly 18 months ago it was kidney failure that took her in the end, ironically her last blood test showed that she was actually in remission from the diabetes.We were very unsure of how we would be able to manage her condition with twice daily insulin injections and regular glucose curves, alongside a special diet and watching her behavior for ups and downs! But we managed and it fitted into our routine in the end, I think the thing to be mindful of with elderly cats is that if you notice any small changes, appetite, increased fluid intake or they generally just don't seem their selves take them for a check up with the vets. At the end of the day you know your pets better than anyone. We still have her sister Vic who is a lovely old happy content cat. We had a recent scare with her health, she had to have a chest drain due to a build up of fluid on her lungs caused by her heart not being as efficient as it should be due to her senior years - however she is now on daily medication and is doing really well. Just a few tablets at tea time and her condition is easily managed. It can be scary at first caring for an elderly animal who has a health condition but with the help of a good vet when needed and lots of TLC from us their owners it can be really rewarding.

My best friend turned 20 at the end of March. Ikee has been in renal failure for over 3yrs now and is arthritic. I had a slight scare in February, she couldn't eat and her face swelled. The vets I visited were not empathetic, and failed to diagnose her problem. My gut instinct was to see another vet, where a dignosis was made; Ikee needed dental surgery. The tested her kidney function and to all our surprise only her creatinine levels were slightly elevated. They supported her through surgery, she is now eating me out of house and home. I feed Ikee Applaws as I feel it's vital she maintains muscle, although this is against advice of a kidney low protein diet. Considering her kidney function test, I must be doing something right. Up until her op I was giving her Dr Mercola Krill oil for pets and Rubenal 75, unfortunately when I administer these supplements she has diarrhoea. Ikee has always been very vocal, with age her vocal range has increased along with the volume. I'm regularly woken at 5am with a constant low meow. Ikee also likes to shout at me till I have a shower, after my shower Ikee receives a teaspoon of coconut oil. I comb her regularly to prevent her fur from getting tuffty, which helps to maintain a soft shiny coat. Ikee has two pillows by the bed to help her jump up and wake me up, head butting, kissing and meowing in my ear. I feel very lucky to have such a special friend still in my life, and as other say she eats better than I do... Only the best for my Ikee.

I am sorry to hear about Bib but what a privelige to keep a cat to 19. I have 2 cats, 1 is 16 & the other 15. I have had problems recently with both of them. Kezzie the 16 year old had cat flu although she is an indoor cat and had to have a course of antibiotics which has made her a lot better. Mollie the other one, also an indoor cat had to have 6 teeth removed and has gingivitus which causes her problems off and on. We have had 10 cats over the 44 years we have been married and undoubtedly these 2 wont be our last. I have just written a book on all 10 cats so I have a permanent record of them all.

I'm currently caring for two elderly cats (19+) both of whom have mobility problems that mean their back legs aren't as strong as they were, although they can still get about. A while ago they were both struggling to poo and their poo was infrequent and very firm. This problem was relieve by softening their poo with lactulose (3ml per day in 3 doses worked for them) and now they find it much easier to go and are much happier as a result. A lot of emphasis is placed on what elderly cats eat and drink but it's equally important to keep a close eye on what comes out the other end!

I have three boys, two are nearly 18 and our other is a relative youngster at 8. Apart from a recent bout of Salmonela, when they were all very poorly indeed, they are all (touch wood) really well. Jess, one of my old boys, was diagnosed with kidney failure over ten years ago and the vet was not very encouraging as he said he could not be operated on as he also has a heart murmer. Since then I have given him reiki healing on an almost daily basis and he has never had another relapse. He does however demand reiki off me on most days and is sprightly enough to jump onto my bed, which is quite high. The others have reiki too whenever they look a bit under the weather or demand it off me. I am convinced it is what keeps them all going. My girls were both over 20 when they died. Like Candine, I also give my cats Applaws for senior cats, as I was told that their bodies have to work harder processing cereal based foods and they all love it too.

I'd thank to thank Hannah for her lovely and very informative article on elderly cats. My elderly lady is sometimes a bit wobbly on her feet when she gets up, which always gives me a scare. However, once she is satisfied that she has terrified me sufficiently, she will zoom up the stairs or climb onto the mantelpiece!

I was very impressed when our vet talked to us about high blood pressure in cats. Cristal was tested in just the same way as humans and now has half a tablet of Amlodipine for high blood pressure every day.

In the past I lost cats suddenly due to stroke. Thankfully veterinary medicine has advanced and continues to do so.

Some years back I cared for a brother and sister who lived to the age of 16, and who never really had any illnesses until kidney failure took Willow at 15 and a half and a year later heart failure ended Hazel's long and happy life. They were partly outdoor cats and remarkably healthy considering they were rescued as tiny six week old kittens from a terrible and uncaring home. They were Whiskas cats and never ate any other brand, but they did have a raw meat meal every day, either chicken or mince, and loved it. They never had any joint or tooth problems. Some years later Safi came to me from CP, age uncertain, but she was almost certainly around 17 or 18 when she passed away with probable generalised organ failure. She liked cheap catfood despite my efforts to get her to eat a better brand, and refused ever to eat raw food. She was a non-drinker but always had wet food, not dried. Her teeth were a problem and she had two ops to remove splintered canines. She was a house cat, and towards the end I arranged easy steps up to her favourite windowsill, but she had few joint problems. I find the idea of feeding a cat of any age outside appalling - far too stressful, never mind the chance of another cat eating the meal, and how would you know what and how much was being eaten? No, food bowls and litter trays outside are a complete no-no. None of my cats have ever had any problem getting upstairs, not even a dear old cat of very mature years I rescued in a terrible state and near death from starvation. Even she could climb up the stairs despite being blind, but sadly she was only with me for four months as her kidneys were almost gone. There was no treatment, and I could not bear to force the renal diet food on her, so only TLC until she finally stopped eating and was gently helped out of life by a kindly vet. She loved Lily's cat food which the others would never eat, and also the liquid "cat yogurts" when she could no longer eat proper food. My two dear old rescues whom I lost two years ago within a few months of each other had no problem with the stairs, not even Win who after several vet visits tragically proved to have bone cancers affecting her spine and hind legs. She had hidden it so well that I never knew anything was wrong until she stopped eating and lost weight, and by then it was too late. They both liked Felix best and rejected the "posh" cat food I wanted them to eat. She was an independent loner but Greycat, a rescued feral, slept on my bed until the end, when I finally managed to get him to the vet - a very distressing process - who found a growth or deep abscess in his jaw. It broke my heart but given his extreme timidity and fear I knew he would not cope with prolonged visits and treatment, and we decided that allowing him to leave us while still under anaesthetic had to be for the best. Current two rescues are only four and two years old, mum and daughter, much prefer Felix and won't touch raw food or home cooked meat. Mum is on low dose steroids for a skin problem and happily takes her tablet in a bit of supermarket cooked chicken. They do have cat biscuits, especially the dental ones, but not many as the feral-born youngster is a bit chubby and very greedy!

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