Caring for senior cats
- amieliashadan96
- Feb 18, 2016
- 3 min read
All people like kittens. Yes, they are small, cute, fluffy, energetic and active. Most of owners will never think twice before giving any care for their kittens since they thought that kittens need the most proper care and attention. But how about senior cats?
Source: Google images
An elderly cat
Most of the time, cat owners thought that older cats do not need any proper attention and this is where we are highly wrong. Just like human elderly, when a cat has come to their senior age, a proper care is crucial in order for it to maintain a healthy life. Here are some tips that may help you in taking care of your senior walking hairballs.
The most important thing that you need to do is make regular visits to the vet to get updates on your senior cat’s health. Some diseases are not visible to our eyes until it is too late. Always keep in mind that preventing is much cheaper than curing.
Dry kibbles are mostly recommended for elderly cats as it helps to maintain cleaner teeth and avoid dental problems. But this is a different story when your cat can no longer chew on kibbles, thus you have to change to softer food that contain not too much water. Elderly cats are more of a nibblers and intermittent feeders. They like to take a few munches, do something else for a while, and then return for more. Make sure that if you use canned food, don’t let it be exposed for too long as it can easily gat spoiled.
This might sound silly to some, but dental care is important for elderly cats. If you are not into brushing it teeth, consider dental treats that help keep the teeth and mouth clean.
Source: Google images
A special toothbrush for brushig cat's teeth
Keep an eye on your elderly cat’s weight. There are some health problems that can link to a cat being obese in its elderly years such as thyroid problem or an overactive adrenal gland, if your cat does not have any of those, the most reasonable cause is from over eating and this can be prevented by reducing the portion of meal and increasing their exercise time.
Water is crucial for elderly cats. Keep more than one bowl of clean water around the house for it to drink from time to time. Just like elderly people, they do not do much walking due to the lack of energy. Thus, this step will do a great help for them to keep hydrated.
Source: Google images
Water is very crucial for elder cats
Elderly cats don’t do much grooming themselves as there are some spots they can no longer reach on their own body. Make sure to help them in grooming in order to keep out skin inflammation under matting hairs. For long hair cats, you can also shear them at home twice a year. Also, keep an eye on their nails as older cats scratches less and this tend to lead to their claws to overgrow.
Some house modifications are well appreciated by your elderly cats. Prepare a soft bed where it is easily reached and also food and water nearby. Use several easy-enter litter box and food bowls with low sides.
Here are some changes/important notes regarding health that owners can keep an eye on their elderly cats:
1. Hyperthyroidism – A Common Problem In Older Cats
2. Hypertension – High Blood Pressure
3. Diabetes
4. Eye Changes And Cataracts
5. Heart Problems
6. Liver Issues
7. Personality And Behavior Changes
8. Arthritis Pain
9. Cancer
This is an extra tip on how to know how old your cat in human eyes is.
Cat age table
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