I remember bringing KitKat home in the Summer of 2002. A mere furball in my palms. My son thought her name should be Spirit, because she was full of that. Gradually it turned into KitKat.
The matriarch of our household is now 88 years old (in human years) and it is beginning to show. She is 18 years old in the feline timeline. There are a few signs one can look for to determine if your senior cat is developing feline dementia, or Cognitive Dysfunction syndrome because they can become confused and forgetful as well.
Once your feline friend turns 15 some or all of these symptoms may begin to appear:
Anxiety or relestness. Pacing or wandering around.
Disoriented or confused. My cat will repeatedly return to the food dish even though she has just eaten. I cannot allow her to eat though because she will then over- eat and throw up. Loose stools have also taken over.
No regard for learned training, such as using the litter box. This is hit and miss. One time she will use the litter box and a few minutes later defecates in another spot. A watchful eye (or nose) is needed and plenty of clean up wipes or paper towels and spray.
Constant grooming can be seen as well. Senior cats with CDS will not learn new tasks and show little interest in play time. They may become irritable as well.
Yowling. My cat will often yowl for no reason. This may be due to anxiety. I have found that when she yowls she is unsure where to go potty and getting her to the litter box quickly is needed.
The need for security is also present. More than ever she wants to crawl into a box, so there is bedding for her.
Being cold is another thing and I even devised a make-shift heating pad for her that can be heated in the microwave and placed under her blanket. All cats enjoy a nice warm spot, but senior cats require it.
Hard food may become an issue. I noticed that she can no longer chew her food thoroughly so soft food is now her diet.
Caring for your senior cat doesn’t need to be stressful if you make him/her as comfortable as possible and remember that just as humans age and certain functions decrease, so it shall be with our fur babies as well so patience is important.
I may add more to this later. Until next time, make each and every day count for something!
Lisa
