Elderly Cats

This post is written with our little matriarch, Prissy, in mind. For quite awhile now, we’ve been watching signs of age slip up on her. She’ 15, and I don’t even want to think about how old that would translate into human years. I also never allow myself to think about……. because she is most definitely part of the family and her…… would do us all in.

I bought a few books to diagnose Carly’s oddities, and one of them had an article on feline senior citizens. In case you, too, love an older cat, I thought I’d share some of the highlights.

“A cat kept fit with proper nutrition and exercise, living in an environment that provides the right amount of stimulation and a minimal amount of stress stands a greater chance of enjoying more of her golden years than a cat who has been viewed as a “low maintenance” pet by her owners.”

Bodes well for Prissy - The little diva owns high maintenance. Her name says it all!

Below is some great advice the author (Pam Johnson-Bennett) gives for living with these precious little geriatrics:

Hearing. Avoid startling your cat. Come well into her field of vision before reaching for her. You may eventually have to make a noise on the ground or wall for her to “hear” the vibrations.
Sight. If your cat’s losing her vision, don’t rearrange the furniture any time soon. If you have to redecorate, do so gradually.
Smell and Taste. As your cat’s sense of smell begins to decline, she appetite will probably decline as well. (Not a problem for Prissy the pig) Think of it as the times you have a head cold and have to force yourself to eat.
You can spark your cat’s appetite by warming her food a bit to release more aroma. Of course, be sure to test it as you would baby formula - we don’t want any burned kitty tongues.

If your cat still doesn’t show any interest in eating, I’d take her to the vet. They’ll know a few mojos to use.

I’ll post more tomorrow, Prissy’s lying right on my mousepad and making it impossible to do very much. As always, my girl comes first, so forgive me, I have a kitty to pamper.

Joi
Out of Bounds

November 10, 2005 | Filed Under Cat Health, Prissy