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How To Care For The Senior Cat
Thanks to dedicated care from their humans and advancements in veterinary medicine, cats are living longer lives. After age 10, considered the beginning of a cat's "senior years," the aging process begins to slow your feline down. However, she still might enjoy another 5 to 10 years of life and love with just a little extra attention from her owner.
Loss of Hearing
As with humans, cats often lose their hearing ability as they age. Since cats are famous for their lack of response due to typical feline aloofness, hearing problems can often go unnoticed. However, an older cat who has limited hearing and vision is much more vulnerable to threats from cars and dogs on the street. Therefore, if your older cat starts developing such problems, it's best to keep them indoors. As a matter of fact, it is best to keep ALL cats indoors.
Finicky Eaters
In later years, even the most easygoing cat can become a finicky eater. An older cat becomes less interested in her food as her senses of smell and taste begin to diminish. One way to amplify the scent of her food and make it more tantalizing is by adding moist food to her diet and warming her meals. Serving your cat moist food will also increase the amount of water in your cat's diet, which is a good thing.
Dehydration Danger
It is very important to monitor your older cat's drinking habits, always making sure that fresh water is available. Older cats can become dangerously dehydrated rather quickly as their natural thirst often fades with age. Watch how much water your cat drinks each day. Contact your veterinarian if she suddenly drinks less.
Advanced Medical Care
In recent years there have been huge advances in feline medical care. Although shopping online for cat medication has become popular, maintain regular vet check-ups.
Common Problems
- gum disease and tooth loss
- difficulties swallowing due to decreased saliva
- less tolerance to extreme heat and/or cold
- a change in their litter habits
- not sleeping well
Arthritis
Fairly common in older cats, arthritis and stiffness means that the cat has more difficulties in moving and will spend more time sleeping. She will begin to pack on the pounds if her diet stays the same and these extra pounds not only will add to her discomfort, they will make her more inclined to a sedentary life. Physical movement will not only help with digestion and bowel function, it will also keep your cat sharp mentally. Therefore, it is important to encourage an older cat into some type of activity every day.
Potassium Balance
It has been found in recent studies that many older cats have problems with potassium balance. Loss of appetite, lethargy and poor coat condition have been linked to low blood potassium (a mild form of hypokalemia), which can damage the older cats already weakening kidneys. The vicious cycle of declining kidney function increases the loss of potassium in the blood, and in turn causes further deterioration of the kidneys.
Grooming Habits
An older cat's hair can become dry and painfully matted as they spend less time in their grooming habits. Therefore, to keep your cat's coat healthy, regular daily brushing to remove loose hair is important, or your cat will form uncomfortable hairballs in her stomach, and then on your carpets.
Comfort First
It's very important that as your cat gets older they be comfortable, so furnish your old girl with cushions, a heat source, and perhaps even a hammock bed. And, of course, a comfortable, warm bed that she can stretch out on is essential.
Cats, like humans, develop special needs as they age. Cats, however, are less whiney about it. 
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Reprinted with kind permission of Ron King
For more info, visit Cat Tips and for Cat Health
Ron King is a web developer; visit his website
Authoring Articles Copyright 2008 Ron King.
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