Geriatric cats

Most of my experience was with Alex and Tiffany, my childhood cats. Tiffy passed just before Christmas and Alex is still living with my parents.

We really didn’t notice any major changes with them until they were around 15-16 (they were littermates). Tiffy had issues with crystals when she was 2 and the problems really started to flare up again when she was 16. Both developed arthritis (Tiffy around 16, Alex not really until 19) and started having trouble with the stairs, so their litter had to be moved to a more accessible spot. Tiffy went blind around 18, we’ve just noticed Alex’s vision is going over the past 2 months, so you have to announce your presence so as not to startle him. The appetites dropped of and my mom has resorted to the “Anything they’ll eat that Alex won’t throw up.†Alex’s IBD has also gotten significantly worse – there are only a very few foods he can keep down and that’s what he gets. As Tiffy got older, and her hearing and vision went she confined herself to a small space that she was comfortable with. Mom and Dad avoided rearranging until she’d passed because she’d find her way around by memory and by brushing along the walls of a room. Occasionally you’d hear her yowling because she’d gotten into the middle of the room and gotten lost in most of these cases her brother went and led her back to a space she knew, or one of us would go and get her. She really started fighting being picked up – probably because she had no way of knowing where she was.

As for Alex, he’s really slowing down. He has beds everywhere because he doesn’t go very far without stopping to sleep anymore. He eats whatever he’ll keep down and Mom keeps puppy pads around the litter box for when he thinks he’s all the way in but he’s not. They also switched to a very low-sided box to make it easier for him to get in and out.

My Sven is around 16 also (not quite sure of his age, because we adopted him when he was around 6 or 7 ish). He, too, yowls, at night, seems like all night long. I don't think he's deaf, because sometimes all I have to do is whisper his name if he's on the bed, and he'll start purring! But, it could be that he IS losing his hearing and I just don't know it. He definitely still has his eyesight, although he's starting to get cataracts (just like his humans).

Sven has arthritis and constipation problems, both of which we treat and both of which are much better now. He can once again jump up on the dining room table (from the floor), RUN up the stairs, etc. We give him Cosequin once a day and 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax twice a day, both mixed into a little water, then mixed into his food.

I don't know if he has problem retracting his claws or not, but I did notice he was getting them stuck on everything, including the sheets, so knew it was long past time to get them trimmed. I tried doing it with my "at home cat nail clippers", and darn it, his claws are so thick that they bent my clippers!! So off to the groomers we went to have them trimmed. The groomer told me that older cats don't scratch on things (scratching posts, etc.), therefore don't shed the outer shell of their claws, and they get really thick. I'm definitely believe it! Anyway, Sven is much happier now that he can walk around without getting stuck.

Another thing he does, though, which makes me so sad, is he practically lives in our closet now. Kind of like Ms. Freya's Tiffy. I usually have to feed him in there to make sure he gets his "medication". He WILL be on our bed at bedtime, but when we wakeup, he's back in the closet, and most of the day he's in there...usually in the open doorway, so I guess that's better than tucked back in the back. I think he's in there because of "the boys", our two 2-year old male cats who still like to play alot. If Sven walks down the hall, Stinkpot tackles him to play, and that probably hurts him, poor old guy.

Oh, one more thing I notice is when he shakes himself all over (you know, like when a dog shakes to dry himself), he loses his balance. He doesn't fall, but he stumbles a little.

BUT, through all this, he still purrs the loudest of any cat I've ever had, and he will still crawl onto my chest and we'll do head butts and he'll talk to me. He has more meows than any other cat around too. He can range from being very grouchy in his meows to definte "I love you" meows.

Typed a whole big long response & lost it.

Squishy is anywhere from 15 - 18 years old, we're leaning towards the end of that age range. I've only had him for 3 years now & they have been an expensive three years of vet visits & surgeries!

Overall he acts like he's starting to feel his age.

His eyes were sunken when I got him, but as he's gotten older, really especially in the past few moths, they've gotten much more sunken. He sleeps harder & is much less active. He'll play with a wand toy if it's near him, but won't chase after it. He's incredibly food oriented, but won't jump up on a table/dresser to get food - so his bowl is on the floor.

His nails have changed a lot in the past year. They're more brittle it seems, but I think that's because the sheath sheds differently than it did before, differently than other cat's. His claws don't retract the same, like you said - so he wears nail caps. He's *always* been very bad about really scratching people up, he doesn't mean to - it's done out of happiness but he causes major damage none the less.

He is much needier than he used to be. He was always a pushy guy who demanded attention but he's HORRIBLE now. He yowls very loudly & is not afraid to bite you if you ignore him. He seems to be more irritable than ever but more snuggly than ever, too? He has NO tolerance for the 'young whipper snappers' at all - he's bopped Lola a good one a few times. He & Ophelia live in the office in peace together. They both avoid each other like the plague, unless they're cold then they sleep back to back.

He uses the catbox more & has more urinary issues now than ever.

I just wanted to say thank you for this thread! With 3 of my babies turning 9 this year (Shadey, Imhotep & Elliott) I am often wondering what I need to look out for as they age. I certainly hope they all live well into their teens like I've been reading here!

Did you have Stumpy tested for hyperthyroid and high blood pressure? the kind of meowing you describe is a symptom for both.

I love the oldies, and bend over backwards, arranging my life around their care when the time comes.

When a cat slows down outwardly, it means things can be slowing down inwardly too, and kitty massage can help a lot. Not only does it help with joint pain, it keeps muscles and joints limber, improves blood circulation and helps the digestion and elimination systems, and is incredible bonding experience.

Ootay adored her massages.

Give seniors a low sided litter box, or a tall sided one with a hole cut out, in an easily accessible place. Often they can jump up with ease, but jumping down causes problems. Get them steps or a ramp for favorite perches and demonstrate to kitty how to use it, to get down safely.

Elevate food and water bowls for ease of access.

Be sure sleeping places are draft free. Get or make self warming beds (that reflect body heat).

Check fur daily for mats and brush kitty every day to help with grooming.

Often when senior kitty has been sleeping for a long time in one curled up position, she will be very stiff and have trouble moving when waking. This is a good time for some massage.

My own massage method to follow

Anything that stimulates blood flow is good, and of course removing loose fur at the same time is a benefit.

Especially check flanks and back, mats seem to form more readily there.

Ootay (my last senior) loved her grooming, would twist and turn her little body to make sure I didn't miss a spot. This is also good because it keeps their joints and muscles toned and stretched. Same with massage.

To massage...it's really not much different from massaging a person, but of course you want to be very gentle. Firm enough strokes to help circulation of course, but not too hard.

With Ootay I started under her forelegs/chest. I don't know why, maybe because when she saw me she would roll over and show her yummy tummy and stretch out long.

Using both hands I would just start rubbing with my fingers in circular motion from her armpits, and along her forelegs to her paws. Then down her chest, along her ribs, down to her tummy and abdomen.

Ootay had a lot of problems with gas, and she LOVED her tummy/abdomen massages. At that area I would start slow and shallow but eventually go very deep, to help break up the gas bubble. But I won't advise you to do that (go deep) until you've gained some experience.

From there to the joint where her hind legs meet the body still rubbing in gentle circular movements. Work your way along the leg, encouraging her to stretch her legs out even massage the paw pads, as she spreads her toes to allow you access.

When you've finished her underside if she is not too tired, go on to her back. Again, start up by her head, in fact start on her head, rub her ears and down the back of her head and neck, to the shoulders. Then work your way down the back.

The spine is a common place for arthritis in cats so be very very gentle always watching for any signs of discomfort from her. If she says stop, stop.

When you get to her hips go very easy, always watching her, she will tell you what feels good and what doesn't.

One thing I'm not sure how to explain about massage. When massaging, you should always massage toward the heart.

One of the purposes of massage is to improve blood circulation. Massaging toward the heart encourages the blood flow to be refreshed. I'm not saying this well I hope you know what I mean. Another purpose of massage is to loosen the muscle so the freshened blood flows more freely through it, increasing oxygen levels where it's needed.

So when you are massaging the parts of her body that are above the heart, your circular motions should be downward, toward the heart. When you are below the heart the motions should be upward toward the heart. I don't know how to expalin it more clearly I hope this is helpful.

All my guys are now senior catizens..oldest is 16, youngest is almost 11.

Being Curls (except for the rescue apparent Japanese Bobtail who is the youngest) they are all still quite playful, but nap more often, and Misty sleeps HARD..too hard! Sometimes she has me checking to see if she's breathing.

Do use raised water dishes now, watch their weight - feed dental chews to one whose teeth/breath seem better since we began doing so (cet chews).

Main thing...play (blankie monsters still a fav), lots of love, no fuss made over daily meds needed (two have hyper t, one crf), we have our routines with rewards, and while there is still the occasional look of Mom, Dad..haven't you figured out yet that I want *this*, we all seem pretty well trained on life together

Not real sure how old my Gypsy is, she was a dumped adult when we got her but she's been with me for 12 years now, short of thinking before she jumps she hasn't changed a whole lot, she's still very active and nobody believes she is a senior cat. Her hearing and eyesight still seem fine. She does seem slightly more friendly and laid back, she's always been a rather hateful, bitey kitty to everything but me but lately has laid by the dogs and me and isn't quite as pissy about the ferrets bugging her.

My Stewie is about 11 or 12 now and i have notice he is alot more affectionate and vocal,One day with the windows open i thought a cat was in heat outside but turns out it was my cat in the window howling.
I know he is losing hearing in one ear because of a mite problem,We never found the source but he has been great for 2 weeks and hopefully will never have them again.
But anyways the 2 main things were being more vocal and affectionate.