Being more pro-active on geriatric cat health?

[david68]

Since 2021, I've had three older cats die, one from abdominal lyphoma (age 13), one from a stroke (age 16), and the latest from an abdominal tumor (age 16).

All three were getting regular veterinary checkups with full bloodwork. We had to put my mother's 16 year-old to sleep yesterday, and she was seen at the vet's office for an exam on March 9th, just three weeks ago.

Should I be asking vets to do x-rays or ultrasounds to try to find problems like this before they become deadly? Am I just expecting my cats to live too long? Is it because cats hide symptoms of pain? I feel like I just keep getting blindsided.

It's also the case that I live in a rapidly-growing city, and we now have a shortage of vets relative to all the pets. I get the sense that the vets I see are more stressed and have less time for each patient.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello
I honestly wouldn't do testing unless there's a reason for it, since that can be stressful for them, but absolutely, have this discussion with your vet. The best thing we can do is to try to be a team for our cats

What I've done is tried to feed a rotational menu to try and avoid ingredients I don't want and to help provide other nutrients, also limit stress, provide mental stimulation with walks outside or with other things, help them get exercise, research what supplements might be useful and are the best, ie clean with few ingredients and made and sourced in the USA.

You might check for a cat-friendly or especially a cat-only vet, that might help.

 

[sivyaleah]

I think the best thing one can do for their older pets is have bi-annual health exams, instead of only annual. So many things can happen fast and if you bring them in more frequently problems can be identified quicker and treatments started so illness does not escalate so rapidly.

Finding such things as diabetes or kidney disease in early stages makes them easier to treat. Waiting a year could wind up leading to a health crisis.

Add in paying good attention to any behavior changes, as small as they might seem. If anything seems off, I'd rather pay for the exam for ease of mind.

 

[david68]

I think the best thing one can do for their older pets is have bi-annual health exams, instead of only annual.

That's the thing. All these cats had seen the vet frequently. My 13 year-old had just had expensive dental surgery. My 16 year-old had had a health exam a month before he died. This latest cat had a full blood workup and wellness check in December where we found her thyroid levels had risen, so we increased her thyroid medication and retested. They were exactly on-target. And then, suddenly, she stopped eating. The vet did x-rays and found problems. But the decline once they stop eating is very fast. :-(

 

[stephanietx]

There are just some things that check ups cannot catch. At an advanced age, I wouldn't put my cat through any unnecessary tests, nor would I borrow worry or trouble by expecting something like this. All of your cats have had long lives and lived full lives.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't know whether there is one size fits all program to prevent/preclude certain illnesses/diseases from occurring. Keeping a cat active, feeding the best food you can manage, and watching for any outward signs of an issue once they start aging is all I know to do. Thorough physical exams that entail checking the heart, eyes, ears, joints, abdominal and other body part palpation, weight, bloodwork (CBC and Chemistry panel), urinalysis, and even fecal testing probably should be an automatic set of testing to go hand-in-hand with each exam.

Asking the vet for copies of notes they take during an exam, and always getting copies of all tests, is another way to help a cat owner know what is going on. Oftentimes, things that the vet sees but isn't overly alarmed about are not explained to the cat owner, but will be included in their notes so they have reference points for the next exam.

Food pickiness, if not resolved with a few test trials of other foods is probably an outward sign to be investigated. Changes in behavior, even subtle ones, that cannot be explained through investigation is another. Obviously, changes in the litter box habits. Weight loss for 'no reason'. Cats are good at hiding pain/medical issues, so being on high alert to any differences you start to see in your cat is important. The older they get the more crucial this aspect is.

In the case of your cat that had a stroke, it might have been from high blood pressure - the one thing that I have noticed at least for the vets I have used, it is rare for them to recommend checking blood pressure. But, IMO, that should probably be done at least annually once a cat hits 9 or 10. For the most part, cats do not tend to demonstrate signs of high blood pressure, as is also the case with many humans. My current cat (18+ yo) was tested for the first time less than two years ago, and she was fine. She was just tested again a couple of months ago, and her BP was very, very high. She is now on meds to control her BP.

I had a cat at 15 who died from FIP - a long time ago, perfectly healthy before that time. Another cat who died of cancer at 12, also something that more or less came out of the blue. And my current cat has been monitored more closely as she has aged so a number of diseases/illnesses have been identified and are being treated. But I will be honest, some were recognized only because I was adamant about investigating 'unexplained' symptoms that were 'blown off' to old age.

 

[nanniecat]

Since 2021, I've had three older cats die, one from abdominal lyphoma (age 13), one from a stroke (age 16), and the latest from an abdominal tumor (age 16).

All three were getting regular veterinary checkups with full bloodwork. We had to put my mother's 16 year-old to sleep yesterday, and she was seen at the vet's office for an exam on March 9th, just three weeks ago.

Should I be asking vets to do x-rays or ultrasounds to try to find problems like this before they become deadly? Am I just expecting my cats to live too long? Is it because cats hide symptoms of pain? I feel like I just keep getting blindsided.

It's also the case that I live in a rapidly-growing city, and we now have a shortage of vets relative to all the pets. I get the sense that the vets I see are more stressed and have less time for each patient.

i am so sad for u! they should feel for a lump in the stomach area. if they feel one, they should do am ultrasound. BUT in 2016? her CAT VET ONLY felt a lump on placide, did an ultrasound and pronounced it "inoperable cancer" i was devastated. a mobile vet rec an animal hosp(medvet). they did same BUT did operate because the surgeon ws more skilled and it was an animal hosp. biopsy returned NOT CANCER. she is 21 yo now. i have learned a lot since. i watch how she is examined. i ask a lot of questions. i do not hesitate to find a new vet. when the new vet asked me why i changed vets, i explain IN DETAIL. it makes them more conscientious. she sees her onco ev 6 mo. she now sees a reg vet ev 3 months for blood work and kidney test. her vet calls her onco to discuss any issues. they email test results ev time. it is important to me. it is not a cheap routine, but i think it is necessary. and she is my ONLY child. try talking to the vet or find a new one?