Your cat may be sleeping more, not being able to jump as high, or not having the same amount of energy to chase a piece of string as before. These are all typical behaviors when a cat becomes older because, like humans, they will wish they could slow down a bit! Cats are typically considered senior citizens at the age of seven, though this can vary significantly based on your cat's breed and other elements. The longevity of a senior cat is influenced by diet, exercise, and any health conditions. The later years you spend with a feline ought to be as enjoyable, loving, and gratifying as ever, despite the fact that they may appear a little quieter than when they were young and moggy.
1 - Be Particularly Aware of Your Senior Cat's Diet
Senior cats have specific nutritional and behavioral requirements. It is now more important than ever to keep your cat at a healthy weight in order to ensure her continued good health. Consult your vet for information on when and how to switch your cat over to a senior meal. Your veterinarian can suggest a senior meal to help maintain, reduce, or gain weight and can assist you in determining your cat's ideal weight. Feeding a cat small, regular meals during the day or night also helps with digestion. After weighing out your cat's daily meal, divide it up into little portions.
2 - Don't disregard the dental health of your cat.
In older cats, dental disease is fairly prevalent. Gum disease, oral tumors, painful tooth holes, and fractured teeth can all have a negative impact on a cat's quality of life. The heart, kidneys, and liver can slowly get harmed by bloodstream infections brought on by mouth infections. In order to take good care of your cat as they age, it is essential to maintain their oral health. Too often, oral illnesses go undetected. Parents of cats view a decrease in weight and a thin coat as merely oblique indicators of aging rather than warning signs of possible issues. Regular dental cleanings and a comprehensive veterinary examination can significantly increase your cat's quality of life and even lengthen it.
3 - Increasing Your Cat's Water Access
Cats are more prone to renal illness and constipation as they age, particularly if they don't get enough water. By giving canned meals and additional options for water to drink, you can increase the amount of water your senior cat consumes. As they get older, your cat can lose the ability to jump up onto surfaces or reach the typical water dish. To encourage your elderly cat to drink more, place additional hydration stations throughout the house with lots of bowls or pet water fountains.
4 - Daily Workout and Mental Stimulation for Senior Cats
Enriching the environment is crucial to your cat's quality of life. All cats need things to scratch, places to climb, places to hide, and chances to play and hunt. All of these events will keep your cat healthy and mentally and physically active. As your cat ages, it could become harder to provide him these things. You have to make the house accessible to ensure it's easier on your cat's older joints because their mobility may get more restricted.
For cats experiencing arthritis, a carpet cat ramp can serve as both a climbing aid and a scratching post. An enclosed cat bed can provide older cats with a warm, cozy haven to hide, which additionally helps to ease painful muscles and joints. Instead of having them on tables or counters, you can relocate their containers of water and food to more convenient spots on the floor.
5 - Recognise and watch for the Cats' Subtle Pain signs.
Cats are experts at masking their suffering. Even though most of us who have senior cats are ignorant of this, as many as nine out of 10 elderly cats show indications of arthritis when they are X-rayed. The most important thing you can do for your cat to prevent arthritic pain is to keep it at a healthy weight. The pain of sore joints might be significantly worsened by just a few extra pounds. Your veterinarian can assist you in creating a long-term strategy to help manage the discomfort that your cat is experiencing using medication, dietary supplements, and complementary therapies, including acupuncture, physical therapy, and laser treatments.
6 - Don't Skimp on Biannual Veterinary Visits.
Finally, and perhaps most critically, it's crucial to maintain a positive working relationship with your vet when addressing your cat's treatment and standard of living as they age. Veterinarian visits should be made at least once every six months for cats older than 11 years. In order to improve and lengthen your cat's life, blood tests performed at these visits can identify the onset of medical problems, such as kidney disease.
Weighing the cat twice every year will also reveal trends in weight increase or reduction, which can provide important hints about changes in general health. Additionally, oral checkups will find dental disease when it harms your cat's health.
Age-related symptoms and signs
Knowing what signs of aging to watch out for while caring for a senior cat is just as crucial as feeding them a healthy diet and giving them plenty of affection. Any of the changes your cat will be going through will require you to seek treatment if necessary.
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