Complete Care for Your Aging Cat - Amy Shojai [10]
For example, you’ll need to provide a new diet designed specifically for the needs of an older cat. If you have a food-motivated cat who inhales anything you put in the bowl, the diet change won’t be a hardship for either one of you. Cats with more discriminating palates, though, may take a bit of adjustment to accept a new diet, particularly since their sense of smell and taste might interfere with how much they like it. You may need to adjust your schedule to increase meals from once or twice a day, to three or four times to ensure she gets enough nutrition. Cats with dental problems or missing teeth, common in older cats, often do better on a soft diet rather than dry kibbles.
Similarly, some cats will require more frequent bathroom breaks. That probably won’t be a problem if she has a pet door, or spends much of her day in the yard. Otherwise, though, adding another litter box or two—one upstairs and one downstairs, or on both ends of the house—may save your carpet and your relationship.
Older cats often sleep much more during the day, and less at night, and may disrupt your own rest. Something as simple as confining her to a bedroom with all the necessary kitty accoutrements allows you both the luxury of sleeping through the night. Of course, it doesn’t bother some folks to be paw-tapped awake at 3:00 a.m. for a game of chase-the-feather, particularly if you’re getting up anyway for your own late night potty break.
If she’s put on the pounds, as many cats do when they get older, she shouldn’t be left outside for long during hot weather. Overweight aging cats overheat much more quickly and can have problems breathing and even die from temperature extremes. Cold weather poses the opposite problem when the skin and fur thins, and aging cats become heat-magnets during the winter months. Cats don’t tend to tolerate wearing clothing as well as dogs do, but some shivery cats may benefit from a sweater during cold weather.
Cats who spent lots of time outside during their youth tend to do much better as indoor pets, and even prefer an indoor lifestyle once they reach old age. For example, arthritis can make it difficult for them to climb to safety out of the reach of stray dogs, or unable to dodge across the street in time to beat oncoming traffic. A warm blanket or lap to snuggle is preferable to lounging on the hood of a car, particularly when they aren’t able to leap as well to get out of the way when it starts.
Although senior cats are the same constant friend we’ve always known, they tend to become less patient as they get older. She’ll rely more on routine, want her dinner right now, and demand attention this instant. She may continue to enjoy interaction with the other pets and children, but aging cats tend to reach their tolerance level more quickly. Every cat is different, and adding a younger pet (or a new baby) to the household gives some cats a jolt of energy like the fountain of youth. But others turn into catty curmudgeons if faced with any change in routine. Stress of any kind can prompt behavior problems, such as scratching the wrong object or urinating outside of the box. She’s not being vindictive or mean. She’s either telling you she has a physical problem, or she’s using these familiar self-scents to calm her nerves and make herself feel better about the upsetting situation.
For instance, she may go into mourning, and cry and wander around the house looking for her favorite teenager who’s left for college, or a beloved companion cat that’s died. Shutting her out of the new baby’s room could put her tail in a twist. At any age, and particularly as she grows older, it’s important that the senior citizen cat be made to feel she’s still an important part of the family and included