Complete Care for Your Aging Cat - Amy Shojai [21]
Geriatric animals have a decreased thirst response, according to Alice Wolf, DVM, a professor of small animal medicine and surgery at Texas A&M (now Emeritus/Adjunct Professor). That means they are more likely to become dehydrated when ill, or even during routine boarding or hospitalization. Aged cats also exhibit a general decrease in GI motility and digestive enzymes and 20 to 30 percent of cats age 12 and older have significantly reduced digestive function, says William Fortney, DVM, an assistant professor at Kansas State University. The taste sensation is also reduced, which can lead to anorexia—refusal to eat.
Probably the most common intestinal concern for aging cats is hairballs. Hair swallowed during self-grooming is normally passed out of the body with the feces. But because older cats may have more difficulty with motility—movement of waste through the bowels—hairballs can complicate the problem and cause chronic vomiting or constipation.
Aging Teeth
Cats are prone to plaque and tartar formation on their teeth, just like people. They don’t indulge in recreational chewing the way dogs do, but may still suffer from broken teeth especially when the diseased tooth is weakened by resorbtive lesions, a type of feline cavity. Tartar and plaque buildup over time causes periodontal disease that can ultimately result in loss of teeth and also impact the health of the rest of the body.
“Having periodontal disease is analogous to having an open wound,” says Bill Gengler, DVM, a veterinary dentist at the University of Wisconsin. Oftentimes the gum tissue is no longer attached to the tooth, and the root and bone are exposed. “When that happens, those clusters of bacteria travel through the bloodstream, and are filtered out at capillary beds. This process is called bacterial showering,” says Dr. Gengler. The bacteria are predominantly filtered out in the liver and the kidneys, and can damage these organs. It can also lead to heart disease because of the bacteria-laden blood passing over the valves of the heart.
Aging Stomach and Intestines
“The gastrointestinal tract in cats is relatively well protected from the ravages of time,” says Dr. Colin Burrows, an internist and professor of medicine at the University of Florida. “In older cats, just as in older people, the ability to digest diminishes somewhat but it’s not frightfully significant.” Smaller but more frequent meals often help the cat’s body absorb more nutrition.
“The only disease of note in the [older] cat that does not occur in the dog is idiopathic megacolon. This is the constipated kitty,” says Dr. Burrows. Megacolon is different than routine constipation, though, and develops as a result of motility problems. The intestines lose their ability to move waste out of the body.
Also, the bacterial population in the cat’s intestinal tract changes as she ages, says Dr. Carey. “This isn’t as dramatic as in dogs, but in aging cats it does shift toward the undesirable bacteria. In large part they are diarrhea-type organisms that can invade the lining of the intestine,” he says.
Chronic constipation or diarrhea are not specifically “old cat” conditions. Obesity, lack of exercise, and hairballs can contribute to constipation. The most common causes of colitis (inflammation of the colon) are stress, which can lead to bacterial overgrowth within the colon. Cats are creatures of habit and any change in their routine—adding a new pet, or working longer hours, for example—may cause stress-related disorders. Cats may also develop ulcers as a result of kidney disease.
To compensate for changes in digestion, therapeutic diets may help. “Fat restriction may be beneficial because fat absorption and digestion depends on enzymes that are found in the very tip of the villi that line the intestine, and this is the area that’s damaged first,” says Dr. Dottie LaFlamme, a veterinary researcher with Nestle Purina PetCare Company. “When you have damage to the intestine, fat malabsorption can occur, and that can lead to worsening of problems.”
Aging Pancreas