Complete Care for Your Aging Cat - Amy Shojai [25]
“Barb’s a wonderful owner, really cares for the kitty,” says Dr. Johnson, “and Lynn’s done a lot, too, watching Tweety in the day. Very astute owners help us as veterinarians,” he says. “We’ll do what we can medically. Quality of life dictates where we go sometimes. Finally this kitty is doing her end of the bargain and the medication is helping.”
To this day nobody has figured out why seven-year-old Tweety suffers from the skin eruptions. “But you don’t put a child down when they’re sick, you treat them,” says Barb. “A lot of people aren’t in the financial position to do it. I am, thank goodness.” She says Tweety just implored her to care for her. “I’ll do whatever it takes until Tweety tells me that she’s ready, that she’s had enough.”
Nerves
The brain, spinal cord, and network of nerve fibers generate and transmit electrochemical signals that connect with every inch of the body. This regulates and coordinates body systems, and also gives our cats their personality, awareness, emotional life, and intelligence.
A central nervous system change common to older cats is impaired thermoregulation, says Dr. Wolf. Cats are less able to regulate their body temperature, and may be more heat or cold seeking, depending on the temperature around them. For that reason, body temperature must be closely monitored especially during and after any anesthetic procedures.
Age-related degeneration or injury of the brain, spinal damage, and chemical disruptions at the cellular level that interfere with nerve conduction all have a role in nervous system disorders. Liver failure, for example, may secondarily cause bizarre behavior as a result of chemical imbalances affecting the brain. Feline ischemic encephalopathy and stroke also cause disruption of the blood supply to the brain.
In addition, cats also suffer from spinal injuries that leave them with rear-end paralysis. Embolic myelopathy, a type of paralysis of the rear legs, is caused by side effects of blood clots resulting from cardiomyopathy. It may be permanent, but in some cases is cured with treatment. Uncontrolled diabetes may also affect the nerves and cause mobility problems, which may or may not be reversible.
Comfort Zone
· Running water often appeals to cats and prompts them to drink more, which keeps them better hydrated. Drinkwell Pet Fountain has a six-cup capacity and provides continuous running water for the cat. It costs about $70.
· Cats rarely lose the function of their rear limbs. Those that do may benefit from a feline “wheel chair” such as those provided by K-9 Carts. The cat’s rear legs are supported by a frame over the top of a pair of wheels, while his front legs allow him to move about and tow the cart behind.
Aging Mind
Some felines remain sharp and connected to the world around them throughout their geriatric years. Others aren’t as fortunate. “Some of the changes are due to the fact that the animal has an aging brain,” says Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, a professor of behavioral pharmacology at Tufts University. “As our pets get older, their thought processes slow down. In humans you talk about senior moments, and I think all our older pets have their senior moments.” As cats get older, the blood-flow to the brain is reduced causing a loss of neurons the body is unable to replace.
In cats, 28 to 33 percent of older cats show evidence of behavior changes; this increases to 88 percent in cats over the age of 16. “As soon as the brain cells stop talking to each other they lose them, lose brain tissue,” says Karen Overall, DVM, a veterinary researcher at Center for Neurobiology and Behavior at Penn Med. “The brain of a human Alzheimer’s patient often weighs 1/3 as much as normal brain.” As the brain ages, there is an increased expression of genes associated with stress and inflammation, and loss of neurons in the section of the brain involved in learning associations (the hippocampus). The decreased expression of genes involved in the nerve’s ability to send and receive signals is involved in cognitive changes, and behavioral enrichment