Complete Care for Your Aging Cat - Amy Shojai [4]
Today, cats are living longer primarily because owners are more knowledgeable and take better care of them, says Steven L. Marks, BVSc, a surgeon and internist at Louisiana State University. Most pet cats live most of the time inside the house with their human family. Many cats are exclusively indoor pets. And if a behavior problem develops, instead of replacing the cat, owners seek help to correct the problem.
Secondly, cats are living longer because better veterinary treatments now are available, and are routinely sought by owners. Cats routinely receive preventive medications to guard against deadly pests such as heartworms, intestinal parasites, ticks and fleas. Palatable and nutritious cat foods support the animal’s physical health to develop healthy bones, muscles and immune system during all life stages—kitten growth, reproduction, adult maintenance, and senior cats. Regular cat foods are now designed to prevent the most common type of urinary stone, and also contain the proper amounts of essential nutrients, such as taurine, which has virtually eliminated a type of heart disease and blindness that used to affect cats.
Advances in preventive medicine saved the lives of countless felines when highly effective vaccinations for upper respiratory diseases were developed in the mid-1970s. The 1980s saw the introduction of better tests and vaccines for FeLV and FIP. Once feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was identified in 1987, accurate tests helped prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The first preventive FIV vaccine, released in 2002, shows great promise for saving even more cat lives.
Modern breeders study the science and genetics of reproduction to ensure that they produce healthy pedigreed animals that live longer. Spaying and neutering of pet cats at an early age has become the norm. This eliminates potential behavior problems as well as health issues such as breast cancer, and helps to increase the lifespan of cats.
Finally, cats are living longer because many pet owners choose to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism, and are able and willing to offer a wide range of treatment and home care to keep aging cats healthy, happy and active. Rather than car accidents or viruses that cut lives short, modern cats more typically succumb to diseases such as cancer, heart or kidney failure that tend to strike after age 10. Modern treatments help maintain the cat’s quality of life, and this better care translates into extra years of enjoyment people can share with their special cats.
Extra years together mean the loving bond people share with cats becomes even stronger as time goes by. Older cats also offer benefits—steadiness, known behaviors and temperament, calm demeanor—which kittens take years to develop. For instance, children may grow up with a special cat who serves as a playmate; then as the cat ages, he evolves into a best friend and confidant during the child’s turbulent teenage years. A cat can be the comforting constant in families split apart by divorce, offering stress relief to both the adults and children involved.
A cat accompanies his youthful owner to college, is a study buddy and party friend, and then travels down the aisle with him (sometimes literally!) when the owner begins his new family. A graying older cat often “adopts” human babies as her own, and then serves as playmate or a furry security blanket to the infant. Aging cats can also give a new purpose and fill the void left in the household when children leave for college, or when a loved one’s death leaves the surviving spouse bereft.
Using This Book
An outstanding source of information about your aging cat’s needs is your veterinarian. Many times, though, he or she will only have a limited amount of time available during visits to answer your questions. That’s why today’s cat owners educate themselves about feline needs and arrive at the veterinary office armed with information gathered from research on the Internet, other pet owners, magazines and books—such as Complete Care For Your