01/11/2024
🐈 Aging Cats 🐈⬛️
My own cat is between 15-18 years old and it wasn't until the fireworks yesterday that I realised how bad her hearing has become. Every previous year, she'd hide away in some dark, quiet corner but yesterday's fireworks went off in a neighbours garden and she was curled up asleep underneath an open window. So, this leads me onto the topic of this post: how can we care for an aging cats?
• It is common for hearing to decline and sometimes we don't notice until its almost gone due to their other senses compensating. They still sense vibrations well, so instead of touching them and startling them, stomp near them or tap a surface nearby to awake them.
• Diet is hugely important for any aged cat but even more so in the elderly. Choose a good quality food but be aware some older cats need higher calories to maintain weight whereas others need less - senior cat foods tend to cater for those needing less.
• Should we allow the cat to free roam? This one is a tricky one to answer, but in general, it's a sensible decision to limit outside space to a safe garden if they have lost cognition or there's been a sensory decline.
• Medical conditions can increase as you cat ages too so keep a close eye on their eating and drinking habits along with their toileting and other signs (like irritability) that something may not be quite right.
The most important thing is to enjoy your aging cat! They're likely a lot sleeper nowadays so relish in the cat cuddles!
