Older cat care - looking after your senior cat

Siamese cats can be long-lived, some surviving into their twenties. So here are some older cat care tips to help keep your senior cat in the very best of health.

What is an older cat?

All cats age slightly differently. A cat's life can be broken down into four main phases:

Older cat care - health

Cats' immune systems become less effective in their older years. This makes them more susceptible to infectious disease.

Take especial care to keep your older cat's vaccinations up to date, especially if you have one that is allowed outdoors.

Heart, lung, kidney and liver function all slow down, and hearing and sight deteriorate.

Regular health care check-ups by your veterinarian help to spotlight potential problems.

What to look out for:

• Changes in behavior
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Drinking more (or less) water than usual
• Difficulty walking
• Bumping into furniture

Older cats' teeth and gums may show signs of wear and tear, too. Check regularly for signs of gum disease (redness, bleeding, plaque deposits) and get advice from your veterinarian on how to care for and treat these.

If the deterioration isn't too bad, switching to a dry food diet can help to keep teeth free of tartar and plaque, but if diseased or missing teeth cause your cat to have difficulty eating, softer foods may be necessary instead.

Essential older cat care: check your cat's teeth regularly

photo: © iStockphoto | Nancy Louie

Older cat care – diet and weight

An older cat's digestive system slows down too. You may need to make some changes to your cat's diet.

There are cat foods specially formulated for mature cats, some of which are tailored to individual health conditions - diabetes, kidney and heart disease, dental problems.

Taking care of an older cat includes watching their weight. Too much weight puts a strain on all a cat's body systems, so keeping them slim helps to extend their years and improve their quality of life.

Once cats become less active, they need less food to prevent them becoming overweight. Foods made for older cats have less protein and fat, and more fibre, which helps cats feel full on fewer calories.

Some older cats may actually get thinner, not fatter, as their digestive systems become less efficient at using the nutrients in their food.

Weight loss might also indicate more serious problems, for example thyroid or kidney disease, and should always be checked out by a veterinarian.

Cats with no appetite may need to be tempted a little. Experiment with different foods and try adding a little chicken stock or baby food to their usual foods to help stimulate their desire to eat.

Elderly cat care - reduced activity

Can your cat still climb and jump? If his bed or favorite perch is too high, he may no longer be able to reach it. Have a chair or stool nearby to allow easier access to the places he likes to rest, or place beds and perches nearer the floor.

Decreased activity will make cats feel colder, too. Make sure your cat's bed is warm. If necessary, put a hot water bottle or heating pad under their bedding to keep them snug.

Geriatric cat care – the end of a long life

Doreen Tovey, in 'The New Boy', one of her wonderful books about Siamese cats, said

'the one disservice animals render us is that they don't live as long as we do'

The most compassionate thing you can do for your cat is to ensure that the end of his life is comfortable and pain-free. No-one enjoys seeing their feline companions struggle on, but taking the decision to end their life can be heart-breaking.

Your veterinarian can advise you about euthanasia once your cat's life becomes too difficult to live enjoyably.

More useful pages on looking after cats:

• Useful 'how-tos' for taking care of cats
• The costs involved in keeping cats
• Bathing cats

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