When your pet cat grows older, the needs of the cat begin to change. How your cat ages and the rate of its ageing may vary from cat to cat. Scientifically, it has been seen that ageing is slower in female cats than male cats.
Though ageing is a natural lifelong process, there are no particularly visible effects of ageing until the cat reaches the later stages of its life. Cats pass into old age when they are about 8 to 10 years old. Since their life span ranges from 12 to 14 years, the last four years of their life may present several changes in both their physical form and their general health.
There are many illnesses that old cats suffer from. Some of the common elderly cat illnesses are loss of eyesight, diminishing of the auditory senses and some other progressive diseases which the cat may contract at this age.
As in humans, older cat ailments also comprise of memory lapses, problems of the heart and nerves, joint problems especially in the hind quarters, and behavioral changes. Cats may also experience decreased intellectual capacity in the later part of their lives.
Some common elderly cat illnesses are:
- Skin tumors: Tumors are common with cats in their old age. These tumors may form in localized areas or may even appear all over the body. Sometimes tumors and calluses appear on the parts of the cat’s body that are in contact with hard surfaces.
- Oral problems: Like old humans, among the first of mature cat illnesses are dental problems. The cat begins to lose its teeth. When the teeth begin to decay, they form abscesses. Such dental problems interfere with chewing and ultimately digestion.
- Diabetes: This is a chronic disorder in which the functioning of the pancreas may get impaired. The cat may also suffer from pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas. A cat that is suffering from diabetes mellitus may suffer from frequent urination, weakness, excessive thirst, and in severe cases, the cat may eventually lapse into a coma.
- Metritis: Older female cats may suffer from an inflammation of the uterus. This is a chronic disease and is usually caused due to infection sustained during the delivery of a litter.
- Renal failure: This is a condition where the cat’s kidneys have completely lost their function. The first symptoms of this disease appear when the cat has already lost 70% of the functioning of its kidneys.
| 