Topic: Signs of a senile cat ? (Read 4967 times)

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #23 on:** January 09, 2008, 17:42:43 PM »

Thanks Nicola

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2008, 15:05:57 PM »

to you and Franta, Gill - hope you are both feeling more yourselves soon

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2008, 13:47:09 PM »

Thanks Rosella, and am just keeping an eye on Franta cos he is so quiet!

I saw Sasa give him the evil eye this morning and he kept on walking but his tail grew to twice its normal width

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2008, 23:56:12 PM »

Quote from: unseeliechylde on January 08, 2008, 20:59:05 PM

Multiple-Infarct-Dementia. Basically, its a series of very small, mild strokes that occur weeks, months, or up to a year apart, making the condition look like a progressive neurodegenerative disease, when in fact it is a series of individual strokes strung out over time. I've seen this in dogs, rats, gerbils, and cats. The key thing is the weight loss - often the strokes disrupt the motor cortex, causing muscle weakness and co-ordination problems, which results in some wasting of the muscle tissue.

Spot on. Strangely, whilst no weight loss (I weigh my lad regularly), his spine rather boney now and apparent wasting in muscles. Thnaks for your post. He is naturally spoilt rotten of course.

Sorry to hear you're not well Gill and hope you (and Franta) back to normal very soon

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2008, 21:51:40 PM »

Just been checking list for Franta cos he is acting strange last few days but they dont apply.

I not sure he eating much and he very quiet an unobtrusive for Franta, I wonder if his teeth are playing up. Mind you all the cats are acting strange while I been ill.

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2008, 20:59:05 PM »

Hey Rosella

It does sound like cognitive decline, but rather than due to normal aging, it is likely to be as a result of the stroke he's had. Very old animals can get a similar thing to humans, called MID or Multiple-Infarct-Dementia. Basically, its a series of very small, mild strokes that occur weeks, months, or up to a year apart, making the condition look like a progressive neurodegenerative disease, when in fact it is a series of individual strokes strung out over time. I've seen this in dogs, rats, gerbils, and cats. The key thing is the weight loss - often the strokes disrupt the motor cortex, causing muscle weakness and co-ordination problems, which results in some wasting of the muscle tissue. Strokes of course also cause personality change, increased aggression and many of the other signs associated with normal cognitive decline, except they tend to be VERY pronounced, and develop over a shorter length of time.

Poor old Tom is also quite an old boy, so the best thing is just to keep him comfortable, stimulate him as much as he's happy with, and of course spoil him rotten (all of which I'm sure you do already!). Bless him, he's doing well to cope with it all, give him a gentle oldie

from me

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2008, 23:06:44 PM »

I was looking to start a new topic asking if poss to have HyperT given a certain array of symptoms but not others and found this thread which seems to explain a fair bit about Tom's behaviour since he had minor "stroke" (or whatever it was) during the summer. However HyperT didn't seem to fit as he isn't losing weight and, with very little help, his coat is still in pretty good nick most of the time. Also blood tests during the summer were fine. Poss senility signs for Tom (18) are:

Unexplained biting behaviour and clouting OH during the night
Disorientation although no tray accidents yet
noticable change in sleep pattern - demanding to be fed at the the wrong times of day etc
increased co-ordination problems, Mr Wobble altho he copes pretty well really
increased vocalisation although we suspect impaired hearing and maybe sight probs
He has become a gorb, if he isn't sleeping he is eating

Having said all that he seems pretty happy

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2008, 22:25:37 PM »

I have every sympathy Angie

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2008, 11:28:37 AM »

Aww bless! Poor you, Angie!

My mum hasthe same problem with her senile old border collie ATM, but then, she is 14 (which apparently makes her around 90 in dog years!).
I love oldies, they are so sweet, but then that is balanced by the hard work and worrying, too!

I guess you need to take a leaf out of Ging's book

JackSpratt · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2008, 21:36:21 PM »

to Angie. Right there with ya!

Angiew · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2008, 00:16:59 AM »

The signs of a senile cat is a knackered owner.

we go to bed, she starts crying. We get up go downstairs bring her to bed. Purr purr lick lick , (thats the cat btw) go downstairs, sit at the bottom of the stairs where the echo effect is at its best and howl.

repeat above for 6 - 8 hours until owners get up , then settle on your heated cat bed and sleep for 14 - 16 hours with frequent visits for feeding.

Even poor old Ginge who idolises her and used to go rushing to see what the problem was just snuggles deeper into the duvet.

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2008, 23:53:41 PM »

I should have clarified - the list comes from the Handbook of the Association of Applied Companion Animal Behaviour, which is who I was referring to when I said "they", it is also found in the Companion Animal Comparative Psychology Handbook, under "geriatrics and cognitive aging".
Sorry for not being clearer!

It does sound like she has some cognitive decline - the key thing is to follow the reccomendations and keep a close watch on how the symptoms develop (or not) over time - very gradual cognitive decline is normal in a very old animal, but if there are any rapid or very sudden changes, it could be the result of a stroke or neurodegenerative disease (where sudden means changes occuring over days, weeks or less than about 2 months).

edited to add: the guidelines also stress that these symptoms only refer to a distinct change in what is normal for the animal - a cat that has always been a bit unpredictable or stroppy, or been a bit prone to ask for food every time irrespective of whether its feeding time, or has always had erratic sleeping patters etc - then obviously you would be looking for a distinct personality or behaviour change that is out of character for the animal, where any form of physiological disease, or environmental stressor, has been ruled out. A bold cat becoming hestiant or timid, when they have nothing medically wrong, and there has been no environmental change, could be showing indications of cognitive decline, for example - but only if other symptoms are also present, that are similarly out of the norm.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2008, 23:16:00 PM »

My vet called it senility as well.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2008, 23:10:26 PM »

Quote from: unseeliechylde on January 04, 2008, 21:00:45 PM

The indicators of "cognitive decline" (they don't call it senility in animals) - Ummmm, yes they do. At least, that's what my vet called it!

I've never actually seen this list, I'm going to put a "x" next to all the behaviour Old Mog exhibits and look back at it.

Unexpected mood swings / unpredictable behaviourX

Disorientation (going to the wrong door to be let out; standing at wrong side of door; appearing to be lost or confused in familiar surroundings; difficulty in locating trays)X - apart from the tray part.

noticable change in sleep pattern - in cats usually waking at odd times relative to normal routine; wanting in or out at strange times, "asking" tobe fed at the the wrong times of day etcX

confusion or delayed recognition of familiar people or other animalsX

increased co-ordination problemsX

increased vocalisation in absence of impaired hearingX

marked change in appetite in absence of any health problems

unexplained aggressionX - very rarely, but there is the odd hissy fit.

Wow, Old Mog must have been easy to diagnose!

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2008, 21:00:45 PM »

Aww bless, she's a grand old age, isn't she?

I love old cats!
The others here are right - get her a thorough health check, and check for deafness or hearing loss (sometimes in one ear before the other).

The indicators of "cognitive decline" (they don't call it senility in animals) are as follows (and apply to both dogs and cats - also bear in mind that each point refers to an increase in the specified symptom beyond what is normal for that individual animal):

Unexpected mood swings / unpredictable behaviour

Disorientation (going to the wrong door to be let out; standing at wrong side of door; appearing to be lost or confused in familiar surroundings; difficulty in locating trays)

noticable change in sleep pattern - in cats usually waking at odd times relative to normal routine; wanting in or out at strange times, "asking" to be fed at the the wrong times of day etc

confusion or delayed recognition of familiar people or other animals

increased co-ordination problems

increased vocalisation in absence of impaired hearing

marked change in appetite in absence of any health problems

unexplained aggression

One or two of these is not a problem, but if an animal has more than half of them, in the absence of any health problem (VVV important to check for possible medical problems first), then they are experiencing cognitive decline.
Switching to a good quality senior food, giving omega 3 & 6 supplements, and devising some new forms of mental stimulation (hiding food for them to find, introducing new games, new toys, etc) can improve things.
However, cognitive decline can be slowed but not stopped entirely - we all get a little eccentric as we get old, and so long as her quality of life and health is still good, a few odd little habits are not too much of a problem.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2008, 01:23:51 AM »

Tilly is a grand age

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2008, 22:26:05 PM »

I would check with teh T4 tests, they aren't included in normal blood tests.

Cathy Biscuits mom · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2008, 18:49:23 PM »

Thanks for your replies guys - I'm having to assume that the vets did tests for things because its my SIL cat who tells me that Tilly has been checked out. I can definitely say though thats shes not deaf, when you call her she comes running. And yes I know that feeling at 4am, as soon as anyone made a sound Tilly was there screaming for attention and thats what it seems all about at the moment, demanding attention and I suppose reassurance. I must say I noticed that she did seem to move around the room rather than settling in one place and apparently shes taken to sleeping in the bath which is something she never ever did before.

I shall have to email my SIL and ask her whether they did any T4 tests.

We reckon Tilly is around 18 or 19 years old - a very grand age.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #5 on:** January 01, 2008, 00:49:21 AM »

I do indeed. General confusion is one of the main signs - Old Mog can come in to a room and forget she's there. Senile cats find it difficult to settle and this in turn makes them frustrated and insecure. They become extremely demanding; it's not unknown for Old Mog to scream for attention at 4am.

(Much to the dismay of the other cats!)

When you say the vet did all the tests - did they specifically do a T4 test? Hyperthyroidism makes cats vocal too and is prominent in older cats.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #4 on:** January 01, 2008, 00:30:29 AM »

How old is Tilly?

The first thing to eliminate is deafness although that is a sign of aging too.

Easy to check get behing her and clap lodly and what ears, no flicker try a shhhhhhhhhhhhh sound and also a high piched one, if no reafction cat is deaf.

Yes older cats often start to shout a lot but some is often related to deafness, Franta is doing this and my Kocka was very very noisy but also going deaf.

There is nothing you can do about it but they areusually Ok, I would not let them roam a long way but they do not seem to get lost in the garden.

Jack Spratt has a cat like this at the moment.

Stuart · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2007, 22:54:33 PM »

are you definately sure Cat is'nt Deaf ??
Cat's do get senile with old age the same as some humans,
which is weak mental or physical ailment's due to old age

senile dementia is where the connections in the brain start to break down,
thats when people get tooken to special hospital's

it would be hard for me to say that Puss may get lost if let out to wander
as I'm no expert

maybe other's could advise you better

Angiew · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2007, 22:43:56 PM »

They can get lost but it would be more likely, if they are physically showing their age, that someone will pick them up and take them to a rescue. I've had a few cases where this has happened so if the cat is not microchipped it might be worth them doing it.

Cathy Biscuits mom · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2007, 22:03:43 PM »

I spent Christmas down in Newquay with my Brother and sister in law (no Biscuit didn't come with me she had her own special man friend come and stay with her over Christmas - spoilt madam that she is) anyway they have a cat. Tilly has been with my SIL for nearly 14 years and she got her when she was 4 maybe 5 so Tilly is definitely getting on abit. Anyway Tilly does nothing but cry and meow all the time. SIL has had her vet checked and theres nothing physically wrong with her so I was telling SIL maybe just maybe its because Tilly is getting senile because I've often heard people say on here that senile cats become very vocal. It got me wondering what other signs would there be of a cat going senile. Would they get lost if they went out that kind of thing?

Author Topic: Signs of a senile cat ? (Read 4967 times)