Re: Alice rarely leaves her bed-Is this normal for an older/frail cat? (w/video)

[Desley (booktigger)]

Mol and Zi are quite lazy, and spend loads of time asleep - Mol is possibly slightly more active, although she doesn't have to get off the bed to eat her wet food, only to drink, have biscuits and toilet. Since I got Seraquin and gave some to Zi though, she has been more playful, and just getting that look in her eye and dashing round the bed - just moved the toy, Zi batted it, and Mol just looked up and yawned!! Maybe she did have a touch of arthritis - mind you, she is 18.

[Mark]

Keep the pics and videos coming,we want videos of the others now

I did take a vid of my friends 2 dogs today - will be on non-cat thread as soon as I upload it 

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

I think they all like to sleep and even more so as they get older. My parents have 2 elderly cats who spend their days sleeping nearly all the time and my neighbours cat who is a gorgeous senior boy spends nearly all his time asleep on my garden furniture so I think they all do it! As long as she is happy, I would't worry too much,

[Gwen]

Mark she is simply too adorable for words  Keep the pics and videos coming,we want videos of the others now

btw ours are jelous of Alice as she has dry grass to walk on,its trashed it down with rain all morning here and is still raining but not as heavy

[Gail Bengal Slave]

she's simpley 

I love her facial markings

[Mark]

Thanks Leigh - here's a dodgy movie of her in the garden this morning 

[LeighK]

Hiya Mark,

From my experience especially with Suzie and previously Oli it's certainly not un-usual for older cats to sleep a lot and becoem less active. Up until cery recently Suzie has spent all day and most of the night asleep on my bed getting up in the night for food, water and to use the litter tray etc.

All the best

  to Alice

Leigh

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Alice is just

[Mark]

She's definitely not as wobbly as she makes out. She has been for a stroll in the garden and been upstairs to use the tray in the kitchen - I think she likes her presence smelt felt around the house 

[swampmaxmum]

I think that behaviour changes that are gradual are less worrying that those that are sudden. Also it's not a bad idea to spend most of this "summer" in bed!  Swampy gets his meals served sometimes in bed too, on a hand held plate!!  -he worked out he could get away with it plus he eats more if I do that. So hopefully she's just having a quiet, comfy time. As long as she's eating that's good and the little catnip play sounds pretty good too.

[Gillian Harvey]

Note - she is allowed to have her food on the bench 

Aww, bless her!  My Elsa was allowed to have her food up on the worktop away from the rest of the rabble. She used to spend most of her time in bed sleeping when she got older.

[MrsR]

My older ladies tend to sleep for England every day.

[maryas]

Well done Alice..........you've got him exactly where you want him girl. 

Mary

[Mark]

I think it depends on the weather, their mood and how much they can get away with. 

Mary

True 

She did come down for a play with her nasty catnip pillow this morning 
She is now waiting for me to offer her another flavour after rejecting Felix senior rabbit 

[Mark]

make more warm places for her!

Luckily we have 2 sofas in the basement as one of them is taken up with various Alice beds 

Note - she is allowed to have her food on the bench 

[maryas]

Hey Mark, if you had the choice WHEN you get old, wouldn't you like to lay around all day and night in comfort and be fussed over and treat like royalty? 

I think it depends on the weather, their mood and how much they can get away with. 

Mary

[Liz]

Our Sweetie now aged 17 years and 6 months read the book on cat sleeping habits as a kitten and sleeps about 18 hours a day in various palces but favours the warm conservatory now summer has left us but not quite cold enough for humans!

She sleeps with me at night and then comes downstairs in the morning for breakfast and a nap on her radiator bed in the kitchen - even with 40 odd cats noone else sleeps in it, after breakfast nap she is off to the conservatory and thats where she comes from in the evening

She also has 2 reflector beds on the back of the couches and noone dare sleep on them either!  She sleeps and eats and rules witha paw of iron but she has the liver and kidneys of a seven year old and has been the same weight for the last 15 so I wouldn't worry just turn up the heating and make more warm places for her!

[Maddiesmum]

My Guinness would sleep for about 22 hours a day when she was 17/18

[Gwen]

Ging used to be a major hunting cat when he was younger,he used to go away for weeks(no lie) and come back full of allsorts

Now he's older he sounds very much like Alice,he lies down a lot,not sleeping as such but he's either sitting/lying with us or just sleeping on the bed,when the suns out he'll go outside but he's in again within a couple of hours,thats why when he went overnigh a while ago I was worried as it was so out of character,well his "retired" character.  He still has his mad 5 minutes though

[Mark]

She goes for a mooch around upstairs once or twice a day and has a little play with her catnip sack on the rug but I would say she spends over 95% of her time in bed. Is this normal? - I wondr if it's partly to avoid confrontation and partly as she appreciates having a warm comfortable nest - also partly because she is a bit rusty - anyone else have this with older cats? - When it was warm & sunny she went outside but even then she stays in one spot most of the day.