Older cats - sleeping!

[Stuart]

Let me know if there is any improvement. Alice is fine at the moment but I will see if she stiffens up as it gets colder. Do you have to double-dose at the beginning?

Yes Mark, double dose for 7 days ( 5ml)  then back to normal dose (2.5) for the remainder
I'm still offshore justnow, not home till next wednesday. But OH said He is taking it with no
problems, although He was a Bit dubious to start with as it has a slight smell 

I'll keep you posted on the results 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Would like to swap.........I offer Franta 

[Kirst]

Whereas my Birman is 10 and is happiest eating and sleeping!

[caledonia]

He is fine when awake - usually hears me coming up the stairs and is waiting in the hall for me. He does follow me around if I am out the living room for too long aswell - so I think he is fine - just the opposite of his duracel bunny brother lol!!!

Love the fact your Birman's haven't yet chilled out 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Sorry I meant to say, I dont think it matters how much he sleeps as long as he seems well when he is awake and eating 

If he has already seen the vet for this stuff then I wouldnt worry unless something new happened.

Certainly as cats get older they sleep more.......................ARE YOU LISTENING BIRMANS!! 

[caledonia]

I rehomed them both through the UKRCC in February and Oscar has been a sleeper since then. IN fact their foster Mum had commmented on the fact he rarely left the room she had them in, whereas Edgar strolled all over the house. They had full bloods then and that was just at the begining of the year. Their vet also noticed a slight loss of his eye sight which he thought was age related.

My vet then checked them in March and agreed that Oscar's eye sight loss was age related and he could send him to an eye specialist but didn't think it would be of any value as he said "we can't turn back the clock". He did give his eyes a pretty thorough going over. Oscar also has a heart murmour which thought was significant enough that he should not have a GA for a broken tooth. I just think compared to ants in his pants Edgar he seems lethargic but then Edgar is a ragdoll! !

Oscar is a Maine Coon and I thought 12 was a pretty good age for a pedigree as they live 10-15 years as opposed to Moggies that live a wee bitty longer but then you have Birman's at 15!

Sorry I probbably sound like I am talking myself out of going to the vet - it is just difficult to judge as I have only had them six months and this is how  he has always been - I just was curious after my partner mentioned how much he sleeps - I hadn't really thought about it!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

12 is quite young for a cat now and I would be having him checked out by a vet.

Do you know why his sight is deteriating cos at 12 I think there maybe a reason that the vet can help.

I have two birmans aged 15 and they are fine,,,,,,,,,,well franta maybe quite deaf but it seems to depend 

Kocka went to the Bridge at 20 but was fine at 12 and didnt start having probs till she was about 16.

Every cat is different of course but 12 is not that old any more 

[Rosella moggy]

I'm quite sure it depends on the cat. Tom and Gandolf were around the same age. Until Gandie passed away 2 years ago aged 18, he was always up and at em. Tom has always been a lazy chap, ever since he was a young un. Have no idea where he got his muscles from or how he's stayed so trim coz he's never been active apart from occasional mad bursts..

[lilynmitz]

I find it varies from one cat to another, but most tend to sleep more as they get older.  However, if they are suddenly less active it can be a sign of ill health so best off to the vet to check.  He's of an age where general blood tests would be a good idea just to check all his internal bits are in working order.   

I have an almost blind 8 year old, and suspect he would be a lot livelier if he could see, its's just too much hard work for him feeling his way around and bumping into stuff all the time.  Oscar's sight could be worse than you realise if he has learnt his way round the house and garden over the years.  We didn't realise Mitz was blind at all until we got him home from the rescue centre, as having been there for 2 years, he knew every inch of his pen by heart.

[hOrZa]

that could be my boys and they are just 1 but maybe not that bad

[Mark]

but I got stuff through the post today
(recommended by Mark) so we'll see how he get's on with that

Let me know if there is any improvement. Alice is fine at the moment but I will see if she stiffens up as it gets colder. Do you have to double-dose at the beginning?

[caledonia]

Yep that rings true with Oscar - always awake for food and if I call him he doesn't seem to take too long to appear if its related to food either!!

[Stuart]

Misty sleeps most of the time (I dont keep track of for how long) but He is always awake for Brekkie 
hmmmm, come to think of it anything to do with food He's always awake just the noise of the
pouch being opened is enough, I think he has a slight touch of athritis, but I got stuff through the post today
(recommended by Mark) so we'll see how he get's on with that

oh Yes, MR Misty is 17 and a quater years old 

[caledonia]

My oldest boy is going to be 12 in November and I have only had since February. Having never had such mature cats (his brother Edgar is 12 in December) I am unsure as to what is the norm (if there is such a thing) with regards to the amount they sleep!!   

Basically Oscar sleeps all the time!!!   He is around for meal times and occasionally has a strut about, will change positions and rooms within the house but is generally asleep the majority of the time. I am sure this is normal given his age but just wanted to check. His mobility is not the greatest, he generally comes off things backwards and his sight is also detiorated in that he can't see things unless they are very close to him but generally he seems quite content.

His brother Edgar is still very active and follows me about the house and seems never to sleep which is maybe why Oscar's sleeping pattern seems so much! Edgar and him are very close and sleep together and groom each other although I do worry Edgar is getting a bit more dominant given that Oscar's eyesight does seem to have deterioated. Oscar is eating fine, using litter tray fine, all else is fine - just wanted to make sure the fact he is a lazy swine is ok given his age!!

Thanks