Geriatric Cats
Symptoms of the aging process are not quite as obvious with your cat as they are for we human
beings. We notice gradual changes in our hair, skin and physical capabilities. With your cat, there
won't be graying or wrinkling. Your cat won't need glasses for reading the Sunday paper. However
your cat will have many of the same aging problems that you are eventually likely to experience.
Diagnosis is made possible as an age-related diseases by annually screening elderly cats. Your
cat is very good at hiding the early symptoms of disease from you. He's so good in fact, that it is not
uncommon for a cat to have a compromising health condition for a year or longer before it becomes
apparent to you. That is why we recommend the following screening tests:
Complete Blood Count
Blood Chemistry Profile
Thyroid Function Test
Urinalysis
Blood Pressure Measurement
With these tests, one can determine the existence of diabetes, thyroid disease, early kidney
disease, various blood disorders and many more medical problems which can be treated early in
order to avoid much more serious, and often life threatening problems later.
Physical examinations are even more important to your geriatric cat than they are to elderly humans.
Your cat can't put into words complaints about an ache here or a pain there. She cannot tell you
about a tender tooth, or general feelings of exhaustion or nervousness. Careful examination for
physical changes include: weight loss, obesity, examination of eyes, ears and the mouth. Assessing
dental condition is necessary to determine your cat's health. Diseases of the gums and teeth may
make eating uncomfortable, and untreated dental disease can damage kidneys and other major
organs. In addition, vaccinations are monitored and updated in order to prevent diseases which can
be deadly to older cats.
Hypertension, the silent killer, can be equally life threatening, and there are often no symptoms until
serious damage to internal organs has occurred. New technology now allows veterinarians to measure and monitor blood pressure for your older cat. If your cat's blood pressure
is found to be high, medication is used to control and maintain blood pressure and alleviate resulting
damage.
Another little appreciated, but very common cause, of health problems is dental disease. Poor
dental health can lead to inadequate nutrition, kidney damage and many other problems. During
your cat's regular check-ups, the veterinarian will check for signs of problems in your cat's mouth.
Dental cleanings, the extraction of diseased and broken or infected teeth prevent medical problems
and keep your cat comfortable and happy. Treatment for your cat's long, happy and healthy life
include:
Prevention
Annual Physical
Examinations Screening
Early Intervention
Catching small problems early often stops them from growing into major issues. Diseases of the vital
internal organs such as the heart, kidney and liver occur frequently in older cats. If a problem is found
early, treatment can be life saving, allowing organs to once again work efficiently. Diseases can be
stopped or slowed before they debilitate your cat.
Your cat depends mostly on you for her life and good health. It is imperative that you work closely
with your veterinarian to get the education you need to keep your pet aging gracefully. Prevention
first started when you adopted your cat and began taking her to your veterinarian on a yearly basis.
The vaccinations your cat has received throughout her lifetime has kept her from getting calici virus,
rhinotracheitis, rabies and other very dangerous diseases. You've kept her on that high quality diet
we recommended, haven't you? Good nutrition is an essential part of prevention. Her yearly exams
have enabled us to catch and treat problems early on. All those dental cleanings she's had
throughout her lifetime? They've helped her immeasurably. Essentially, by following our advice, you
have prevented your cat from obtaining life threatening diseases and have allowed her to age
gracefully by your side.
When your cat reaches the age of 12 or 13 years, he is considered a feline senior citizen, a geriatric
cat, and the need for prevention becomes paramount. Your veterinarian should continue to work with
you to create a program of proper diet, vaccinations, dental care, a program of health maintenance.
