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Junior Member
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Last Login: 1/26/2009 7:45:06 AM
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Hi everyone!
New poster here!
And getting right into it my cat is beginning to really get on in her years. Shes somewhere between the age of 15 to 17. I've had her almost eleven years now and she belonged to my dad for 4 to 6 years before that (i.e. my brother brought her home as a kitten somewhere between 1991 and 1993).
Mostly I would just appreciate what the thread title states...any advice, special things I may need to know or look out for...
For a little old lady I think shes doing very well...she recently lost one of her teeth and she gets a little limpy/crampy but overall shes still very kittenish, has her hearing and appears to be sharp...i freely admit to spoiling he rotten.
If She was sickly or something I'd opt for more professional medical attention but im single and slave to getting my rent covered every month. i know at some point i'm going to have to get to a vet.
I'd appreciate any advice.
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Supreme Being
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I has two old kitties 14 & 16 years old. The best thing you can do is have your kittys teeth cleaned. You might think he to old that it does not matter but healty teeth=happy kitty !
Allison kitty mommy.... all kitties need a kiss maybe two maybe three
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Member
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| I know you're probably not going to want to hear this, but it really would be a good idea for you to take your kitty to the vet and get some blood work done. I adopted a 10 year old cat last year and I had blood work done on her. It turned out she was having some kidney problems, but she was just in the early stages. We've had her on a special diet for a few months and her levels are now back in the normal range. A lot of older kitties suffer from chronic renal failure, but they won't show any obvious symptoms until they are in the late stages and by that point there's not much we can do for them.
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Senior Member
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Old cats, just like old humans, need to have their health monitored. As their body systems age, things can start functioning less efficiently, incorrectly, or not at all. Many of the ailments to which elderly felines are prone are also manageable if they are caught early. The trick is to catch them early with regular veterinary checkups including a full, geriatric blood chemistry (including thyroid test) at least once a year. The older your cat gets, the more frequently a full blood chem should be performed.
My oldest cat, Billy, developed skin cancer on one of his ears and had to have it surgically removed in Oct. '07. Other than the ear lesions, Billy appeared to be in perfect health ... until the pre-surgical bloodwork showed him to be in the early stages of both hyperthyroidism and chronic renal failure. I had no clue that his body was harboring those illnesses until the bloodwork revealed them, and I am so grateful that I caught them early. Because of the early catch, I have been able to manage both diseases quite well and keep Billy's condition pretty stable for more than a year now.
Billy's brother, Bitsy, wasn't so lucky. I didn't get him to the vet until his CRF symptoms were so obvious and advanced that I couldn't stabilize his condition. I lost him just a few months after diagnosis. If I had taken him in for routine bloodwork regularly, I would have caught his CRF much earlier and had a much better chance of successfully managing his disease. That was a horrible mistake from which Bitsy suffered the ultimate consequences.
I understand that your finances are tight, but do try to find the money to take your old girl in for a geriatric blood chemistry so that you can get a medical baseline on her. Hopefully the bloodwork will show her to be as healthy as she appears, but if she does have some chronic disease, it's best to catch it now before she starts showing obvious symptoms.
Laurie
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 6/1/2009 3:48:43 PM
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| Living with a Senior Kitty I agree - a yearly physical could catch a lot of conditions specific to a senior cat. Other than that, keep a watch on their appetite, stools and urine. If anything begins to look "off" or different, a visit to the vet might be in order. Putting steps by beds and couches/chairs that she likes to jump up on can help her too. My 18 1/2 yr old has a step at the foot of my bed to help her up on it. She is arthritic, but for now I'm not giving her any meds for it because I don't want her stomach to get upset. If she begins to indicate she's in pain, I'll get her something for that. I provide dry food for her that is always available. Alot of senior kitties can get dehydrated easily. Make sure she has a fresh water source. I feed a little bit of canned food in the morning mixed with warm water. She eats/laps it right up -- it encourages her to drink and eat. I also put her food dish on a pedestal --to make it so she doesn't have to crouch down to eat. Seniors have a hard time crouching down. She stands at her dish and eats. Seniors have a more difficult time grooming themselves, so you might want to spiff kitty up once in a while with a moist towel or they do sell shampoo towelettes that you wipe over them and then dry them off. Brushing more helps too and cleaning the inside of the ears. They now sell moist toweletts and swabs for cleaning everything on a cat. Never cut hair mats that are close to the skin with a scissors - it is too easy to cut the skin - use an electric clipper and shave it off. Handle with care, they are more fragile and picking seniors up too quickly or handling them roughly can hurt them. Senior toenails get really thick and splinter easily. Don't let them (nails) get away from you or it takes forever to get the quick of the nail back down. I snip the very tips of my senior's nails with a human toe nail clipper which works best for me. Some of my senior kitty's toe nails have gotten really wide and brittle. Seniors are always cold, even in the summer, I bought an electric pet heating pad that is always plugged in and on. It warms when kitty lays on it. She loves it! Male seniors are very prone to bladder stones/crystals. Watch for blood in the urine and straining. If you can afford it, teeth cleaning is good -- it is very expensive but it can prevent gum disease which can make them very sick and unable to eat. They eyes develop brown specks and they can't see as well as they used to either. I do turn the stair lights on for her. Below is a pic of my Senior Cat "New Kitty" (name stuck): 
- SuperCat
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 1/26/2009 7:45:06 AM
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| thanks for the advice. i know i have to take her to a vet...finances are just that tight right now. the little kittie steps have been a godsend. i got it on sale at my local cvs for ten bucks (and i see new ones for sale for 29.99) so i feel lucky there. she also loves her heating pad. at the onset of winter with the first brisk colds she got very very arthritic. she sleep on the pad quite lovingly and its done her a world of good. one thing i've noticed is shes developed a ravenous appetite. shes always been a dainty sort of kitty. not much of a piglet...even for treats but lately shes demanding more and more. is the gravy treats for dogs cat safe? i think she'd love it (in moderation). i know i have to take her to a vet...i also need to go to a dentist, keep my electricity from being shut off and pay the rent. fortunately my luck is changing a little even in these crappy times so i'll be able to spring for a vet visit in a few weeks but i'm scared to be given costly news. Miss Jam (my kitty's name) had an older sister who ran me up 2,000 at the vet and she died horribly and tragically. if i had done nothing she would have lived longer and died in less agony so i'm a little skeptical of vets right now...but i know she has to go. soon as i figure out how (like in two minutes) i'll post a picture of miss jam. 
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 1/26/2009 7:45:06 AM
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| this is miss jam: 
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Senior Member
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Miss Jam is a cutie. She looks a lot like my BooBoo.
That ravenous appetite of hers could be a symptom of hyperthyroidism and/or diabetes, both of which can have very serious effects on her health and other body systems (including her heart) if they are not properly and promptly controlled. Fortunately, both diseases can be controlled medically, but you need to have her diagnosed ASAP.
Perhaps your vet would be willing to work out a payment plan with you so that you can get her tested right away. Sure wouldn't hurt to ask, anyway.
Laurie
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 6/1/2009 3:48:43 PM
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| When they grow older, it is very difficult to determine when it is time to quit running up vet bills and let them "pass". My son got his cat when he was 7 yrs old and when he was 27 and his cat was 20, she started dying. He took her to the vet who "saw him coming" and he ended up dishing out thousands of dollars in expensive kidney/lab testing and useless treatment. He wouldn't listen to me that it was "time" and she had no quality of life, her life consisted of pain, needles, tests, hydrating with an IV, pills.... etc. She finally did "pass" but it took months. On the other hand, your senior sounds as if she is in relatively good condition and yes, increased thirst and appetite is a diabetic sign which can be controlled with insulin to help her keep her quality of life up. Good luck to you -- that was also a good idea about making arrangements with a vet as to a payment plan. Some vets will take advantage of you -- so be aware and there are great vets out there too! 
- SuperCat
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Senior Member
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My experience with vets and elderly animals has been quite the opposite. I have left several veterinary practices over the years when it became clear that they weren't interested in treating my geriatric animals. Some vets seem to feel that treating chronic illness in old animals is a waste of their time, or perhaps they assume that the owners won't want to invest the time and money into caring for their elderly companions. There are, of course, vets on the other end of the scale who seem to want to run every test in the book for no apparent good reason.
The key to developing an optimal vet/client relationship is communication, and that begins with some soul searching on your part. You need to consider how much you are able and/or willing to do for your elderly cat, and you need to communicate that clearly with your vet. If you have financial constraints that limit your ability to provide comprehensive veterinary care, then explain that to your vet. If you find that your cat does have a chronic illness that you decide not to treat, ask your vet to explain all of the physical ramifications for your cat of that decision. That will help you understand when and under what circumstances you should euthanize your girl rather than allowing her to become increasingly ill.
If, OTOH, you decide you want to provide whatever medical support you can for your girl, then talk to your vet about payment options so that you'll know what is and isn't available to you. It's far better to reach a financial understanding with your vet now rather than waiting until your cat is in some sort of medical crisis and trying to figure out what to do about the money then.
I wish you and your old girl all the best.
Laurie
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