Just like human beings, cats also get old and weak. 8-12 years of cat are senior felines. When your pet reaches this age group, s/he needs proper care. As a cat owner, it is your responsibility to feed your pet on time and take care of their every need. When cats get old and mature, they demand special love and attention. If you are looking for health tips for senior cats, then you are at the best place. Here you can find complete information on how to take proper care of your old four-footed pet animal. Cats have every right to lead a happy and healthy life. You need to shower special affection once your pet reaches the twilight years.
Ten Tips for Healthy Older Cat
When cats age, they need more care and love as compared to when they were kitten. As she ages, your pet will slow down a little bit and will not be active like in her young age. Proper care is necessary and you can follow these health tips for senior cats:
- Teeth: Older cats are not able to chew properly because there are many bacteria in their mouth. Take proper care of her dental health so that she does not lose many teeth. Feed her wet and canned food products because there is not enough chewing in it. You can go online and select food products that are best for senior cats. For ideal dental health, you may invest in a cat friendly toothpaste and toothbrush.
- Exercise: With the passage of time, your feline friend will become less active. She will no longer be agile like earlier. Due to lack of movement, her body may get stiff. This can lead to several joint pains and arthritis related diseases. Try to keep your pet in proper shape by playing with her daily. This will help her to exercise her body and will keep health complications at bay.
- Joints: Due to lack of proper exercise, your pet may start suffering from stiff joint pains. The most common symptom is licking her joints excessively from time to time. Try to play with her as much as possible. Take her to walk in the park in morning or evening on daily basis.
- Skin: The skin diseases in fur animals can be extremely painful because of the continuous itching. Some of the skin problems are caused by certain allergic reactions while worms cause others. Do proper treatment based on the type of disease.
- Sleep: As she progress age wise, your pet animal will require more sleeping time. It is important that her pet bed should be warm and cozy. She needs proper rest else, her body will turn weak. Try to keep her in the same room where you sleep. It will increase the bond of friendship between both of you.
- Hearing: When your cat gets old, she will have some hearing disorders. She will not be able to hear noises or when you call her. It is because a large amount of wax is deposited in the inner portion of her ears. When you cat is not able to hear properly, she will get frightened or surprised by a sudden voice. Try not to surprise your pet from behind because it leads to flighty cat.
- Eyesight: As your pet progress to the prime age of her life, her eyesight will become weak. She might not be able to see properly and have difficulty walking at times. She might develop cataract related diseases and unable to see her surroundings clearly. There are eye potions available that you should apply on your pet’s eyes from time to time.
- Coat: Her coat will get thin with the passage of time. It will not be able to protect her from cold. Loss of conditioning leads to dry skin. Feed her fish oil in her food on daily basis. It will prevent the fur from thinning and she will not have any kind of skin diseases. The food should have high nutritional value and Omega 3 should be an important ingredient. Do not bathe your cat often. Try to brush her coat every once a week to prevent matting.
- Digestion: Cats have a very delicate digestive system. She may have an upset stomach often when she gets old. She will not be able to absorb food properly which can lead to lethargy and bloating. Meat should be an important ingredient in her daily diet along with some Probiotic and high fibers.
- Obesity: When cats get old, they become less active and agility is lost. This can lead to obesity in older feline creatures. It is a very serious health complication because it causes diabetes and arthritis in pets. Ensure proper exercise and take her to walk for at least 30 minutes. In this way, she will stay active and no extra fat will be deposited on her body. In addition, you can opt for low calorie diet to put your cat in proper health and good shape.
Take proper care of old feline creatures requires a lot of time and devotion. It is so because they have special needs which you need to take proper care. You can follow the above health tips for senior cats so that your pet stays healthy. Discovering these techniques will provide the best care for your senior pet animal. It will also help you to look for signs that will alert you. At any point of time if her health deteriorates, consult your veterinarian doctor immediately. Being the parent of your elder cat, make sure your pet is happy during this transitional phase. Try to shower as much love as possible because it will make her comfortable. This will provide the ideal affection and your pet will live longer and stay healthy throughout her old age.
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!