Cats Aging Issues Articles

**Admin** 12/28/2010, 11:24 am

Depending on the type of breed, cats can begin to show signs of aging as early as age five, although cats are not considered seniors until age seven. Cat aging issues do not happen suddenly, so you will have a significant amount of time to make any necessary adjustments to your cat’s diet and lifestyle. Signs of cat aging are usually very clear. The signs can be mild, moderate, or serious. This will depend on whether the cat is in the beginning stages of his senior years, the middle or the end. Hearing and vision loss usually occur during the later stages of a cat’s life. In addition, a condition called Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) can also occur in a cat’s senior years. Mild cat aging issues include: graying around the nose and/or increasing in moisture and “gunk” in the eyes, decrease in activity levels, and digestion and elimination problems. It is important to note that digestion and elimination problems can occur anytime from mid-late life in cats. Continue reading to learn more about cat aging issues, how to recognize them and what you can do to keep your pet as comfortable and happy as can be during his delicate senior years.

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What is the Average Cat Lifespan?

Cat lifespan varies from breed to breed; however, the average lifespan of a free-roaming cat is less than 3 years, whereas the lifespan of an indoor cat averages 15 to 18 years. Spayed and neutered cats live longer because they do not develop ovarian or testicular cancers.
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The Geriatric Cat

Like many symptoms, it has multiple causes. Many older cats have more than one of the listed problems, so it is important to carefully consider the possibility of all of them in an affected cat. Cats also seem to get cognitive disorders similar to those experienced by dogs and humans, in which confusion, loss of orientation and other signs of decreased mental ability occur.
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The Anatomy of Cat Muscles

Cat muscles are one of the essential parts of feline anatomy. Muscles—skeletal, cardiac and smooth—are tissues that contract to allow for movement and force. Muscles can make a cat travel from one place to another or make organs function properly.
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Senior Cat Veterinary Care

Senior cat veterinary care usually involves preventative treatments, along with close monitoring. As felines age, certain changes take place and it is important that pet owners take the proper steps to help their geriatric cats adapt.
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Senior Cat Food

Elderly cats may are susceptible to a lot of old age diseases such as heart problems, arthritis or obesity, which will dictate the need for a change in diet. The senior cat food is created bearing in mind the special needs of older cats; there are different types of senior cat food that are suitable for cats with heart or kidney problems or food for senior obese cats.
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Senior Cat Care

As your cat ages, his nutritional requirements become more comprehensive. Maintaining healthy senior cat care can help promote a better quality life in the elderly years of your cat's life.
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Senior Cat Ailments

There are certain cat ailments that tend to present as a cat ages. The average cat lifespan is somewhere between 15 and 17 years, with the onset of age-related conditions usually appearing between to the 8- to 10-year mark.
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Prognosis for Liver Disease in Cats

Liver disease in cats is caused by various factors, some of which are not well known. Even though liver disease is not the most common condition in cats, it can develop into a terminal disease.
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Preventing Elderly Cat Health Problems Through Diet and Exercise

Your feline is considered an elderly cat when he reaches 9 to 12 years of age. Old cat problems and premature feline euthanasia can be prevented through dietary and exercise changes for your cat.
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Pet Loss - saying goodbye to old friends

Handling pet loss and death; saying goodbye to dead cats and dogs.
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Pet Euthanasia Questions

Pet euthanasia is one of the hardest decisions that pet owners face. Many people have misgivings and mixed feelings about euthanizing their pets. Here are some questions you should consider when deciding whether or not to euthanize a terminally ill pet.
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Pain in Cats

It can be very difficult to tell if a cat is in pain. Some cats will hide even really severe pain. We see a number of cats with injuries that have to be excruciatingly painful, such as fractured pelvises or major fractures who show almost no outward signs of pain.
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Older Cat Health Problems

Older cat health problems are frequent and you need to pay special attention to notice any abnormalities. You can also prevent some of these diseases by offering your pet a healthy diet and a daily exercise program.
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Old Cat Care: The 5 Principles of Geriatric Feline Health

Caring for an old cat requires some extra time, but your efforts will improve your pet's well being throughout your cat's lifespan.
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Motion, Balance and Vestibular Problems in Cats

There are several possible problems that could lead to sudden onset of weakness and/or paralysis of the rear limbs. In a young cat the two that are probably most common are trauma, as your vet suspected, and blood clots affecting the rear limbs due to cardiomyopathy.
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Lumps and Bumps

It is best to get all lumps in the skin or subcutaneous tissue of cats examined by your vet. Lumps can occur due to abscesses or trauma leading to hematoma or seroma formation, which are collections of blood or serum, respectively, under the skin.
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Lowering the Cost of Senior Cat Care

Senior cat care starts at home with awareness and prevention. As cats age, their health needs will change.
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Kitten Growth and Development

Kitten growth and development is important for their strength and well-being. Kittens are tiny, fragile and highly susceptible to certain ailments.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Cats

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is probably the most common cause of chronic vomiting or diarrhea in cats under the age of 8 to 10 years. It is unclear at this time whether this is one condition or several conditions that appear very much alike. In older cats, hyperthyroidism is also a common cause of vomiting or regurgitation.
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Indoor and Outdoor Cat Life Expectancy Differences

Cat life expectancy depends on numerous factors. One of these factors is whether the cat is an indoor or an outdoor cat. Typically, cats that spend more time outdoors will live less.
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How Long Does a Cat Live?

When getting a cat you might wonder, how long does a cat live? The life span of a cat depends on several factors.
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Hormonal Disorders of Cats

Acromegaly is a disorder in which there is overproduction of growth hormone. It usually occurs in adult cats approaching "senior" status, due to pituitary gland tumors (pituitary adenomas) that produce growth hormone. In cats, hypothyroidism is considered to be very rare. So rare that I have only seen one clinical case report involving more than one cat and it related to congenital hypothyroidism occurring in two kittens who were littermates.
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Heart Murmur in Cats

Many of the cats that do have heart murmurs do not experience any problems relating to the murmur. However, there can be serious problems when a murmur is present, so the best approach is to get an ultrasound exam of the heart when it is possible to do so.
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Health Care Tips for Senior Cats

Keep your cat healthy with health care tips for senior cats. Middle age for a cat generally ends at his 10 cat years.
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GPS and Radio Cat Tracking Collar Products

Rely on a cat tracking collar to prevent the loss of your cherished pet. Keep track of your cat whether he is an indoor or outdoor cat.
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Frequent Questions About Senior Cat Food and Nutrition

Senior cat food has to be tailored to individual cat needs. As cats get older they aren't as active, and develop many diseases owing to old age.
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Euthanasia

Thiobarbiturates have three effects that can induce death. They are fairly potent depressives of the central nervous system activity in the brain stem, which leads to depression of all bodily functions controlled by the brain stem. This action is responsible for the loss of conciousness associated with barbiturates in adequate doses.
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Diet Problems in Cats

If you are feeding a commercial cat food it is unlikely that vitamins are necessary. It is very hard to get a single cat from a multiple cat household to lose weight. It is almost impossible unless all the cats are fed separately.You should get your vet's advice on how much to feed your cat because it is trickier to put cats on a diet than it is a dog.
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Diagnosing Illness in Older Cats

Older cats can develop a myriad of illnesses. It's important to know about some of the signs and symptoms that may indicate illness. This article will discuss some of the more common illnesses in older cats including arthritis, hyperthyroidism, mouth tumors, and immune system weakness.
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Deliberating Cat Euthanasia: Is Putting a Cat to Sleep Inevitable?

Many pet owners face the issue of cat euthanasia at some point in their lives. While many owners choose cat euthanasia in the face of elderly cat diseases and older cat symptoms, some cats die from disease peacefully and without the need for intervention.
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Common Senior Cat Health Questions

Senior cats are susceptible to different medical conditions. If you have an elderly cat you probably have cat health questions about what to expect and how to deal with the most frequent aging problems.
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Common Elderly Cat Symptoms

The elderly cat is susceptible to several symptoms less likely to afflict a younger animal. Arthritis, urinary tract problems, incontinence, changes in eyesight and hearing, cognitive changes and thyroid changes can start to happen for a cat as young as 9 years of age.
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Choosing the Best Medicine for Cat Allergy Problems

The types of medicine for cat allergy available are numerous, and choosing the best one may be difficult and time consuming. The best medicine for a cat with allergies will depend on several factors, including the source of allergies, the cat’s age, the severity of the symptoms and the way the cat responds to the medication.
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Causes of Weight Loss in Older Cats

Weight loss commonly afflicts middle aged and older cats. It may be a sign of a developing heath problem, or the progression of a pre-existing condition if your cat begins to lose weight.
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Cat Aging Signs

There are many signs of cat aging, however, identifying them can be difficult. When an owner is educated on the symptoms of feline aging, they are better equipped to recognize and treat in the early stages.
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Cat Age in Human Years

Cat age is different from the human age, and knowing the age your of pet in human years may be helpful, so that you get a full understanding of the animal's behavior and condition. Cats live up to 20 years, but most typically, they live between 12 and 16 years.
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Caring for Newborn Kittens

Newborn kittens are dependent on their mothers or surrogate human mothers right from the first few hours of birth to a few weeks of age. Kittens don't have survival skills until they're a few weeks old.
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Calculating Age in Cat Years

Calculating the age of your pet in cat years is not the same as the formula you use for dogs. Cats do not age in the same manner as dogs or humans.
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10 Common Older Cat Problems

Senior felines are more prone to certain cat problems. They may also present behavioral changes.

Read more: Articles on Cats Aging Issues- VetInfo.com