Geriatric Cat Care

The average lifespan of a cat with no health problems is approximately 12-15 years. However, the lifespan of cat living indoors can reach up to 21 years if properly cared for. Once your cat reaches a certain age, its body may not operate as functionally as it once did. Making it a point to become informed about geriatric cat care is the first step that cat owners can take to make sure their cats live a long, healthy life.

Taking your cat to the veterinarian is an effective way to make sure it doesn't catch disease. As your cat ages, its sense of smell, hearing, vision, and taste will decline. Your cat's immune system will also become less defensive against illnesses, so more frequent doctor's visits may be necessary. As with any other pet, it's important to make sure that all of your cat's immunizations are kept up to date. Remember to take your cat to its annual physical. Ask questions that will help you to better understand aging cat care and how you can make your cat's senior years the best possible.

There are a variety of conditions to become aware of as your cat gets older including high blood pressure, tumors, dental disease, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, and obesity. Fortunately, each of these problems can be prevented. There are tests provided to both younger and older cats that can easily detect each of these illnesses. If by chance an illness is detected, you and your cat's veterinarian can work together to come up with the best geriatric cat care treatment plan.

Give Your Cat the Attention It Needs

In the event that you suspect disease or illness, a few of the probable provided tests may be a urinalysis, fecal examination, thyroid testing, blood pressure measurement, a complete blood count, a complete physical, a radiograph, cardiac evaluation, abdominal ultrasound, and an endoscopy. Not every test may be provided, but it is highly recommended to make sure that you cat receives each of them throughout the course of its geriatric cat care.



You can easily check for skin masses and tumors by feeling around your cat's abdomen, if a lump is present, call your veterinarian immediately. Skin masses and tumors are a common problem amongst aging cats. A lot of pet owner's have cats that are overweight, and to them, that doesn't seem to be a problem. Little do people know that when a cat is overweight, that is when the problems begin. An overweight cat can develop diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, poor immunity, and much more. All of the health problems present in humans can easily show up within a cat. Your geriatric cat care plan should consist of feeding your cat regularly, but making sure that it does not eat too much. A common mistake amongst cat owners is allowing their cats to eat whenever they want, as much as they want. Some cats are prone to weight gain, and some are not. The heavier your cat, the less likely it will live a long, healthy lifespan.

Another commonly overlooked health ailment is dental disease. It's highly unlikely to find an outdoors' cat that has lived to see 15 or even 10 years for that matter (assuming that no geriatric cat care has been provided). Once the teeth and gums become infected, disease can easily move to the rest of the body and eventually cause numerous health problems that lead to a cat's untimely death.

It's comforting to cat owners to know that all possible health problems can be prevented if caught in their early stages. Cats are like any other domestic animal and require regular health care checkups. If you take the proper precautions, your cat won't have to suffer. From Geriatric Cat Care to Holistic Pet Care