There are almost as many pet cats as dogs in Australia. Increasingly, with improved nutrition,
health care and management changes, more and more of these cats are living to greater
ages. In America, over the last ten years there has been a 15% increase in cats over 10 
years of age and the proportion of the feline population aged 15 years of older has 
increased from 5% to 14%. From this we can see that elderly cats form an ever increasing
group of animals that need to be cared for.

Why should we treat old cats differently?
1. With advancing age, body functions change
    As cats age, all of their body systems are affected. Reduction in exercise may result in
    reduced muscle tone, which may further reduce the cat's ability to jump, climb or
    exercise. There may also be a stiffening of the joints because of chronic degenerative 
    joint damage. When coupled with a reduced metabolic rate (common in older 
    individuals), lack of exercise can result in a fall in energy requirements of up to 40%.
    If a cat maintains a good appetite, its daily food intake must therefore be reduced to 
    prevent excessive weight gain.

    Most specific nutrient requirements are not yet determined for older cats. However, it 
    is often assumed that older cats have some degree of subclinical (underlyng) disease,
    particularly of the kidneys, hence a diet with moderate protein restriction is usually 
    recommended. For the same reason it is often suggested that mild phosphorus 
    restriction may be beneficial.

2. With advancing age medication must be given with ever increasing care
    Changes in physiology not only affect food absorption, they also affect the way many
    drugs are metabolised. Liver and kidey disease occur commonly in older cats. When
    coupled with mild dehydration these can result in reduced clearance rates and marked 
    elevations in drug concentrations circulating within the blood. When treating geriatric
    patients the dose and dosing intervals of some drugs may therefore need to be altered.

Does my old cat still need to have regular
booster vaccinations?
Yes. It is generally assumed that with age immune function may deteriorate. This may in
turn result in a reduced ability to fight infection or screen for neoplastic (cancer) cells.
Regular booster vaccinations are generally recommended and propt treatment of disease 
is essential.

My old cat becomes very distressed when
we try to medicate her. Should we keep trying
when it upsets her so much?
This is something you should discuss with your vet. There is no simple anwer to this 
question; it depends on how ill the cat is, and on how distressing it finds the 
disease for which it is being treated.

Older cats are often poorly tolerant of excessive physical handling or environment change, 
so while veterinary medicine may be able to offer complew therapeutic options, it is
important that each case be assessed individually. Treatment should not be attempted where
it will be poorly tolerated for medical or temperamental reasons.

What diseases do old cats suffer from?
THe major diseases seen in older cats are hormonal disorders (such as hyperthyroidism and 
diabetes mellitus), kidney disease, neoplasia (cancer), infections periodontal disease and 
arthritis. However, older cats can also be affected by diseases more commonly seen in
youger animals (such as inflammatory bowel disease), and road traffic accidents.

What can I do to make my old cat as happy as
possible?
Most cats age gracefully and require few changes to their general regimen. Since older cats do not 
generally respond well to change, if changes must be made it is important they are 
introduced slowly.

Elderly cats should have easy access to a warm, draught-free bed, situated where the cat can
sleep safely without fear of disturbance.

It is advisable to feed older cats on a highly palatable, possibly reduced protein diet, with a
high water content. They should always have easy access to fresh drinking water. Regular 
raw meaty bones and/or regular veterinary dentistry are required to maintain dental 
hygiene.

As cats age, some show a reduced ability to control urination and the passing of bowel 
motions. To reduce the risk of "accidents" it may therefore be necessary to allow access to an 
indoor litter box.

Older cats should have regular health checks.