Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: MrsR on March 11, 2009, 09:22:23 AM
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Just wondered. Anyone know or have experience?
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I dont know for sure but my vet asked if Mogs was being more vocal as that can be a sign. Especially as she never used to wake me up but has started coming onto the bed and wowing at me in the middle of the night. If I stick a hand out and pat her she settles down and lets me sleep again
love
Tab
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Basically, the cats body clock becomes the oddest it's ever been....and they let you know by screaming at silly o'clock in the morning! There's also obvious signs of being disorientated and easily confused.
This is a pretty good checklist:
1. Spatial disorientation or confusion - getting trapped in corners or forgetting the location of the litter box. House-soiling is the most common reason for referral of old cats to animal behaviouralists.
2. Altered relationships either with their owners or other pets in the household - increased attention seeking or aggression
3. Increased irritability or anxiety, or decreased response to stimuli
4. Changes in sleeping patterns
5. Inappropriate vocalisation such as loud crying at night
6. Loss of memory, such as forgetting commands or breaking house training
7. Changes in activity - aimless wandering or pacing, or reduced activity
8. Lack of interest in food, although some cats actually want more food.
9. Decreased grooming
10. Confusion about time, such as forgetting that they have just been fed
Old Mog has about eight of these symptoms..... :tired: Bless her tired old socks!
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Would say Bunty has about 4 of those.
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Byron has very few if any, she is amazing for 25
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Byron has very few if any, she is amazing for 25
Wow 25 :)
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My oldest cat lived 17 years. In the end she seemed to have forgotten that there were floors in the house, she stayed in the kitchen most of the time, moving to the living room but never went upstairs.
Never had a elderly cat after.
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Not sure that staying downstairs related to dementia? Our Dingle almost reached 21. She stopped coming upstairs for about the final 3 years of her life but I put it down to arthritis as otherwise she was as bright as a button till near the very end.
Thomas who passed away last Sept at almost 19 did show a few of the symptoms in JS's list but thankfully nowhere near as noticeable as Carrie :hug:
Just love the fact that Byron is still "all there" at age 25. Terrific :)
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10. Confusion about time, such as forgetting that they have just been fed
Korky has been doing that for the last 16 years :rofl:
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Bunty is having her mad half hour at the mo so seemingly back to her old self - its hubby who has put the worrie in my mind - he keeps saying she is going senile! >:(
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Old Mog still has those - we call them her "kitten moments." She's currently sat on y knee cleaning my hand so I'll stop typing and fuss her!
Oh, and 25! Wonderful age for a cat, Janey. :)
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Byron is amazing! she is very bright I'd say the only thing she suffers is her legs are a bit arthritic and she can't climb as well.
We have had older cats who have had many of those symptoms though.
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My old George has dementia, yowling through the night, wakes up and is disorientated so yowls for reassurance also demands food even tho theres a bowl near him, reckon his eyesight is going as well, only grooms his front legs doesnt touch the other parts, and sometimes just wanders about, he also occasionally forgets where the tray is or misses it, but i think this isallowed after all he is 19yrs old(133 in our years ) bless him :Luv2:
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My old George has dementia, yowling through the night, wakes up and is disorientated so yowls for reassurance also demands food even tho theres a bowl near him, reckon his eyesight is going as well, only grooms his front legs doesnt touch the other parts, and sometimes just wanders about, he also occasionally forgets where the tray is or misses it, but i think this isallowed after all he is 19yrs old(133 in our years ) bless him :Luv2:
I :Luv: your George, meeting him today melted my heart
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My old George has dementia, yowling through the night, wakes up and is disorientated so yowls for reassurance also demands food even tho theres a bowl near him, reckon his eyesight is going as well, only grooms his front legs doesnt touch the other parts, and sometimes just wanders about, he also occasionally forgets where the tray is or misses it, but I think this is allowed after all he is 19yrs old(133 in our years ) bless him :Luv2:
Old Mog does all those things too, except for the litter tray. Bit tiring sometimes, isn't it? (Doesn't mean I don't love her, just stating a fact. ;)) She's the same age as George. :)
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It can be very tiring especially at 1am and 3 am in the morning, i dont know how Kate manages with Swampy every night :tired: at least George does have some quiet nights, admittidly not many :)
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In complete agreement. The quiet nights are bliss! ;)
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Uncle M (never forgotten- died in 2008 a couple of months before his 20th birthday) became more vocal in his last few years but I think that was more hearing loss than senility. He was a bit creaky too- could get up the stairs but not down again. He used to sit on the landing and yell until you came up to carry him down. I became his Stenna Stairlift!