The Changing Nutritional Needs of Cats After 11yrs. Old

Domesticated house cats are the most popular pet in the U.S. Since it lives most of its life in senior years, many studies have shown there nutrition needs are different than that of younger cats. Older cats tend to have weight problems and a decline in nutrimental intake. Advances in veterinary care advances can help improve better nutrient understanding and educated cat owners can help improve the quality of life for cats with a long lifespan.

Dr. Arnold Plotinick, founder of a senior wellness program for cats in New York City, said “One of the most important goals when feeding senior cats is finding a healthy weight for the cat and maintaining that weight.

There are many ways of maintaining a cat’s healthy weight level. The owner must choose the best formula of cat food for aging cats. Managing the cats intake of food is a very important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the pet. Feedings should be scheduled and consistent, as in what time of day, how many times a day, and so on. There are a few types of cat food that cater to the older aged cats and dogs. Purina Pro Plan, for example, has reformulated the entire line of senior cat foods to help with the nutritional needs of these older cats.

The older a cat gets the more resistance to proper healing and repairing itself. The cat will often have difficulty in maintaining normal body functions and finds it harder to adapt to stress. Diseases and weight gain are also common conditions a cat will develop with age.

Weight gain is one of the concerns of an aging cat as the activity level starts to decline. The tables are turned with cats over the age of 11 years old. Weight loss then becomes the greater concern.

Cats over the age of 11 often start to lose their sense of taste and smell. This affects the way the cat eats and their interest in food diminishes. The cats will soon lose the ability to absorb key nutrients and digest fat, making food with vitamins less efficient.

The cat owner must watch the aging cat’s diet, activity level, weight, and eating habits very closely. If anything has changed with the cats daily habits such as grooming and sleeping, a veterinarian should be notified.

An aging cat should visit the veterinarian at least two times a year. Some of the symptoms of old age in cats could also be symptoms of a more serious situation, which may be treatable if caught early.

Protecting Cats From Cancer

A disease that does not only affect humans but cats as well is cancer. Cats just as other animals can become ill from a number of diseases that can be potentially dangerous and cause death. In this article, we will be discussing a cat named Pip and their owners fight to protect her from cancer. Many of the things discuss was learned by the vet that the family took Pip to. What was learned however, ultimately prolonged the life if the cat.

Pip was a lovable cat that took her place among her human caretakers. She was treated as most pets by people like a member of the family and her life was spoiled in whatever way possible to make her happy and comfortable.

The owners of Pip have lived with animals most of their lives, even running an animal sanctuary in England and from their experience, learned a lot about a variety of animals especially dogs and cats that they used to make the life of Pip long.

Pip, mostly white in color was at a higher risk of contracting skin cancer than other cats because of the lack of pigment. Pip, as with any cat, loved to bake in the sun. Her owners would apply sun cream on her, making sure they got spots that were located around the ears and also made sure there was plenty of shade in garden areas to prevent sunburn.

Pip was checked regularly for abnormalities and was found to have black spots in and around the ear area. These spots prompted her owners to seek the advice of a vet. After examination, Pip was found to have a form of pre-cancer and would need her ears amputated in order to survive.

After realizing that they had no choice if wanted Pip to live, the ears came off about four years ago. To this day, Pip remains healthy not even aware of how close to death she came. If left untreated, the cancer would have spread to the entire body and Pip would not have lived for longer than six months.

Ok, advice to anyone with cats as a pet is to pay attention! If your cat is predominately white in color this means that there is a lack of pigment in their skin which protects them from forms of skin cancer. Have your cat checked regularly if they spend a large quantity of time outdoors. It will save their life.

Cats and Their Health Problems

Many new cat owners are unaware of the problems that their new found friend might have. Some of these problems are even new to those who have owned cats before. Some of the problems that cats encounter can be prevented while other problems are hereditary.

The most common problem among cats is hairballs. Because cats constantly groom themselves, they often swallow hair that is removed by their tongue. The hair that is removed goes down the throat and collects in a ball in the cat’s digestive track. This hair does not always pass through their system. Cats will show signs of coughing and hacking when they have hairballs caught in the digestive track. They will throw up and release the hair ball that way.

Sometimes the hair will pass through their digestive track into the intestines of the cats. This will cause a blockage which is more life-threatening. Owners of cats can check for signs and symptoms in order to get immediate help from their vet. One for sure sign that there is a blockage is that the cat will be constipated and will not eat. The lack of food causes a lethargic cat with a dull fur coat. A vet will be able to examine your cat to determine if this is the problem.

In order to prevent your cat from experiencing troublesome hairballs, you should groom your cat with a brush that is designed to remove any loose hair that it might have. There are also special brands of foods that will help your cat to control hairballs.

Another problem that is relevant in cats is worms. Most often cats are infected with roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. Cats will also develop heartworms as in dogs. Signs include cats not gaining weight, a serious infestation of fleas; stool will contain white specks that resemble rice. You should immediate seek the attention of a vet in order for your pet to be examined. When treated promptly, worms can be eliminated with only medication however if left untreated the ultimate result would be death.

A common health problem in cats is urinary tract infections. Infections of this type are common in male cats that are not neutered and in female cats as well. Signs of urinary tract infections are visible when your cat stops going to the litter box. Also a urinary tract infection displays a strong urine smell. This infection can also be treated by a vet who will also be able to introduce ways that will reduce your cat’s chances of developing such infections.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP is a problem that is caused by a mutated corona virus. Experts have found that cats that live in an environment where there are multiple cats often test positive for enteric corona virus. This virus will remain in the intestines of the cat and some will show no signs of the disease over a lifetime. In some cases, however the virus will develop into FIP.

When FIP develops, the cat will show signs of a upper respiratory infection. Cats will display symptoms of sneezing, watery eyes, nasal discharge and diarrhea along with weight loss and loss of energy. Quite often cats will recover from this illness however some may still continue to be carriers. A very small amount of cats that were exposed to FIP will have lethal reactions.

Cat also can contract an illness known as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus or FIV, a form of cat AIDS which could be fatal if left untreated. This disease decreases the natural ability of the immune system to fight off infections. Symptoms may not appear for many years however when it does present itself, it usually comes along with other illnesses that are in chronic stages.

Other illnesses include oral-cavity infections, upper-respiratory infections, weight loss, even ear infections and diseases that attack the kidney’s of a cat. To date, there is not just one vaccine that can be administered to cats to protect them. Viruses are transmitted through saliva when cats are bitten or have been in fights.

Feline Leukemia Virus used to be the most common fatal disease of all that affect cats. There is a vaccine that is now available which has caused the number of affected cats to decrease. This virus is not only associated with leukemia as the name actually means (cancer of the white blood cells), it also involves many others such as anemia, arthritis, and all respiratory infections. Feline Leukemia Virus can be controlled if your cat received their immunizations prior to being exposed to the virus. Again, if left untreated, it could be fatal and therefore infected cats should be kept away from other cats.

Lyme disease is a common problem among cats that spend time out of doors. Owners of cats should check them for ticks which is the carrier of the disease. Symptoms include pain and loss of energy. Lyme disease can be passed to people as well as other animals.

Symptoms are so hard to recognize and are sometimes confused with other illnesses or just simply old age. Owners should be aware of their cat’s normal behavior and routines in order to spot signs if Lyme disease if ticks are not common in your area. Other symptoms besides loss of energy are failure to jump or climb resistance to weight on limbs and changes in appetite. Early diagnosis of Lyme disease is the key to dealing with this potentially deadly disease. Owners can also prevent contraction by taking precautions early and spraying the surrounding landscape to avoid the presence of ticks.

Cats are fun and can be good companions to anyone who has the patience. As with any animal, making sure that your cat receives regular check-ups will prevent infections and diseases that can be fatal to you friend. Many people have found that cats that spend their lives inside have a longer life span than those that are free to roam outdoors. Inside they are free from environmental dangers such as insects, other animals and cars. Cats will enjoy outdoors however it is important to keep an eye on them in order to preserve their life span.