Cat Crazy Newsletter More on How Cats Age

  

Last week we started talking about the changes that

happen as cats age. I mentioned that a woman called

me very concerned that her 10-year-old cat was senior

and wanted to know what to expect. I talked about this

last week and got several emails asking me to be more

 specific – what EXACTLY happens to the cat’s body as

 they age.

I’ll try to give you some of that information now.

As cats age, certain behaviors and changes are expected.

Older cats become less active and tend to play less. Geriatric

cats sleep even more than younger cats. Some elderly cats will

 even groom less and eat with less vigor. Knowing what to expect

and being prepared can help you determine if the changes you

 are seeing in your cat are related to advancing age or if underlying

illness is at fault.

It is a good idea to have your cat examined periodically

 (a physical exam by your veterinarian). This can help look for problems

early. Start this at a young age. And if you have a pet insurance policy,

they generally cover wellness exams to help with this expense.  If you

don’t have pet insurance, it is a good idea to learn more about the benefits

of pet insurance. To learn more go to: www.petinsurance.com

The Kidneys. Kidney function in cats is often impaired in old age. The

transition from optimally functioning kidneys to ones that function

 poorly is a gradual process. With advancing age, blood flow to the

 kidneys decreases and there is a loss of filtering cells. The result of

all this is a failure of the kidneys to concentrate urine, so that older

cats with this type of deterioration will drink more and, consequently,

produce a larger amounts of more dilute urine. It is extremely important

 to make sure that such cats have constant access to water to prevent

kidney failure.

The Liver. Although some tests of liver function show progressive

deterioration with age, most cats do not develop liver disease.

However, fat can accumulate in the liver, sometimes as a secondary

condition to other diseases, such as diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes).

This can cause the liver to become larger, with higher levels of liver

enzymes in the blood. Liver cirrhosis is also a disease of the older

 cat because of its chronic and progressive nature.

Cats’ hearing deteriorates progressively with age so that many older

cats appear not to hear you, and they do not respond to outside sounds

that formerly would have aroused them. Loss of hearing can be either

peripheral, due to changes in the ear itself or, as with failure of vision,

 related to changes within the brain.

I hope this helps you understand more about aging.  The better we

 understand our cat’s changes, the better care we can care for them.

I will talk more about this topic over the next week or so.

Until Next time,

Dr. Jon

Automatic Pet Feeder, 2 Meals

By robertas on Cat Bowls and Feeders

Product type: Cat feederProduct description: Automatic Pet Feeder,

 2 Meals is designed to feed kittens, one or two cats or small dogs.

The food is kept in 2 compartments, which are sealed by close fitting

lids and refrigerated with an ice pack. Each compartment has a timer

that can be set for 48 hours or in case you have 2 cats to open at the

same time. It requires 1 AA battery, which does not come included.

This product has 1-year warranty.Majority of reviewers were

satisfied with Automatic Pet Feeder, 2 Meals:“It works great

 for my purposes. I use it when I’m on vacation and someone else is

 coming once a day to feed.”

“Needed to leave, for two nights, 2 cats that require timed feedings

every day. Bought two of these. I tried them out beforehand and caught

 myself making timing mistakes. So, suggest buyers do a dry run before

 leaving them for just the cats alone. Otherwise, it worked well for both

cats and they were able to have fresh food each day.”

“My cat always whines even when his food bowl is full if it is in there

 for a while. This keeps it fresh longer and he likes it better (it is healthier too).”

“I have a 17 year old kitty who suffers from kidney disease. He can only

tolerate small amounts of food at a time, so he eats more frequently. Using

the Cat Mate feeder I am assured that his food is fresh and available to him

when it’s time for his next feeding, even if I have to be away from home for

 a short period of time. Also his first meal is at 5 a.m. so I set the dish when

I’m going to bed, and he gets his breakfast right on time each morning.”

Some reviewers had following issues with Automatic Pet Feeder, 2 Meals:

Cat managed to disable the feeder

The timer is somewhat difficult to operate

One reviewer reported his cat managed to disable the feeder and also that the

timer is somewhat difficult to operate. It would be best to have a test run before

you leave your cats along just to make sure it is working properly and that your

cats will not disable it.

“Although this seems like a great, simple design, my cat was able to disable the

 feeder after two days. He was very determined to do so. I would recommend

this feeder if your cat would not be highly motivated to break in. I agree with

the other reviews that it is hard to set the exact time for the feeder to release

the food.”

Summary for Automatic Pet Feeder, 2 Meals:

Majority of reviewers were satisfied with this product, as it seems it works well.

 It is especially good if your cat is used to getting it meals at certain times of the

day or if you are leaving for a short while. One reviewer reported his cat managed

 to disable it and that the timer is difficult to operate so have a test run before you

have to leave you cats by themselves.

(Sources: Amazon.com)

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