Elderly cat with dementia ... help

[IHeartKingThistle]

She's nearly 18. She's healthy ish for her age, eating OK, not incontinent (apart from the odd accident). On thyroid meds. Is still OK with the stairs but can't get on sofas or beds any more. Was a rescue kitten and always a bit unpredictable and antisocial.

But she has lost her marbles . She gets lost in the house over and over and does this unearthly wailing. I think her hearing is going too so we can't call her, we have to go and find her. She's getting DH and myself up around 3 times a night. We've started taking it in turns to get up like when the DC were tiny! We're both knackered. It's so sad.

She's never used a cat bed but I bought one in the hope that she might find it reassuring - she won't go near it.

Any suggestions?

[cozietoesie]

How is her sight? (If you can tell.)

[IHeartKingThistle]

I don't think it's great. Wondered if that's why she yowls when she goes into a room. Also have to show her where her food is so I guess smell is going too.

She yowls at night even when she's not lost. Think she wants company but she hasn't been bothered about company in the last 17 years! Can't bring her into the bed because she can't get down and would probably wee. She has water in our bedroom because she wasn't able to find it at night. Helps a bit.

Want her to be happier but also need some sleep!

[cozietoesie]

It sounds as if everything is starting to fail - she probably has arthritis also but I just don't know whether arthritis meds would conflict with her thyroid meds - or even be suitable in the first place.

Any handle offputting a mattress or something (with some bed pads) in a downstairs room and maybe taking turns to sleep down there? It's a lot to ask, I know.

[cozietoesie]

Any chance of putting

(Revenge of The Autocorrect.)

[Fluffycloudland77]

Zylkene. Over the counter med and it reduces anxiety. The poor girl.

[orangeyellowgreen]

Lots of older cats do the yowling at night. Nobody seems to know why or how to stop it. Our old girl didn't appear distressed. We had to shut her in the conservatory at night so she didn't wake us.

[IHeartKingThistle]

She's spark out on the rug and has been most of the day. Wish I could sleep train her like a baby - no you will NOT nap now or you'll have us awake all night!

Sigh.

[RubbishMantra]

Perhaps make a bed of old, unwashed fleecy (that smell of you) things in your bedroom? And a covered litterbox if you can bear it? The lid and carbon filter are very good at containing toilet smells.

You can get litter mats to prevent litter being tracked around your bedroom.

Has she been for a vet check-up recently?

[Sandthefloor]

I bought my old cat these so he could still get in and out of my bed. He loved them.