Cats developing dementia?

[mumof2teenboys]

Does anyone know if cats do develop dementia?

If they do, what are the early signs?

My girl cat is nearly 12 now and she is starting to get very odd, she seems disorientated at times and has become a bit of a lap cat all of a sudden.

Is this something to worry about or is it just normal older cat behaviour?

Yes they can. Although becoming more clingy isn't necessarily a symptom of it.

I'd ask at your vet surgery if they have any leaflets on feline dementia first of all. Or you could email Your Cat magazine www.yourcat.co.uk and ask them. They will probably pass your request to one of their panel of experts, who will email an answer in a few days. Give as much information as you can in the original email, as they can't enter into a correspondence, just send a reply. They may also suggest sending for any back issues if they contain articles on dementia in cats.

My 20 year old has feline dementia. She went deaf about 4 years ago and she spends most of her time walking around the house wailing in the most pitiful manner. However, the vet tells me it is because she is deaf, and old, and mad and not to worry about it.

Yes they do. My now dead white cat started to sleep an awful lot and just wasn't very interested anymore and also started to have small seizures, where she would freeze, lose consciousness and then be completely disorientated for a while. :(

She also forgot to wash for a long time, and lost all depth perception - so she used to walk into walls etc.

Yes, one of my old cats was demented. She kept losing herself and sit and yowl in the corridor between the kitchen and sitting room. Our young tom would leap up and get her. He'd bring her in, guide her to the fire, settle her down.

She also lost the litter tray, which wasn't so easily dealt with [rueful grin]

My often fails to find the litter tray. I suppose the point will come when I will have to make the decision