Can cats develop dementia?

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Moggy is due her jabs soon so will be asking vet about her weird behaviour, but thought I'd ask here in the meantime.

She's pretty old, about 15 we think (we inherited her so her age has always been a bit uncertain).

In the last couple of weeks she's developed two weird habits: pooing out in the open in the middle of our back garden, and coming upstairs and miaowing in the middle of the night. She always has food, water and access to her tray. Sometimes it's as if she's forgotten the food is there, until we put her in front of it.

DD is 10 months, and she and the cat are very fond of each other, so I don't think this is new baby related.

I think cats can develop dementia, but in your cats case it might not be.

A change in toileting, if she has been fastidious at covering up her poo could mean she is making a 'statement' to other cats that this is her territory. There might be a new cat threatening her in the neighbourhood. As she is an older cat, this scent marking of her territory is attempting to warn it off. My old cat used to do this occasionally, although usually he preferred the safety of his indoor tray.

The food thing might indicate dementia, or it could just be fussy older cat behaviour. I know my old cat used to get bored with the food he was currently eating, a change to a different sort saw him tucking in with enjoyment - until he got fed up of that one too, then we swapped back again. He used to just pick at it when he was bored with that particular type. Unwillingness to eat may also indicate dental problems, especially in older cats.

The miaowing is an indicator, but also might be asking for different food, or feeling a bit lonely (my old boy got a lot clingier as he got older) Could also be a sign of going deaf.

I think asking the vets advice is a good idea, they may have some literature for you to read on dementia in cats, and also on caring for geriatric cats!

Our 16 yr old cat does the wandering around miaowing in the night too and someone told me it can be a sign of dementia .

She tends to stop if you shout 'Shut up' through the closed bedroom door let her know you are there. I think she might just be wondering where everyone has gone when she wakes up.

Yes - it is referred to a feline dementia I think. My old puss used to wander around miaowing all the bloody time in the most heart rendering fashion. She also became completely deaf. She managed to make it to 21 though.

Thanks, all interesting stuff. The miaowing in the night is really annoying, we're tired enough as it is!
She has some meals of Whiskas pouches and some of biscuits such as Hills Science, both types for senior cats, so we give her a bit of variety. Funnily enough we changed brand yesterday and she's been eating like mad since.

Yes, my MIL's cat had this, apparently they can be medicated for it but he was too far advanced so wasn't treatable. He got really upset if he didn't know where we were and would make a horrible wailing miaow. He also started pooing in the house and forgot when he'd been fed.

We think my cat had dementia. She really seemed to come into the room, miaow and then forget why she was there. Or miaow to go out and then look surprised when we opened the door...

Also, when old (she died aged 16) she went through some very funny phases with food. One day she'd love a certain brand, next day she wouldn't touch it.

The only thing she was consistant with was wanting to eat OUR food, which she had NEVER ever wanted to do before (despite me trying to feed her my food when I was a child)

And yes, in the last 18 months she wanted a lot more company than before.

My old cat (lived to 17) used to come in from the garden miaowing his way through the kitchen to the hall and as soon as you shouted 'yes we're here' he seemed to calm down and become content.
Never did it when he was younger, but seemed to need to know we were around in his old age.

My last cat who also lived to 17 years used to do this. We realised she'd gone deaf and there was maybe a bit of dementia there too, she would only toilet a couple of feet away from the house - it was as if she was too scared to venture any further unless me or my husband were out in the garden. We found out she was deaf as we noticed loud noises would not make her flinch as she used to - we also tested this by making loud noises behind her back, like playing a string on a guitar really loudly! Wouldn't advise this unless you are certain she has gone deaf though!