Is my boycat just getting old or is it something more?

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

Morpheus is the love of my life He is coming up to 13 in age which doesn't seem much to me (previous cats made it to 17, 18 and 23!!!)
He is a gigantic 22 pound Maine Coon..not fat just a very very big cat, and the ultimate lap cat..all he wants is to be cuddled, cuddled some more, and if possible to oust DH from the bed :)

But over the last few months he has really slowed down. I know cats sleep a lot but he is stretched out on the rug 90% of the day, and he now snores..like a man it's so loud. He is still eating (and how!) and still cuddly and I can't see any signs of illness but I'm just a bit worried that he suddenly seems so OLD.

I've tried to read up whether his breed are long lived or not but the info is mixed..I accept he might not make 23, but 13 seems young to be an old man.

SHould I DO anything, be looking out for anything not obvious? I can't bear the thought he might not be around for many years to come as while I have loved all my cats, he is just something special.

I know that larger dogs are not as long lived as smaller dogs but I don't know of any correlation among cats that would override good owner care and feeding. One of the vets who post might comment there.

I seem to recall, though, that Maine Coons have, among other genetic issues, a tendency to hip dysplasia and at that weight and age, it might be worth getting the vet to check him over for joint issues/arthritis etc. If he's maybe got a bit of stiffness - and with the worsening weather - that could explain quieter behaviour. I know that Seniorboy has arthritis and he also likes to sleep stretched out and warm to ease his old bones.

When did the vet last give him an MOT?

PS - 13 is 'mature' and not old. To me at any rate.

It's worth a blood test, I picked up one with a parasitic infection eating his red blood cells because he suddenly slowed down at 14.

Still miss him.

and if possible to oust DH from the bed If we row and dh stomps off to the sofa I bring our cat up to bed and we snuggle all night.

It's not so great at first light when he sticks his paw in my mouth.

I would worm him with a 'vet strength' wormer if you haven't already done so and get the vet to run a health screen blood test as Fluffy has said. A lot can be diagnosed from a blood sample and it shouldn't be too expensive. If all's well you can stop worrying too as a bonus.

I should also add that it would be wise to treat him with a wormer that includes less thought about parasites such as heartworm and lungworm for completeness. There are several 'spot on' types that cover this.

Ah thanks for that Dinnae.. I shall seek a mega wormer out! He hasn't been wormed for a few months so is definitely due!

If you are in the UK you definitely don't need to worry about heart worm and lungworm is incredibly rare.
A good clinical exam and possibly bloods to would probably be a good idea. Sadly 50% of Maine Coons have hip dysphasia so there is a reasonable chance he does have hip pain. However, compared to 10 years ago there is so much more that we can do for old cats and things keep getting better. I hear news on the grapevine that in the next 12 months there will be even more.

Now that's hopeful.

Morpheus looks like a mini lion! He could eat my cats for a mid morning snack! Gorgeous though :)

I hope he perks up soon.

He's wonderful isn't he? I'm not sure I would like Medusa's cat food bill, though.

He is a pig! We literally tiptoe to the kitchen in the evening because of he hears us he appears behind, and chirps (Coons do that) for food.
He will also eat anything.. curry, cake... you name it, if it is left there he will try a bit.
I try to restrict him to Whiskers and Iams but he just isn't convinced

I will get his hips checked.. I didn't know Coons were prone to hip problems. I know they can have heart murmurs but so far he has been fine.

I'm embarrassed at home much I love him! He seriously thinks of me as his female and sleeps with me every night like a living hot water bottle. DH has admitetd defeat on that one :D

You're lucky he's not hunting down local cattle! (The size of him.)

Good idea to have the vet give him a thorough examination and do bloods etc if they haven't been done for a bit. He may only be 'mature' but he's at an age where any problems might be starting to manifest. (Get the vet to check his teeth as well.)

I've always believed in MOTs and they're usually combined with the annual vaccination - but as they get older, I think it's a good idea to get on very regular terms with your vet so that you can identify any issues at the earliest possible stage.

Good luck to him and let us know how he gets on.