Tell me about caring for your elderly ladies and gentlemen

[iloveeverykindofcat]

I have two cats, Bibi and Zara. This past few months, I've had to face the fact that Bibi is getting old. I don't know exactly how old because she's rescued, but she must be at least 13 by now. Zara is actually 14 this year, but she's absolutely amazing for her age and continues to defy all laws of God and man by, if anything, ageing backwards. Other than gaining a little belly after having been a skinny minnie her whole life, she is just as she was at 6.
Bibi had a horrible start in life and survived a lot of illness. She's never been as athletic as Zara. I've always said that Z will live to 20 and B won't, and I think I was right. Bibi is...getting slower. She sleeps more. She goes out less, though she still likes to visit the gardens when its sunny. She wants to be with more. She still eats heartily and food is still her favourite thing in the world. I've never had an old cat before. Tell me about what its like, and how you ensured they stay happy?

I'm a cat sitter and recently had two cats make it to 18 and 20 before they passed.

The owner basically let them rule the house and do what they want both stopped going out as much though the 20 year old still loved sunbathing on the front step and tripping me up.

She did move litter trays and food around to make them easier to access and sometimes put the food right next to the cats beds so they could eat as comfortably as possible - no senior food as neither of them would touch it but you did have to switch brands everyday to keep them interested.

Neither of them were on regular medication though the oldest was deaf as a post and definitely had some feline dementia. The 18yo was surprisingly healthy until a series of chest infections that she just couldn't shake off. Both went very peacefully and were so loved.

Ahh how lovely they made 18 and 20! It seems like a deaf cat would be vulnerable, but I guess if it happens gradually they learn to compensate.

I don't think 13 is elderly for a cat - late middle age for sure. I've had cats live until 18 and there is a point where they do look much much older, they tend to get thinner ime and they more move slowly.

I have a 17 year old cat that the vet says is surprisingly healthy for her age, touch wood. She is gradually losing a bit of weight and muscle tone but the vet says that's pretty normal for her age and as long as her appetite is still good (it definitely is) not to worry too much. She can still easily jump up on the sofa and the window sill, although she's started to need a bit more help with grooming around the back legs area (long haired breed).

The only "issue" was he couldn't hear me coming in to feed him, and he shouted a lot to get my attention, haha. He was absolutely fine otherwise and didn't have any issues. He was jumping up on the sides and pestering me for food right up until a month or so before he died, bless him.

I took in a 15 year old cat last November that had settled on a farm that also has a small cafe that I often visit and thus know the farmers. The cat was known to the farmers; her previous owner had died 2 years earlier and no one had bother to deal with the cat. She became thus homeless and had to fend for herself during those 2 years -and she has zero teeth!
When the son of the previous owner took over the house, he chased the cat away. She settled on the neighboring farm and was very skinny - it was considered to shoot her but the farmers decided to “let nature run its course’ until I offered to take her. They did feed her though. I named her Bonnie.
I took her to the vet to have a generally checked and because she had horrible diarrhea, was very skinny although she ate and still eats a lot of food and the ears were in a terrible shape. Plus I have another cat and the initial plan was to introduce them once the vet gave the go ahead.
A ton of examinations showed that Bonnie is actually quite healthy. We checked the thyroid, blood sugar, kidneys, pancreas insufficiency, did a big blood examination and checked her poop once at the practice and then send it to a lab. We tried feeding novel mono proteins and food with hydrolyzed protein and treated her with antibiotics for a couple of weeks. Bonnie is fine now on cortisone and can tolerated pure chicken wet food from only one manufacturer and only the version that comes in a pouch, not a can. The ears were also treated but will never look normal again. She may actually be an American curl cat.
unfortunately, she and my other cat Micky (also female) do not get on so I keep them separately but they are both fine with that.

@Mia184 What an intelligent face she has! Thank you for saving her x

Oh how lovely Bonnie has a safe and happy home for her later years.

Our boy is 13 this June but has some spinal issues so can’t jump etc anymore. We (have always) let him rule us with an iron paw but even more so now. Our whole lives are bent around him now (happily) but we put food on all the floors, put his dinner where he wants it, make beds up for him and lift him up onto the bed for tea time cuddles. But other than that it’s a lovely existence for us all. And his quality of life is still very good. Yesterday at 6am our younger cat was fighting a fox next door and our old boy was running up and down the grass on our side shouting instructions 🤣

At those ages arthritis is highly likely (and often missed in older cats) and also highly treatable. Definitely worth talking to the vet about options for pain relief/inflammation.

We have 2 oldies (18) and previously had a boy who lived to 20.

Yes, they rule the house, litter trays set up for their convenience (all 3 came to a point where they prefer to "go" indoors even with free access to the garden), feed them what they prefer, have recently raised their food bowls which seems more comfortable for them and has reduced occasional vomiting.

Thyroid problems and kidney disease are the main problem to watch out for but can be controlled with the right diet/drugs

All got a bit deaf and therefore louder!

Being able to give medication and safely cut their claws (they don't wear them down as easily) is key and worth getting them used to being handled/paws touched.

They have all got more affectionate as the years have gone by, and still seem to be enjoying life

Wishing you a long and happy time with them