Cat Health Care Problems in Senior Cats
It is natural and logical that as a cat ages it beings to face more and more cat health care problems. Just as with humans, the older a cat gets the more its health deteriorates. People with older cats should always make cat health care a priority and keep close watch of their pet’s condition. Although unfortunately many of the cat health care problems associated with older cats are untreatable, vets can make life as comfortable as possible for the pet through medication or diet.
For senior cats, one of the very common illnesses is osteoarthritis. The illness affects felines in the same way it does humans, that is it causes painful join inflammation and makes moving around more difficult. It is usually quite obvious to see that a cat has osteoarthritis. Usually the cat appears generally less mobile and might display difficulties in getting up or down stairs as well as standing or lying down, they may also appear to walk awkwardly. Cat owners who believe that their pet is affected by this particular cat health problem should take him or her to the vet’s practice. Although there is no exact treatment for the illness, a range of cat food aimed at senior, arthritic cats is available and this can ease pain.
Another common senior cat health care problem is heart disease. Vets typically find around a tenth of cats to have some type of heart condition.The symptoms are not too obvious but can include coughing which is more noticeable at night and a decrease in appetite. if you believe that your pet has a heart problem then you should consult a vet who can suggest ways to help. Options include altering the pet’s diet or exercise regime. Alternatively, some other treatments might be able to lengthen the cat’s life.
Lastly, senior cats are also commonly affected by chronic renal failure.This is a progressive and irreversible cat health care problem which basically means a deterioration of the kidney function.The condition can be caused by several factors such as polycystic kidney disease, cancer, infections or poisoning. Some of the symptoms include excessive thirst and urination, weight loss, excessive drooling, vomiting and mouth ulcers. Remember though that not all cats will develop all of these symptoms. Although there is not specific cure for the illness, medication can be prescribed and diet altered to improve the cat’s quality of life. Preventing the cat from becoming dehydrated should be an absolute priority. Therefore moist cat food is a good choice and plenty of fresh water must always be provided. Reducing the number of toxins in the blood stream by feeding low protein and low phosphate food will lower the workload of the kidneys.
Related posts: