Aging is a natural process. Although many complex physical changes accompany advancing years, age in and of itself is not a disease. Even though many conditions that affect older cats are not correctable, they can often be controlled. Good nutrition and modern medicine are allowing cats to live longer and longer. Despite advances in medicine and nutrition, the primary determinant now as to how long cats live is genetic. Just like people, some cats inherit genes that allow them to live longer lives than others.. It is often say that one year to a cat equals seven years to a human being. Actually a one-year-old cat is similar to a young adult human – about 17 years of age. A two-year-old cat is physically equivalent to a 24-year-old human.

What Happen To My Senior Cat?

Like people, older cats become less active mentally and physically. Part of the reason for this is aging changes that take place in the brain, but physical factors, such as joint stiffness, may also play a role. Normal aging changes include:
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Being less active
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Playing less
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Sleeping more
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Reacting less to surrounding events
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Grooming less
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Eating less heartily

Aggression

Cats may become aggressive toward people or toward other animals in the household. Again, this aggression may be the result of a medical problem such as one causing pain (arthritis), vision or hearing loss, which results in the cat being easily startled, or diseases having direct effects on the nervous system. As with inappropriate elimination, stresses such as moving can cause irritability and subsequent aggression in some cats. A combination of counter-conditioning (teaching the cat a different response when exposed to a certain stimuli), desensitization (gradually reintroducing the cat to the stimuli), medical therapy, and Feliway may help change the cat's behavior. Consult your veterinarian and an animal behaviorist if your older cat is becoming aggressive.

Change in Activity Patterns

For their entire life, some cats tend to be active during the night, keeping us awake, and then they go into sound sleep as soon as we get up. Some older cats will develop this altered sleep-awake cycle, as well. Pain, the need to urinate or defecate more often, the loss of vision or hearing, changes in appetite, and neurologic conditions can contribute to this behavior. Playing or grooming your cat prior to bedtime may help her to sleep. Experiment with changing feeding times to see if that makes a difference. You may not be able to change the cycle, so in those cases, you may want to keep the cat out of the bedrooms.

Missing the Litter Box

Spraying and urinating outside the litter box is a common senior cat behavior issue. Dealing with cat urine is unpleasant. If your cat is suddenly missing the litter box, take him to the vet's to determine if there is a medical problem in play.
Conditions that have an affect on your cat's litter box behavior include:
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Colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease
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Diabetes mellitus
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Hyperthyroidism
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Kidney disease
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Liver disease
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Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD)

Grooming

Older cats may be less supple than when younger and may require more help with grooming. Brushing a cat can be very relaxing and is usually enjoyable to both cat and owner. Daily grooming ensures quality time set aside exclusively for your cat which may otherwise be forgotten if you have a busy schedule. Extremely old cats may pay little attention to their hygiene, but they will appreciate it if you help keep them clean, comfortable and sweet smelling. If you have two companionable cats they may help to groom each other.

Daily Brushing

Daily brushing or combing removes loose hairs, preventing them from being swallowed and forming hair balls. Brushing also stimulates blood circulation and sebaceous gland secretions, resulting in a healthier skin and coat. Older cats may not use scratching posts as frequently as they did when they were younger; therefore, nails should be checked weekly and trimmed if necessary.

Sleeping Places

Most cats are happy to sleep in a blanket-lined box or on chairs or beds if allowed. If you want to buy your elderly cat its own cat bed or basket choose one which is large enough that the cat does not have to curl up tightly; older cats are less supple and less able to fit themselves into small cat beds. Most elderly cats find beanbag beds comfortable as the polystyrene beans keep in the warmth and provide support for a rickety body or stiff limbs.

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