Health care management for elderly cats, so that your cat can live longer! Aging of cats is an inevitable process of slowly getting older. Aging is a physiological process in which metabolism is destroyed at the molecular and cellular levels over ti...
Health care management for elderly cats, so that your cat can live longer! Aging of cats is an inevitable process of slowly getting older. Aging is a physiological process in which metabolism is destroyed at the molecular and cellular levels over time. Ultimately, this will lead to physical degeneration and death. Of course, cat aging is not only physical, but also psychological changes, which will affect cats' sleep and other quality of life. Therefore, cats' elderly health care management in all aspects is crucial.
1. The lifespan of elderly cats is similar to that of dogs, and the average age is about ten years. For pet cats, when they are 7 years old, it means that they have begun to age. The cat's body will gradually age and its body function will gradually decline. Therefore, pay special attention when feeding elderly cats. Especially in terms of diet, as a owner, you must know what it is better for elderly cats to eat.
But high-quality, easy-to-digestible protein is more important than ever, and it helps maintain a comprehensive level of physical health. High-quality elderly cat food concentrates a variety of nutrients, high quality, low fat content, protein and digestible carbohydrates provide the energy needed by elderly cats.
Important minerals help to strengthen the health of their bones and joints, and vitamins and proteins help to strengthen the immune system and prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases. Elderly Cat Food has a special formula for elderly cats to adapt to and meet the nutritional needs and eating habits of elderly cats. Therefore, cats can have a big meal without worrying about any nutritional deficiencies.
2. Healthcare
1. Dental diseases in the digestive tract
may affect food intake, and the digestibility of protein, fat and starch in elderly cats will also decrease. Providing a diet suitable for older or older healthy cats can significantly improve their quality of life and delay the aging process. Vitamin E can improve fat digestibility, and vitamin B12 has also been shown to help protein and fat digestion. Now, it is also fully recognized that the benefits of better providing antioxidants, essential fatty acids and prebiotics throughout the life cycle of a cat.
2. Hairy
In addition to elderly diseases such as chronic renal disease or hyperthyroidism, osteoarthritis may also damage the cat's combing ability and lead to messy appearance. In elderly cats, they may have white hair, hair loss, nail deformity, and brittle nails. In addition, the skin elasticity of older cats gradually decreases, and the sebaceous glands and erectus muscles may also change.
3. Urinary tract
Older cats have an increased risk of urinary tract infection because their ability to concentrate urine decreases, not to mention other diseases such as chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Calcium oxalate stones are mainly found in middle-aged and elderly cats. Chronic kidney disease is the main cause of death in cats. Early diagnosis and treatment through screening tests is the best way to prolong the survival time of a cat. Appropriate dietary adjustments have proven to be the best way to treat chronic kidney disease in cats. For cats with anorexia, feeding tubes (esophageal ostomy) can be used for a long time.
4. Endocrine system
Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine diseases in cats. It is related to obesity and 85%-95% of cases are type II. Giving proper diet may relieve the condition. Now, hyperthyroidism in cats also seems to be increasing, and the diagnosis of this disease is based on a combination of clinical symptoms and an increase in T4 values. Hyperadrenalism is rare in cats compared to dogs and is usually pituitary-dependent but may also be iatrogenic (steroid drugs). Hypocorticular hypofunction is a rare autoimmune disease, and aldosteroneism in cats is usually caused by tumors.
5. Cancer
Like all other species, the incidence of cat tumors increases with age (immune aging). Environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun, passive smoking, etc., play an important role in certain specific tumors (such as squamous cell carcinoma). Guidelines limiting the risk of vaccine-induced fibrosarcoma have been implemented. Fortunately, recent major research progress in tumor diagnosis and treatment and better pain awareness management methods mean that cancer-affected cats can expect a longer and more comfortable life.
3. Quality of life
Aged cats will experience hearing loss, and some cats will gradually lose their hearing. The fur appears thin and dry, with severe hair loss, weakened body, muscle atrophy, and fluid between joints begins to dry out, causing inflammation and discomfort. The crystals of the eyeballs become cloudy and appear slightly gray-blue. The fur around the mouth, nose, and ears turns white or yellow. Pay attention to regular care for elderly cats and improve living conditions.
In routine diagnosis, it is very important to regularly evaluate cats’ quality of life. Some owners may ignore important manifestations of cat pain, and the responsibility of a clinical veterinarian is to ask existing problems. Cats are masters of art who hide discomfort, disease, and pain, because weak performance means that they may become a fatal weakness in their survival in the wild.
Doctors should spend some time discussing with their owners how to make life easier for older cats, and they tend to be quite creative. In this way, cats with arthritis may benefit from some changes in their environment, such as slightly raised food bowls and water bowls, using litter boxes with lower edges, making a ramp that helps the cat pass through the cat's hole and ensures it can reach its favorite place, etc. If necessary, the owner may also move the furniture to make some changes.
