Content
- Grey hair
- loss of senses
- Changes in eating habits, overweight or thinness
- slowness of movement
- teeth problems
Cats are spectacular creatures that, as years go by, seem to have drank from the fountain of eternal youth. But although they always look young and shiny, like all creatures in the world, they also age.
Although we didn't realize it, aging in cats is a process that occurs more quickly than in other animals, in fact, a cat is considered an adult when it reaches the age of 7 years. As with humans, once a cat reaches this stage, its health begins to decay and show signs of aging.
As human companions of our petsIt is important to know when this phase begins in order to take the appropriate steps and provide you with the most ideal lifestyle. We invite you to read our PeritoAnimal article you can find out what the old age symptoms in cats.
Grey hair
Don't expect your cat to go from black to white, but you should know that cats they also get gray hair. This is a sign that your skin is aging and although your fur does not completely change, you may see gray hairs on your cat around the mouth and near the eyebrows and nose. White hairs also start to appear on the legs, loins and eventually may spread a little more.
loss of senses
Hearing loss doesn't happen in all felines but it is very common. So, if you call your cat several times and it doesn't respond as quickly, it's because your ear isn't as young as it used to be. There are different levels of severity, while in some cases it is not so noticeable, in others the cat ends up totally deaf.
If you notice any major changes, it will be necessary to go to the vet to rule out the presence of any other health problem. The same goes for vision loss and smell. The degeneration of your pet's senses will bring about an attention deficit and the cat may start to show some discomfort in its movements, as well as manifest changes in its mood, so it may be a little irascible.
Changes in eating habits, overweight or thinness
When your cat is getting older you will find that it will eat slower than before and will even eat less. He will no longer be as food-eating as he was when he was younger. This is because your digestive system will work more slowly and this could bring constipation problems. Speed will decrease and digestion will be more difficult, so the cat may start to lose weight. You must change portions of your diet and restructure your eating life. On the other hand, because the physical activity of older cats decreases, many of them tend to put on weight.
Physical changes are very relative. The situation can get complicated when we don't notice these signs, as it is also possible that they are manifestations of diabetes. If, for example, your cat eats a lot and is trying to drink water all day and still loses weight, you should take him to the vet because it is possible that he has this disease.
slowness of movement
Is your cat not as bouncy and active as before? That's because it's getting older. cats when they get old become lazy, prefer to sleep all day instead of chasing a mouse. It will also cost them more to move around and perform those contortionist moves that they did before and that captured all of their attention.
You will keep playing but with less intensity and get bored more quickly. You will walk more tense and with less fluidity, this may indicate that you have a joint or muscle problem, especially in the area of the hips and hind legs, which are typical signs of age.
teeth problems
Old cats get their teeth weaker as they age. They can be more sensitive and if they have a tendency to tartar, they can accelerate problems of gingivitis, stomatitis (general inflammation of the gums and their supports).
Like humans, some cats can lose teeth, which will make eating more difficult. To help your cat and so that this does not represent too much discomfort, you should replace your usual food with a more natural one and consider performing oral hygiene.
Remember that old age cats need more care that an adult cat as well as a special interest in its food and health status. For that reason, don't hesitate to visit our comprehensive care guide for elderly cats.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.