Dental disease is extremely common in older cats and can hinder eating and cause significant pain.Īlthough many different diseases can cause a loss of appetite, in healthy senior cats, a decreased sense of smell may be partially responsible for a loss of interest in eating.However, several diseases, especially those associated with high blood pressure, can seriously and irreversibly impair a cat's ability to see. A slight haziness of the lens and a lacy appearance to the iris (the colored part of the eye) are both common age-related changes, but neither seems to decrease a cat's vision to any appreciable extent. Similar symptoms may be seen in elderly cats: wandering, excessive meowing, apparent disorientation, and avoidance of social interaction.įor various reasons, hearing loss is common in cats of advanced age.Ĭhanges in the eyes. In humans, aging changes in the brain contribute to a loss of memory and alterations in personality commonly referred to as senility. The claws of aging felines are often overgrown, thick, and brittle.
CAT MAS SKIN
Older cats groom themselves less effectively than do younger cats, sometimes resulting in hair matting, skin odor, and inflammation. The skin of an older cat is thinner and less elastic, has reduced blood circulation, and is more prone to infection. Chronic diseases often associated with aging can impair immune function even further.ĭehydration, a consequence of many diseases common to older cats, further diminishes blood circulation and immunity. The aging process is accompanied by many physical and behavioral changes:Ĭompared to younger cats, the immune system of older cats is less able to fend off foreign invaders.
The key to making sure your senior cat has the healthiest and highest quality of life possible is to recognize and reduce factors that may be health risks, detect disease as early as possible, correct or delay the progression of disease, and improve or maintain the health of the body's systems. Even though many conditions that affect older cats are not correctable, they can often be controlled. Although many complex physical changes accompany advancing years, age in and of itself is not a disease. Using this formula, a ten-year-old cat is similar age wise to a 53-year-old person, a 12-year-old cat to a 61-year-old person, and a 15-year-old cat to a person of 73.Īging is a natural process. For every year thereafter, each cat year is worth about four human years. In reality, a one-year-old cat is physiologically similar to a 16-year-old human, and a two-year-old cat is like a person of 21. The commonly held belief that every "cat year" is worth seven "human years" is not entirely accurate. Many cats begin to encounter age-related physical changes between seven and ten years of age, and most do so by the time they are 12. Has your cat ever had a mast cell tumor? What steps did your vet take to help your kitty recover? Let us know in the comments section below.Just as people are living longer than they did in the past, cats are living longer too, and there is every reason to expect that the "graying" cat population will continue to grow.Ĭats are individuals and, like people, they experience advancing years in their own unique ways. Take steps to remove anything that might unduly stress or worry your kitty. While your cat is recovering from mast cell tumors, it’s imperative that you provide a calm and relaxed living environment. This will involve giving drugs to your cat with the goal of attacking and defeating the cancer cells.
In severe cases, your vet might suggest a course of chemotherapy. They’ll carry this out while your cat is under anesthesia. When it comes to treatment, vets will usually perform an operation to remove the tumor. If your veterinarian suspects that your cat has a mast cell tumor, they’ll carry out a physical examination, with a special emphasis on any lumps or growths.Īfter that, they’ll perform a biopsy, usually by a technique known as fine needle aspiration where they’ll use a needle to extract cells from the cat and then examine them under a microscope. Vets and scientists have not yet pinpointed a cause or causes of these mutations. These tumors come about when a healthy mast cell mutates and begins to spread.
0 kommentar(er)
