Your senior cat's health probably won't look any different to you than your cat's health did when she was young or middle aged. Older cats are expert at masking symptoms, a behavior that worked for them in the wild, but might keep you from catching a common senior cat health condition in your pet. While it's important to take your cat to the vet regularly, we'll help you learn what to look out for in the meantime. With our list of serious symptoms that require an immediate visit to your vet, we'll help you figure out just what constitutes a true veterinary emergency in your senior cat. With our common conditions table, we'll keep you abreast of the more common older cat health ailments. We'll help you learn the basics of senior cat health, and your vet can help you and your cat with the rest.
Signs of Serious Older Cat Health Problems
See a vet immediately if your older cat displays any of these symptoms. They may be signs of a serious health issue.- Blood in stool or urine
- Convulsions
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty passing stool or urine
- Diarrhea lasting over one day
- Drooling lasting over two days
- Excessive panting
- Foul mouth odor
- Hair loss in patches
- Inability to chew dry food
- Loss of bladder control
- Repeated vomiting
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Significant decrease in appetite
Common health conditions affecting older cats
Caught on to a possible illness in your older cat? If you fear that something may be amiss, Petside can help. Find below a list of health conditions common to old cats, as well as the senior cat health symptoms that you should be on the lookout for. If you think your older cat is suffering from a certain condition, click it to bring up a more detailed explanation of what they could be facing. Keep in mind that cats may mask their symptoms, as they usually hide them as a defense mechanism.
| Condition | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Arterial Thromboembolic Disease (Heart Disease) | Discolored paws, No pulse in hind legs, Paralysis of leg(s), Paws cool to the touch, Weakness of hind legs (paresis) |
| Arthritis | Fever, Sluggishness, Lack of appetite |
| Asthma (Shortness of Breath) | Coughing, Difficulty breathing, Exercise intolerance, Open-mouthed breathing |
| Blindness | Bumping into furniture, Easily startled, Thickened, cloudy appearance in the eye, Dilated pupil, Squinting |
| Cancer | Anemia, Diarrhea, Difficulty breathing, Lack of appetite, Vomiting, Weight loss, Yellow discoloring of skin and eyes |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | Disorientation, Issues using the litter box, Vocalization changes, Abnormal behavior, Sluggishness |
| Dental Disease | Bad breath, Lack of appetite, Salivation |
| Diabetes | Frequent urination, Increased appetite, Increased thirst, Weight loss |
| Excessive Vocalization (Loud & Overly-Frequent Meows) | Nocturnal or early morning meowing, Disorientation |
| Fatty Liver Disease | Lack of appetite, Weight loss, Yellow discoloring of skin |
| Hearing Loss | Sluggishness, Disorientation |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) | Weakness of hind legs, Eye discharge, Dilated pupils, Disorientation |
| Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid Disease) | Increased appetite, Increased heart rate, Increased thirst, Irritability, Weight loss |
| House Soiling (Inappropriate Elimination) | Issues using the litter box; urinating or defecating in inappropriate locations |
| Obesity (Overweight Cat) | Loss of visible "waist", Ribs not easily felt under layer of fat, Visible excess body fat |
| Renal Failure (Kidney Disease) | Frequent urination, Increased thirst, Lack of appetite, Sluggishness, Weight loss |
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