Caring for an old cat
Old cats: special care
If your cat has reached old age, she definitely needs to pay special attention. Like an elderly person, such an animal needs peace and quiet, as well as the presence of a cozy and warm corner, so try to provide them with it. However, caring for an old cat also involves taking into account other nuances, and you need to pay attention to each of them.
First of all, it is necessary to provide special living conditions to the pet. It is especially important that the pet’s bed is warm — old cats love to warm themselves, and it is advisable to help them either sit closer to the sun or directly at the radiator (or even better if the cat has two rookeries).
Also make all the places your pet likes to be available to him. The old cat will not be able to jump on the window sill from a single jump – try to provide him with easy access, because the cat’s flexibility is not the same. It is also convenient to have a cat toilet and bowls with food and water.
Another important rule is to allow the animal to limit its movement. If you have a large apartment, it will be very difficult for a cat to constantly move between important “strategic objects” for it. Therefore, let your pet have one or two rooms at its disposal, where everything he needs at once will be available. If the beast likes to walk in all rooms, take care of its convenience in advance: the most common diseases of old cats are arthritis and urinary incontinence, and they often prevent the animal from getting to the tray in time. Given this, it is better to put trays in several rooms, which will help you ensure cleanliness in the house and normal conditions for the life of the pet.
More love and tenderness
In addition, caring for an old cat requires more effort from you in terms of affection. Do not forget to regularly pet your pet and comb it out if necessary, and at the same time help him keep his body clean. You should not overload the old cat with active games, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to cheer her up – arrange a walk on a sunny day for the beast or just chat, because in old age cats often become very “talkative”. And never get angry if the animal slept all day and suddenly burst into tears at night: on waking in the dark, old cats often feel lonely and abandoned, and they need increased attention. By the way, you can simply accustom the cat to sleep next to you, and then there will be no night “concerts”.
Another important nuance – do not start a small kitten or another animal if you have an old cat. It can be for your favorite patient psychological trauma, as well as cause strong jealousy and unpredictable consequences. In severe cases, the old cat may even die from resentment.
What to feed the old cat?
When your pet begins to age, be sure to consult your veterinarian how you can feed your pet. Usually, the food of old cats differs little from the “diet” that the animal had in young years, but too dry and hard foods are better excluded – the cat can break their teeth about them, and in general it will be hard for them to chew hard food. Also in old age, cats often become naughty and change their tastes, so you need to be prepared for the fact that the animal will require some kind of unusual food or will begin to eat something that it used to indignantly refused.
And one more “nutritious” nuance – old cats like to eat often, but in small portions. And their owners will not interfere with giving the animal for regular check-ups to prevent various diseases (especially in older cats of kidney disease) and track the age-related changes of the animal, which will require special and urgent intervention.
