Old Cat Care Guide: How to Give Your Cat a Happy Old Age

As a cat lover, it’s a wonderful day to stare at and pet your master every day. It is undoubtedly a happy thing for cat owners to witness their cats grow from kittens to cat owners with personality. However, as the days go by, the cat grows older, and one day, helplessly, it will become an old cat.

How old is a cat considered old?

There are many ways to calculate the age of humans and cats, but no matter which method is used, cats over 10 years old should be called old cats.

How to make my cats live longer?

This must be a topic that all cat owners care about. We've all heard these descriptions here and there:

• Spayed cats live longer than non-neutered cats;
• Obese cats have a shorter lifespan than cats who are well-proportioned;
• Cats living indoors live longer on average than cats raised outdoors;
• Country cats live longer than city cats;
• Cats fed balanced, nutritious cat food or canned food will live longer than cats fed leftovers.

Having said that, clinical research results have proved that no matter how fast the cat ages, the organ function will begin to change significantly after the cat is over 6 years old. Many diseases that are common in elderly cats usually occur after the age of 6. Just like humans will step into the sunset, pets will also change from naughty and cute little guys to slow-moving old people. Like people, old pets also like to live in comfort. They should not be forced to do things they don't like, and they should be sympathetic to their behavior.

When a cat is over 8 years old, it's time for regular checkups and preparations for their aging life: 

• It is necessary to prepare a warm and comfortable bed for old cats that is easy to enter and exit;
• Prepare a step for those who like high jump adventures, so as not to break bones during high jumps;
• Use insulation boards or water heaters in winter to avoid catching cold;
• Due to tooth loss, gums age become weaker and sometimes have to help them remove tartar.
• Old cats are also prone to liver and kidney diseases, so when they are weak, please send them to the hospital as soon as possible;
• If you want your cat to live healthy in old age, it is necessary to check urine, blood and feces regularly every year after it is 8 years old.

When the signs of aging gradually appear...

After entering old age, some cats will gradually lose their hearing; their fur will appear thin and dry, and their hair will shed severely; their bodies will become weak, their muscles will atrophy, and the fluid between their joints will begin to dry up, causing inflammation and discomfort ;The lens of the eyeball becomes cloudy, slightly gray-blue; the fur around the mouth, nose, and ears turns white or yellow……
As a breeder, we should pay attention to regular care for elderly cats and improve their living conditions.

• Feeding: Changes in the amount of exercise will change the digestion and absorption capacity of the intestines, as well as the filtering and detoxification functions of the liver and kidneys. You should pay more attention to the hardness of the food suitable for cats, and supplement calcium, iron, vitamins and other trace elements in an appropriate amount. Taste food; (Note: fasting food that is not easy to digest, ensure the supply of clean water.)
• Brush their teeth: If possible, brush your pet's teeth to reduce the bacterial invasion caused by gum inflammation;
• Eye care: remove excess mucus frequently with damp cotton and clean the skin around the eyes;
• Ear care: regular examination of the inner ear canal;
• Joint care: Joint pain is a common problem for senior pets. If it cannot move regularly, you can gently massage its muscles or move its limbs and joints when it is resting.
• Regularly trim cat nails but don't hurt their blood vessels
• Give your cat a daily message using grooming tools

At the same time, the owner should also pay attention to maintaining considerable communication with the old cat. For example, when adopting a kitten, be careful not to make the old cat feel lost. While a new kitten can often bring some life to an older cat and make it easier for us to accept separation from an older cat when it dies, if you decide to adopt a new kitten and If the old cat is together, you must pay attention. Don't neglect the original cat, this will not only cause jealousy, but also a very irresponsible approach.

When Death Comes Unexpectedly: Give Your Cat a Hospice Care

Observe carefully, we will find that the eyes of the old cat relying on the owner will be very moving. After the cat is 10 years old, it begins to age. The fur that has always been proud of it also loses its former luster, and its vigorous posture like a leopard gradually becomes dull. The owner who has lived with it for a long time may not bear to witness these changes, but aging is irresistible to both humans and animals, so it should be taken care of more carefully than before. And the old cat looking for its owner with dependent eyes is even more charming and pitiful.

It is said that in the era when cats were mainly free-ranging, cats would automatically disappear when they were dying. In fact, they may have passed away quietly in a quiet corner, but it is more likely that they encountered accidents due to old age and frailty. With the popularization of the concept of scientific feeding, more cats are fed at home and seldom go out. More and more cats die under the protection of their owners and family members. Saying goodbye to cats who trust each other is also a kind of luck in a sense. Regardless of the length of time, the owner should be grateful for the endless joy the cat brought to him, and let him pass away in warm love.

Owners hope that cats can walk peacefully when they are dying. Unfortunately, there will always be cats who die painfully due to serious diseases or injuries. At this time, the veterinarian may persuade the owner to euthanize him. Whether to implement euthanasia is at the discretion of the owner. If the disease is really incurable, it may be a better choice for the cat to say goodbye to the disease. At this time, it is very important to make a decision from the standpoint of the cat, even if it is a very painful thing for the owner.

If your cat is buried in the courtyard after death, the pit should be dug deep. If the grave is too shallow, the smell of decay will affect the neighbors, and it may be picked up by dogs, so the shallowest should be about one meter. The cat's body should not be wrapped in plastic, so that the cat cannot "return to the earth", so it is best to wrap it in a thin cloth and bury it deeply. A better choice is to use a pet cemetery, but you must ask about the situation. The form of funeral varies depending on the cemetery and the cost. The owner can choose according to the local conditions.

Cat: "Hey, I still live in your memory."

When the cat passes away, the owner will definitely feel empty and listless, but if the will is always depressed, thinking about the cat will become a kind of pain. Or try to think of some happy things and those ridiculous little mistakes, and live peacefully. After the mood returns to calm, sort out the photo album, imprint the cat's life deeply in your mind, and let this become part of your family history~