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Lesson 4: Behavior Issues With Your Oldster
 | We are fortunate to have Amy Shojai, CABC as the Contributing Writer on Cat Behavior. In her first eight months, Amy has written over 100 behavior articles for this site. Some of these are as applicable for Seniors as they are for growing cats. Here's help for the most common behavioral issues in older cats. |
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Old Cat Behavior and Senility
This award-winning article helps us understand the medical reason for older cats behavior problems. From Amy:
"Old cat behavior can be due to senility, technically called Feline Cognitive Dysfunction. Signs of kitty senility can be vague and confusing, and mimic other disease or behavior conditions such as feline separation anxiety or petting aggression. These kitties, usually over the age of fifteen, often develop litter box problems."
"In the past, these symptoms would have been brushed off as a normal part of aging, but feline cognitive dysfunction is a medical condition. Cats with cognitive dysfunction develop a starch-like waxy protein deposit (beta amyloid) in the brain. This affects pet cats in the same way that Alzheimer's disease affects people--and it breaks our hearts when a beloved pet no longer recognizes us and turns into a stranger."
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Aggression After Vet Visit
If you have a multi-cat home, aggression after a vet visit can occur, and since older cats are more prone to veterinary visits, they can often be the victim; adding even more to stress of leaving the home.
Amy offers 6 Tips to Stop After Vet Visit Aggression, to help you understand and prepare for this possibility
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Separation Anxiety
Geriatric cats with senility may suffer from separation anxiety, simply because they don't recognize you. From Amy:
"Cat separation anxiety requires behavior modification and desensitization to soothe upset kitty feelings and reverse problem behaviors. Cats may go for years without issues, and then suddenly act out when your work schedule changes and keeps you away for long hours. Vacations also tend to trigger feline separation anxiety. Think of separation anxiety as a form of grief. Cats don't mean to 'act bad,' they just miss you so much they can't help themselves".
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Petting Aggression
Older cats sometimes developed severely matted fur, which is painful, and petting exacerbates the pain.
Enter Petting Aggression, a fairly common type. From Amy: "Of the several kinds of cat aggression, none confuses, frustrates and frightens us as much as petting aggression, also called status-related aggression. The cat begs for attention, loves the petting, but then bites you after only a few strokes. These cats use the 'leave me alone' bite to stop interactions such as petting, being lifted or approached, or moved from a favorite perch."
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Litter Box Forgetfulness
Litter box avoidance is one of the most common behavior issues in cats. Old ladies and gents, who may be senile, compounded by kidney problems, may simply forget to use the box, and pee or poop on the nearest soft surface. Arthritic Seniors may find it difficult to climb into the taller boxes
Re-training these oldsters would involve much the same processes as with younger cats, and Amy has also addressed the problems of seniors in this article.
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Coming Next
In Lesson 5, we'll address The Comfort Factor: A Kitty Spa Treatment for your cat.
Much like human senior citizens, geriatric cats need a bit more attention and help from their caretakers in order to enjoy the quality of life they deserve in their advancing years. They have served us well, and we need to reward that lifetime of devotion with some well-deserved pampering.
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