Im a little concerned about my cat, she's 16 years old %26amp; apart from being the victim of a v.nasty dog attack 10yrs ago we've had no problem with her health (apart from her being v.paranoid if you touch the area she was bitten).
She seems perfectly ok but Im concerned about her weight (she was the runt of the litter %26amp; is very thin), she's very active %26amp; occasionally falls if jumping. She also seems to have nibbled some of her fur away near her hip - I was told it was due to fleas but we've blitzed her %26amp; cant find any trace of fleas...only rather sensitive looking skin.
When you stroke her if you touch her below her ribs she hisses %26amp; scratches - I know her old attack scars are there but am concerned about her hips.
My Mum thinks she could've just developed sensitive skin %26amp; maybe a bit of cat arthritis in her hips.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what the problem's likely to %26amp; what the average lifespan for a domestic cat is?
What's the best way to look after a 16 yr old cat with pain in hip area %26amp; skin problems?
It may be arthritis, it's a good possibility because of previous trauma to the area. If you're really concerned a vet can do an exam and an x-ray looking for any fractures or cracks to the hip area, especially as you said she fell when jumping. Their hips are very thin bones so there is a chance she damaged something there without you knowing and it's causing her pain.
The sensitive skin may be just dryness, or it could be a reaction to something--again the vet would know.
An average lifespan is closer to 20 years now for a cat, whereas 15 used to be the average back around 1980. They live longer nowadays.
Try adding 1/4 tsp of canola oil to her dry food once or twice a week and see if that helps the skin, but if she remains sensitive to touch back there, I'd schedule a vet appointment for her to be looked at. Especially if her pupils are very large when she's reacting to the touch (large pupils often indicate pain). Also watch to see if she is a little awkward getting up after laying down for any length of time and if she easily raises her tail vertically, problems with the hips would impair these two actions.
Reply:Sounds like she is on her last legs, 16 is pretty old, take her to a vet they will be able to give you better idea.
Reply:Have you had bloodwork done to check for thyroid, kidney problems, or diabetes? All common in older cats and treatable. There are medications available that are safe for cats that have arthritis and will make her time left more comfortable. Please see your vet for info. My cat is 18.5 and is doing fine, so you can't tell how much time she has left.
Reply:Congratulations on caring for a cat to age 16.
Arthritis is a possibility. Do speak to your vet about that. Some people like to provide senior cats with supplements of glucosamine and chondroitin, research and anecdotal information on the benefits are mixed. Some say it does no good, other report some benefit; it doesn't seem to harm. Because she is prone to falling, look into providing her with pet stairs or cat trees she can use to get to and from her favourite high places.
It is possible that her skin has become sensitive, either due to newly developed allergies or a change in major organ function. Again, your vet can help you with this and recommend the best diet, medication and/or treatments for her skin.
At this late time in her life, making happy and comfortable is the best you can do. Talk to an expert for help.
Reply:I'm sorry to brutal, but in my opinion you should have the cat put down. 16 is a very good age for a domestic cat. The cat has lived a good life but the time has come to put an end to it.
You must also consider vet's bills which can be phenomenal (unless you have insurance).
Reply:Your Mum is correct, any injury a pet suffers can turn into painful
Arthritis when the pet gets old. Just like people. There is medication available to ease the poor dears pain, see your Veterinarian asap.
Reply:Get some blood work done. I would have her checked for diabetes because: cats become very thin - second-when their blood glucose level is high, they are very grumpy and hiss etc. etc. especially when you try to pet them ( well this may be a bit of generalization) and last, because diabetes effects the hind quarters because it deprives the body of vitamin B.
Reply:Goodness gracious, I can't believe that anyone would be so callous as to advise you to have her put to sleep.
Right..Age. up to 20 years of age or so. I have just lost my 19 year old Moggie. He was deaf %26amp; his sight wasn't that good. He toddled out into the street %26amp; was run over. it was devastating really! He was tring to follow my daughter to her grany's house :o(
I think it is time to take her to the vets to investigate why this spot is so tender. It might be arthritis, in which case they can help her with anti inflamatories %26amp; pain relief similar to Ibruprophen. However, it might be something that is not obvious to the laymens eye, so I suggest that they might be able to help out where we can't.
Best of luck,
Sheelagh%26gt;"o"%26lt;
Reply:Average lifespan about 12 -15 years....I am not going to bother commenting about the rest.
Reply:Cat's live on average about 15/16 years - although my beautiful kitty was put to sleep earlier this year when he was 21, so they can live beyond the average.
As cats get older, they do tend to thin out, and eat considerably and seem to be a bag of bones in their twilight years - mine was always quite podgy and constantly hungry up until about 4 or 5 years before he died.
If she's having trouble walking, then it is possibly arthritis - it wouldn't be unusual in a cat of her age. So long as she's relatively happy, healthy and eating well (albeit less than previously) then there's no reason to have her put down.
Keep an eye on her and get the vet to have a quick look - often there's something they can prescribe, although cats are notoriously bad at receiving medication!
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