Strange Behaviour With My 13Yr Old Cat.

[kylesmum]

My tomcat is 13 yrs old.He has always been ditzy, I don't think he had a great start in life going by his eating behaviour, although we have adored and loved him since he was 6mths old.

The Vet, a couple years back said that he showed mild signs of dementia, we have always thought he was a just lovingly doolally from the word go :)

He's o/s and house cat...he has free reign.

I try to keep him in at night though, only because he does wail and it must annoy our neighbours

I let him out one morning last week and he widdled on the road without a second thought, it might not have been the first time but it was bizarre to see him do this and moreso when he tried to scrape the road to cover it :(

His appetite is spot on, he's happy, he sleeps 23/24

Any thoughts on this ? I'd like to be forewarned rather than have to look out for strange behaviour. Thanks !!!

[pixie373]

My neighbour's 14 year old cat has just started doing that. Has been diagnosed with a form of dementia

[Wharton]

He sleeps 23/24? Active little bugger!! No worries kylesmum :-)

[pixie373]

Sorry.just read your second paragraph...

[kylesmum]

Oh. thanks...i'm not unduly worried (OK just a tad) I just want to make his life easier.I don't even think a visit to the Vet would help to be honest.

I'd like to hear of other peoples experiences of a slightly doolally, adored, precious cat and how they dealt with it.

[tamborine]

Maybe the road was dryer than surrounding area. My pets use concrete drive rather than a wet grass & garden.

[SpikeyBush]

I had a cat once who came in to use the dirtbox then went out again.

Another cat was so comatose when asleep we had a woman knock on our door once to tell us there was a dead cat in our garden. There wasn't, our cat was just enjoying the sunshine the way only she could. She used to pee and poo over the side of the dirtbox onto the lino and then cover up the area she was initially aiming for. Poor old dear had a heart attack at the grand old age of 18.

In my experience (and I've served enough moggies over the years) they are never wired up quite right when they are kittens and this gets no better over the next ten or twenty years that they may serve as your leader.

My current boss (also my avatar) goes into such a deep sleep on the back of the armchair that he sometimes falls off, last time he took two pot plants off the windowsill with him. But he is still very young (2 years) so plenty of time yet for him to go senile.

[nungate]

Our Molly, is the same age, but she's an indoor cat, she quite often scrapes the floor alongside the litter box after she's used it (she also scrapes inside as well) If you think he might be in any sort of danger when he's out on his wanders you could try and keep him indoors, Molly does go out into the garden but seldom moves any more than a few feet from the back door

[kylesmum]

Actually Tambourine it was drier, i've just never seen him do this in all the time i've been his slave ;)

In all honesty it did worry/concern me a bit as he has been timid from day one and it was a little bit distressing to see him just stand there in a trance and widdle when I know what his toilet habits are and they haven't ever included the middle of a road, especially when he has his own garden.

I dont suppose getting older is easy, its the owner who has to be prepared I guess.

[kylesmum]

spikeybush...you have no idea how much I laughed and nodded my head at your post !!

You got in one !! That's why it helps to share concerns.

I cant tell you how many times i've gone through to where his master should be then panicked and ran all over the place, only to find him utterly out for the count, whilst's i'm having palpitations. !!

Nungate..thank you, however my cat couldn't ever be a house cat now, he's smelt the coffee so to speak :) It would be cruel at his age to deprive him of his little sunspots and dens, believe me he has them :)

I'm just going to continue to enjoy my favourire ditzy, doolally , loving boy, warts and all :)

Thank you all for putting my mind at rest xx

[CatGirl4]

One of mine has this too i think,he's quite happy though in his own way,and very clean too-he's 18,don't you just love em?

[boxtops]

I suspect it's age - our Rover for no reason started to widdle in the porch (lovely) - I had to put a litter tray in there in the end. They all use it now - they spend the day in the garden then come in for the toilet.

[greenermum]

Cats are very prone to urine infections as they get older and this may be a one-off, like a cystitis infection. Firstly make sure he has access to water at all times inside and outside - he may prefer rainwater to tempt him to drink. He must drink and absolutely must have access to water - nature's way is to drink more to dilute the urine. This is so important - kidney pain or infections HURT and urine infections untreated can go back upwards to the kidney and become serious then. Secondly you need to get a urine sample to a Vet. You need to use a special TESTING litter from the vet (obviously this is not absorbent) in a clean littler tray and wait for him to wee in it (?overnight), then you collect some of the urine in a little glass or strong plastic bottle (sterilise a little bottle of yours by rinsing it out with boiling water first, then cool the bottle a litte) and take it to the Vet early MORNING for testing. They can test the levels they need to know at the Vet Surgery usually without charging for that test. Very rarely - and they will discuss - they may need to run a more complicated test - they will advise you. It is possible his kidneys are beginning to fail a little: don't panic, may not as serious as it sounds, but needs proper treatment fast from a vet and it is great you have 'caught this' early - with proper treatment kidney trouble can be held back for many years and it is important to treat it as soon as possible to slow it down and to allay suffering. Another thing that contributes to kidney trouble is (like us) untreated high blood pressure, thyroid problems or heart disease. ELDERLY CATS WITH UNTREATED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CAN SUFFER A SUDDEN DETACHED RETINA AND GO BLIND SUDDENLY. Don't mean to panic you - but treatment is simple and cats can live many years with treatment.

[boxtops]

greenermum, my vet sold me a little plastic vial with the special litter, to test Rover's urine. It only cost a couple of quid all in - there is no need to mess about sterilising your own bottles.

You're right though, kidney failure is very common in the older cat, it wouldn't hurt to have a wee test done. Treatment is very effective - I look at Rover four years after his diagnosis, aged 15, still going strong.

[DJHawkes]

the time to be concerned is when you notice a definate change to the pitch and tembre of his usual instructions, if his usual commands start to make less sense to you and you can tell he is becoming increasingly annoyed at your confusion and lack of compliance, he is starting to become dependant and frail, treat him like he is fragile and keep him indoors.,

[kylesmum]

Thanks all :)

I think it has been a one off as my beady eye (try stalking a cat trying to do their business) hasn't detected any further stranger than usual behaviour, thankfully.

I have taken all the great advice on board though as we are at the time when we have to look out for ailments, he may still be a kitten to us and act like one, but like us all the body isn't willing at times.

He can still trip me up when needing fed though so his agility hasn't been lost there ;)