Cat Aging Anxiety - Anyone Else Experience This?

Graceful-Lily

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This coming August, on the 26th, Felix will be 10 years old. I've had him since I was 11. I am now 21. He was about 4 weeks old when my mom got him for me. He's been there through some of the hardest years of my life.

I've noticed that as he gets older, I find myself worrying profusely and thinking constantly about how much time we have left together. Every little slight change in weight or out-of-character behaviour scares me (but he's in good health).
There has even been some nights where I've thought about not having him in my life and I've cried because I don't see how that is possible. Even going to the vet makes me anxious. More than it makes Felix and Fayola anxious. I'm always scared that the vet will find something wrong and that I'll lose him. Even typing this out, I'm getting very emotional. I don't know how to deal with this. The same applies to Fayola. I have no idea how old she is and either does the vet. Since she is Felix's biological mother, we know that she is at least 11 years old. I love her so much and our relationship has developed so beautifully this past year (yes, it's almost been a whole years since I've taken her in).

Is this type of anxiety normal when you have senior cats? What should I do about it?
 

CatLover49

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This coming August, on the 26th, Felix will be 10 years old. I've had him since I was 11. I am now 21. He was about 4 weeks old when my mom got him for me. He's been there through some of the hardest years of my life.

I've noticed that as he gets older, I find myself worrying profusely and thinking constantly about how much time we have left together. Every little slight change in weight or out-of-character behaviour scares me (but he's in good health).
There has even been some nights where I've thought about not having him in my life and I've cried because I don't see how that is possible. Even going to the vet makes me anxious. More than it makes Felix and Fayola anxious. I'm always scared that the vet will find something wrong and that I'll lose him. Even typing this out, I'm getting very emotional. I don't know how to deal with this. The same applies to Fayola. I have no idea how old she is and either does the vet. Since she is Felix's biological mother, we know that she is at least 11 years old. I love her so much and our relationship has developed so beautifully this past year (yes, it's almost been a whole years since I've taken her in).

Is this type of anxiety normal when you have senior cats? What should I do about it?
Im thinking its normal..I have a almost 12yr old name Snowball..Had him since he came off his mother's nursing..I do the same thing..:alright::)I agree totally with V verna davies ..
Well said
 

verna davies

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The way you feel is quite natural, we dont want them to get old. Cats can live long lives, my oldies were 15 and 17 but there are members on here with cats 20+. At 10, Felix isnt that old, enjoy each day together and try not to worry.
 

Elphaba09

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How sweet that you have had them so many years and since you were so young! They must know how much you love them! It is perfectly understandable for you to get upset. They have both been a huge part of your life for a long time.

I completely understand. Our older cats include a 16-year-old, an 11-year-old, three eight-year-olds, and two seven-year-olds. (That leaves me two under the age of six.) Simon, my 16-year-old, has had me scared the last few days because he has been sleeping more than usual. I am not a crybaby, but I have gotten myself so worked up that I have cried several times. While, I do not have a favorite cat of my nine, one of my seven-year-olds, Fennimore, and I have aa special bond. I know he is "only" seven; however, I get myself very worked up thinking about him dying. It happens randomly and without provocation. I just look at him sometimes and think, "One day, Fennimore will not be here anymore. Who am I going to sing to?" (His song is "Fennimore, Fennimore. Fennimooooooooore! You're my Big Boyyyyyyy." Silly, but I only sing to him.) Then he notices that I am upset and sits on my chest.
 

MoochNNoodles

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Mooch is 15 and the oldest cat I’ve personally had. My mom has one that is almost 17. I’ve noticed that our cats are living longer these days than my childhood cats. Vet care, foods, etc have improved. Losing Glory; my soul-kitty was rough. I picked her out of her litter when she was just a week old. I was in the 4th grade. She passed my 2nd year of college very suddenly. It was traumatic; but at the same time she never suffered a slow decline so I was glad for that. I’ve had a few scares with Mooch and Noodles also. Both have done very well on meds for years now.

I just find it better to focus on the present. I am intentional with choosing my thoughts. I do the best I can for them. When Noodles passed last winter I was able to find peace in knowing I did what was best for her. I just remind myself that love means putting that person/animal/etc before myself. I was sad; but I had no regrets. I still miss her of course. Butno regrets.
 

MonaLyssa33

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I can totally relate. I got my late cat, Willie, when she was a kitten the week before I started high school. She was in my senior yearbook photo with me and she was with me through my 11-year battle with depression. I always worried about her getting sick but I took her to the vet every year and did everything I could to make sure she was healthy. That's really as much as we can do as cat owners.

It's easy to say "don't worry about it," but that's not going to keep the worry away. I think it is normal to worry about them, but if you feel it is occupying your mind or causing you a significant amount of distress, I'd talk to someone about it.
 

Furballsmom

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I can relate to a degree, but this
I just find it better to focus on the present.
...is an enormous thing. By making yourself focus on them, in the Right Here Right Now - you celebrate, enjoy, appreciate and honor their lives and beings and their love for you, right now without marring the moment(s) by worrying about a future that could very easily be a long way off and that will probably end up being very different from what you're envisioning.
 
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Furballsmom

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when you think it's nothing serious when you take them to the vet and find out it is serious.
This happens every time I go to the dentist, and I absolutely have White Coat Syndrome. So I'm not making light of this, but I'm suggesting that worrying about it to the degree mentioned by the OP is similar to allowing negativity to completely rule the day, while in the meantime the actual cat is sitting right there trying to figure out where all the sad, jagged-edged emotions are coming from.
 
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