My 17yo Going On 18 Geriatric Male Cat Losing Muscle,body Mass. Anything To Slow It Down?

empirefalls

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My 17yo going on 18, is losing body mass,muscle. Getting fragile. Anything i can do to slow down this life process?
His quality of life is excellent. He loves life. Likes doing his routines. Hops up on the ironing board---we quickly take him down,hops up on tables in the house. Lives on always available 24/7; Fancy Feast, spring water. Shows 'affection' for the female cat we have and occasionally they do the run back and forth thing.
The past 5 months, we make quality cat grass available 24/7. He loves it,eats constantly, and it seems to be doing miracles with his health.

<--- That is his photo, about 3 years ago. He was on the threshold of going into his senior years at that point.
 
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Furballsmom

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Hi! You could consider probiotics - Animal Essentials has a Plant Enzyme and Probiotic product you might like. :vibes::heartshape:

There is also fish oil you could give him. Some members use human dietary supplements - I've read that cats only need 500 mg, but my boy gets a capsule emptied over his food now and then that's a 1000mg.

Does your grand old man get any treats? You could try freeze dried treats, or even regular treats - my boy gets whatever he wants in that regard :). There are freeze dried minnows, bonito flakes, Sheba meaty sticks, orijen boar treats and whatever other meat they have, Fancy Feast fish filets...
 

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Congratulations on your care - and the good genes your cat must have! Do you take him to the vet for annual senior check ups? If not, that is where I would start. These exams include a full senior blood panel, which could explain, and give some solutions to, the body mass loss. Any number of enzymes, vitamins, etc. could need to be replenished if he is showing any deficiencies in processing them because of his age. It happens to humans too!
 
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empirefalls

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Furballsmom: if you mean taking fish oil meant for humans, pouring it over his food, i can do that. 500 mg
He likes for-human salmon, boneless, although it has been years since i gave it to him. Although the package says "boneless", i know to scrutinize every thread of the salmon for tiny bones/fragments..

He eats Temptations snacks every day. Some lightly coated with Cat Lax because he had been seen at a Vet for constipation issues during the pat 10 months.
He eats Cat Ladies grass, everyday for about 4 months which i am convinced is one of the best things to give a cat for their health.

FeebysOwner: Scheduled next month.
 
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Furballsmom

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RainBoots RainBoots can you try gentle exercise, such as putting his food one step up so that he needs to lift himself up to get to his dish? and maybe a little playtime if he's willing to engage? Even if it's just mental exercise that would be good too :)

On the other hand, can you give him a high sided litterbox, or use a sterilite or rubbermaid box so that he can lean on the sides and maybe be able to avoid tipping over?
 

RainBoots

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RainBoots RainBoots can you try gentle exercise, such as putting his food one step up so that he needs to lift himself up to get to his dish? and maybe a little playtime if he's willing to engage? Even if it's just mental exercise that would be good too :)

On the other hand, can you give him a high sided litterbox, or use a sterilite or rubbermaid box so that he can lean on the sides and maybe be able to avoid tipping over?
We do at least one play session a day for as long as he will go - usually a few minutes. Weekends he gets three, because I'm home all day.

He does have high sides on the back of his box, because he has trouble stepping in. He does prop himself up on the sides when he can, but the poor little man does end up sitting in his pee sometimes.

He says hello, by the way, with his "I am trying to sleep, mom" face.
 

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Furballsmom

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oh what a wonderful little man!!

It sounds to me as though he is super fortunate that he has you!! ...let me see if I can find a couple of other members who have had older kitties :)
 

1 bruce 1

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:wave3: I agree, lucky kiddo RainBoots RainBoots !
When he is walking around or standing, does he walk or stand on his hocks?
When the vet examined him did they do any blood work?
I would try the supplements to see if they help him get some strength back.
 

RainBoots

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So far we have been lucky and he still walks properly on his paws. We keep a sharp eye on that, knowing it can happen to older cats. (He's going to be 12 this year.) We try to do blood work once a year, because of all the health issues we've been through with him. I have to review his latest results, which we just did this past week.

We keep joking that I am basically a vet with the amount of research and work I've done to keep this little fuzzy treasure healthy.
 

1 bruce 1

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So far we have been lucky and he still walks properly on his paws. We keep a sharp eye on that, knowing it can happen to older cats. (He's going to be 12 this year.) We try to do blood work once a year, because of all the health issues we've been through with him. I have to review his latest results, which we just did this past week.

We keep joking that I am basically a vet with the amount of research and work I've done to keep this little fuzzy treasure healthy.
I would ask the vet to have a look at his blood work from just this past week, as well as his older blood work from a year (or more, if possible) ago to see if you notice any kind of pattern. Occasionally, if the numbers of something are rising or falling but are still in the normal ranges, they won't say anything. If you're like me, if you see a sharp increase or decrease in something but it's now bordering on the high or low end of "normal", I'd want to know what it is and what to do to get it back to their original baseline. :hellocomputer:
 

sivyaleah

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It's very common for older cats to start losing mass as they age - similar to humans.
First and foremost, geriatric cats should be going to bi-annual appointments to ensure they are being cared for properly as they age.
If the cat appears to be wasting, which is very different than just getting a little thin, this really does need to be looked at by the vet since many diseases can cause this in older cats and will go unnoticed as just "aging" otherwise; kidney disease and diabetes most specifically.
While one can't slow down the process of aging, you can make sure you continue to give the best quality of life possible; high protein wet food (preferably), play time that they will still enjoy to keep them mentally and physically active, healthy treats. make sure to keep them well groomed and nails clipped since older cats sometimes have trouble doing this for themselves as they age and of course, regular vet visits so they can catch anything before it becomes a bigger issue.
 

RainBoots

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Thanks to everyone who has replied! This site has been such a relief for all the trials we have been through with our Yoda. We are making an appointment to see his specialist for his year review soon, so fingers crossed we will have a more thorough review than his regular vet can provide.

Besides his daily play routine, my husband trains with him about three times a week. Simple commands like sit, down, stay - but he LOVES it. Gives him stimulation, treats, and lots of attention which he loves.

If anyone else has had similar issues with muscle loss in cats, I'd love to hear from you!
 

Jcatbird

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The key I have found with my older babies seems to be gentle morning exercising. I find it mirrors what I need myself! ;) My Felv cat has some muscle loss but his strength and coordination remain intact right nnow. Morning walking for as long as he will do it. He does get l-Lysine , grass and Fancy feast along with extra food like tuna and water or white meat chicken and water. We seem to be following similar routines. He does the mad dashes and is playful. I try to encourage mental stimulation and introduce new toys as often as possible. Brushing him and giving sort of kitty massages are something he adores. Having had a child with muscle issues, I can tell you that Physical therapy works! Just keeping everything moving properly means muscle is maintained better. Doing PT properly is important. Muscle that is not used enough begins to atrophy. My guy does get tired so resting between activities is fine. I know that if we miss a couple of mornings , he does not sleep as well at night. It’s very much like us humans. Morning activity and getting the blood circulating well can help us rest better at night. Good rest is important too. The other kitties here also seem to add a lot to his life and activity level. Originally I was worried about bringing in rescues. He can’t be directly exposed to them but just hearing the others, probably scenting them too, has brought out his curiosity. He has loved having more going on around the house. Thank goodness! Lol
You’re awesome for staying involved and helping that sweet one to enjoy life.:clap2::redheartpump:
 
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