Preparing my cat for his older years

[kennykitty]

So I have had my tabby cat for 11 years, and this year he will be 12 in December. I was wondering if there were any things I should be doing to get him started for his older years so that he can remain healthy. Right now me and the family are working on my cats weight and exercise, but are there any other lifestyle changes I should start making for him so that he will have less problems the older he gets? Like vitamin supplements or any type of training?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I personally think that acivity is the very best thing, just as for humans, -- play time, cat trees, scratchers of all types (floor and tall) to provide stretching. Even take him for walks or enclosed buggy rides if you can, for his mental health or hang bird feeders outside windows so he can see them.

Canned food with no or little kibble can often bring about a gradual weight loss which is the best, safest way, --in other words slowly.

There are adult cat body condition charts, this is one;.
Fit or Fat: Your Pet's Body Condition Score (BCS)

 

[Mamanyt1953]

If you aren't doing this already, make sure he has a Senior Wellness Check while his health is good.. It won't be cheap, as you will want blood work done so that you have a healthy baseline reading. My girl, Hekitty, goes in once a year for her Wellness check. I had her baseline blood work done when she turned 10. Once she is 15, we'll start seeing the vet every six months. You won't need to repeat the blood work unless he is having problems, though.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Agree with all of the above, especially about the full senior check up - full blood panel (CBC, Chemistry Profile, thyroid), perhaps a urinalysis as well. Feeby (15+ yo) has had this done since she turned 10, and now the check ups are done twice a year - blood work too. It just allows us know that nothing is cropping up that might not be otherwise obvious since cats generally don't show signs of health issues until they are more severe/extensive.

And, if you suspect there might be any arthritis, a set of x-rays wouldn't hurt. I don't give Feeby any nutritional supplements, but since she does have arthritis, she gets Glyco Flex Plus (glucosamine, chondroitin, green lipped mussels) daily. She had started limping a couple of years back but stopped completely about 3-4 weeks into this supplement. She has been on them since. Because of this, to help keep her a bit more mobile, I have added interim steps so that it is easier for her to jump up on her favorite spots (window perches, bed, etc.) - she had started to avoid these before I added the extra steps. You can buy sturdy boxes, or even use small footstools so as not to take up as much space as the 'traditional' steps you can buy for cats.