Senior Cat Lethargic - Just Getting Old Or Something Wrong?

[PMousse]

I adopted my 14yo Ruckus in May of this year after fostering him. The vets at the shelter gave him a clean bill of health just before adoption, with blood work done. Two weeks ago I took him to my vet as his vaccines were due-- Rabies and FVRCP. The vet did a quick physical exam only (no senior cat exam), Since blood work was just done in March/April. The next thorough exam (with blood work, etc.) would be in November.

Just a week after the vet visit and vaccinations, his energy level and appetite decreased. We have two play sessions--one in the morning and the other in the evening just before his meals--and he LOVES his Da Bird. Before, he would run after the wand toy so fast that I had to run to stay ahead of him. He would gallop and chase after it for 2 rounds back and forth the living room before slowing down and taking rests. From time to time he'd also have zoomies. Starting about a week ago, the gallops were gone; he would just walk slowly after it for a couple of rounds. Occasionally he'd pounce on it and chase after it but only for a very short distance. Is this just him slowing down as he ages? Or is this "slowing down" a little to drastic to be natural? Like if he's slowing down simply because of age, shouldn't he dial down gradually from galloping to trotting before reducing it to walking?

Then starting about two days ago, his appetite also decreased. He still eats and loves to follow me into the kitchen when I prepare his food and calls enthusiastically after his food, but he no longer finishes as much before walking away. The only recent change for his diet is that I changed his Acana dry from one flavour to another. Could he be allergic to it?

I plan to get the old Acana flavour back and see if he'll eat more of it. I also plan to change his wet to a flavour that he loves for the next few days to see if maybe he just grew tired of the current flavour.

Other than lower energy level during play sessions and lower appetite in the last couple of days, everything else hasn't changed. He's affectionate, likes to sleep during the day, grooms himself and has no litterbox issues.

Since I just saw the vet, I didn't want to go in again (to avoid unnecessary costs) unless of course the concerns are legitimate. So I want to ask here first to my fellow cat owners who are more experienced with senior cats - are his behavioural changes normal?

Please help! Thanks!

 

[mschauer]

You are absolutely right to not just dismiss his behavior as just old age related. Despite having made that mistake myself I still have to remind myself that any change in a cats behavior, regardless of their age, should be viewed as a potential problem. Cats can't tell us how they feel and they are masters at hiding illness. If we can actually see a change we need to take it seriously.

I've experienced one of my elderly cats acting punky for a day or two and then go back to normal. So one of my rules of thumb is that any change in behavior that lasts more than 2 days means I need to seriously think about a vet visit.

I think his loss of appetite is the more serious issue, not that the lethargy isn't potentially serious by itself. Is he losing weight? Another of my rules of thumb is that any significant weight loss means a visit to the vet regardless of anything else.

Illness can come on quickly so it really doesn't matter how recently he was seen by a vet. For one thing, his symptoms will tell the vet what kinds of specific things to look for that might not be included in a regular exam.

I hope it turns out to not be anything serious!

 

[FeebysOwner]

It's just so hard with a cat gets Ruckus' age to dismiss practically anything that turns up amiss because you just never know what might be behind it. It's like a human getting sick at 30 yo vs. when they all of sudden have changes when they are 80. A lot more worry goes into what might be going on at that age. Same for cats.

Is this just him slowing down as he ages? Or is this "slowing down" a little to drastic to be natural? Like if he's slowing down simply because of age, shouldn't he dial down gradually from galloping to trotting before reducing it to walking?

Feeby (15+ yo) has had a gradual slow down over time. About a month ago, there was a sudden change and I took her to the vet. In addition to an infection, we are still looking into other issues (un)related to her still being "off". So, we haven't completely gotten to the bottom of her issues. She passed a geriatric exam and blood work with flying colors just 3 months before that.

The only recent change for his diet is that I changed his Acana dry from one flavour to another. Could he be allergic to it?

Any changes to food should be done gradually - start with a little bit of a new food and add it to the old food, then add more new and less old. This approach helps to allow them to adjust to food changes. So, if you changed the food all at once, it might be connected - perhaps some ingredient in that flavor which was not in the previous flavor??

If the eating decreases more, the lethargy increases, or any other unusual behaviors occur in the next 2-3, a vet visit is likely in order.

 

[daftcat75]

I wonder if it is a reaction to the vaccines. Only your vet and another round of blood work could confirm this.

One thing that can help senior cats with so many things including boosting immune system and providing nutritional support is making them a meat stock. It's like a bone broth but not cooked for so long. Bone broth is higher in glutamates which can be problematic for some individuals. Think MSG headaches. Similar. In any case, the best stuff actually comes from the connective tissues, skin and cartillage, which don't need to be cooked for so long.

If you follow along the video or transcript on this link
Bone Broth Is Excellent Nourishment for Older Pets

Meat stock is the strained liquid after round 1. It is not necesssary to continue to round 2 for a bone broth.

My 15 year old has been slowing down this year. I let Krista lap up a couple of teaspoons a few times a day and I swear there is real healing going on. Everyday I see improvements like she's drinking from the fountain of youth.

I will say we had a rough patch last week figuring out the rules for handling the stock. It needs to be defatted. Wait for it to cool and set up in the fridge covered for 8 hours, and then scrape off the fat layer. It shouldn't be left in the fridge for more than a few days. And it shouldn't be left out for more than an hour or two. With the cooled stock, I make ice cubes. I thaw to serve the ice cubes or I take out a couple cubes the night before and throw out whatever she hasn't finished the next night when I take more cubes from the freezer. I also don't leave it out for more than 30 minutes and take up the plate and any stock-soaked food after 30 minutes. I treat it like a raw food and Krista has not had any bad stock reactions since.

 

[PMousse]

Thanks everyone for your advice! Ruckus' food intake has remained at the decreased level on Sunday and today. Then this morning when I got up, he didn't get up and get off the bed to follow me as per usual, but stayed in bed until I came back and coaxed him down the bed, and I noticed that he was limping a little bit on the front right leg. But the limping went away when he was chasing the wand toy just before breakfast. My guess is that the limping could be due to arthritis? When he was at the vet two weeks ago he jumped off the high table a couple of times, could that also contribute to it?

I don't have an accurate enough scale to weigh him (will buy a baby scale soon). When I adopted him in May he weighed 5.8kg. At the vet's office two weeks ago he weighed 5.95kg.

Today (Monday) is a civic holiday here in Canada, so I plan to take him to the vet first thing tomorrow morning. Pray that everything's fine with him.

 

[PMousse]

 

[FeebysOwner]

Ruckus is a gorgeous cat!!!

 

[silkenpaw]

What a handsome boy! Thank you for adopting a senior cat.

I’m holding my fingers crossed for him. Please come back to the forum to let us know what happens.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hi PMousse ! When you call the vet in the morning you could maybe find out at which locations were the two vaccines given -- maybe after-vaccine soreness has something to do with decreased activity and/or limping. Often vets give particular vaccines in the legs.

 

[Libby.]

I would not be vaccinating a senior cat. If the cat is strictly indoors, it doesn't even need a rabies vaccine. There are numerous studies that show the initial vaccines given to a kitten (including boosters) for distemper protect for many years, even lifetime protection.

Pick up the homeopathic remedy Thuja 30c from your health food store. It is the remedy for vaccine reactions. Arnica 30c for soreness. If he's dealing with arthritis, I recommend New Zealand Antler Velvet capsules. Antler velvet capsules contain vitamins, minerals, glucosamine and growth factors that are amazing for arthritic pain. I recommend New Zealand instead of US or Canada sourced velvet capsules because there have never been any cases of chronic wasting disease (aka mad cow disease) in New Zealand but there have in US and Canda, and the prions have been discovered in the antlers of affected animals.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I would not be vaccinating a senior cat. If the cat is strictly indoors, it doesn't even need a rabies vaccine. There are numerous studies that show the initial vaccines given to a kitten (including boosters) for distemper protect for many years, even lifetime protection.

PMousse - This is true, especially if Ruckus has had boosters in previous years. My vet stopped Feeby's boosters several years ago, including rabies. I am pretty sure many of the states that require a rabies shot by law will allow a vet to discontinue them for health reasons. And, most any health reason can be cited by the vet - in Feeby's case it was strictly due to her age and potential health related risks.

 

[PMousse]

Thanks everyone! L Libby. and FeebysOwner , at the time of adoption the shelter vet highlighted the two vaccines' expiry date of July 2019 (both of them had a 1-year duration) and told me to get them. Then at my vet's appointment Ruckus was given the two vaccines both good for 3 years. I didn't question the vets' choices but it's good to know the info you've provided.

He's definitely limping now. He's been lethargic all day and limping around occasionally to nimble on some food. daftcat75 , thanks for your link; I made some bone broth, but Ruckus wasn't interested in the soup. I've put it beside his dish in the hopes that he'll drink some later today.

I'm really worried now. I wonder if perhaps he injured himself while jumping down from a high place (like from a kitchen counter), and he's been in pain (hence the lethargy and reduced appetite) but the limping didn't show until today.

I'm taking him to the vet first thing tomorrow morning.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am glad he is going to the vets! It could be arthritis or a reaction to the vaccines, or who knows what else. I hope it is something simple and easily identifiable with a quick treatment!

Keep us posted!!

 

[daftcat75]

He's definitely limping now. He's been lethargic all day and limping around occasionally to nimble on some food. daftcat75 , thanks for your link; I made some bone broth, but Ruckus wasn't interested in the soup. I've put it beside his dish in the hopes that he'll drink some later today.

Did you stop at round 1? That's the meat stock. That's what you should offer. If you continued to round 2, that's bone broth. It has a stronger taste and it also isn't always well-tolerated. When it's finished cooking, it needs to be strained, cooled, allowed to set like a gelatin dessert, the fat layer scraped off, and then it can either be served as that cold jelly or it can be warmed back up in a plastic baggie run under warm water. You can offer straight from the pot but it needs to be cooled at least to luke warm and the fat should be skimmed away first. The fat has been cooking too long and is no longer good to serve to the cat. A well-made meat stock should be irresistable even to ill cats. My Krista has never liked bone broth but she has never turned down the meat stock.

 

[MissClouseau]

Ruckus is gorgeous! Did he get tested for coronavirus? It's dangerous for cats with corona to get vaccinated if they are seniors or if their immune system has an extra sensitivity.

But I also suspect this might be just about vaccines AND his age together without anything else. Kittens and adult cats experience side effects for a day or two on average after getting vaccinated. Senior cats can be more vulnerable. Especially if he got rabies and FVRCP on the same day, which where I live isn't recommended by most vets for any cat of any age.

Let us know how things go at the vet clinic. Good luck!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Along with age or any immune/ health issues, I think it depends, too, on the state of the limb which got the needle jabs full of vaccines. If an older cat has a bit of arthritis, they may be sore for a little longer after vaccines. My cat Milly got her 3-year rabies about a month ago and they stuck it in one of her back legs before I had a chance to talk with (remind) the tech staff to use a different location: she has all kinds of weird reconstruction on her knees from patella surgeries a few years ago. The knees, muscles, soft tissues are a bit dicey at times and the rabies shot can often cause swelling or soreness for a while. She is young but still, a month later, I'm seeing a bit of weirdness in her walking, re: back legs. She's seeing a different vet later this week for another matter, but I might have them double check her legs.

 

[PMousse]

Ruckus is with the vet since the morning and I just got a call from the vet, who said that the limping is the front left leg but the vaccines were given in the back leg so it shouldn't be due to that, and that any vaccine reactions should be within the 2 days after they were given.

So the limping may be due to him injuring himself from jumping, but the vet said he felt no broken bones, so he suspects maybe just soft tissues. Arthritis is unlikely because it's a chronic condition so would've shown symptoms gradually.

Two options at this point:
1. Do blood work and collect urine sample and send Ruckus home with some pain medications. Or,
2. Do blood work, urine, and X-ray (with mild sedation) all today. The X-ray isn't necessarily for confirming no broken bone but more of a general overall for senior cats to detect cancer, arthritis, etc.

The benefit of #1 is that it'll be cheaper, but if both show up okay and he's still not well, then we'll go back to do the X-rays. The benefit of #2 is I'll get results quicker (especially if blood work and urinalysis turn out okay) but more expensive.

I told my vet to go with #1 but am still debating internally...

 

[Libby.]

Ruckus is with the vet since the morning and I just got a call from the vet, who said that the limping is the front left leg but the vaccines were given in the back leg so it shouldn't be due to that, and that any vaccine reactions should be within the 2 days after they were given.

So the limping may be due to him injuring himself from jumping, but the vet said he felt no broken bones, so he suspects maybe just soft tissues. Arthritis is unlikely because it's a chronic condition so would've shown symptoms gradually.

Two options at this point:
1. Do blood work and collect urine sample and send Ruckus home with some pain medications. Or,
2. Do blood work, urine, and X-ray (with mild sedation) all today. The X-ray isn't necessarily for confirming no broken bone but more of a general overall for senior cats to detect cancer, arthritis, etc.

The benefit of #1 is that it'll be cheaper, but if both show up okay and he's still not well, then we'll go back to do the X-rays. The benefit of #2 is I'll get results quicker (especially if blood work and urinalysis turn out okay) but more expensive.

I told my vet to go with #1 but am still debating internally...

You can always take him back for an xray if he doesn't show improvement in a few days. The pain meds will make him feel comfortable. I recommend picking up some homeopathic arnica pellets. Arnica is amazing for soft tissue bruising. Most health food stores carry at least a few homeopathic remedies and arnica is generally one they carry.

 

[daftcat75]

If you wanted to try the meat stock again, assuming you went too far last time, and made bone broth, that would also be good for healing soft tissue damage and providing arthritis relief. Meat stock is a good source of gelatin, but also glucosamine and chondroitin. Those all come from the connective tissues. That's why it's not necessary to continue to cook until the bones fall apart aka bone broth.

Instead of a chicken stock like the video above, I make a turkey stock since chicken is one of Krista's IBD trigger proteins. I make it with wings and thighs in a crock pot on low for 10 hours. I set it before bedtime. It's done when I wake. I strain the liquid into bowl and place that bowl into a cold water bucket to cool while I dispose of the meat and bone and clean up the crock pot. This is so I don't put a steaming bowl of stock into my fridge to raise the fridge temp. It takes me maybe 15 minutes to clean up the meat and bone waste and wash up the crock pot and strainer. Hopefully the stock isn't steaming anymore. I cover it with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge to set up for 8 hours while I'm at work. When I come back to it after work, I scrape off the congealed fat layer on top. Now I should have a gelatin meat stock "dessert". I can feed it to Krista just like this. But she won't get through all of it fast enough. So I freeze it all in ice cubes and only thaw them in the fridge the night before or under the tap in a baggie at serving time. In order to better know how much she's drinking and that it's not setting out for hours to spoil, I put it on a plate by itself rather than mixing it with her food.

Making a meat stock is a lot more effort than pilling a cat or offering a pre-made supplement treat. But the results are pretty amazing. It's like my 15 year old has found the cure for IBD and the fountain of youth. And because it's repairing her, I continue to see improvements in her mobility and activity. Each day she plays a little more on her own and wants to play with her favorite wand toy with me a little bit longer than the day before.

For the record, I would have gone with the X-ray so that if something does need to be addressed or immobilized, it can be done so sooner than later. Also, you save an office fee not having to bring him back.

 

[denice]

Some cats have the sick reaction including the limping to the calcivirus part of the vaccine. They changed the vaccine a number of years ago due to a more virulent form of the virus appearing. It's the symptoms of the virus. It usually doesn't last this long but I think that may be a possibility. If that is what it is he will come out of it.