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Elderly cat behaviour and concerns

  • 08-03-2010 4:32pm
    #1
    diabhail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35 ✭


    Hi,

    I need some advice from people experienced in the behaviour of elderly cats.

    Full Story:
    Our cat is ~14 years old (she was a stray we adopted 12 years ago so we are not quite sure). She is a pure white cat and we have had to bring her to a vet to have her ears cropped twice due to bleeding as a result of too much sun.
    She spent many years living outside exclusively - she was fed and cared for and had a nice house but was outside. Recently my animal obsessed 5 year old has managed to move her inside again -so she now has her own box etc in the kitchen with the family.
    Her behavior until about 2 weeks ago was normal. She'd sleep in her box contentadly and when she needed to go out or eat she would trot around the kitchen until she got attention.

    But about 2 weeks ago that changed - she has started to follow my wife around the house - and she has started to wander around the kitchen - but won't go out when we open the door and won't eat if we put out her food.
    He eating behaviour has also changed slightly - she used to eat a full sachet of food when we put it out for her - now she eats a bit, goes back into the box a few minutes later copmes out again to eat, back into the box and that might repeat 4 times.

    So I am worreid that she is beinginning to go a bit senile. Either that or she has fully settled into being inside again is just being extremely nosey and now that she knows her food is easily accessible will eat at her own pace.

    She has not lost weight, she looks the same as always, although she does seem to had developed a slighly limp in one of her back paws.

    Anyway - any advice or similar experiences that may help or should I just bring her to a vet?


Comments

  • #2
    Magenta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,957 ✭✭✭Magenta


    I think you should just bring her to the vet.
    Just from the part about her ears- you need to put sunblock on her ears and nose when she is going outside.
    White cats are awfully prone to getting cancer on their ears and noses from sun exposure (it's the white skin, and those areas don't have much hair to cover them). The ears are somewhat treatable but you will be in for a hard time if she gets it on her nose. From the bleeding you have described it sounds like her ears are possibly already sun damaged.


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