Unfortunately, even our four-legged friends can be affected by degenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s in cats is an example.
Degenerative diseases not only affect humans, but also our four-legged friends. Among them, one of the best known and at the same time common, especially among individuals in old age, is Alzheimer’s, which can also affect the cat. Let’s find out together what are the symptoms that the feline, affected by the disease, presents, and what are the remedies to alleviate the ailments.
The discovery of Alzheimer’s in cats
Degenerative diseases affect the nervous system of living beings; in particular, they attack the cells of the nervous system until destruction, causing an irreversible alteration of the body’s balance.
Among the various degenerative diseases we also include Alzheimer’s, which affects individuals in old age (on the other hand it is the first cause of senile dementia); in humans, an early onset of the disease occurs around 50 years of age.
Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s can also affect cats. The discovery is relatively recent, and is the result of a scientific study. The results are the result of research on a number of wild cats, whose bodies, after death, have been analyzed.
Fourteen of the specimens had, in some tissues, the NFT protein, which is associated precisely with Alzheimer’s.
Symptoms of the disease
Undoubtedly Alzheimer’s is able to affect, even more so, even the domestic cat; on the other hand, life inside the houses determines, game-force, an increase in its average duration, and therefore also the possibility of developing, with greater probability, the degenerative pathology.
One of the classic symptoms is memory loss: a symptom that is strongly evident in humans, but that in the feline is difficult to detect, at least in the initial stage of the disease. Memory loss, however, at an advanced stage of the disease, does not allow the animal to carry out, at least without help, its normal life.
It will not be able to perform the daily functions dictated by its nature: for example, if affected by Alzheimer’s, the cat will probably no longer wash. Confusion is another typical symptom of the disease: the cat appears disoriented and uncertain in its territory.
The motivation is quite simple: most likely the animal does not remember where the bowl of water, that of food, is placed, or probably does not recognize the place where it is located . The senses also weaken, such as hearing. During the night hours the discomfort, in the event that the cat fails to recognize its environment, may be greater.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for degenerative diseases: you can only help the cat’s body to slow down, as much as possible, the worsening of the symptoms of the disease. To do this, a pharmacological therapy is used, which is therefore supportive and preserved at the same time.
On the other hand, Alzheimer’s, just like any other cause that gives rise to senile dementia in cats, is unstoppable. In addition to drug treatment, a more active role, and increased attention, from the owner will be needed.
The cat must be kept under control, or in any case inside a closed environment. It will no longer be able to go out alone: it may get lost without being able to return home, as well as he may run other dangers due to confusion.
It is very important to spend time with them and keep its brain always active, with games and new stimuli – this will greatly help in slowing down the course of the disease. In cases where the pathology is in a more advanced state (for example when the cat no longer washes) we should also take care of its hygiene, an activity to which it normally provides itself and to which it dedicates many hours of its day.
