As a cat gets older, it sleeps more, plays less, and tends to find it increasingly difficult to move around. But old age, which generally occurs around the age of 7 to 10 in cats, can also be accompanied by the onset of more or less serious illnesses. Some will affect your cat’s physique, others their brain, as is the case with senile dementia, linked to cerebral aging, but also involutional depression. This disease is often caused by brain tumors or kidney problems. Behavioral problems can then appear. In order to know if your old cat is becoming senile, here are some unmistakable signs!
If you observe in your cat one or more of the symptoms described below, do not hesitate to speak to your veterinarian in order to rule out any potential risk of disease.
1. It meows more often
One of the characteristic symptoms of senility in cats is increased meowing, especially at night. The meows are haunting, even desperate.
2. It doesn’t wash anymore
Daily grooming is a very important moment in a cat’s life. If your cat has become senile, it may no longer be able to wash himself.
3. It doesn’t sleep anymore
In senile cats, insomnia can be observed during the night. So you can see them wandering around the house aimlessly.
4. It gets messy
Until now, your cat had always defecated in its litter box. But now it regularly relieves itself everywhere except in their litter box, including their sleeping place. This is a sign that it is disoriented and that it no longer knows very well what it is doing.
5. It changes his behavior
When senile, your cat may start to behave in a completely different way. Thus, it may become more clingy with you, more distant, or even more aggressive.
6. It does strange things
If you find that your cat is starting to do really weird things, it may be because of their senility. Thus, it can take their naps in their litter or in the rain, try to push the walls or chew everything it finds on their way.
7. It Runs Away
So far, your cat has never run away. But overnight it starts running away. Or rather to leave the house and never come back. Because your cat doesn’t run away, it just can’t find its way home.
8. It often gets lost in thought
Does your cat often seem to be deep in thought? As if it was lost in thought and nothing around them existed? This is a sign that it is becoming senile. In this case, do not disturb them and let their brain wander as it pleases.
9. It doesn’t recognize you anymore
When the cat becomes senile, it can sometimes adopt behaviors similar to those of Alzheimer’s patients. Thus, your feline may no longer recognize you for a few minutes.
