well cat care for elderly cat

Hi,

Our 22.5 year Male Maine coon, Buttwiggle, is relatively free from any major illness right now.  He gave us a scare one year ago and 6 months ago when he developed oral sores.  The last one went through his cheek from the gum to fur!  Both times, we thought we would lose him, but oral antibiotics and hydration brought him back.  He will only eat soft food and will not tolerate any oral brushing.  I suspect his old teeth must hurt him; the vet says he is too old for anesthesia and dentistry. Any suggestions on keeping his mouth clean?

Also, what is your opinion on using synthroid like substances - given to him to perk up his eating habits.  Sometimes, he just isn't interested in eating.  We change his diet often to keep him eating. The vet gave him this cream to rub inside his ears but it agitates him.  Sometimes, he will walk in circles for hours . . .

Lastly, he wakes up crying/meowing in the night.  He has been deaf for a year or so.  I comfort him, but a friend suggested that he may be having cardiac issues?  I was hoping that he is just waking and can't hear himself meowing.  Is this a sign that his heart is failing?

Obviously, Dr., Buttwiggle is a dear and beloved part of our family.  How can we keep him as healthy as possible given his advanced age and disabilities?  We don't want to put him through lots of tests and hospitalizations.  Our goal is gentle palliative type care for a beautiful old cat!  Does accupuncture work for cats?

Fondly,
dana H.
Winchester, MA

ps - we stopped innoculating him around 2 years ago when it became obvious that his outdoor days (as glorious as they were) are over.  Is that a mistake?

[zodiacqueen]

WOW, that's pretty awesome-over 22 yrs old!  From what you wrote, it sounds like your cat's mouth is seriously bothering him and that's why he's not eating well.  Mouth problems, as we know, can be very painful.  I wouldn't even try that synthroid drugs on him, it would be too risky.  The synthroid drug would be activating the thyroid gland to increase his appetite, and I really don't think that's the problem.  How is your cat's heart?  If his heart is good, then it would be possible to remove some bad teeth.  If that's not possible, maybe your vet can prescribe something for pain and give him an occasional burst of antibiotics for gum disease.  Ask your vet about that!

I also have an old cat that's 16 yrs old.  I am a lunatic watching every thing she does.  I make sure that she's eating enough every day and I watch her litter box habits like a hawk.  I look for at least 2 spots of pee in the box and I want to see one poop a day.  We have to seriously keep our eye out for constipation, because they can become obstructed more easily than a younger kitty.  If my cat were ever to go 2 days without pooping, she would get taken to the vets.  

You should also watch for weight loss, and make sure that your cat is not drinking excessive amounts of water, which can point to diabetes, kidney disease, and thyroid issues.

If you want more detailed info, we have a wonderful vet in the expert vet forums on MedHelp.  Copy and paste your post over there.  The link is on the right of this screen under Related Expert Forums!!

Best wishes to you and your baby!

[Savas]

Heh heh... Mr. Buttwiggle... classic!

I would say avoid the inoculations at this point. There are occassional side effects and in an older cat who doesn't go out, why stress his system?

You can try a digestive enzyme powder in his food. They claim to help with teeth cleaning. I won't swear to the truth of this, but they're popular products.

Be sure his food doesn't have any omega 6's or 9's in it. They're unnecessary and pro-inflammatory. They can create health issues in animals and people who are at risk.

Otherwise, you can try Yucca to help with potential oral infection. It's a natural anti inflammatory with some natural antibiotic properties.

a 22 year old cat is definitely at an age where it can begin to suffer from age-related mental altered state.

Just keep loving him and doing what you're doing. :-)