Geriatric Cat Behavior

While some cats age well, remaining physically and mentally healthy and active, others become confused, disoriented and generally infirm, according to Petplace.com. Dementia is a cause of many geriatric cat behavior problems, although many others are associated with different medical conditions. Treatments vary, but overall the success rates are quite good.

  1. Normal Aging

    • Cats have normal age-related cognitive decline. The progressive mental slowing results from a decreased number of functioning central nerve cells and actual physical shrinkage of the brain. Like humans, cats slow down mentally, thinking less, remembering less, and generally becoming less mentally alert and alive. Physical factors such as joint stiffness tend to make older cats less physically active, too. Normal aging changes in cat behavior include becoming less active, playing less, sleeping more, reacting less to surrounding events, grooming less and eating less enthusiastically.

    Abnormal Aging

    • Abnormally aging cats develop cognitive dysfunction that significantly impacts their daily lives. "Although some of the signs of age-related cognitive decline are similar to those of 'normal aging,' it is the extent and nature of the deficits that distinguish true cognitive dysfunction from simple age-related slowing down," according to Petplace.com. The acronym DISH illustrates typical feline cognitive dysfunction: disorientation, interactions reduced, sleep-wake cycle changes and housetraining loss. Prevalence of cognitive dysfunction increases with age. Some older cats also become aggressive, fearful or anxious due to medical conditions or stress, according to PetEducation.com.

    Causes of Abnormal Aging

    • According to Petplace.com, abnormal aging probably results from Alzheimer's-like changes in the brain or cerebrovascular disease. Veterinarians say the degree of pathological change in the brain probably correlates closely with the severity of clinical signs. Certain abnormal behaviors, however, have nondementia medical causes. PetEducation.com says inappropriate elimination can result from colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, feline lower urinary tract disease, arthritis, anal sac disease and vision loss. Aggression, fear and anxiety can be caused by arthritis, vision or hearing loss, or diseases with direct effects on the nervous system.

    Special Care

    • Dementia can be reversed for a while through treatment with Anipryl, a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor which prevents the breakdown of dopamine, a deficient neurostransmitter in the cat's brain. About 1/3 of cats exhibit drastic turnarounds, another third show significant improvements, and 1/3 don't respond to treatment. PetEducation.com recommends the spray product Feliway, which contains pheromones, to reduce anxiety in cats. Experts on that website say aggressive behavior can be corrected by a combination of counter-conditioning, desensitization, medical therapy and Feliway. Treatment for fear and anxiety may include various anti-anxiety medications.

    Expert Insight

    • Just like people, cats are living longer these days because of advances in health care and nutrition. "It is because of this changing demographic that age-related cognitive decline and cognitive dysfunction have been recognized," according to Petplace.com. "If we can extend quality existence for a cat by one year through the use of medication, that's equivalent to a five-year extension for a person."