Why Do Geriatric Cats Become Thin & Bony?

According to the "Guinness Book of World Records," the oldest living cat, Crème Puff, made it to the ripe old age of 38 years old. Cats may not have nine lives, but they can have a long life expectancy if kept indoors, with little stress and someone to meet their every need. Remember the old adage, cats have staff, dogs have masters. Indoor cats with an attentive staff can live as long as 20 years or more. If this is the case with your cat, you may be noticing what appears to be a kind of wasting away. Your cat appears thinner and bonier than she did when she was much younger. There̵7;s a cause and effect process that, just as with older human animals as well as non-human animals, compels changes in the body that actually causes an animal to become thinner and bonier as she gets older.

  1. Dehydration

    • Older cats are not as active as they once were.

      Dehydration is the number one culprit of aging. Some older cats become lazy and are less likely to get up to have a drink of water. Their appetites may change, and so they are not eating as much canned food, which accounts for a percentage of their liquid intake. Furthermore, a variety of so-called ̶0;old age̶1; diseases such as kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and diabetes cause dehydration. When a cat becomes dehydrated, her body appears thinner. According to Dr. Lorraine Kassarjian, a South Florida veterinarian, the cat̵7;s brain, as it ages, stops sending certain signals such as thirst. Furthermore, ̶0;Older cats just don̵7;t drink as much as younger cats,̶1; says Dr. Kassarjian.

    Atrophy

    • Indoor cats live much longer than outdoor cats who have a life expectancy of only about 2 years.

      Muscle wasting is also a big part of why cats become thin and bony as they age. ̶0;The muscle cells do not regenerate well as cats age," says Dr. Kassarjian. Furthermore, atrophy, due to lack of use, causes the muscles to become thin and small. Just like in people, old cats do not use their muscles as much as they used to, so the muscles waste away a little. This not only gives the appearance of being thin and bony, the cat truly is thinner and bonier.

      But the biggest reason cats appear thin and bony, believes Dr. Kassarjian, is the redistribution of fat.

    Fat Redistribution

    • Cats are subject to a variety of diseases as they age because their immune systems are not as strong as they once were.

      In younger cats, you can feel the fat and muscle when you pet them. As they age, you begin to feel the skeleton more and you notice the skin appears to just hang off the skeletal structure. ̶0;The body is attempting to reverse the aging process and 'save' itself,̶1; says Dr. Kassarjian. ̶0;Fat is redistributed throughout the body as the cat begins to age. Because the organs are beginning to fail somewhat due to the lack of regenerative cells, the fat is moved away from the muscles and toward the organs in order to support them better.̶1;

    Old Age

    • Try to get your cat to play with you to keep her muscles strong.

      Old age is not a disease, it̵7;s a process. To make your cat more comfortable in her old age, provide heat sources, such as a heating pad or place a blanket in a sunny location in your home. Her body is not keeping her as warm as it once did. Brush her often as her grooming may have declined in recent years, and in order to keep hairballs at bay she will need a good brushing now and then. Try to get her to play so as to keep her muscles active and strong. Be her friend in her declining years. You̵7;ll both benefit greatly from it.