Do cats get dementia?

Today’s parents take good care of their cats that live much longer than ever, giving us more years of shared happiness and love. While that is something wonderful, it also means that pet parents are seeing more conditions and age -related diseases in their major cats. One of them is dementia.

Sometimes called senility or dementia, what major cats really experience (11 years and older) are called cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is a function of a brain that ages. A 2011 study in higher cats indicated that one third of cats from 11 to 14 years will show at least one CD symptom. That number jumps to about 50% for cats over 15 years. As with humans, the condition is slowly presented over time and there are specific behavior changes to be attentive.

According Petmd.comThe most common CD signs are:
• Disorientation
• (changes in) interactions with others
• Alterations of the Sleep-Vigilia cycle
• Road of the house
• Changes in activity level
Among the other signs that a cat can exhibit is:
• Confusion
• Anxiety/restlessness
• Extreme irritability
• Decreased desire to play
• Lack of self -complacency
• Incontinence
• Loss of appetite
• Increased vocalization
As with everything related to the health of a cat, if you see something unusual in your cat’s behavior, call your veterinarian immediately. Since some of these symptoms may be due to other diseases or conditions, its veterinarian will probably diagnose CD by elimination process, discarding any other cause of health. An exhaustive exam with blood tests will be necessary, so it is useful if your veterinarian has a good health history for your cat to help diagnose the problem.

While there are medications and supplements that your veterinarian could recommend to help cats to deal with CD, there are things that you can do at home that can also improve your older cat. The first is a change in the diet. There are special foods that have added omega-3, additional vitamins and beta-carotene that can help with CDs. In addition to the diet, making adjustments to the environment of your cat can help reduce stress, such as making sure that food and water are slightly high from the floor to be easier to reach; Add ramps to help your cat get on your favorite sofa or bed; And make sure that the sandboxes have sides or lower inputs so that a senior cat can easily enter and leave. It is also important to make sure to spend more time with her cat and that he/she has a stimulating game time.

The CDs, like aging in itself, is not curable, but with the help of your veterinarian and making some changes in the home of your pet, it can be handled.

CLICK HERE to learn about the signs of CDs and their diagnosis.

CLICK HERE To find some home alterations that can help a cat with CDs.
Click here to read a recent history of Washington Post about pet dementia.