How Old is Old? Signs of Feline Ageing

True strokes are uncommon in cats and those that do have them usually recover faster and more completely than humans though they may remain slightly lopsided. Following a stroke, the cat may be temporarily blind or partly paralyzed and may lose control of bladder or bowel. Most vets advise a "wait and see" approach. Once the initial effects have worn off, many cats go on to live very long, healthy and happy lives with little more than a head tilt, minor tremor or slightly wobbly gait as a reminder.

Saddle Thrombus (described in more detail later) is sometimes called the feline equivalent of a stroke and can cause permanent weakness of the hind legs. Affected cats may need ramps or steps to compensate. He may temporarily lose control of bowel or bladder depending on the severity of the damage. One of my elderly cats recovered well, but afterwards she always leaned on the wall when going up or down stairs.

How Can I Prolong My Cat's Life?

Ageing is affected by both genetics and environment. Good genes are down to luck or careful breeding, but the environment can be managed. There is a danger of becoming paranoid - whatever you do, you must accept that your cat is not immortal. Keep a diary or file detailing your cat's vaccinations, diet and weight. If you can, record its heart-rate, breathing rate and temperature - your vet will show you how and tell you what the normal figures are.

If your cat becomes sick, injured or behaves unusually make a note of this since cats often behave totally different in a vet's consulting room! Your observations will help the vet work out what, if anything, is wrong with your cat. Some cats do developed unexplained and harmless behavioral quirks, don't panic - this is called "being a cat".

Some diseases are hereditary and reduce life-expectancy. Genetics is a key factor in determining the rate of ageing, how well cells multiply and how well the body repairs itself. Providing good health care for your cat right from kitten hood assures its genetically determined life span. If you don't know much about your cats past history, the "good health care" routine starts with you!

Cats are resilient creatures and many rescue cats reach advanced ages, especially mixed-breeds as these have "hybrid vigor". Breed influences longevity and Oriental/Siamese breeds appear to live longer than Persians. Years of selective breeding has had the side-effect that some breeds are genetically predisposed to conditions which shorten life - the reverse of hybrid vigor.