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Posted by cyclopsgrl on December 01, 2002 at 18:10:47:

In Reply to: senior baby posted by treetree on November 30, 2002 at 21:23:56:

It sounds like from your post that your cat is fine, and that you are looking for things to do as she ages, right?

Mine are now 11 and some things I did recently that you may want to consider are:

1. I now take them to the vet every 6 months rather than every year. Just started this. I keep a close eye on their eating, sleeping, grooming, weight, and bathroom habits. If any of the above change, recommend a vet visit. Bathroom habit changes are a red flag to problems. Going more frequently, going outside the box, etc. Kidney problems tend to show up in cats in senior years.

2. I spoke to the vet a while back about switching to a Senior diet and they had me do so when they were about 9 years old. You may want to ask if there is anything special you should be feeding her, and if the vet recommends a Senior food.

3. The last thing I recently discussed with my vet and did was to cut down their vaccinations. Last year we dropped Leukemia, this year we stopped/skipped all shots altogether (although the three year Rabies is due next year and I'll have to make a decision). According to my vet, vaccinations are much tougher on their systems (I believe kidneys specifically) to process as they age. However, the only reason my vet recommended I stop is not only because of their age, but because they are 100% INDOOR only. If your cat goes OUTDOORS, your vet will likely recommend vaccinations.

Have you talked to your vet about senior needs? Senior food, no vaccinations, and twice yearly vet visits to help catch things early are what my vet and I worked out not too long ago. I don't recommend doing any of these without talking to your vet about her specific diet and vaccination needs first.

Best wishes to you and your kitty!

Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Follow Ups:

• Re: senior baby PHMadameAlto 12/02/02 (0)