My cat has dementia...what to do?

jungle_jane

My nearly-20 year old cat has definitely lost his marbles...he has started mewing really loudly at night for the past 9 months which is really out of character. He gets a bit confused and disorientated when he is doing simple tasks like eating...and he is not keeping on top of his grooming. He won't socialise anymore either - he just likes to sleep in a quiet room and he has almost become a bit like a ghost in the house.

I have done a lot of research and it seems that these are all symptoms of kitty dementia. thing is, when i walk into his room or if i seek him out he is always really happy to see me and is a lovely lovely old cat.

What i can't establish from my research is whether he is okay to live out the rest of his days or whether this dementia thing is causing distress and eventually he may have to be PTS.

Naturally i am heartbroken - this cat is the senior of our home and we all adore him and treat him as the elder statesman. He means the world to my whole family...we are just not sure how to deal with this.

Has anyone else had a pet with this and do you have any advice? He is not in any pain - just old, confused and not always with it....

Sagz_2

One of my old boys was a little like this towards the end, but I can't say he was ever really distressed. If he started his 'midnight caller' act I just used to flick the bedroom light on and he would stop, I used to call to him but he was a little deaf and didn't always realise I was there.

Have you had a word with your Vet? I know there are some drugs that can help with dementia in dogs but I've never used them on cats.

Catmom

Ah bless, I know exactly where you're coming from with this. When my Ted was getting towards his final months, he would howl all through the night, and appeared disoriented. The majority of the time he was perfectly happy, just got confused at night. Sadly I had to have him PTS last summer, he had a combination of problems which couldnt be overcome. My eldest girl, Spice, is 16 now, and is starting to exhibit the same behaviours - yowling at night, or if Im in a different room for too long and she doesnt know where I am. She also struggles with her grooming (Blue-Cream Persian:eek:) and seems to feel the cold. In fact, I bathed her this morning, wrapped her in a fluffy towel while she started to dry off, and then put the hairdryer over her. She LOVED it She's now in her basket, right in front of the fire, warm as toast.
Anyway, I digress Personally, if your old boy appears happy in the main, still eating, and not suffering, I would just let him handle his twilight years in his own way. If he wants to keep himself secluded, well ok, I have days like that .And lets face it, in human years he's 97 :eek: Maybe the odd treat now and then, cuddles when he wants, and a comfy bed. Obviously seek your Vets advice if he seems to deteriorate. Good luck with whatever you decide

scaredy_cat

my old girl had dementia, and when she yowled i would pick her up and cuddle her or settle her beside me on the sofa and stroke her. i think the closeness settles them.

She also slept about 20 hrs a day!! And she stopped grooming, but has she had short hair she only got a few matts.

it might be worth while getting your cat checked over, just to make sure her heart and kidneys are ok.

Blackjack_Davy

It's interesting it happens at night, I wonder if their eyesight is going and they can't see in the dark anymore? The blindness would disorientate and probably upset them. It might be worth trying leaving on some kind of nightlight for them?

paddypaws101

Yowling can also be a symptom of High BP or Thyroid issues, so it is probably worthwhile taking her to the vet for a check over if she has not been for a while. ( call in advance to make sure they have the Doppler for BP, not all vets have one in the practice at all times )
If these tests are negative then I would do as poster above suggests, lots of tasty treats and as many cuddles as you can in these latter precious months/years.

paddypaws101

Yowling can also be a symptom of High BP or Thyroid issues, so it is probably worthwhile taking him to the vet for a check over if she has not been for a while. ( call in advance to make sure they have the Doppler for BP, not all vets have one in the practice at all times )
If these tests are negative then I would do as poster above suggests, lots of tasty treats and as many cuddles as you can in these latter precious months/years.

Catmom

Blackjack_Davy wrote: »

It's interesting it happens at night, I wonder if their eyesight is going and they can't see in the dark anymore? The blindness would disorientate and probably upset them. It might be worth trying leaving on some kind of nightlight for them?

Hi BJD, this was certainly the case with Ted, on the day he was PTS the Vet confirmed what we thought, that he had completely lost his sight. Spice, however, is still very alert and aware, it seems more like night-time or prolonged separation triggers or exacerbates her confusion. I keep a small light on at night, but it seems to be the sound of my voice which triggers recognition.
A truly fascinating subject.

Crocswearer

Hi Jungle Jane

My 17 year old moggy has dementia, too. She is also hyperthyroid (on Vidalta) and almost blind. She yowls from time to time day or night, sleeps a LOT and gets disorientated (not surprisingly). She wanders around the house and garden like she has a purpose but never quite finds it. But she still enjoys her food, uses the litter tray, and purrs like there's no tomorrow if I put her on my lap, especially if she's just been yowling.

I think every day about her quality of life. But I don't think we're quite "there" yet.

jungle_jane

Crocswearer (love the name) are you basically monitering her and will consider having her PTS if it seems as though she is unhappy?

We are thinking the same - our guy is getting worse and worse but he still purrs like a train when we stroke him and he just seems to be sleeping his life away.

We are also wondering if he is losing his eyesight but we took him to the vet and she thought that he is in fantastic condition. Great eyes and teeth - she even checked his eyes but she thought his eyesight is fine. She didn't give us any other advice....

Here is his pic...i think he is very handsome.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15888824@N00/6785307423

jungle_jane

The yowling is called 'night terror' i believe...its one of the symptoms of dementia. poor puss...