 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / August 2007How did I end up with geriatric 4 year olds?
Popped down to the vets yesterday to obtain suppliers of Hills for the Fabulous Furballs. Picked up the lamb- they love that and noticed (well it's not the first time I've noticed but it's the first time I haven't been in a hurry) that the bag says 1-6 years So I had to ask the vet nurse if Hills meant that as of their 7th birthday I shouldn't feed them the stuff (THAT'S not what I call a happy birthday!) and she said "Yes, then they can eat the older cat range" I said "6 is not old for a cat!" She said she agreed and the practice has many cats older than that indeed 20 year old cats are becoming much more common but she explained that the main difference between Hills and Hills for older cats is that the older cat version is formulated to account for the fact that as cats get older they get less active... I had better start Dunzi on older cat Hills now. She goes to bed before we do (The sleeping place on the bookcase is so desirable that both of them want it and Dunzi makes an early claim) is still asleep when I go out to work and on a recent occasion when I got back late from work and she was at the door and I said "You're up then" Dave informed me that she had moved less than 20 minutes ago Sarsi is a bit more active. She gets up usually mid morning then walks into the living room demands a skritchie and then goes to sleep on the sofa...this is a gruelling fitness regime as far as she is concerned and she demands the best food to enable her to keep it Should I start considering getting them little Zimmer frames? Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > Popped down to the vets yesterday to obtain suppliers of Hills for the > Fabulous Furballs. Picked up the lamb- they love that and noticed [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Slave of the Fabulous Furball In technical vetspeak, I've noticed that cats are geriatric when they pass seven. That means that most of my cats spent many, many more years-- and pretty darn bouncy ones that that-- being "geriatric." But it's true, too for human beings, isn't it? Well, it's true of me, anyway. I can't truthfully say I'm "young" any more, and I have an awful lot of these non-young years ahead of me. But I'm still pretty bouncy, and expect to be that way for many years to come. > In technical vetspeak, I've noticed that cats are geriatric when they pass > seven. That means that most of my cats spent many, many more years-- and > pretty darn bouncy ones that that-- being "geriatric." I remember reading on a box of food that cats are elderly after 8. I told Isis this but she was too busy chasing her tail to listen. If it's true, she lived over half her life as an "old lady cat" Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > Popped down to the vets yesterday to obtain suppliers of Hills for the > Fabulous Furballs. Picked up the lamb- they love that and noticed [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Slave of the Fabulous Furballs Gotta ask -- what's a Zimmer frame? I tried the Hill's "Old Cat" food on my guys. Not impressed. Most of them do, however, seem to *really* like the one I've got them on now. And of course, the name escapes me. I think "Natural" is in the name, and it's one of those Dick Van Patten foods. I haven't seen some of these guys so ravenous about dry food in years! Geriatric 4 year olds is funny. I suppose it depends on the cat. Tiki (RB) always seemed to me like an Old Cat, even when she was young. She just had that sort of cranky attitude all her life. The other cats thought little of her, until the rest were all gone to the Bridge, and then Cosmo came along and actually *liked* Tiki. It was so sweet. I have seen Cosmo be kittenish on occasion, and he is 17. And I am still calling Kate and Jack the kittens because, even at two, they still act like kittens (especially Jack, of course!). Babble babble babble. Ginger-lyn Babbling today  SignatureHome Pages: http://www.spiritrealm.com/summer/ http://www.angelfire.com/folk/glsummer (homepage & cats) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~summer/index.htm (genealogy) http://www.movieanimals.bravehost.com/ (The Violence Against Animals in Movies Website) > Gotta ask -- what's a Zimmer frame? A frame which eldelry people use to help them balance when they walk. I think the ither name is a "walking frame" > I tried the Hill's "Old Cat" food on my guys. Not impressed. Most of > them do, however, seem to *really* like the one I've got them on now. > And of course, the name escapes me. I think "Natural" is in the name, > and it's one of those Dick Van Patten foods. I haven't seen some of > these guys so ravenous about dry food in years! Dunzi likes Hills "Natural Balance"- it's got brown rice in it and she was a hippy in a previous life, She'll barge Sarsi out of the way when that's on the menu Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > I had better start Dunzi on older cat Hills now. She goes to bed > before we do (The sleeping place on the bookcase is so desirable that [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Should I start considering getting them little Zimmer frames? Your cats are bored. Who wouldn't be, being a prisoner in the house? If you need to keep them in, they need way much much more stimulation. I am lucky that mine have safe access to outside. I personally don't agree with keeping cats in, in the UK. If you live beside a very busy road, forget it .of course. Then you have to question if you should have decided to have a cat, anyway Tweed On 26 Aug, 11:19, "Christina Websell" <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: > Your cats are bored. Who wouldn't be, being a prisoner in the house? If > you need to keep them in, they need way much much more stimulation. They have plenty of stimulation- Dave is here all the time and they get played with several times a day if they want to- they're both good at letting us know that they don't want to play (walking away when we offer them their toys) or if they do want to play, Sarsi will bring the toy of her choice and drop it in front of you. Also there are a number of toys that don't require a Human to play with them like their tennis game, which when they want to they can play for hours (bit noisy at 5am but we're used to it). I admit they're not too active at the moment but both of them are huddled by the fan wishing someone would shave their fur off! . If you live > beside a very busy road, forget it .of course. We live by a road that isn't safe for Humans to cross- I've had a dead body land in my front garden. Let's not start this old argument- you think cats should go out and I think they don't have to, Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs. > On 26 Aug, 11:19, "Christina Websell" > <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Let's not start this old argument- you think cats should go out and I > think they don't have to, I don't wish to start an argument at all re the in/out debate, and of course cats like to sleep a lot, but not *that* much. In an ideal world cats could go in and out. In to sleep on comfy beds, and out to hunt safely, where there are huge gardens and no traffic to speak of. Like mine do. I realise that you are not in a situation to offer this, but I still think your cat is bored. I want you to know, also, that I am not saying this to "tell you off" but just to say what I think might be the reason for her sleeping more than usual. Maybe I put it badly before. I am not known for my tact.:-) Tweed >> I had better start Dunzi on older cat Hills now. She goes to bed >> before we do (The sleeping place on the bookcase is so desirable that [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Tweed I don't know about her cats, but my cats are definitely not bored inside. I don't know what they do when I am not home, but when I am home and awake, they are too and they are active and they don't go outside. They run and chase each other up and down the hallways, through the bedroom and up and down the stairs. They know where their catnip spot is and rub themselves in it liberally whenever it occurs to them. The scratching post gets a good work out from my two cats that use it on a routine basis, they watch out the windows for bugs and birds. My oldest cat constantly plays with gravity (I am nearly insane now from picking the same things up every day), stuffed mices are found in new places on a daily basis. I do not have to worry about fleas and ticks, mean teen agers, cars, coyotes, birds of prey, poisons or dogs. My cats are in prime health and I would say happy. They are all lap cats who pile on the moment I get still and who all sleep in the same bed with me. They deal well with children (and know how to just leave if the children don't know how to deal with pets). Inside doesn't mean an insane cat. Some cats just aren't interested in doing a whole lot more. Some are. Mine are. The outside cat at my friends house will occasionally catch his own mice and birds, but for the most part, just lays on the patio soaking up the sun. He really doesn't care much to do anything else and I don't think he is bored, he has a whole barn to play in. Bridget >> I had better start Dunzi on older cat Hills now. She goes to bed >> before we do (The sleeping place on the bookcase is so desirable that [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > beside a very busy road, forget it .of course. Then you have to question > if you should have decided to have a cat, anyway First, I think anyone who wants a cat, isn't unkind to it, and can take care of its feeding and other needs should have one. Too many cats who are in dire straits and need homes. Not all shelters are no kill. And of course all cats should be neutered. Ours have the choice because it is fairly safe here, and because Charlie believes they need out to be happy. Molly stays out if the weather is decent. Charlie and I fight about whether he should feed her in the garage. I think she should at least have to show her furry little butt a few times a day in order to eat. Left totally to her own devices she would come in about every third night for a good nights sleep. Left totally to her own preferences, we would just leave the door stand open. Jake stays or goes depending on how he is feeling. Many days he barely gets out of our bed to eat. Often when he goes out, it is just to sleep in the sun and watch the birds. But there are days. When he steals Molly's prey. When he torments the dog into chasing him. When he goes up on the roof. When he stalks the wild bugs in the field across the street. When he charms all the neighbors. When he climbs trees and sharpens his claws and stares at birds. So Jake is happy, Molly is happy. Charlie is happy. I'm a little nervous, but it does cut down on litter box duty. Jo > I had better start Dunzi on older cat Hills now. She goes to bed > before we do (The sleeping place on the bookcase is so desirable that > both of them want it and Dunzi makes an early claim) is still asleep > when I go out to work and on a recent occasion when I got back late > from work and she was at the door and I said "You're up then" Dave > informed me that she had moved less than 20 minutes ago > Sarsi is a bit more active. She gets up usually mid morning then walks > into the living room demands a skritchie and then goes to sleep on the > sofa...this is a gruelling fitness regime as far as she is concerned > and she demands the best food to enable her to keep it > Should I start considering getting them little Zimmer frames? I thought the issue "senior" catfoods were supposed to address was loss of kidney function - they have a lower proportion of protein, which helps prevent kidney damage. Nothing to do with activity level. ============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ============== Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760 <http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975 stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557 > I thought the issue "senior" catfoods were supposed to address was > loss of kidney function - they have a lower proportion of protein, > which helps prevent kidney damage. Nothing to do with activity > level. I think they're probably lower in fat, too - that's where the activity level comes in. Joyce > Popped down to the vets yesterday to obtain suppliers of Hills for the > Fabulous Furballs. Picked up the lamb- they love that and noticed [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Slave of the Fabulous Furballs And how do you know whether they've been up all night, investigating places in your house that you may not know exist? Purrs and hugs, Kathy > And how do you know whether they've been up all night, investigating places > in your house that you may not know exist? Oh yes that's often (particularly in hot weather) when they are active. And yes I know, our flat is small and on one level and two small cats can make the sound of a horde of rampaging wildebeast at 4am- never mind bouncing off a Hoomin or two on their way to the game! We're immune, we mutter "bloody cats!" and stick the covers over our heads and go back to sleep until we hear the crash that means we really shouldn't have left the living room door open.... Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > Popped down to the vets yesterday to obtain suppliers of Hills for the > Fabulous Furballs. Picked up the lamb- they love that and noticed > (well it's not the first time I've noticed but it's the first time I > haven't been in a hurry) that the bag says 1-6 years > So I had to ask the vet nurse if Hills meant that as of their 7th > birthday I shouldn't feed them the stuff (THAT'S not what I call a > happy birthday!) and she said "Yes, then they can eat the older cat > range" > I said "6 is not old for a cat!" I remember when Smudge was 6 years old and I had to bring her to the vet for something. The vet suggested we also get her a "senior blood workup". I'm like, *senior*?? Smudge is still a kitten!! At the time, it seemed like I had still only just adopted her, as a 4-month-old. And even now, at 10, she's still going strong (despite verious mishaps). I wouldn't call her a "kitten" anymore though. She's been showing her age more. Not in her behavior, but just in her face. She doesn't have that baby face anymore. I swear, she has bags under her eyes! Joyce On 26 Aug, 14:15, jXwXeXrXmXoX...@sonic.net wrote: Not in her behavior, but just in her face. She doesn't have > that baby face anymore. I swear, she has bags under her eyes! I can see a whole new field opening up for opportunistic vets with no morals- Plastic surgery for cats! Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > On 26 Aug, 14:15, jXwXeXrXmXoX...@sonic.net wrote: > Not in her behavior, but just in her face. She doesn't have [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Slave of the Fabulous Furballs Don't give 'em ideas! ;-) SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > Don't give 'em ideas! ;-) > -- I'd like to see a plastic surgery vet brave enough to approach Sarsi with a Botox injection! Our vet always says it's not that she's aggressive it's the look that says she's saving me up for later! Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.