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Senior Cat Care

Today there are so many ways that our senior pets can live a longer, healthier and more active life. One of those ways is by keeping up with your pet’s annual health exams to detect early signs of age-related diseases.

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Watch for these signs of aging in your pet

– Less enthusiastic/less willing to play– Changes in eating habits
– Bad breath or drooling– Drinking and/or urinating more often
– New lumps or bumps– Noticeable weight changes
– Restless– Changes in behaviour
– Shaking or tremors– Trouble climbing stairs/furniture
– Disoriented/confused– Changes to coat

My senior cat is losing weight, what can I do?


Weight loss in your senior cat requires a visit to our clinic. Please contact us today to make an appointment.

How can I care for my senior cat?


You can care for your senior pet by ensuring their environment is senior friendly. Consider low sided litterboxes and make sure food and water stations are close to sleeping areas. Be aware that stairs may be a problem due to mobility problems. Feeding a high-quality diet with appropriate calorie and protein levels is recommended. Twice yearly physical exam with your cat’s health care team is also important.

What are some common health issues in senior cats?


Common health issues in your cat would include dental disease, weight issues (overweight/underweight), mobility/arthritis, hyperthyroidism and chronic renal disease.

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The Importance of Microchipping Your Pet

Pets can get lost which can be a traumatic and possibly tragic event.  It’s important to have a collar and ID tag, but these are not foolproof.  Collars can break or fall off leaving your pet unidentifiable. This can be prevented with the use of a microchip. As noted in the Dartmouth Tribune in April 2017: A pet is lost every seven seconds One in three pets will go missing in their lifetime Only 2 percent of lost cats and 17 percent of lost dogs with ID return home When a pet gets lost, they are 20 times more likely to make their way back home when they have a microchip A microchip is a small chip that is encoded with a unique identification number.  It is no bigger than a grain of rice and implanted just under the surface of your pet’s skin.  The process is similar to receiving a vaccination through a needle and is virtually painless to pets.  Once implanted, the microchip remains between the shoulder blades just beneath the skin for the rest of the animal’s lifetime, becoming a permanent form of identification. Since it’s under your pets’ skin it can’t break or fall off like a collar or tag. The chip is powered by a scanner which sends a signal to the chip and receives the identification number stored on it.  A vet or shelter can use the scanner to read your pet’s chip.  With the identification number, your pet’s information is a phone call away. When your pet is microchipped, it is linked to a database with your contact info.  It is essential that you register the microchip and ensure your contact information is kept up to date.  If you move or change phone numbers be sure to update your information.  Microchips are reliable and use nationwide registries, but they depend on the information you provide. If you want to improve your chances of getting your pet back home quickly and safely microchipping is highly recommended.   Written by Tracy LeFler, Site Coordinator Edited by Janis Wall, RVT

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