It’s so heartwarming to hear people adopt old cats (: I desperately want old cats, but my parents want young ones. I recently adopted a 2 year old, but when I have my own apartment I will try my best to adopt the old cats or the cats nobody wants.
@@marie-andreebourgeois3335 I wish I could say that. My cats (17 and 18) still got the 3am "zoomies". The older one likes to play treasure hunt. We have a vase with some plastic flowers, one of them started to be loose. So she started pick that flower and bring to us (always the same one), and us took the flower and put in its place. She thought that was a game and she started to do more times, so we started to hide the flower. She started searching for the flower. When she found, she grabbed and brings to us, and she meows at us.
Ditto for my 14.5 y/o lady. A minute of excitement, a chaser of a treat or two (I throw them across the floor and chase it with the laser so she gets the reward of catching the dot). This might get her excited enough to play on her own with other toys. Also, she is much more about the stalk and pounce than she is about running around (although some brief zoomies are had. Usually after announcing that she had a good poop while springing from the litter box). Her body isn't as active, but her mind is engaged when she's stalking toys around corners.
My cat died one week before turning 21. He remained active and playful till 20. Only the very last year of his life he seemed really old. I still cry when I think of him, even 10 years later.
A) I would personally still count that as 21 years old and would tell people he was 21 when he passed. B) **internet hugs from a fellow cat lover** Even though it's been a decade, you're clearly still very bonded to him, so my sincere condolences for your loss. 💚
That is quite a long life, that is approximately equal to a 100 year old human. Just remember to focus and think about how good a life he had with you.
Thanks everyone for you supportive and kind comments! I have a new cat in my life! A few months ago I caught a feral kitten outside, very mean and hissy. He's a lap cat now and he helps me heal. I'm so happy I could provide him home :)
@@myelectronicsworld about 3 times in her life she developed symptoms. She was healthy and the symptoms went away after a day or two. She had watery eyes and nose I would wipe her eyes with a contact solution and it would go away. FIV is not a death sentence.
My friend's cat lived to 25. He just straight up refused to die for the longest time. He was a stubborn grandpa .... quite cranky like one, too. Loved to sit on a windowsill and watch birds and ... do nothing much else.
The thumbnail “Age is just a number”, it’s true. It’s sad to see that some senior cats don’t get adopted or they don’t want them anymore. Cats should always be loved no matter the age nor condition they have. 😊🙂
It's hard... when you get your cat go to cat heaven it always hurts... a lot. Now imagine taking senior cat that will be with you probably only few years? I'm advocate of adopting adult cats instead of kittens, but I couldn't really justify adopting senior cat even if I feel really sorry for them.
@@PetrSojnek To care for senior cats, you must be selfless. The care they urgently need is more important than the sadness that we would feel once their gone. Grief is temporary. The love you give them is eternal.
@@SUGAR_XYLER I have no idea of her background because the rescue place didn't know - but she took a very very long time to gain even a little bit of confidence. She's prone to anxiety and it doesn't take much to scare her and I always wonder what happened in the first few years of her life that effected her like that 😔
My 16 year old girl all of a sudden went blind. I mean, totally blind. The vet told me it was old age and there was nothing she could do. I pushed for a blood pressure reading and sure enough, her bp was very high. We put her on medication and within a couple of days she could SEE AGAIN!! 😺👀🙀👀😻 If you have a gut feeling about your cat, push until you have covered all avenues. It worked for me! 😺
I had a beautiful cat that lived for 22.5 yrs. My neighbor at the time found him in our dumpster as a young kitten all those many years ago. I decided to keep him as he was so precious. He passed away almost 5 yrs ago. I waited a good year after Milo’s passing before adopting a cat at my local animal shelter.
I rescued my Jaffa age 22 and had him until he was 26, sadly passed away last year. Only suffered from arthritis but he still got around with the help of a few homemade steps to get on the bed and sofa
My current cat is 13 and she loves watching the birds attracted to the feeder outside the window. She'll play with toys but it's gentle. But she'll always abandon the windowsill for my lap. I have to take her to the vets for checkup and bloods because she has an overactive thyroid gland, and special renal food for her kidney issues. I keep a close eye on her.
I absolutely agree with this statement. Unfortunately I had to put down my 16 year old cat because a previous kidney disease finally got the best of her. She was a real trooper for many years. It has been about two weeks and I still miss her dearly but I am strongly considering adopting an elderly cat from our local shelter after I've given myself some time to mourn her. They often still have loads of love to give.
Sucks she had to go due to other health issues, my condolences my friend… one can only wish they live healthy and long enough to just die from old age, that’s ideal, but as an owner of a very sickly kitty since she was a kitten I’m prepared if she dies before her time cause of other health issues, peace 💖
when my cat was very old the vets kept telling me that his illnessess are due to his age like "well... thats just bc he s old *shrug* we cant really help here", which is maddening
were putting down my 14 yo dog later this month and this is very much reminding me of my experience with the vet. More or less recommended euthanizing her over an eye surgery (she has nerve damage on one side). She still runs and jumps, eats like any dog would. I had her since i was 13 years old myself and im just so torn. Feel like im flat out cutting her life short but i also dont want to force her to suffer just for my sake. I think i need a 2nd vet's opinion.
@@chaldo_mike I'm so very sorry Michael, i really hope the second vet will find there's a better way!!! (ophthalmologist, I've seen the difference talking to a specialized doctor makes just two weeks ago. even the best non-specialized one lacks the necessary knowledge/experience) wishing you and your dog many more years together!
I had the same problem. When my cat was diagnosed with kidney disease she was 16, and if it were up to the vet, I'd have put her down. She's almost 20 now. I force-feed her and take her to the vet every week for a vitamin injection, but she's otherwise doing quite well. Last blood test showed she'd recovered full kidney function. I refused to accept my former vet's flippancy that my cat was old. After that, I left him and found another vet who actually cares about my elderly cat. If I could have her forever, it wouldn't be enough! I don't mind the extra work I have to invest in her care. She is so worth it! No one loves me like she does.
So important to check your senior cat's litterbox every day. Two years ago, noticed that our 16 year old cat's urine clumps had grown to be 2X larger than normal. This continued for a few days, so we brought her to the vet. Her kidney function was slightly decreased - the very beginning of feline kidney disease. The vet told us because we caught it so early, there was no kidney damage, and that we had a very good chance of halting the disease progression with a prescription reduced protein diet and fish oil supplements. Every urinalysis and kidney function blood test since then has been in the normal range and she's soon to be 18 years old. She also suffers from arthritis and is taking meds for that as well. I built carpeted ramps for her to climb onto our bed and onto the favorite perch. We also have a large dense cushion for her to jump down onto. We do daily physical therapy by getting her to walk after and reach up for treats. We're still teaching her tricks to keep her mind engaged. Last month, we trained her to give us her paw in return for a treat! (Or, she trained us to give her a treat every time she gives us a paw. Depends on how you look at it! LOL)
I love senior cats. The first I started taking care of was Miss Molly at 17 years and she lived to be 21. And my last cat, Miss Primrose, was also adopted when she was 17 and lived to be 19. I had to put her down at the beginning of this year and I'm still a wreck over it. WhenI'm ready, I'm going to adopt another senior cat and do it all over again. Even with all of the pain I feel, it's still worth it 🐾💝
My sweet burmese cats just turned 11, and one has started limping with arthritis. I'd love to see a video just on that: how to play (or keep engaged), thoughts on pain management and/or medications (and how to administer!), general quality of life ideas. It breaks my heart to see him hurting!
I have a big elderly boy who started losing a section of his heart to pump blood with, but a vet who’s mentor had a old cat aswell took it in his hands to operate on him and then meet with us even at the later hours when we have an emergency and need to get his prescription asap, im so glad to see him thriving and happy despite it all, he knows he owns this house!
I switched to a 90% wet food diet (I give them a 1/4 cup of dry as “treats” because they love it...don’t hate me) and my cats all changed their behavior in the best way. My 7 year old never really played much and I’ve noticed that she will now dominate the other three boys when we play with feather toys. She is so spunky and has so much more energy. Half the energy is whining for the dry food she knows she won’t get anymore 🤣. I use three ingredient wet food that has meat, and veggies. It basically looks like human canned food. I’ve also gotten stairs for my girl throughout the house. She loves to climb but I notice she is hesitant of big jumps. Amazon or marshals tends to have cheaper ones. I’m lucky to have big windows that lead to forests and I have lots of birds and animals to have my cats watch but I also will play bird videos on my computer to have my oldest be able to follow them around without needed to compete for the window. She is my queen so she is spoiled beyond words. Thanks to JG my cats have never behaved better. Four crazy cats with very different personalities and they all flow together because of the tips and tricks I’ve learned on here. My husband and I have even turned the classic “asshole cat” into a loving guy (who still likes his distance) after working with him patiently for about three years. I firmly believe that people who don’t like cats, don’t understand them.
@@karentinkum365 I gave my two boys wet food for the first year and some dry food but the last 8 months they won’t eat the wet they only eat the dry food.
I thought I was the only one with cats that hate wet food 😂. Thing is....I got three of them as kittens and never even gave them dry food. Infact, it was always wet baby food mixed with fresh cooked meat. So I don't understand their strange interest in dry food🧐. I have one cat we got from shelter and she will starve before she eats wet food. So when my other kitties tried her food they decided that must be better🤔. I buy grain free freeze dried stuff on Amazon and they really like that. Cats are just funny
Yay for senior and disabled cats; yay for senior and disabled humans who love cats! I love your image at the beginning of your vids - looks like a person in a cat themed wheelchair - very cool 😎 👩🦽❤️🐈
My boy Xander is 24 now, been a house cat all his life. All he does is wake up for breakfast, go to sleep, wake up for lunch, goes to sleep, wake up for dinner, has 5 mins play, goes to sleep.
I had to assist my senior cat over the rainbow 9 days ago. I miss his face so much! I miss his kisses and snuggles and his judgmental stares lol RIP PawPaw. I love you so much
Recently lost my cat who was 20, I miss him so much. :c having a pet for so long is incredible, the love just grows more and more over time, I loved him more the day he died than the day I got him and I love him even more now.
I have always been a litter box looker. I am relieved to know I am wise, rather than weird. Seriously, I have spotted a few non-serious maladies over the years by keeping an eye on the donations. (The cats think we are grateful and appreciative of their eliminations because we collect them and put them somewhere else.)
I adopted a senior stray torbie who had been abandoned and I discovered living under a bush in my front yard last October. She's 13-14 years old (she was micro chipped and I was able to get age info from the cat rescue who handled the adoption in 2008). There isn't enough information out here addressing the care and needs of senior cats! Thank you Jackson.
Thank you for this. I have a 20-21 year old calico (I jokingly say she is going to outlive everyone). She is just now starting to act and show her age.
I stopped my kitten on kitten food at 6 months old. I give her tuna once a month for her coat - and its so shiney. I buy her the wet and dry foods she enjoys, and I overindulge in treatsies !! Mags x
Loved this. I saved it. Could you do more on aging cats, especially end of life decision making? There isn't much out there to guide cat guardians when that time is coming.
My elderly cat won't chase after toys most of the time, but she's happy to swipe at or bite toys that come close to her. It doesn't look quite as active, but it still makes her happy. Almost seems like she's gotten more focused on the "toy with a prey you've already injured" part of hunting, instead of the "track down and ambush fresh prey" part; it still takes mental effort and reflexes. Suggestion for older cats: raise up the food dish. Often they have arthritis in the neck and elbows and crouching down to eat can be painful (which doesn't help if they're having the appetite issues that can come with chronic health problems).
Yep, the senior cats will move if they have the opportunity to. I have one older cat that also has a little weight on him. He loves to sleep ALL of the time. But I tell you, if there is a lizard in the house he turns into a kitten. LOL So they can still move really well assuming don't have some debilitating disease, you just have to keep them engaged. When they are kittens you are trying to calm them down, but when they are seniors you trying liven them up. It just takes engaging with the older cats and it's amazing how much they will play if given the chance.
One of my cats got around the age of 19. His partner an 11 cat died the year prior to him. She had to be put down, because of cancer. When we knew that she would have much time left I started to take him on walks again. He really enjoyed them and so did the kids on the playground we live nearby. And about a year after we had to put the girl to sleep, he passed away too. About a month later we got adopted a 3-4 year old male cat, that reminds me of the old one. And because he was lonely when we weren't at home, we adopted a male kitten that lived on a farm. They adore each other.
When our senior cat was getting near the end he had trouble making it to the litter box so we set up many that we cleaned often and did our best to make it easy for him to get in an out of Etc. I miss our Sweet Phinny!
My cat is 21 yrs old. He is still active. He still Climbs up stairs. He wanders in the backyard. I give him supplements, he does get wet food. He has a really hearty appetite. Hes received Chiropractor treatments, cold laser treatments, and energy Frequency treatments. He does see the vet because he has a chronic nasal congestion, and I give him asthma treatments with an inhaler. He loves the dog and me and his life
Has the vet giving you anything for the chronic congestion that does not affect him in a negative way? Mine has always had sinus problems since I rescued him at 8 weeks he was the little tiny one with the giant ears and the runny nose lol But everything they've tried to give him is just too damn strong and he's not a fun cat to take to the vet and the stress of going makes him sick afterwards So I was just curious. I do saline drops for his nose on a q-tip that I just gently squeeze the end of and that seems to help some but It's still thick green snot and it's been 15 years lol
My cat turned 19 this year and has always been an indoor cat, we brought a house and have been in here a month, yesterday she brought I’m her 1st mouse 😁 I’ve never been so proud of my wonderful old girl
Thanks for the tips, Jackson. My Persian is nearly 20. She's doing well despite suffering from kidney disease, deafness, and sometimes she just stares into space. I try to engage her by going into view where she can see me, bring her near me when I'm doing chores. Such things. She follows what I'm doing and only sleeps again when I move away. I take her to the vet once a week for her vitamin injection and a check-up, and her last blood test showed she'd recovered full kidney function, so I'm happy about that improvement. Still, it's heartbreaking for me. I constantly worry about her. She has to be force-fed every 3 or 4 hours as otherwise, she won't eat. But I don't mind. I'd like to have her with me forever, if possible.
@@whyjustwhy2168 I did it all out of love for 4 and a half years until she passed away. Yes, my beloved Xena died some 3 months after I wrote my above comment. I was devastated. Nineteen months have passed since she left me and still I grieve. 😥 And if you love your fur baby as much as I did, please be prepared. You don't ever 'get over' your grief. You just learn to live with it and you try to find some other means to fill the enormous void they leave behind. I still miss her, still weep for her sometimes, I think about her several times a day every single day even now she's gone, but I'm not as devastated now as I was in the first few months. It does get better, my friend. You accept that it was their time to go. In my case, I had 20 beautiful years of love with my fur baby. It was a gift and a blessing.
My cat Rafiki lived till she was 21, and she only went then is because she somehow got into the donkeys enclosure. But she was living the life and was very happy, even thou she was blind she still got around xx
This was such a good post for me. I don't know how old my girl is, but I got her in 2008 and she had just had her second litter. Anyway last week she didn't eat for a day and half and I freaked and took her to the vet and she ate some of their chicken and they felt she was fine. Took her home, got a roast chook and she still didn't eat for another day. I know the vets are experts, but we know the nuances of our babies and I know something was wrong. But the next day she ate as per normal and has been herself since. If she was younger I would have waited a bit, but because of her age I will watch her closely. But got some interesting things out of this one. Thanks from Australia
When I’m opening a packet of meat for me to cook and eat myself for dinner there is often this water&blood mix left in the packet. I often just drip that into my cats’ food bowls. They love it and it’s great hydration.
I've had to deal with an "older" cat before her time. My cat is only going on 12, to the best of my knowledge, but she's had arthritis in her spine for several years already, so acts like an older cat. Plus she's already had numerous other health problems (hyperthyroid, CKD, high blood pressure, skin issues, struvite bladder crystals), which I think have also added to her aging. I do add water to her wet food, and she gets supplements and occasional meds for her arthritis. And though she no longer really jumps up on things, she does still climb daily, so gets exercise that way. And she really doesn't like to play much anymore either, I think also because of the arthritis, but she does have mental stimulation to help keep her going. Shes a real sweetheart, who I love so much, so I do the best I can with her. 🥰😺
Hi Lloyd! My 16 year old twisted her back while avoiding a car when she was about a year old. Then she was my daughters cat. She is very sensitive about her back. I just try to make her little jumps and climbs easier. Her nails grow fast and I've learned it helps to keep them trimmed so she doesn't get caught up when she climbs. You are blessed to have a wonderful friend! I am happy you "get" her and let her be herself!
@@trishr.3986 I thought I replied to this yesterday, but now I don't see it, so I am trying again. Unfortunately, in the time since I originally posted about my beloved cat Abby, I had to have her euthanized, back in July. She suffered a blood clot that left her back legs paralyzed, and unable to maintain her body temperature. 24 hours of vet care didn't help her any, so I had to make the only decision I could. And now she is resting in peace in her forever home, buried in my backyard. Yes, she was a wonderful friend. I love and miss her very much. 😢😿
@@lloydhlavac6807 my sincerest condolences. It is so difficult when we are grieving our companions. You made the right decision, I’m sure she was grateful. And I’m sure you still see her from the corner of your eye and feel her next to you. This happens with me and it is very real. Maybe Abby met my Jojo in Heaven?
I have a "young senior" 10 year old cat, and she's just as interested in toys as our 4 year old, even if she doesn't have the endurance she had when she was a kitten.
My 10yr old velcro ginger hug monster is the best! Makes my heart smile! He has been great for improving my poor health and a loyal companion when I'm sick!
My senior is 15, and after we moved we noticed he got lazier and stopped using the cat tree. The vet diagnosed him with arthritis and we got meds for him. I cried the first time he was back up in the tree again
I have a cat now who is as old as 23. His family left him when they moved out of a trailer park & neighbors say he lived under their old trailer for 10 yrs waiting for them to come back. Till I came along in a particularly bad winter storm & trapped him for neuter. I was working in the park on an exploding population of sick stray/feral cats. After his vet visit & finding out his approx age, which at the time was between 10-13 & tracking down what history I did...I kept him. That was approx 10 yrs ago. Last year he stopped grooming himself & eating & drinking, lost almost half his body weight very quickly, I was afraid his end was near. Took him for a check up I prepared myself that it may be his last...come to find out he had some very bad teeth. Recently he just had all his teeth pulled, came through surgery just fine, which was a concern & within a month he was back to grooming & putting weight back on. It gave him a second, or maybe a 10th life. 😁 P.s... he now lives on gerber stage 1 chicken & gerber baby rice cereal w a lil bit of pedialyte but I do catch him eating at the dry food bowl for the younger cats every once in a while. He doesn't yet show signs of arthritis but his vision is going. Sometimes he misses things he's trying to jump on to & other times he seems to be following something with his eyes that only he can see.
Mine just turned 16. He's had a few health problems, but his main issue is that he doesn't know he's old and has limitations these days. It gets him into all sorts of trouble.
My cats are both 10. One gets zoomies frequently, the other doesn't but loves to play in short bursts. They have a fountain water dish and drink a lot more water with it. One of them has litter box avoidance issues. It is grain litter that she does not like, possibly due to arthritis. She doesn't mind peeing in a regular litter box, but will not poo in one. Incontinence pads (the ones used for humans which are unscented) in a litter box ontop of an old towel works wonders! My other cat has zero desire to use that box so it is easy to keep clean. I check it in the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Just swap out the pad daily and the towels when soiled, or once a week. I am waiting for a bird feeder to arrive to set up more Cat TV.
My pretty cat will be 14 this year, she looks amazing even doctor said she had a plastic surgery because of her baby face :D, thank you jackson for the amazing tips, i'll do my best to keep her life well
I have a feline friend named Fred. He is 14 1/2 years old. He came to live with me when he was 9. His former family was moving away so I gave him a good home. He loves the window sill in the sun 🌞. I feed the birds every day in front or his favourite window. I call it the bird show. He loves it.
I adopted one at Nineteen she is now twenty, and looks four, she is so sweet, we play a lot and I teach her to talk, she says “hello” as many cats do, she has cystitis so she has tablets for that, I’ve always been a dog person so I’m learning too.
my cat is pretty old, he never liked playing with toys (I have tried everything & i'm not just waving the toy around like a nonce). BUT his favourite "play" is for me to put cat tv on youtube on my television and he will sit there for hours meowing at it and trying to go for them, he loves it.
My Jiji is almost 19, and you'd be surprised how they can still run and move! She doesn't run after toys every time, but she is jumping across the house every day and occasionally still has a sprint. She has a bit of arthritis but if she really wants the chicken I've roasted, suddenly she's actually able to reach the table 😂
Another good suggestion just to make a senior cat's life a little easier is to put something under their food and water bowl just to raise it up a couple inches or so. Cats can get joint and back pain in their old age and raising the food bowl up higher makes it so they don't have to bend their head down as much.
"age is just a number" so true!!!!! in a few days i'm going to a shelter to adopt a 14yo one-eyed cat & it's sad to think that some people didn't want to adopt her just bc she's a bit older
Anyone else watching these videos for human-child parenting advice? BTW, my furry flatmates love all their Cat TVs (every window and security door in the house). There's a number of feeders, and since I don't mow my lawn often, lots of non-flying small stuff. They were challenged by a large skink the other day. Also, I get to watch a lot of wild birds The furry people love it when I follow your advice. They are happier and healthier and we all thank you
Thanks for the great video. My oldest cat is almost 18. Our new young dog keeps the cats active - she likes cats and tries to play with them all the time. Will use your advice :)
Mine is now twenty and looks four, she has daily challenges, she has lots of windows to watch the birds from, she does have cystitis which she has medication for, but a lovely cat 🐈⬛
Giving my senior cat a multivitamin at breakfast every morning as definitely been a game changer for her overall health. I am loving the vitamins by balanced breed
I've had alot of kitties in my life since I was a baby. Our family always had cats. They all lived to old age. The youngest cat we had pass away was 15 and she had a heart problem. Our oldest was 20. My previous kitty was 16 and my new kitty is one year old. Even my sister's cats lived to senior age. My cats did develop some issues as they got older that required daily medication but we never thought to give them up or not help them just cause they were old. They are family and I would do anything to help them out and keep them as healthy as possible. I love cats.
My 14 year old guy was zooming around today. When he turned 8 I was told by my mum that he would stop playing and running around. SO NOT TRUE. He still loves his favourite toy, the shoelace
Our old girl turned 16 in January. We adopted her at 11yo wanting to give an older cat a chance at a home. She's never been a play cat with us but has her moments with balled up paper or bell balls where she'll go kitten crazy with them, but stops as soon as she catches us watching. She's apparently far to dignified to be seen carrying on like a cat half her age. She developed early stage kidney disease a while ago and had hyperthyroidism we were struggling to keep under control with medication. She got radioactive iodine therapy to permanently treat the hyperthyroidism last year and has been so much happier kitty since and her kidneys have actually healed some (gone from top of stage 3 to bottom of stage 2). We intend to spoil her and love on her for as long as we can her with us.
I wish my cat was going to live to be this old. She's 15 and has mid stage renal failure, which she was diagnosed with back in June. The vet told me with her lab values, six months to a year of continued quality of life would be considered the best we were going to do. I took her off the renal diet he had her own because 1) she was losing a lot of weight ....as in she was down to 4.5 lbs.... and 2) she didn't like it. I switched to mostly grain free, wet food...which I add about 4oz of extra water to. Plus she has access to water all the time. I have anxiety every day, waiting for when it's going to get bad. I've had nightmares about it for months. :( She got to be happy today looking out the window and getting some fresh air because it was nice outside. She still jumps up and down off my bed and other furniture and she is on a glucosamine supplement for joint health, but....I feel like anything I do is just too little too late. I take her the vet every three to four months for bloodwork. My cat and I both share the issue of having medical problems. It makes me sad to see her go through all the stuff I know I don't like having done.
My 19 yr old boy has been dropping weight and sleeping all day, Barely eating and was just told her is in final stages of renal failure. Having to put him down is heart breaking but I don't want him suffering.
I have been volunteering with a local cat rescue for many years now, and I do love all cats, but seniors have become my favorites. This video is great!
I'm just here for another regular "watching video for cat knowledge" moment and when I saw the names of Eduarda e Pretinha I immediately recognized them as being possibly Brazilian names. I'm still surprised I was right! Is so cool to know that, even speaking another language, we still can send you questions. Maybe I can convince my mom to do so as well! XD Thank you for another video
My princess treacle lived til she was 18 yrs old. I read 3 cat behaviourists books (Vicky hall - I highly recommend!) I kept the furniture in the same place - in case she got confused or eye sight was limited. Spent quality time with her. Always told her I loved her. She loved people (especially men) and party's with the girls (she wore her pearrl or diamonte collar) I even remained calm when she left. I got a tattoo of her name on my collarbone. And she is home again. Her ashed are at the window as she loved cat TV Great video - I hope more people adopt them as a result Love mags x
We have a ten month old FCH kitten and a 12 year old foster cat. My 12 year old plays with the lazer more than the kitten which surprises me. She follows me every where and needs to be near me all the time. My 10 month old you would not know by watching him that he has GCH. Only flops once in a while, much less than when he first came.
Thx you for all of these videos..I got a cat 3 days ago and she has already made herself at home. She is super calm and hasn't scratched , bite, or growled at me. She only yells at me when she wants food. But thank you for all these guides. I really wouldn't be able to do this without your videos.
Wow, she looks *amazing* for 19! My boy, Remy, is approximately 16, and is starting to show age and it kinda hurts to see because he's my heart. I think he's starting to get achey and pain relief is tricky because you can't give cats aspirin or acetaminophen like you might with dogs. So I've put him on glucosamine treats and omega fatty oils. I'm glad he's got a younger buddy because Rogue keeps him active. He adores her. I've made him promise me he's gonna be around for ten more years. Pets really just don't live as long as they deserve to.
my family cat maggie turns 17 this year. she recently got diagnosed with leukemia and shes very thin, but shes still so lively! my parents made the decision to not give her the chemo meds they were given because the other medication they were given just made her so miserable and terrified for days after just one dose, which i agree with wholeheartedly. its not about keeping a cat alive as long as possible if theyre going to suffer for it; we'd rather give her the happiest days she could possibly have, even if it means having to say goodbye earlier shes more loving than ever, she still loves to play (she goes nuts for my socks. rolls around on them like a tornado), and most importantly, shes happy. i love you maggie 💚
I have a cat confession to make: I enjoy cleaning out the litter box because it has become a routine for my senior cat. He knows that the garage door will be opened and he'll get to walk around and explore it for a bit while I clean the pan and then throw away his tootsie rolls. It's good for cognitive exercise because he remembers the routine and can even remind me to do it if I'm late.
I'm adopting a 12 year old kitty. Can't wait to make his senior years as lovely as possible :)
That’s lovely 😊
I love old cats
I too am adopting a 12 year old kitty, her name is Parsley. She's in pretty rough shape. But I hope a lot of love and attention will help.
@@jazziered142 that's great :)
It’s so heartwarming to hear people adopt old cats (: I desperately want old cats, but my parents want young ones. I recently adopted a 2 year old, but when I have my own apartment I will try my best to adopt the old cats or the cats nobody wants.
My 17 yr old still plays like a maniac with the laser or string. It doesn't' last long, but she's still a kitten at heart.
Mine is almost 19 and will play with a paper ball that I make. Like yours, not for long 😅
@@marie-andreebourgeois3335 I wish I could say that. My cats (17 and 18) still got the 3am "zoomies".
The older one likes to play treasure hunt. We have a vase with some plastic flowers, one of them started to be loose. So she started pick that flower and bring to us (always the same one), and us took the flower and put in its place. She thought that was a game and she started to do more times, so we started to hide the flower. She started searching for the flower. When she found, she grabbed and brings to us, and she meows at us.
@@ThePmso your cat is trying to give you a gift
Ditto for my 14.5 y/o lady. A minute of excitement, a chaser of a treat or two (I throw them across the floor and chase it with the laser so she gets the reward of catching the dot). This might get her excited enough to play on her own with other toys. Also, she is much more about the stalk and pounce than she is about running around (although some brief zoomies are had. Usually after announcing that she had a good poop while springing from the litter box). Her body isn't as active, but her mind is engaged when she's stalking toys around corners.
@@ThePmso That is delightful to hear!
My cat died one week before turning 21. He remained active and playful till 20. Only the very last year of his life he seemed really old. I still cry when I think of him, even 10 years later.
A) I would personally still count that as 21 years old and would tell people he was 21 when he passed.
B) **internet hugs from a fellow cat lover** Even though it's been a decade, you're clearly still very bonded to him, so my sincere condolences for your loss. 💚
I'm deeply sorry for your loss 🕊🕊🕊✌🏻💔💔💔✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻😥😥😥😥
That is quite a long life, that is approximately equal to a 100 year old human.
Just remember to focus and think about how good a life he had with you.
May you find comfort in your sweet memories with your special little soul.🐈⬛🐾
Thanks everyone for you supportive and kind comments! I have a new cat in my life! A few months ago I caught a feral kitten outside, very mean and hissy. He's a lap cat now and he helps me heal. I'm so happy I could provide him home :)
My cat Gingerbread lived to 21yo and she was FIV positive. She loved windows but if I sat down she was on my lap.
💕
I'm so sorry for your loss, i hope you feel better now!
Amazing to hear stories like this 💕
So she never developped the FIV right? I am asking this because I have an FIV cat too who shows no symptoms for now.
@@myelectronicsworld about 3 times in her life she developed symptoms. She was healthy and the symptoms went away after a day or two. She had watery eyes and nose I would wipe her eyes with a contact solution and it would go away. FIV is not a death sentence.
My friend's cat lived to 25. He just straight up refused to die for the longest time. He was a stubborn grandpa .... quite cranky like one, too. Loved to sit on a windowsill and watch birds and ... do nothing much else.
😾💕
Sounds like my old man lol. X
Wonder what he ate
The thumbnail “Age is just a number”, it’s true. It’s sad to see that some senior cats don’t get adopted or they don’t want them anymore. Cats should always be loved no matter the age nor condition they have. 😊🙂
It's hard... when you get your cat go to cat heaven it always hurts... a lot. Now imagine taking senior cat that will be with you probably only few years? I'm advocate of adopting adult cats instead of kittens, but I couldn't really justify adopting senior cat even if I feel really sorry for them.
@@PetrSojnek To care for senior cats, you must be selfless. The care they urgently need is more important than the sadness that we would feel once their gone. Grief is temporary. The love you give them is eternal.
I adopted Astrid, who is my first cat, a few years ago now. She was an adult cat when I adopted her and I haven't looked back 🥰
🤦♀️ how can anyone abandon their aging cat, that's so sad !
@@SUGAR_XYLER I have no idea of her background because the rescue place didn't know - but she took a very very long time to gain even a little bit of confidence. She's prone to anxiety and it doesn't take much to scare her and I always wonder what happened in the first few years of her life that effected her like that 😔
My 16 year old girl all of a sudden went blind. I mean, totally blind. The vet told me it was old age and there was nothing she could do. I pushed for a blood pressure reading and sure enough, her bp was very high. We put her on medication and within a couple of days she could SEE AGAIN!! 😺👀🙀👀😻 If you have a gut feeling about your cat, push until you have covered all avenues. It worked for me! 😺
I had a beautiful cat that lived for 22.5 yrs. My neighbor at the time found him in our dumpster as a young kitten all those many years ago. I decided to keep him as he was so precious. He passed away almost 5 yrs ago. I waited a good year after Milo’s passing before adopting a cat at my local animal shelter.
I rescued my Jaffa age 22 and had him until he was 26, sadly passed away last year. Only suffered from arthritis but he still got around with the help of a few homemade steps to get on the bed and sofa
It is beautiful that she was given 4 more loving years. I may only hope and pray that my cats are allowed such a long life.
❤
Good on ya, Lizzie, rescuing that ol fella!
26 is incredible. Those last 4 years with you probably made up for their entire life time.
You are right, age is not a disease! I love the experience of old cats,
I love all cats 😻😻😻😻
You people who feed homeless cats are angels 🌟🌟🌟. Thank you for all you do for those sweet kitties
@@StompMom5 😻😻
💖 and I love Rio too, been there !! Most beautiful place on earth 🏖
@@SUGAR_XYLER Thank you very much for your good wishes,
1. Increase water intake (wet food)
2. Psychically & mentally active
3. Frequent vet visit
Thankssss 💙💙💙
I had a beautiful girl that almost lived to be 17. Her senior years were some of the most cherished times I spent with her.
She is my profile picture
Thats sweet. Glad she had someone compassionate like you to love her.
My current cat is 13 and she loves watching the birds attracted to the feeder outside the window. She'll play with toys but it's gentle. But she'll always abandon the windowsill for my lap.
I have to take her to the vets for checkup and bloods because she has an overactive thyroid gland, and special renal food for her kidney issues. I keep a close eye on her.
I absolutely agree with this statement. Unfortunately I had to put down my 16 year old cat because a previous kidney disease finally got the best of her. She was a real trooper for many years. It has been about two weeks and I still miss her dearly but I am strongly considering adopting an elderly cat from our local shelter after I've given myself some time to mourn her. They often still have loads of love to give.
Sucks she had to go due to other health issues, my condolences my friend… one can only wish they live healthy and long enough to just die from old age, that’s ideal, but as an owner of a very sickly kitty since she was a kitten I’m prepared if she dies before her time cause of other health issues, peace 💖
when my cat was very old the vets kept telling me that his illnessess are due to his age like "well... thats just bc he s old *shrug* we cant really help here", which is maddening
Same here! That's why I did research on my own! You don't stop loving them just because they are older! If anything - you love them more x
were putting down my 14 yo dog later this month and this is very much reminding me of my experience with the vet. More or less recommended euthanizing her over an eye surgery (she has nerve damage on one side). She still runs and jumps, eats like any dog would.
I had her since i was 13 years old myself and im just so torn. Feel like im flat out cutting her life short but i also dont want to force her to suffer just for my sake. I think i need a 2nd vet's opinion.
@@chaldo_mike I'm so very sorry Michael, i really hope the second vet will find there's a better way!!! (ophthalmologist, I've seen the difference talking to a specialized doctor makes just two weeks ago. even the best non-specialized one lacks the necessary knowledge/experience) wishing you and your dog many more years together!
@@margaretkerr4591 yes yes yes
I had the same problem. When my cat was diagnosed with kidney disease she was 16, and if it were up to the vet, I'd have put her down. She's almost 20 now. I force-feed her and take her to the vet every week for a vitamin injection, but she's otherwise doing quite well. Last blood test showed she'd recovered full kidney function. I refused to accept my former vet's flippancy that my cat was old. After that, I left him and found another vet who actually cares about my elderly cat. If I could have her forever, it wouldn't be enough! I don't mind the extra work I have to invest in her care. She is so worth it! No one loves me like she does.
So important to check your senior cat's litterbox every day. Two years ago, noticed that our 16 year old cat's urine clumps had grown to be 2X larger than normal. This continued for a few days, so we brought her to the vet. Her kidney function was slightly decreased - the very beginning of feline kidney disease. The vet told us because we caught it so early, there was no kidney damage, and that we had a very good chance of halting the disease progression with a prescription reduced protein diet and fish oil supplements. Every urinalysis and kidney function blood test since then has been in the normal range and she's soon to be 18 years old.
She also suffers from arthritis and is taking meds for that as well. I built carpeted ramps for her to climb onto our bed and onto the favorite perch. We also have a large dense cushion for her to jump down onto. We do daily physical therapy by getting her to walk after and reach up for treats. We're still teaching her tricks to keep her mind engaged. Last month, we trained her to give us her paw in return for a treat! (Or, she trained us to give her a treat every time she gives us a paw. Depends on how you look at it! LOL)
Fantastic!!😽💕
I just adopted a 15 year old cat so here I am
I love senior cats. The first I started taking care of was Miss Molly at 17 years and she lived to be 21. And my last cat, Miss Primrose, was also adopted when she was 17 and lived to be 19. I had to put her down at the beginning of this year and I'm still a wreck over it. WhenI'm ready, I'm going to adopt another senior cat and do it all over again. Even with all of the pain I feel, it's still worth it 🐾💝
" it's not about how old you are, it's how you are being old"
My sweet burmese cats just turned 11, and one has started limping with arthritis. I'd love to see a video just on that: how to play (or keep engaged), thoughts on pain management and/or medications (and how to administer!), general quality of life ideas. It breaks my heart to see him hurting!
26 years old 😲! Wow!. I hope my Mitties lives that long. He will be 16 this year 💕
Same here too
His kitty should've been material of research from museums
*alive*
😝🧡
Me and my 15 year old cat got a deal that the goal is breaking the national record which is 23
We had a cat that lived til 24. She was abandoned by her owners and came back to our house and lived a very happy retirement
I have a big elderly boy who started losing a section of his heart to pump blood with, but a vet who’s mentor had a old cat aswell took it in his hands to operate on him and then meet with us even at the later hours when we have an emergency and need to get his prescription asap, im so glad to see him thriving and happy despite it all, he knows he owns this house!
Yes life is a gift. Regardless of how old you are/get it's a blessing to be alive be grateful and appreciative of older lovely cats
I switched to a 90% wet food diet (I give them a 1/4 cup of dry as “treats” because they love it...don’t hate me) and my cats all changed their behavior in the best way. My 7 year old never really played much and I’ve noticed that she will now dominate the other three boys when we play with feather toys. She is so spunky and has so much more energy. Half the energy is whining for the dry food she knows she won’t get anymore 🤣. I use three ingredient wet food that has meat, and veggies. It basically looks like human canned food.
I’ve also gotten stairs for my girl throughout the house. She loves to climb but I notice she is hesitant of big jumps. Amazon or marshals tends to have cheaper ones.
I’m lucky to have big windows that lead to forests and I have lots of birds and animals to have my cats watch but I also will play bird videos on my computer to have my oldest be able to follow them around without needed to compete for the window. She is my queen so she is spoiled beyond words.
Thanks to JG my cats have never behaved better. Four crazy cats with very different personalities and they all flow together because of the tips and tricks I’ve learned on here.
My husband and I have even turned the classic “asshole cat” into a loving guy (who still likes his distance) after working with him patiently for about three years. I firmly believe that people who don’t like cats, don’t understand them.
lol I give my cat a little dry too. I figure if I can have chips and chocolate, she can have a few goodies too. :)
Me, too. Wet food, dry treats.
@@karentinkum365 I gave my two boys wet food for the first year and some dry food but the last 8 months they won’t eat the wet they only eat the dry food.
I think people who don’t like cats don’t like them because they are too much like people.
I thought I was the only one with cats that hate wet food 😂. Thing is....I got three of them as kittens and never even gave them dry food. Infact, it was always wet baby food mixed with fresh cooked meat. So I don't understand their strange interest in dry food🧐. I have one cat we got from shelter and she will starve before she eats wet food. So when my other kitties tried her food they decided that must be better🤔. I buy grain free freeze dried stuff on Amazon and they really like that. Cats are just funny
Yay for senior and disabled cats; yay for senior and disabled humans who love cats! I love your image at the beginning of your vids - looks like a person in a cat themed wheelchair - very cool 😎 👩🦽❤️🐈
My boy Xander is 24 now, been a house cat all his life. All he does is wake up for breakfast, go to sleep, wake up for lunch, goes to sleep, wake up for dinner, has 5 mins play, goes to sleep.
I had to assist my senior cat over the rainbow 9 days ago. I miss his face so much! I miss his kisses and snuggles and his judgmental stares lol RIP PawPaw. I love you so much
Recently lost my cat who was 20, I miss him so much. :c having a pet for so long is incredible, the love just grows more and more over time, I loved him more the day he died than the day I got him and I love him even more now.
I have always been a litter box looker. I am relieved to know I am wise, rather than weird. Seriously, I have spotted a few non-serious maladies over the years by keeping an eye on the donations. (The cats think we are grateful and appreciative of their eliminations because we collect them and put them somewhere else.)
I adopted a senior stray torbie who had been abandoned and I discovered living under a bush in my front yard last October. She's 13-14 years old (she was micro chipped and I was able to get age info from the cat rescue who handled the adoption in 2008). There isn't enough information out here addressing the care and needs of senior cats! Thank you Jackson.
Good on you for rescuing her!
@@helenahandkart1857 We absolutely love her! I'm glad she chose my daughter and I to be her guardian.💯🐈🐾❤
@@ilovegoodsax She made a wise decision! 👍
We have a 12 yr old kitten he has our hearts 💕
I would add to not let your cat get overweight. Great video!
Rescued my babies almost 2 years ago. They’re turning 15 and 12 years old. The best decision ever.
Thank you for this. I have a 20-21 year old calico (I jokingly say she is going to outlive everyone). She is just now starting to act and show her age.
We used to say the same thing about our dog because she was a little devil sometimes 😆 sadly she passed at 15
I had a calico..sadly, passed too young
Interesting! I just adopt an 8 year old cat last week! He's been adapting to our home real great!! He seems to love rice and fish though.
I stopped my kitten on kitten food at 6 months old.
I give her tuna once a month for her coat - and its so shiney. I buy her the wet and dry foods she enjoys, and I overindulge in treatsies !!
Mags x
Fish based diets can cause bladder stones so be careful
I love cats so much! I want one so much, I would even get an older cat
The way Jackson pronounces "Pretinha" as "Pretina" is so cute! Love from Brazil!
I thought he was saying Purrtina 😸
Loved this. I saved it. Could you do more on aging cats, especially end of life decision making? There isn't much out there to guide cat guardians when that time is coming.
This! Please, please, please!
My elderly cat won't chase after toys most of the time, but she's happy to swipe at or bite toys that come close to her. It doesn't look quite as active, but it still makes her happy. Almost seems like she's gotten more focused on the "toy with a prey you've already injured" part of hunting, instead of the "track down and ambush fresh prey" part; it still takes mental effort and reflexes.
Suggestion for older cats: raise up the food dish. Often they have arthritis in the neck and elbows and crouching down to eat can be painful (which doesn't help if they're having the appetite issues that can come with chronic health problems).
Great suggestion, thanks!
Yep, the senior cats will move if they have the opportunity to. I have one older cat that also has a little weight on him. He loves to sleep ALL of the time. But I tell you, if there is a lizard in the house he turns into a kitten. LOL So they can still move really well assuming don't have some debilitating disease, you just have to keep them engaged. When they are kittens you are trying to calm them down, but when they are seniors you trying liven them up. It just takes engaging with the older cats and it's amazing how much they will play if given the chance.
Kitten speed: Zumba classes.
Senior cat speed: Tai Chi in the park.
There are a few senior cats at my local shelter that I'm dying to give a second chance, just gotta convince the rest of the family 😅
One of my cats got around the age of 19. His partner an 11 cat died the year prior to him. She had to be put down, because of cancer. When we knew that she would have much time left I started to take him on walks again. He really enjoyed them and so did the kids on the playground we live nearby. And about a year after we had to put the girl to sleep, he passed away too. About a month later we got adopted a 3-4 year old male cat, that reminds me of the old one. And because he was lonely when we weren't at home, we adopted a male kitten that lived on a farm. They adore each other.
When our senior cat was getting near the end he had trouble making it to the litter box so we set up many that we cleaned often and did our best to make it easy for him to get in an out of Etc. I miss our Sweet Phinny!
I adopted my sweetie, Sienna at 8 years old. She will be 14 in April and both her and her "little sis" are the biggest blessings.
My cat is 21 yrs old. He is still active. He still Climbs up stairs. He wanders in the backyard. I give him supplements, he does get wet food. He has a really hearty appetite. Hes received Chiropractor treatments, cold laser treatments, and energy Frequency treatments. He does see the vet because he has a chronic nasal congestion, and I give him asthma treatments with an inhaler. He loves the dog and me and his life
Has the vet giving you anything for the chronic congestion that does not affect him in a negative way? Mine has always had sinus problems since I rescued him at 8 weeks he was the little tiny one with the giant ears and the runny nose lol But everything they've tried to give him is just too damn strong and he's not a fun cat to take to the vet and the stress of going makes him sick afterwards So I was just curious. I do saline drops for his nose on a q-tip that I just gently squeeze the end of and that seems to help some but It's still thick green snot and it's been 15 years lol
I can never get enough of that 80's intro. My cat is turning 12 next month thank you for this video Jackson.
🌹❤🌹❤🌹 to all Sr. Cats!!!
My cat turned 19 this year and has always been an indoor cat, we brought a house and have been in here a month, yesterday she brought I’m her 1st mouse 😁 I’ve never been so proud of my wonderful old girl
Thanks for the tips, Jackson. My Persian is nearly 20. She's doing well despite suffering from kidney disease, deafness, and sometimes she just stares into space. I try to engage her by going into view where she can see me, bring her near me when I'm doing chores. Such things. She follows what I'm doing and only sleeps again when I move away. I take her to the vet once a week for her vitamin injection and a check-up, and her last blood test showed she'd recovered full kidney function, so I'm happy about that improvement. Still, it's heartbreaking for me. I constantly worry about her. She has to be force-fed every 3 or 4 hours as otherwise, she won't eat. But I don't mind. I'd like to have her with me forever, if possible.
I am certain she knows of your love for her. 💕
@@MC-gt6yp Thank you for that. I hope you're right. xx
How do you do it? I'm crying just thinking about my 12 yr old ragdoll I just love him and will do anything
@@whyjustwhy2168 I did it all out of love for 4 and a half years until she passed away. Yes, my beloved Xena died some 3 months after I wrote my above comment. I was devastated. Nineteen months have passed since she left me and still I grieve. 😥 And if you love your fur baby as much as I did, please be prepared. You don't ever 'get over' your grief. You just learn to live with it and you try to find some other means to fill the enormous void they leave behind. I still miss her, still weep for her sometimes, I think about her several times a day every single day even now she's gone, but I'm not as devastated now as I was in the first few months. It does get better, my friend. You accept that it was their time to go. In my case, I had 20 beautiful years of love with my fur baby. It was a gift and a blessing.
@@szendrich ty ♥
My 17 to 18 year old likes to chase the light reflection from our wind chime and it's the cutest thing.
My cat Rafiki lived till she was 21, and she only went then is because she somehow got into the donkeys enclosure. But she was living the life and was very happy, even thou she was blind she still got around xx
Can’t believe she’s almost 20! She looks great
This was such a good post for me. I don't know how old my girl is, but I got her in 2008 and she had just had her second litter. Anyway last week she didn't eat for a day and half and I freaked and took her to the vet and she ate some of their chicken and they felt she was fine.
Took her home, got a roast chook and she still didn't eat for another day. I know the vets are experts, but we know the nuances of our babies and I know something was wrong. But the next day she ate as per normal and has been herself since. If she was younger I would have waited a bit, but because of her age I will watch her closely. But got some interesting things out of this one. Thanks from Australia
When I’m opening a packet of meat for me to cook and eat myself for dinner there is often this water&blood mix left in the packet. I often just drip that into my cats’ food bowls. They love it and it’s great hydration.
Fun fact: the red juice is not actually blood. It’s myoglobin, an iron rich protein that supplies the muscles with oxygen.
@@juliac3933 Wow, cool! :)
I've had to deal with an "older" cat before her time. My cat is only going on 12, to the best of my knowledge, but she's had arthritis in her spine for several years already, so acts like an older cat. Plus she's already had numerous other health problems (hyperthyroid, CKD, high blood pressure, skin issues, struvite bladder crystals), which I think have also added to her aging. I do add water to her wet food, and she gets supplements and occasional meds for her arthritis. And though she no longer really jumps up on things, she does still climb daily, so gets exercise that way. And she really doesn't like to play much anymore either, I think also because of the arthritis, but she does have mental stimulation to help keep her going. Shes a real sweetheart, who I love so much, so I do the best I can with her. 🥰😺
Good on you for all your care for her.
Hi Lloyd! My 16 year old twisted her back while avoiding a car when she was about a year old. Then she was my daughters cat. She is very sensitive about her back. I just try to make her little jumps and climbs easier. Her nails grow fast and I've learned it helps to keep them trimmed so she doesn't get caught up when she climbs. You are blessed to have a wonderful friend! I am happy you "get" her and let her be herself!
@@trishr.3986 I thought I replied to this yesterday, but now I don't see it, so I am trying again. Unfortunately, in the time since I originally posted about my beloved cat Abby, I had to have her euthanized, back in July. She suffered a blood clot that left her back legs paralyzed, and unable to maintain her body temperature. 24 hours of vet care didn't help her any, so I had to make the only decision I could. And now she is resting in peace in her forever home, buried in my backyard. Yes, she was a wonderful friend. I love and miss her very much. 😢😿
@@lloydhlavac6807 my sincerest condolences. It is so difficult when we are grieving our companions. You made the right decision, I’m sure she was grateful. And I’m sure you still see her from the corner of your eye and feel her next to you. This happens with me and it is very real. Maybe Abby met my Jojo in Heaven?
I have a "young senior" 10 year old cat, and she's just as interested in toys as our 4 year old, even if she doesn't have the endurance she had when she was a kitten.
Mine too, she is 11 and plays just like a kitten.
My Maine Coon mix Frankie was 16 when he passed and my tortie Daphne passed away when she was 20. I miss them both so much.
I'm brazilian too and I didn't know I needed so much to hear Jackson saying "pretinha" until now
THAT WAS ADORABLE
My 10yr old velcro ginger hug monster is the best! Makes my heart smile! He has been great for improving my poor health and a loyal companion when I'm sick!
My senior is 15, and after we moved we noticed he got lazier and stopped using the cat tree. The vet diagnosed him with arthritis and we got meds for him. I cried the first time he was back up in the tree again
I actually had fun building stairs and ramps onto the bed and sofa once Kitz stopped being able to jump up.
I have a cat now who is as old as 23. His family left him when they moved out of a trailer park & neighbors say he lived under their old trailer for 10 yrs waiting for them to come back. Till I came along in a particularly bad winter storm & trapped him for neuter. I was working in the park on an exploding population of sick stray/feral cats.
After his vet visit & finding out his approx age, which at the time was between 10-13 & tracking down what history I did...I kept him. That was approx 10 yrs ago. Last year he stopped grooming himself & eating & drinking, lost almost half his body weight very quickly, I was afraid his end was near. Took him for a check up I prepared myself that it may be his last...come to find out he had some very bad teeth.
Recently he just had all his teeth pulled, came through surgery just fine, which was a concern & within a month he was back to grooming & putting weight back on.
It gave him a second, or maybe a 10th life. 😁
P.s... he now lives on gerber stage 1 chicken & gerber baby rice cereal w a lil bit of pedialyte but I do catch him eating at the dry food bowl for the younger cats every once in a while. He doesn't yet show signs of arthritis but his vision is going. Sometimes he misses things he's trying to jump on to & other times he seems to be following something with his eyes that only he can see.
Mine just turned 16. He's had a few health problems, but his main issue is that he doesn't know he's old and has limitations these days. It gets him into all sorts of trouble.
My cats are both 10. One gets zoomies frequently, the other doesn't but loves to play in short bursts. They have a fountain water dish and drink a lot more water with it.
One of them has litter box avoidance issues. It is grain litter that she does not like, possibly due to arthritis. She doesn't mind peeing in a regular litter box, but will not poo in one. Incontinence pads (the ones used for humans which are unscented) in a litter box ontop of an old towel works wonders! My other cat has zero desire to use that box so it is easy to keep clean. I check it in the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Just swap out the pad daily and the towels when soiled, or once a week.
I am waiting for a bird feeder to arrive to set up more Cat TV.
My pretty cat will be 14 this year, she looks amazing even doctor said she had a plastic surgery because of her baby face :D, thank you jackson for the amazing tips, i'll do my best to keep her life well
Great tips Jackson you're such an inspiration
I have a feline friend named Fred. He is 14 1/2 years old. He came to live with me when he was 9. His former family was moving away so I gave him a good home. He loves the window sill in the sun 🌞. I feed the birds every day in front or his favourite window. I call it the bird show. He loves it.
Jackson,
I love your mojo.
Please keep the love flowing 💕 😻
I adopted one at Nineteen she is now twenty, and looks four, she is so sweet, we play a lot and I teach her to talk, she says “hello” as many cats do, she has cystitis so she has tablets for that, I’ve always been a dog person so I’m learning too.
my cat is pretty old, he never liked playing with toys (I have tried everything & i'm not just waving the toy around like a nonce). BUT his favourite "play" is for me to put cat tv on youtube on my television and he will sit there for hours meowing at it and trying to go for them, he loves it.
Own! Jackson saying "Pretinha" just warms my heart =]
My Jiji is almost 19, and you'd be surprised how they can still run and move! She doesn't run after toys every time, but she is jumping across the house every day and occasionally still has a sprint. She has a bit of arthritis but if she really wants the chicken I've roasted, suddenly she's actually able to reach the table 😂
My 17yo Paddy still likes a game, & zooms up & down the hall stalks birds if they land in the yard. (We have an enclosed cat proof yard)
Pretinha looks very good for 19!
Another good suggestion just to make a senior cat's life a little easier is to put something under their food and water bowl just to raise it up a couple inches or so. Cats can get joint and back pain in their old age and raising the food bowl up higher makes it so they don't have to bend their head down as much.
"age is just a number" so true!!!!! in a few days i'm going to a shelter to adopt a 14yo one-eyed cat & it's sad to think that some people didn't want to adopt her just bc she's a bit older
Yesss I love your thumbnail that is what I tell my 15 year old cat everyday just to keep her happy lol 😂
Thank you for sharring your knowlage cat daddy.
Age isn't a number. It's a word.
Anyone else watching these videos for human-child parenting advice?
BTW, my furry flatmates love all their Cat TVs (every window and security door in the house). There's a number of feeders, and since I don't mow my lawn often, lots of non-flying small stuff. They were challenged by a large skink the other day. Also, I get to watch a lot of wild birds
The furry people love it when I follow your advice. They are happier and healthier and we all thank you
I am the happy servant of two old female cats. One is a 20 years old street cat and the second is 17 years old and comes from a cat shelter.
my boy is 17 years old and he is the love of my life ! he have problems with teeth and he is deaf but he is still a brave and handsome boy !!!!
Thanks for the great video. My oldest cat is almost 18. Our new young dog keeps the cats active - she likes cats and tries to play with them all the time. Will use your advice :)
Mine is now twenty and looks four, she has daily challenges, she has lots of windows to watch the birds from, she does have cystitis which she has medication for, but a lovely cat 🐈⬛
Giving my senior cat a multivitamin at breakfast every morning as definitely been a game changer for her overall health. I am loving the vitamins by balanced breed
I've had alot of kitties in my life since I was a baby. Our family always had cats. They all lived to old age. The youngest cat we had pass away was 15 and she had a heart problem. Our oldest was 20. My previous kitty was 16 and my new kitty is one year old. Even my sister's cats lived to senior age. My cats did develop some issues as they got older that required daily medication but we never thought to give them up or not help them just cause they were old. They are family and I would do anything to help them out and keep them as healthy as possible. I love cats.
My 14 year old guy was zooming around today. When he turned 8 I was told by my mum that he would stop playing and running around. SO NOT TRUE. He still loves his favourite toy, the shoelace
Our old girl turned 16 in January. We adopted her at 11yo wanting to give an older cat a chance at a home.
She's never been a play cat with us but has her moments with balled up paper or bell balls where she'll go kitten crazy with them, but stops as soon as she catches us watching. She's apparently far to dignified to be seen carrying on like a cat half her age.
She developed early stage kidney disease a while ago and had hyperthyroidism we were struggling to keep under control with medication. She got radioactive iodine therapy to permanently treat the hyperthyroidism last year and has been so much happier kitty since and her kidneys have actually healed some (gone from top of stage 3 to bottom of stage 2). We intend to spoil her and love on her for as long as we can her with us.
I'm so happy to have found you! Im feeling really confident that I can help my cats age in a comfy way now. Thank you very much for your knowledge!!
I wish my cat was going to live to be this old. She's 15 and has mid stage renal failure, which she was diagnosed with back in June. The vet told me with her lab values, six months to a year of continued quality of life would be considered the best we were going to do. I took her off the renal diet he had her own because 1) she was losing a lot of weight ....as in she was down to 4.5 lbs.... and 2) she didn't like it. I switched to mostly grain free, wet food...which I add about 4oz of extra water to. Plus she has access to water all the time. I have anxiety every day, waiting for when it's going to get bad. I've had nightmares about it for months. :(
She got to be happy today looking out the window and getting some fresh air because it was nice outside. She still jumps up and down off my bed and other furniture and she is on a glucosamine supplement for joint health, but....I feel like anything I do is just too little too late.
I take her the vet every three to four months for bloodwork. My cat and I both share the issue of having medical problems. It makes me sad to see her go through all the stuff I know I don't like having done.
My 19 yr old boy has been dropping weight and sleeping all day, Barely eating and was just told her is in final stages of renal failure. Having to put him down is heart breaking but I don't want him suffering.
I have been volunteering with a local cat rescue for many years now, and I do love all cats, but seniors have become my favorites. This video is great!
I'm just here for another regular "watching video for cat knowledge" moment and when I saw the names of Eduarda e Pretinha I immediately recognized them as being possibly Brazilian names. I'm still surprised I was right! Is so cool to know that, even speaking another language, we still can send you questions. Maybe I can convince my mom to do so as well! XD Thank you for another video
My princess treacle lived til she was 18 yrs old.
I read 3 cat behaviourists books (Vicky hall - I highly recommend!)
I kept the furniture in the same place - in case she got confused or eye sight was limited.
Spent quality time with her. Always told her I loved her. She loved people (especially men) and party's with the girls (she wore her pearrl or diamonte collar) I even remained calm when she left. I got a tattoo of her name on my collarbone. And she is home again. Her ashed are at the window as she loved cat TV
Great video - I hope more people adopt them as a result
Love mags x
We have a ten month old FCH kitten and a 12 year old foster cat. My 12 year old plays with the lazer more than the kitten which surprises me. She follows me every where and needs to be near me all the time. My 10 month old you would not know by watching him that he has GCH. Only flops once in a while, much less than when he first came.
Thx you for all of these videos..I got a cat 3 days ago and she has already made herself at home. She is super calm and hasn't scratched , bite, or growled at me. She only yells at me when she wants food. But thank you for all these guides. I really wouldn't be able to do this without your videos.
Wow, she looks *amazing* for 19! My boy, Remy, is approximately 16, and is starting to show age and it kinda hurts to see because he's my heart. I think he's starting to get achey and pain relief is tricky because you can't give cats aspirin or acetaminophen like you might with dogs. So I've put him on glucosamine treats and omega fatty oils. I'm glad he's got a younger buddy because Rogue keeps him active. He adores her. I've made him promise me he's gonna be around for ten more years.
Pets really just don't live as long as they deserve to.
my family cat maggie turns 17 this year. she recently got diagnosed with leukemia and shes very thin, but shes still so lively! my parents made the decision to not give her the chemo meds they were given because the other medication they were given just made her so miserable and terrified for days after just one dose, which i agree with wholeheartedly. its not about keeping a cat alive as long as possible if theyre going to suffer for it; we'd rather give her the happiest days she could possibly have, even if it means having to say goodbye earlier
shes more loving than ever, she still loves to play (she goes nuts for my socks. rolls around on them like a tornado), and most importantly, shes happy.
i love you maggie 💚
I have a cat confession to make:
I enjoy cleaning out the litter box because it has become a routine for my senior cat. He knows that the garage door will be opened and he'll get to walk around and explore it for a bit while I clean the pan and then throw away his tootsie rolls.
It's good for cognitive exercise because he remembers the routine and can even remind me to do it if I'm late.