Just like humans, pets are living to a greater age than they used to thanks to better living conditions and good healthcare. Sadly, this means more cats live long enough to develop feline dementia, the cat version of Alzheimer’s.
Damage to the cat’s brain in feline dementia is very similar to Alzheimer’s in humans – sticky plaques of protein form on the surface of the brain.
These plaques create ‘tangles’ inside the nerve cells which inhibit messages being processed by the brain, resulting in memory loss and confusion.
These physical changes were first discovered by Scottish veterinary surgeon, Dr Danièlle Gunn-Moore, who observed her own cat develop feline dementia.
Dementia Changes Your Cat’s Behaviour
Here are the changes to look out for if you suspect your cat may be developing cognitive dysfunction (CDS) or feline dementia.
They are sad to see, and in the early stages, quite upsetting for your cat as well as yourself:
- Disorientation or confusion - getting trapped in corners or forgetting where the litter box is. House-soiling is the most common reason for referral of old cats to veterinarians or animal behaviouralists.
- Memory loss, such as forgetting commands or losing their house training
- Behaving differently to their owners or other pets in the household, They may demand more attention and/become more aggressive
- Becoming anxious or irritable, or alternatively, becoming sluggish and slow to respond
- Changes in activity - aimless wandering or pacing, or reduced activity
- Changes in sleeping patterns – sleeping much more, or sleeping at different times; staying awake at night
- Changes in eating patterns – loss of interest in food, or demanding food all the time
- Confusion about time, such as forgetting that they have just been fed Forgetting how to groom, or losing interest in grooming
Make Your Dementia–Affected Cat Feel Safe
Because all these cognitive changes are confusing and frightening to your aging cat, it is important to create an atmosphere where it can feel safe and in control.
Your veterinarian might suggest medication and vitamin supplementation to help ease these symptoms, and there are other practical steps you can take to make your feline more comfortable:
- Work out which is her favourite room, perhaps a sunny kitchen or living room, and arrange it so that she can find everything she needs easily, and won’t get confused.
- As well as her favourite rug, cushion or basket, she will need dry food, water and a litter tray within easy sight.
- An elderly cat with dementia may well spend most of her time in her safe space, sleeping a lot or nibbling constantly at her food supply. She will also need to know you are around, in case she gets frightened; although many cats with CDS will spend the day sleeping, and become active and fearful at night.
- To calm a fearful or irritable cat during the day, apply synthetic feline appeasement pheromone (available from your veterinarian) to the cat’s rug or cushion.
- Try to keep your own routines as unchanging and familiar as possible, to avoid frightening or confuing her.
Dementia-Preventative Brain Training For Cats
If your cat is getting on in years, but is not yet showing signs of CDS, you can give her exercises to stimulate her brain.
Australian cat psychologist Tamzin Barber, says cats are highly intelligent animals who like to use their brains.
If they are not challenged enough they can become bored or depressed, and there is a strong link in humans between depression and dementia, and possibly in cats also.
“Cats are highly mentally active – they enjoy using their brains,” she says. She teaches owners to play constructively with their feline friends from an early age.
Games – brain training for cats – stimulate their problem solving skills and help them reduce stress, aggression and anxiety, Barber says.
At the same time, playing together increases the interaction between cat and human through petting and grooming. For the elderly cat, this is reassuring.
For More Help
If you are concerned you cat might have dementia, do please see a veterinary surgeon. They will be able to advise on medications, changes to diet and other actions you could take to make your feline companion more comfortable. As with dementia in human, there is no actual cure, but there are things you can do to reduce their anxiety and unhappiness and help them live a more comfortable old age.
For more on this topic, see Does Your Cat Have Alzheimer’s? and Is Your Cat Unhappy?
Sue Cartledge - I'm a science, health, nutrition and lifestyle journalist, fascinated by the way the physical world operates in all its forms, and how ...
Join the Conversation