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Watch for These “Red Flag” Senior Cat Symptoms

Your senior cat Archie is the oldest kitten you’ve ever met. Twelve-year-old Archie still rolls on the floor with his cat toys, and he enjoys chasing your dog Buster down the hall. Archie’s perennial good health has contributed to his active lifestyle. Since Archie is getting older, though, he’s at risk for age-related medical conditions. Good thing your veterinarian from Chesapeake can analyze Archie’s symptoms and prescribe the necessary treatment. Quickly alerting your vet to potentially serious symptoms can speed up the diagnostic process. Learn more about senior cat symptoms that deserve your vet’s immediate attention.

Eccentric Eating Behaviors

Archie has always kept a full schedule, with lots of interactive playtime and unlimited cat tree climbing sessions. This regular activity has helped Archie to maintain a consistent weight, even though he eats heartily every day. However, perhaps Archie’s appetite has noticeably dropped off, and he won’t eat more than a few kibbles at once. Or, maybe Archie eats like a champ, but he looks a little gaunt. Archie’s odd eating habits indicate a developing medical condition. Get Archie to your vet quickly for a nutritional counseling session.

Urinary and Intestinal Issues

Archie’s tidy urination habits have won him the Trickle-Free Award. However, maybe your obsessively neat cat has begun to leave foul-smelling urine on your carpet or floor; and perhaps Archie’s water consumption habits have also changed. Since these symptoms indicate a possible urinary system problem, get Archie to your vet without delay.

Or, maybe Archie has always been Mr. Reliable, making his deposits regularly and covering the neat piles with cat litter. Unfortunately, Archie has developed a sudden case of messy, smelly diarrhea. You don’t want Archie to become dehydrated, so get him to your vet quickly.

Strange Anti-social Antics

Archie’s always been an attention hog, smoothing up for his belly rubs and throat scratching sessions. If Archie begins to crawl under the furniture, or otherwise runs away from you, something’s not right. Archie might even become aggressive, growling and hissing at people he’s known for awhile. Ask your vet if Archie’s odd anti-social behavior results from a medical or behavioral problem.

Varied Diagnostic Tools

Your vet’s wide array of diagnostic tools help him to pinpoint Archie’s problem. Your vet will likely begin with common tests such as a urinalysis, Comprehensive Blood Panel, and chest and abdominal x-rays. Depending on Archie’s symptoms, the vet can also request higher-level tests, such as an electrocardiogram and other sophisticated tests more familiar to humans.

Once your Chesapeake vet diagnoses Archie’s ailment, he’ll create an appropriate treatment program for your cat. After all, your vet wants Archie to keep his long-term good health so he can continue to enjoy life with your family.

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