Cats and Alzheimers

[dinahsmum]

Seems our moggies get it too
http://www.edinburghcampaign.com/New...eID=182&id=240
Explains a lot

[yola]

Yes, my friend in Hove recently had to PTS one of her 2 elderley cats who had alzheimers. Trouble (cat's name) was almost blind and almost deaf but he used to get very confused and wailed horribly. I stayed with her a couple of times and when he wailed in utter loss and confusion, it was heartbreaking to hear.

Earlier this year she took the sad decision to put him out of his increasing distress. The vet she'd been working with over this was very clear in his diagnosis . . . actually, I think I may have posted about it at the time.

[dandysmom]

Fascinating article, DM, thanks for posting! I knew that very old cats could get senile...discussed it when Patches had odd spells of seeming disassociated and yowling strangely...the vet said it was probably senility.......

[Elaine]

You may all remember, over a year ago, Winston, as his illness was progressing often yowled and got confused in the night. I used to get up and fetch him into bed with me and he'd settle down. That all went fine for a while but then he started to yowl more and was becoming inconsolable. Turned out he had high blood pressure, the vet did say he was prbably a little senile too.
They say B vitamins help but Winston was already on B vitamins to help combat the toxins in his blood stream due to his kidney function.
A very interesting article, thankyou for posting it.

[Mags]

A very interesting article DM .......it's very sad to think any of our cats could be affected in their later years..

Thank you for bringing it to our attention....

[Kazz]

Now thats interesting if you recall I think I said the vet said Cleo was going senile...which I already guessed it is the nighttime wailing that is heartbreaking although Cleo does not do this anywhere near every night but when she does its like she has no clue where she is regardless of how much I call to her the only solution is to go and get her and then she snuggles down next to me and is happy.

Good article though.

[Kazz]

There again I have to say - the vet dpes not have any other cats Cleo's age so we are almost on trial now

[Kim]

An elderly half feral cat we adopted from the Animal Sanctuary for her twilight years went senile. She would do some bizarre things including attacking a doggy doorstop I have. It was sad.

[dandysmom]

So wailing and being confused are apparently signs? My vet didn't say positively, just maybe, it was senility, and didn't recommend anything for it...? Patches didn't do it often, and almost always at night, but the wailing was so distressing; but then she'd be her normal self again... she was 20 when she died, almost a year ago.

[Kazz]

See Cleo rarely made a noise when Oscar was alive but since he's gone she seems to wial more now it could be down to age/confusion or it could be down to age/confusion and lack of contact with Oscar who knows for all I know they reassured each other .....and I slept through it now she wakes me..

He did not say she has altzimers just senile.