Help for elderly depressed kitty?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Help for elderly depressed kitty?
5
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 1:37pm

Hello everyone. I have a female kitty who is about 16 years old. She's been with me longer than my husband and we are going on 11 years of marriage!

Hopefully someone here can help me with what seems to be depression.

This is Tina's background:

Tina is an indoor cat that I saved from the pound ages ago when she was 2 years old. She goes to the doctor every few months because she is a former diabetic, is on thyroid medication, has arthritis in her back knees, and slight kidney and liver damage. She won't eat the healthy food, so I give her Fancy Feast, her favorite. She used to be fat and now is super skinny so I do what I can to keep her eating. I don't groom her as often as I should--I guess I don't make it enough of a priority and really have no excuse for that. She is not grooming herself much. Sometimes she does not use the litter box, but it is not often and I am okay with cleaning up after her.

Tina sometimes goes off to a corner of the house meowing desperately. I think my younger cat, who always pounces on her, upsets her and he may be a cause of this. Recently, I caught him stealing a sunny spot on the floor from her. I yell at him all the time but he still torments her, not violently, but more psychologically.

Lately, Tina always ends up in a corner chair in the spare bedroom which is dark and gloomy. She doesn't sleep in the bed at night anymore. She used to be friendly. She has become super jumpy when a person first comes up to her, but she seems happy to have anybody talk to her or pet her. When she is standing and I pet her, just lightly, she loses her balance and starts falling over, mostly from looking up at the hand coming toward her.

Is this depression? How can I make Tina's life happier in her old age? My husband thinks I imagine the problems, but I think that since I am the "mother," I am more in tune to Tina.

Thanks for reading.

Holly

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 2:39pm

Hi Holly.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 3:16pm

Hearing loss would certainly explain her losing her balance. Elderly people who lose hearing in one or both ears often lose co-ordination as well. The cochlea in the inner ear is what regulates balance - degeneration of hearing often also affects the cochlear nerves. This is called Meniere's Disease in humans, I'm not sure if it's the same in cats.

I would also double check and make sure Tina isin't suffering from a worsened thyroid problem, or a urinary tract infection since she is going outside of her box.

Maybe you could try a product called Rescue Remedy. You can put a few drops in her food. It may help to decrease her stress and depressed mood. I've never tried it myself, but some people swear by it. It is an all natural product which is safe to use in cats, dogs, as well as humans.

Keep us updated!




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Edited 6/2/2005 4:22 pm ET ET by unicorn21


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Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 3:19pm

Hi Holly.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 3:30pm

*WELCOME* to Cats.

Cat =^..^=
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 7:25pm

Thanks so much for the thoughtful replies. You gave me more information than I could have hoped for, and I can't wait to tell my husband when he gets home from work.

You all are brilliant, truly!

I love the idea of mixing the Fancy Feast into something healthy.

And yes, I will take Tina again to the doctor. Her old doctor who I trust more is about 50 miles from us now, but maybe I should make the long drive for the superior treatment and exam.

Great thought, playing with the younger cat more, and thanks for the better understanding of his obnoxious behavior.

The hearing impairment thought sounds right on. It would explain the jumpy reaction and the off-balance behavior.

I also could accomodate Tina with more light and stepping stools. I just bought a higher bed which could explain why she isn't there anymore.

Again, thanks for the input. I want to keep my baby comfortable.

Holly