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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

3815.0. "My Baby Is All Grown Up and Growing Old........." by SWAM2::SZAFIRSKI_LO () Mon Jul 23 1990 19:57

    Hello,
    
    First of all I just want to say I love this notes conference, lots
    of great reading!  My three girls:  Sausha, Misty Rae, and Freeway,
    are a constant source of love and joy in my life.  I would like to
    ask a few questions about my Sausha.
    
    I have had Sausha since she was 5 weeks old and she will be turning
    the proud age of 15 next month.  She is an totally indoor pampered
    Garfield.  She walks on plush carpet and eats out of a china bowl.
    She is of the Calico breed.  She has the sweetest personality, loves
    to cuddle, eat and sleep (in that order!).
    
    When she was 12 years old her sister Misty Rae came into our lives.
    We thought this was going to be a hard adjustment on Sausha, being
    that she has been an only child for so long; but she took Misty Rae
    under her wing and treated her just like her own.  When Misty Rae
    turned 6 months she was quite a bundle of energy and would tire Sausha
    out alot; so a year later Freeway came into our life and was the 
    solution to that small problem.
    
    Now both kittens have really kept Sausha young.  They all play very
    nicely together and take naps and clean each other.  Well now I have
    given you a small introduction to our family, so I will get back to
    the main topic of this note.
    
    Sausha is turning 15, I have heard various comments on life expectancy
    of cats.  She is very healthy; beautiful coat, sparkling eyes, and 
    good teeth.  I just want to know if I should be doing anything special
    is these retirement years of hers and have a few other questions
    besides that one.
    
    1.  Will I need to get her teeth cleaned again, she had them done at
        12 years old and did very well with the sleeping medication.
    
    2.  When it comes to shots: rabies and leaukemia (sp?), does she need
        to get boosted every year or can we skip a year now.  
    
        Also, my vet ususally boosts her with both shots at once (a total 
        of 3 sticks).  Is it better to make two separate trips to the vet
        and do rabies on one and leaukemia on the other?
    
    3.  She does better with wet food, seems to be the protein settles
        better (than dry food - higher percent).  Any special kinds of food
        she should be eating in these later years.  She LOVES to eat, but
        is only about 2/3 pounds overweight.
    
    4.  How long does a cat live?....and what are some keys signs to aging
        or problems with aging that I should be on the lookout for.
    
    5.  Is there anything special I can do for Sausha as she ages
        gracefully?
    
    6.  Any special vitamins that she should be on?
    
    Well that about covers it.  If you think of anything outside of my
    questions I would love to hear it.  Thanks in advance for your replys!
    This is a very special network and I am really grateful to have so many
    cat loving friends right at my fingertips!
    
    Hugs & Purrs from California,
    
    Lori...Sausha....Misty Rae...Freeway....and Glenn *^)
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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3815.1My feelingsWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityMon Jul 23 1990 20:1534
    Where in California?
    
    I wish I knew how to extract, cause I know that I won't remember
    all of your questions.
    
    About vaccinations, I would not do all three at once.  Vaccines
    give a punch to the immune system, and to do all three at once would
    stress the immune system very hard.  Talk to your vet about this
    and see what he thinks.  If it were my cat, indoor only, 15 years
    old and not exposed to any outdoor cats, I would stop giving rabies
    and Leukemia.  DO NOT STOP WITH THE UPPER RESPIRATORY VACCINES.
    She will need those to help keep her from catching those nasty upper
    respiratory infections.  What might cause a little cold in young
    cat could cause serious illness in an older cat.
    
    I would also not have her teeth cleaned again unless/until she had
    life threatening gum disease.  The kidneys and liver are the organs
    of a cat that usually start to show aging first, and those organs
    are needed to rid the body of anesthesia after surgery.  
    
    Generally, I would probably take her in once a year for a blood
    panel to keep an eye on her kidney/liver function.  I would also
    monitor her weight on a regular basis (like weigh her once a month
    and write the weight in her health record so that you will notice
    even a gradual decline).
    
    As long as her kidney/liver function is good, and her weight is
    remaining constant, there is no need to switch her diet.  If she
    needs a special diet due to health needs, the vet will tell you.
    
    I think I covered some of your concerns, probably not all.
    
    Jo (also from California)
    
3815.2CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Mon Jul 23 1990 20:4214
    I would depend on your vet's advice about the teeth, assuming you trust
    the vet.  S/he can weight the condition of hte teeth and gums against
    her general health.  I would also ask his advice about shots.  A
    lot depends on the condition of the cat.
    
    How lucky you are to have a healthy happy puss. Some pusses live into
    their twenties, I think I even heard of one reaching 30 once.
    
    Mine go in to the vet about every six months (S and LB need a
    respiratory
    booster that often since Holly carries a respiratory infection.)  Even if
    they didn't I would take a senior cat in that often.  Kidney disease
    and so on has to be caught early.
    
3815.3CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Mon Jul 23 1990 20:455
    The only other thing I can think of is that if Sasha develops a
    problem in jumping (arthritis, etc.) you could put "waystations"
    near her favorite places so she can reach them.  Like a stool, or
    something of the sort.
    
3815.4some morePARITY::DENISEAnd may the traffic be with youTue Jul 24 1990 20:4022
      My beloved Ruby, the Coon cat died 3 weeks short of his 19th
    birthday.  Why, because he got FELV.  That was because I stopped
    getting the shots for him,  I figured he was indoor, so why would he
    need them.  But one of my other cats somehow got it.  How, we'll never
    know.  Ruby was the most energetic, strong, frisky, youthful 18 year
    old you ever saw.  He probably would have been one of those that lived
    to be 30.  He still played like a kitten, and was so full of
    kitty-love.  Life is not the same without him.  So, be sure to get the
    shots, you just never know.
     As far as teeth cleaning, my vet was very hesitant to put him under
    for any reason, due to his age.  We stopped the professional cleanings
    when he was 16.
     Also, be on the lookout for an older cat drinking access water.  That
    is usually a sign of failing kidneys, very common in older cats.
    My Ruby used to eat a lot right up till his weeks until the FELV really
    made him sick.  His usual breakfast was 3 cans of FAncy Feast. 
    I imagine any change in a cat's usual dining habits could indicate a 
    problem also.
    
                    Good luck, hope your kitty breaks the age record!
    
                                       Denise
3815.5CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Tue Jul 24 1990 21:282
    I'm very sorry about Ruby.
    
3815.6ICS::GERRYHome is where the Cat isThu Jul 26 1990 13:3910
    Denise,
    
    Nobody really knows for sure if FelV can be prevented by having the
    FelV shots, so please don't blame yourself for not getting him the
    shots.  
    
    I'm very sorry about Ruby.
    
    cin
    
3815.7me tooAIMHI::MCCURDYThu Jul 26 1990 16:442
    Denise I amvery sorry to hear  about Ruby....
    Kate
3815.8Various levels of anethesiaWR1FOR::BROMARTHIt's no tribble at all!Fri Aug 10 1990 05:3330
    Lori,
    
    Are you comming to our West Coast Feliner's Party?
    
    I had an orange tabby cat, George, who lived 14 years. He came down
    gradually with kidney failure. We first noticed it when we had his
    teeth cleaned by a "cheap" vet who did not take a blood sample to
    determine his tolerance to being put under with anethesia. 
    
    Well, we found out that the anethesia used was intolerable to his kidney
    system. When George didn't come out of a daze after a  day or so,
    we took him to another vet, who did the proper blood tests, and put 
    him on a "dialysis" machine to filter his blood for him. This revived
    him.
    
    Be aware that for older cats, with regards to teeth cleaning, a
    good vet will tell you whether it is or is not wise to administer
    anethesia. Also, there happens to be a least three levels of anethesia
    that can be administered depending on what the blood tests (done
    before hand) reveal. 
    
    For example, there's the traditional drug administered with a shot
    in the arm (or where ever) whose effects last at least a day. Or, there
    are other kinds, that require timed injections, but at least the
    vet can monitor how the cat is doing inbetween injections. Finally,
    there's the type that is administered via an air tube. If the cat
    starts to become adversely affected, the vet can choose to discontinue
    treatment IMMEDIATELY. 
    
    Theresa (who needed three new cats to replace the one and only George)