Cat Life Stages
When you bring your kitten home, she begins the aging process
. As your cat ages, it will move through various cat life stages. As a pet owner, you will need to become familiar with them so you can be prepared when your cat enters each of them. Knowing these stages will help you to take any corrective action as needed.
Life Stages
During each of these cat life stages your cat will display some of the following behaviors:
Birth To Sixteen Weeks
Your cat is learning her way around, your kitten may be playful, but probably will be shy. Generally, expect your kitten to eat, sleep and grow at a slow pace.
16 Weeks To 1 Year
Your cat will be very playful and spunky. At approximately 6 months old you should have your cat spayed or neutered if you are not intending to breed your cat. You should begin to train your cat on how to use the litter box and other commands. During this period your cat will grow at a tremendous pace.
1 To 8 Years
This is considered to be the cat's prime years. Remember the annual visits to the veterinarian.
8 to 12 Years
You should see signs of your cat slowing down, but her behavior should not change much.
12+ Years
This is the period where your cat enters old age. You may begin to notice some health problems. Your cat will begin to move slower if her joints begin to stiffen. She may become irritated more easily.
Final Words
In any health-related issue, whenever you have any concerns about your cat consult your veterinarian. They are familiar with your pet's medical history and can treat whatever might be the problem.
Common Changes That Take Place As Your Cat Ages
At around 8 or 9 years, you will begin to notice your cat is not as spry as it used to be. At this age they become more prone to illness of old age. Some things to look out for are: chronic liver or kidney disease, and maybe diabetes or tumors. You may see that their senses of sight, smell, hearing and taste begin to diminish. As metabolism changes so should their diet. Begin to reduce the amount of food they eat to control their weight. An overweight cat can help bring on additional health problems.
Taking Care For Your Older Cat
When your cat enters her old age, there are some things that you can look out for. Modify your cat's diet. It is important that your cat does not get overweight. Cats enter old age between 12 to 15 years old. You should look out for behavioral changes in your pet. You may notice that she sleeps more. It's normal for cats to sleep 18 or more hours per day at this age.
As your cat ages, her joints will stiffen and it will become more difficult for her to move, making her lethargic about many types of activities, even her normal grooming ritual. If you notice a lack of desire to groom can be a sign of sickness. Notify your veterinarian when you notice this.
It's not wise to feed your cat any table scraps. Over feeding a cat at any age is not healthy. Also, feeding fatty foods is setting her up for obesity and potential health problems in the future.
Conclusion
Lastly, you'll need to start watching your cat closely for hints of illness. After weeks of seeming healthy, a cat suddenly may display signs of being very ill catching you, the owner, off guard. Don't hesitate calling your veterinarian. Waiting too long may be too late for your vet to correct the problem.
As always, when you spot anything that is wrong, contact your veterinarian.
Hopefully these tips will give you some valuable information as your pet gets older. By knowing the cat life stages, you can help your pet live a longer and healthy life.
Cat Life Stages
By: George
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