How to Correct an Older Cat That Has Behavior Issues

Elderly cats may spend most of their time resting.

As cats age, they often develop a range of unusual and inconvenient behaviors. Older cats may suddenly fail to use the litter box properly; develop a habit of wandering the house at night, calling loudly; stop eating as much or eat messily or develop a tendency to be irritable. Most of these behavior changes aren't really bad behavior, though. They're brought on by illness and body changes caused by aging.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil and paper
• Cat grooming tools
• Senior cat food

Instructions

1. Monitor your cat's behavior. Make a list of problem incidents, such as litter box accidents, sudden scratching or nighttime calling. Write down the circumstances when they happened and the general time. This may help you see a pattern that's not evident when your cat wakes you in the night or when you discover a mess.

2. Examine your cat. Institute regular grooming sessions to help you see what kind of condition your older cat might be in. Daily combing and brushing reduces hairball frequency, allows you to trim too-long nails caused by less frequent scratching-post use and creates a healthier skin and coat. This type of session will also give you time to examine your cat's mouth for injuries that might cause messy or infrequent eating, check its weight and physical condition and notice other problems. If you see something unusual, take your cat to the vet.

3. Provide an adequate litter box. Aging cats often urinate more often than younger animals. This can be caused by higher stress levels, illness or simply changes in bodily function. Some cats can't get around as easily and restrict themselves to a very small area. If this is away from the litter box, accidents may happen. Provide a regularly cleaned litter box close to your cat's food, water and sleeping places. This may solve mess problems.

4. Correct nighttime calling by reassuring your pet. Aging cats often become confused in the night. They may not know where they are or where you are. This can be aggravated by conditions that reduce hearing and sight. According to Cornell University, blood circulation problems may also contribute to feline senility--a condition that can cause your cat to become disoriented. If you hear your cat crying in the night, simply taking the time to pet and reassure it can stop the noise. You may wish to allow your pet to sleep with you at night as well. This can reduce or eliminate crying in many cases.

5. Improve your cat's diet. Feed a high-quality, senior cat food to aging cats. These animals often eat less as they grow older, requiring more dense nutrition. They can also become more sensitive to excessive protein, sodium and phosphorous in the diet and may need higher amounts of some vitamins. Many behavior problems, such as irritability, can be exacerbated by a bad diet or vitamin imbalance.

6. Medicate your pet. Kidney problems, arthritis, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and other medicable problems may cause behavior trouble. If your senior cat is in pain, it may be more irritable. Hormone imbalances can also affect mood or behavior. See your vet to find out whether your cat has a health problem that could be corrected using medication.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't correct behavior problems with violence or punishment--your cat is unlikely to understand what it has done.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith: Senior Cats: Common Behavior Changes
• Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: The Special Needs of the Senior Cat
• Purrfect Cat Behavior: The Problem - Older Cat
• Pawprints & Purrs, Inc.: Aging Cats