Question:

On 2005-07-30, yepp penned: So thanks, but I will not get all worried again from usenet feedback as it is worldwide.

What does being worldwide have to do with the quality of the answers? Regardless, I agree that one should always weigh free advice (actually, all advice) against information from other sources. — monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Response:

In article Not only are the kitties seniors, but you might want to talk about their age and any special care they might need, the next time you bring them to the vet. When Harmony(RB) turned 10 years old, I asked the vet to do a feline geriatric blood panel. I know that tests for things like kidney function, diabetes, thyroid function, and other things that can become a problem for older cats. Well, was I ever surprised to learn that the recommendation is to begin doing a geriatric blood panel at age *6*! SIX years old? Surprise! I certainly didn’t think of her as "senior" at that age, but veterinary medicine apparently operates by a different theory.

Mr. Clark is about 6, and needs to go in for some dental work. I can think of very little difference between the lab work I’d want to see done in this case, and what would be involved in geriatric screening.  A complete blood count and a comprehensive metabolic panel certainly would be common to both; a thyroid panel would probably be outside the scope of pre-anesthesia. I don’t know if hemoglobin A1C is a good predictor of diabetic activity in cats. For geriatric cats — or people — I’m not convinced it makes sense to run arthritis/autoimmune screening in the absence of symptoms. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You’ll probably want to talk to your vet about having the geriatric blood panel done on your cats, if they’ve reached age 6 or more. Better safe than sorry. Donna, Captain, and Stanley

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In article Not only are the kitties seniors, but you might want to talk about their age and any special care they might need, the next time you bring them to the vet. When Harmony(RB) turned 10 years old, I asked the vet to do a feline geriatric blood panel. I know that tests for things like kidney function, diabetes, thyroid function, and other things that can become a problem for older cats. Well, was I ever surprised to learn that the recommendation is to begin doing a geriatric blood panel at age *6*! SIX years old? Surprise! I certainly didn’t think of her as "senior" at that age, but veterinary medicine apparently operates by a different theory. Mr. Clark is about 6, and needs to go in for some dental work. I can think of very little difference between the lab work I’d want to see done in this case, and what would be involved in geriatric screening.  A complete blood count and a comprehensive metabolic panel certainly would be common to both; a thyroid panel would probably be outside the scope of pre-anesthesia. I don’t know if hemoglobin A1C is a good predictor of diabetic activity in cats. For geriatric cats — or people — I’m not convinced it makes sense to run arthritis/autoimmune screening in the absence of symptoms. You’ll probably want to talk to your vet about having the geriatric blood panel done on your cats, if they’ve reached age 6 or more. Better safe than sorry. Donna, Captain, and Stanley

Hi all.  I thank you for the feedback.  I had taken in a Himmie last weekend and found a home for her, but she was here about 1 hour. Turned out she had fleas.  So the new owner took her to my vet for the flea drop on the back of the neck.  My cats were itchin too so I took them to the vet for the same thing.  They didn’t have fleas.  I took the opportunity to speak about senior cats to them and if I should be switching to those foods. And once again they told me my cats don’t need the senior foods because they are not lethargic – not overweight and overall, in excellent health.  The foods they are getting are good.  If I want to spend a little extra for the senior foods, go ahead.  It won’t harm them. Cats can live to be 25 years old or more.  Esp. if they are indoor-only as my cats are. There is no need to have them undergo blood work.  They don’t show any signs of needing diagnoses.  Cats are living longer (indoor cats) and it is just like people.  The new human 40 is like a 30-yr. old.  Cats are not seniors at 7 … that is, if they are kept indoors. So thanks, but I will not get all worried again from usenet feedback as it is worldwide.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In article Not only are the kitties seniors, but you might want to talk about their age and any special care they might need, the next time you bring them to the vet. When Harmony(RB) turned 10 years old, I asked the vet to do a feline geriatric blood panel. I know that tests for things like kidney function, diabetes, thyroid function, and other things that can become a problem for older cats. Well, was I ever surprised to learn that the recommendation is to begin doing a geriatric blood panel at age *6*! SIX years old? Surprise! I certainly didn’t think of her as "senior" at that age, but veterinary medicine apparently operates by a different theory. Mr. Clark is about 6, and needs to go in for some dental work. I can think of very little difference between the lab work I’d want to see done in this case, and what would be involved in geriatric screening.   A complete blood count and a comprehensive metabolic panel certainly would be common to both; a thyroid panel would probably be outside the scope of pre-anesthesia. I don’t know if hemoglobin A1C is a good predictor of diabetic activity in cats. For geriatric cats — or people — I’m not convinced it makes sense to run arthritis/autoimmune screening in the absence of symptoms. You’ll probably want to talk to your vet about having the geriatric blood panel done on your cats, if they’ve reached age 6 or more. Better safe than sorry. Donna, Captain, and Stanley Hi all.  I thank you for the feedback.  I had taken in a Himmie last weekend and found a home for her, but she was here about 1 hour. Turned out she had fleas.  So the new owner took her to my vet for the flea drop on the back of the neck.  My cats were itchin too so I took them to the vet for the same thing.  They didn’t have fleas.  I took the opportunity to speak about senior cats to them and if I should be switching to those foods. And once again they told me my cats don’t need the senior foods because they are not lethargic – not overweight and overall, in excellent health.  The foods they are getting are good.  If I want to spend a little extra for the senior foods, go ahead.  It won’t harm them. Cats can live to be 25 years old or more.  Esp. if they are indoor-only as my cats are. There is no need to have them undergo blood work.  They don’t show any signs of needing diagnoses.  Cats are living longer (indoor cats) and it is just like people.  The new human 40 is like a 30-yr. old.  Cats are not seniors at 7 … that is, if they are kept indoors.

The idea of getting blood work as adults isn’t necessarily for diagnosis. While there are published normal and abnormal values for all standard tests, there can be individual variation. Just as a personal example, I tend to run low on serum potassium, which has several implications:  a low-end (not REALLY low) may not be clinically significant if I’m tested for some other reason, and also that extra care should be taken with drugs that may lower potassium. In my own health, we will compare particular lab values, still in the normal range, over time. If there’s a consistent trend, it can warrant further investigation before there is a problem. For the cats, I want to have their personal normals available should I need to take them in for emergency care. So thanks, but I will not get all worried again from usenet feedback as it is worldwide.

OK. Just a different perspective here.

Response:

they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

Ask your vet for advice. Rusty’s vet let him stayed on his prescription food for urinary blockages when he became a senior. When he suspected kidney problems Rusty was put on a senior prescription diet. But he developed crystals so we went to another prescription food for urinary problems until he developed diarrhea. Now we are on Hill’s I/D which is not a senior cat food and Rusty is 11. The vet said as long as he is doing  well, Rusty can stay on it. He is not overweight, ( actually a bit underweight) so he doesn’t have to go on a reduced calorie diet typical for many senior cat food. Rusty’s blood tests also show his kidney are just fine. Winnie, hoping we don’t have to switch prescription food again.

Response:

Well, they are definitely considered senior now. Mine are 8. That is considered senior.

What’s so interesting to me now is that cats are frequently living long enough for their so-called "senior" years to outnumber their "non-senior" years.   Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Response:

Not only are the kitties seniors, but you might want to talk about their age and any special care they might need, the next time you bring them to the vet. When Harmony(RB) turned 10 years old, I asked the vet to do a feline geriatric blood panel. I know that tests for things like kidney function, diabetes, thyroid function, and other things that can become a problem for older cats. Well, was I ever surprised to learn that the recommendation is to begin doing a geriatric blood panel at age *6*! SIX years old? Surprise! I certainly didn’t think of her as "senior" at that age, but veterinary medicine apparently operates by a different theory. You’ll probably want to talk to your vet about having the geriatric blood panel done on your cats, if they’ve reached age 6 or more. Better safe than sorry. Donna, Captain, and Stanley

Response:

they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

Response:

they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

Yes, they should be getting the senior food now.  Just as with humans, especially human *women*, it gets easier to put on weight as they get older. They need a more nutritionally dense, but less caloric food.  But ask your vet for his/her recommendation. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

Well, they are definitely considered senior now. Mine are 8. That is considered senior.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

Response:

they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

We have three cats, one is 14 yo, one is 13 yo and the youngster who is seven. When the 14 yo went to TED three weeks ago for dental work we received the Senior Discount because he, Mr. Pumpkin, was 77 years old in cat age! The vet didn’t suggest changing his food at all.  The 13 yo is a plumpster, DH calls her a double wide, humph!  She has special diet food, she will eat it and then eat the other food too unless I can stop her. Can’t help you with the food, but yes they are definitely seniors. Charleen Mr. Pumpkin Aggie Marble Victor Velcro

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets? We have three cats, one is 14 yo, one is 13 yo and the youngster who is seven. When the 14 yo went to TED three weeks ago for dental work we received the Senior Discount because he, Mr. Pumpkin, was 77 years old in cat age! The vet didn’t suggest changing his food at all.  The 13 yo is a plumpster, DH calls her a double wide, humph!  She has special diet food, she will eat it and then eat the other food too unless I can stop her. Can’t help you with the food, but yes they are definitely seniors. Charleen Mr. Pumpkin Aggie Marble Victor Velcro

14 is 77 in cat years?  Wow.  I have been to the vet and they didn’t recommend changing food at that time.  A year ago.  My cats are not overweight.  They said I could buy it but it wasn’t necessary.  Real helpful those folks are. I didn’t know if there are special heart vitamins or some other minerals or something in the senior cat foods or not.  I never think of them as old.  Think that applies to myself too.  lol

Response:

they are 10 now and still act like they always did.  Should I be changing their food to seniors?  They are not overweight or anything, but is there anything special they need in their diets?

Yes, you should be changing them to a senior diet to assist in keeping them good and healthy for many a year to come. Cheers, helen s

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