feline dementia- anyone with experience in this, please?

[Melissa&Paul-Kyle]

my 22 year old civvie timothy is dx dementia, has many active dementia symptoms such as constant pacing, staring at walls, licking at fur...

he has no litter box trouble and seems to recognize me, is interacting with the other cats somewhat, grooming himself and as long as i remind him, he is eating well.

he has some secondary issues that may be realted to hyperT- just saw vet yesterday so just now working on this.

anyway- i just wondered, those who have had dementia cats, when do you consider PTS? I have the quality of life scale- he checks out well enough on that...it is the dementia, that most concerns me...if he is functioning well enough in other areas, how do you decide PTS a cat that eats well, grooms, potties and interacts based on dementia?

thanks for any input you have. much appreciated.

 

[juliehoudini (ga)]

I had a cat that at 17 1/2yrs old started on that path. We did what you do, just remind them to eat, as long as everything else is working you just love them. She made it until she was almost 20yrs old just a few months shy. Near the end she was sleeping about 23hrs a day & didn't recognize me, but knew my dad & the vet.

My thoughts are with you.

 

[Deb & Spot]

Hi Melissa! LTNS/H....I hope you are doing well!!

I don't have any experience in feline dementia, however, my thoughts on knowing when to PTS are this: When Timothy stops doing things he likes to do (for my Spot and Ralphie it would be eating, for Ali it would be cuddling), it may be time to consider PTS. It sounds like he is doing well right now tho.

You know that Dian is having a get together on the 19th....I hope you will be able to make it. Haven't seen you in a while, would be nice to catch up! Take care and if I don't see you, have the happiest of new years!

 

[Denise & Honey]

hi Melissa

I don't know anything about the dementia issue but I do have a recently diagnosed hyper-T cat.
In case you aren't aware, there's a really good user group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-hyperT/

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Hi Melissa,
My neighbor has a kitty going through this. Tippy is 19 and very frail BUT doing well in the 5 P area. He's just really needy. He constantly wants to be on my friends chest to sleep. He sleeps A LOT. My friend seems fine to oblige Tippy and is just letting him be. Tippy has even warmed up to me. He will come for pets and rubs. Like you, my friehd has to remind Tippy to eat but he seems to be doing fine on his own terms. His grooming has fallen off a little mainly because he's not as flexible as he use to be. But there again, my friend is picking up his slack. I think she is hoping he just falls off to sleep and goes in his own time. I know she has a problem with PTS so...:/. I wouldnt know what to do either.

Good luck my prayers are with you,
jeanne

 

[BJM]

If the 5 Ps are in place, he's not in pain, he's safe, I wouldn't do anything, just love him.

The minute he is in pain, or totally confused/disoriented and stressed out, and nothing seemed to help, I would consider it.

 

[Lisa and Spooky (GA)]

No feline dementia experience, but doggy dementia.

I made the decision with Jiffy when she stopped eating. Even showing her the food didn't work. By that time she had lost all housetraining, no interaction with us, slept almost all the time. But, she was pain free and still enjoyed food. When she lost that activityI knew that it was time.

Best wishes with your kitty.

Lisa and Spooky (GA)