As cats get older, they are more prone to develop more serious diseases. Luckily many of these conditions can now be treated with success and animals are able to continue a normal life. Please be aware of that older cats with chronic diseases will need regular vet check-ups and medication.

Below are some of the most common diseases older animals might suffer from.

As described in our article >> Diabetes, there are 2 types. More common is Type 2 in older cats because it is related to the inability of the body’s cells to handle insulin efficiently. Another reason is if cats are overweight; male cats have a slightly higher chance than females to develop this disease.

We have discussed this disease in our article >> Kidney Disease. CRF (Chronic Renal Failure) is the most common disease that leads to death in older cats. The kidney’s nephrons start weakening and shutting down over time which leaves toxins and build-up in the blood. Kidneys can survive with only a quarter of nephrons active, but your animal will need treatment. Please talk with your veterinarian, there are many things that can be done to help your cat live comfortably with CRF.

High blood pressure is almost always triggered by heart or kidney disease, and called secondary hypertension. Contrary to humans, primary hypertension that is linked to stress is not that common in cats. A slight increase in primary hypertension is noticeable though since cats are living longer now than in previous years.

Previously discussed here at >> Thyroid Problems, it will occur when the thyroid gland enlarges and produces excess amounts of hormones. This is normally triggered by a benign tumor in the thyroid gland’s lobes. Chances for the tumor to be cancerous are only 2 – 5%. Treatment with thyroid medication is successful.

Also called HCM, is a thickening of the heart muscle and mostly genetically triggered. This disease can already be found in middle-aged animals, both females and males. There is no cure but when diagnosed and treated early, cats can live for many more years after being diagnosed.

This is a very complex issue. Animals can develop Melanoma, Mammary tumors, Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Mesothelioma, Nasal Lymphoma, Leukemia, Lipoma, and more. We will discuss several of these in follow-up articles.

It needs to be said that treatment that includes surgery and radiation is very often successful and will very often prolong your animal’s life.