Does Anyone’s Senior Cat Do This?
My male cat is 12 years old. He’s in good health and acts like he did all his life, He doesn’t play quite as much but still likes to run full speed through the house and chases the kids. He sleeps a lot more, which is not unusual but here’s where the problem comes in. When he’s sleeping (at night only) you almost can’t wake him. If you dropped a bomb it almost wouldn’t wake him. Does anyone’s cat do this? He’s scheduled for vet in two months and hope it can wait until then. Any suggestions???
Bd, and enjoying his sound sleep.
Yes, your cat is now a senior “Catizen” and as cats age, they do slow down. His chasing the kids and running around more than likely tires him out more than when he was a younger kitty.
Older cats tend to sleep more deeply than younger cats, and it can be a bit alarming for owners, since younger cats tend to wake up at the slightest noise.
As long as he is eating and drinking normally, and uses his litter box with no problems, and is maintaining his weight, his deep sleep is more than likely due to his age. However, if you observe anything out of the ordinary, other than the deep sleep, you should make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.
Here is an excellent article on sleep and older cats, and a list of things to watch out for in deciding if an earlier vet visit is warranted.http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content…
Hope your kitty is dreaming of pink mice:)
Do hope this helps alleviate your concern and give you further information upon which you can act, if necessary.
Troublesniffer
Owned by cats for over 40 years
Freelance writer/blogger for http://www.petside.com/
Hey, i had a similar issue with my cat. When we saw the vet, he said that it was normal for older cats to experience this, but we had to change the cats diet. We had to start feeding it at different times during the day, and less meat. (we love to spoil the cat with red meat, chicken and fish which we prepare specially for the cat)
Hope this helps
xXx
He is becoming a heavy sleeper, but having to shake him is a little much. LOL. As another writer said, try a different food. A good quality canned and dry food for senior cats. They require a different diet. He may balk at it, and should eat it. Mix it with his regular food as a cat needs to eat daily. They will refuse food, unlike a dog and can have liver and kidney failure if they refuse food for 3 days. Best wishes with ole lazy bones.
I have had several senior cats and one was a heavy sleeper in in older years.
Has he has his senior vet check? At this age, it is a necessity.
Maybe his hearing is not so good anymore. I had an old dog that got like this. If you give him a little shake, does he wake up? Noise wouldn’t wake my dog, but usually patting him did.