More and more cats are living to a ripe old age.

Periodic Newsletter from The IAMS Company:
From: “Eukanuba Cat”
To: hart (at) petlvr.com
Subject: More and more cats are living to a ripe old age.

MAIN – More and More Cats Are Living To A Ripe Old Age

Cats today are living longer than any previous generation thanks in large part to the significant advancements made in feline nutrition and veterinary medicine. While heritage plays a role in determining your cat’s longevity, better commercial cat foods, early neutering and regular veterinary checkups, including vaccinations, play an important part. Just 20 years ago, the life expectancy of a cat was four to six years; today they can live into their 20s. Most cats are considered to be entering their golden years around the time they reach the age of 10. And much like humans can expect age-related physical changes, so too can their feline counterparts.

As a cat advances in age, here are some of the changes you may want to be on the lookout for:

* Joint stiffness and loss of flexibility, which could be a sign of arthritis
* Weight loss, often a symptom of oral disease or more serious conditions
* Increased thirst and urination, often a sign of kidney disease or diabetes
* Hair matting, thinner-looking coat, sometimes due to a lack of grooming or possibly a sign of periodontal disease
* Vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, which can be a symptom of hairballs or more serious systemic problems
* Cancer

Just as your observations can help detect disease at an earlier stage, so too can regular veterinary examinations. Your veterinarian may recommend more frequent examinations once your cat reaches her senior years. Because when it comes to maintaining her long-term health, remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

THE DISH – Eukanuba® Mature Care Morsels in Gravy with Savory Chicken

Cooked in a savory broth or sauce for maximum taste, Eukanuba® Morsels in Gravy deliver the nutrition and quality of our dry food in tasty flavors your senior cat will love. Each Eukanuba pouch is loaded with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to help rejuvenate dry skin and promote a healthy, shiny coat. Plus it is formulated to help promote lean muscle, assist in maintenance of cartilage resilience and minimize digestive upset in older cats. Eukanuba® Mature Care Morsels in Gravy with Savory Chicken provides optimum nutrition for your senior cat.

HEALTH WATCH – Be on the lookout for these eye disorders in cats.

Though cats tend to get fewer eye disorders than their canine counterparts, one of the more common ones you should be on the lookout for is uveitis. Uveitis is the inflammation of the uveal tract, which is the pigmented, vascular part of the eye. This includes the iris, pupil, ciliary body and choroid. When the iris is inflamed, it is likely that the ciliary body and choroid are involved too. In approximately 60% of all uveitis cases in cats, the cause cannot be identified. In the other 40%, it is usually the result of trauma, infectious disease or cancer.

Some symptoms of uveitis would include one or any combination of the following: squinting, sensitivity to light, third eyelid protrusion, tearing, redness to the white part of the eye, abnormal pupil shape or size, or an altered, muddy or reddened iris color. Depending upon the cause, uveitis is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medications, but your veterinarian may want to refer you to an ophthalmologist for a glaucoma evaluation. Glaucoma, the second most common eye disease in cats, is a common side effect associated with uveitis.

If you suspect your cat may have an eye-related disorder, it’s important to see your veterinarian right away.

FACTS FOR FELINES – Is your cat right- or left-pawed?

Have you ever wondered whether your cat is a righty or a lefty? It’s more than likely your cat does have a preference. There is actually a fun and easy way to determine whether your cat is right- or left-handed. Simply take a plastic or cardboard tube that is wide enough for your cat to reach into with her paw. Put a cat treat near the end of the tube and hold it directly in front of your cat. Encourage her to reach for the treat and observe which paw she uses. Repeat the same exercise two more times over a span of 24 hours. If she consistently reaches with the same paw you will know she has a preference.

Testing has shown that approximately 40 out of every 100 cats will be left-pawed, 20 will be right-pawed and 40 will be ambidextrous. This dramatically contrasts human statistics, which show that 90 out of 100 are right-handed while 10 will favor the left.

Source: “Paw Preference in Cats Related to Hand Preference in Animals and Man” by J. Cole at the University Laboratory of Physiology, Oxford University, England and published in the Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, Vol. 48 no.2, pp.137-140.

WHAT’S NEW AT EUKANUBA – Gain valuable insight about your senior cat by clicking a mouse.

Eukanuba now offers an FAQ section on our website that gives you instant access to an extensive database of frequently asked questions about your pet’s health, nutrition, training and much more. The site is constantly being updated with topics that range from general to specific and can be easily searched by keyword.

Click here to visit our site and be sure to bookmark it or add it to your Favorites page.

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