Older cats may groom themselves less than younger cats for a variety of reasons. Perhaps pain makes it difficult to reach certain areas. Perhaps an illness is impacting skin and coat, making it harder to keep up with grooming.
As your cat ages, you may need to take a more active part in grooming! Helping your older cat with grooming is a good way to monitor changes in health.
- Look for changes in your pet’s skin as they age. Some pets develop dry skin and dandruff as they age; others tend to get oily skin that leaves the coat feeling greasy.
- Some diseases can make the skin more fragile. Your senior cat’s skin may tear more easily and take longer to heal.
- Keep an eye out for discolorations — light skin becoming dark.
- Watch for bumps and lumps that weren’t there before. Some pets are prone to developing little fat deposits underneath the skin. However, some lumps could be pressure sores or even tumors. Pressure sores develop in places where there isn’t much cushioning over the bones as your pet loses protective muscle mass.
The more time you spend grooming your older cat, the faster you’ll discover any irregularities that may need a veterinarian’s attention. If you do find any unusual things (or notice any major changes in your cat’s body), I strongly suggest you call your veterinarian.
Other things to keep in mind when grooming an older pet:
- Claws can become thick and/or brittle as your pet ages. It’s important to keep those toes trimmed to prevent painfully overgrown nails!
- Long haired pets may get waste matted in the hair on their rumps. Senior cats may have a hard time grooming their bottoms! Try keeping the hair on the rear end short to prevent matting — these mats can cause skin irritations.
- Look for a brush or comb that has tipped teeth to be extra gentle on your older pet — plastic or rubber tipped teeth are gentle on the skin.
- Need to give your older cat a bath but don’t want the stress and struggle of hauling her to the sink? Try a waterless shampoo. Just spray on, rub it in, and towel off — no water necessary.