Complete Care for Your Aging Cat

by Amy Shojai

  Johnny D. Hoskins, DVM, PhD, DACVIM is an

  internist, and a specialist in Smal Animal Pediatrics

  and Geriatrics, and is Professor Emeritus at the

  Louisiana State University School of Veterinary

  Medicine

  Jeff Johnson, DVM is a general practitioner with Four

  Paws Animal Hospital in Eagle River, Alaska

  Sharon C. Kerwin, DVM, MS, DACVS is a veterinary

  surgeon and on the rehabilitation staff at Texas A&M

  University Col ege of Veterinary Medicine

  Barbara Kitchel , DVM, PhD, DACVIM (oncology) was

  an assistant professor of smal animal medicine at the

  University of Il inois, now a professor and director of

  the Center for Comparative Oncology at Michigan

  State University

  Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, Banfield’s

  chief medical officer

  Lisa Klopp, DVM, was an assistant professor of

  neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Il inois,

  now practicing at The Sames Clinic Veterinary

  Specialists in Mil Val ey, California

  Dottie LaFlamme, DVM, PhD, DACVN works in

  research and development with Nestle Purina PetCare

  Company

  · Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVB, is a behaviorist at

  Doncaster Animal Clinic in Thornhil , Ontario

  · Michael R. Lappin, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, is a

  professor of smal animal medicine in the clinical sciences

  department at Colorado State University

  · Nola Valerie Lester, BVMS, is an adjunct clinical

  instructor in radiology at University of Florida

  · Cynthia R. Leveil e-Webster, DVM, DACVIM, is a

  professor of smal animal medicine at Tufts University

  · Kathleen Linn, DVM, DACVS was an orthopedic

  surgeon at the University of Wisconsin, now Associate

  Professor of Smal Animal Surgery, Western Col ege of

  Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan

  · Susan Little, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Feline) is a

  veterinarian at Bytown Cat Hospital, in Ottawa, Canada

  · Grace Long, DVM, is a veterinarian and brand

  manager of Purina Veterinary Diets

  Steven L. Marks, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM was

  an assistant professor of internal medicine, and head

  of the smal animal ICU at the School of Veterinary

  Medicine at Louisiana State University, now a clinical

  associate professor of critical care at North Carolina

  State University

  Jonathan F. McAnulty, DVM , MS, PhD is a professor

  of surgery at the University of Wisconsin

  Sheila McCul ough, DVM, DACVIM is an internist at

  the University of Il inois

  Mike McLaughlin, DVM is a general practitioner at the

  Animal Medical Center in Cumming, Georgia

  Norton Wil iam Milgram, Ph.D., is a professor of

  neuroscience life science division in the department of

  psychology and pharmacology at University of Toronto

  Kel y Moffat, DVM, DACVB is a behaviorist at Mesa

  Veterinary Hospital in Mesa, Arizona

  Lawrence Myers, DVM, MS, PhD, is an associate

  professor of animal behavior, physiology and medicine

  at the col ege of veterinary medicine at Auburn

  University

  Richard Nelson, DVM, DACVIM is an internist,

  professor and department chare in the department of

  medicine and epidemiology at University of California

  at Davis

  Brook A. Niemiec, DVM, DAVDC, Fel ow, practices at

  the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, Southern

  California Veterinary Dental Specialties, San Diego

  Veterinary Dental Training Center, San Diego,

  California

  · Karen Overal , MA VMD PhD, DACVB, CAAB is a

  research associate at the Center for Neurobiology and

  Behavior, Psychiatry Department, Penn Ped.

  · Sal y Perea, DVM, DACVN is a board-certified

  veterinary nutritionist in Davis, California

  Nancy E. Rawson, PhD, is an Associate Member of

  the Monel Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit

  research institute in Philadelphia dedicated to

  research in the fields of taste, smel , chemical irritation

  and nutrition

  Wil iam W. Ruehl, VMD, Ph.D., DACVP, is director of

  clinical pathology for Antech Diagnostics, a veterinary

  laboratory in northern California

  Rhonda L. Schulman, DVM, DACVIM was an assistant

  professor of smal animal medicine at University of

  Il inois, and now practices at ASG Animal Specialty

  Group in Los Angeles, California

  Scott Shaw, DVM, Assistant Professor in the

  Department of Clinical Sciences and Emergency and

  Critical Care, Cummings School of Veterinary

  Medicine at Tufts University

  Wal ace Sife, PhD is a psychologist and president of

  the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement

  George M. Strain, DVM, PhD, is associate vice

  chancel or of the office of research and graduate

  studies, and professor of neuroscience in the school of

  veterinary medicine at Louisiana State University

  Douglas Thamm, DVM, DACVIM (oncology) is a

  cancer researcher at Colorado State University Animal

  Cancer Center in Ft. Col ins, Colorado

  Todd Towel , DVM, DACVN is a board-certified

  veterinary nutritionist and Senior Manager, Scientific

  Communications at Hil ’s Pet Nutrition

  Wil iam Tranquil i, DVM, MS, DACVA is professor and

  chair,

  anesthesiology

  and

  pain

  management,

  veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Il inois

  David C. Twedt, DVM, DACVIM, is an internist at

  Colorado State University, Fort Col ins, CO

  Joe Wakshlag, DVM, PhD. DACVN is assistant

  professor, clinical nutrition at the col ege of veterinary

  medicine, Cornel University

  Stephen J. Withrow, DVM, ACVS, ACVIM is the

  director of the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado

  State University

  Alice Wolf, DVM, DACVIM, ABVP, was professor of

  smal animal medicine and surgery, col ege of

  veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University, now

  Emeritus/Adjunct Professor, and Chief Medical

  Consultant, Veterinary Information Network

  Susan G. Wynn, DVM, is a certified veterinary

  acupuncturist, and past Executive Director of the

  Georgia Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, and

  of the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association, now

  practicing in Sandy Springs, Georgia

  Author Biography

  Amy D. Shojai, CABC is a certified animal behavior

  consultant, vet tech, and nationally known authority on

  pet care and behavior. She is the author of nearly two

  dozen award-winning nonfiction pet books and over a

  thousand articles and columns. Amy addresses a wide

  range of fun-to-serious issues in her work, covering

  training, behavior, health care, and medical topics.

  Amy is a founder and past-president of the Cat

  Writers’ Association, and a member of the Dog Writers

  Association of America. She frequently speaks to

  groups on a variety of pet related issues, lectures at

  writing conferences, and regularly appea
rs on national

  radio and television in connection with her work. Most

  recently she appeared as an expert on the Animal

  Planet “CATS 101” and “DOGS 101” shows. She and

  her husband live with assorted critters at Rosemont,

  their thirteen-acre “spread” in north Texas. Amy can be

  reached through her Web site at http://www.shojai.com

  Table of Contents

  Using This Book

  PART ONE—HOW CATS AGE

  CHAPTER 1--DEFINING “OLD”

  CHAPTER 2--THE AGING PROCESS

  CHAPTER 3--L.O.V.E. for HEALTH

  CHAPTER 4—NURSING CARE

  CHAPTER 5—ADVANCED CARE OPTIONS

  CHAPTER 6--MAKING CHOICES

  PART TWO: A-to-Z HEALTH CONCERNS

  PART THREE: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES