For the past few weeks, my 13-year-old girl has been acting very strangely.
She’s lost her usual spark and energy. I just thought it was her getting on in years, but I’ve noticed some really odd behaviour lately.
Basically, she sometimes starts walking in circles for 5 or even 10 minutes unless I stop her to give her a cuddle and calm her down. It looks like she’s trying to scratch her back but I’m not sure; she also gets this vacant stare and often just stares into space... Sometimes she meows, and I can tell they’re not her usual meows. I don’t know what’s wrong with her and I’m scared. She’s my baby girl, you know. I’ve had her since she was barely 8 weeks old, and seeing her like this is really getting me down.
I’ve already been to the vet for an exam and had blood tests done, but everything came back clear. I’m starting to think it might be a neurological issue, but I’m not really sure.
What do you think it could be? I can post a video of her behaviour so you can perhaps see more clearly what I mean...
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having watched your video, your cat's behaviour does indeed suggest a neurological issue, possibly caused by a stroke... bearing in mind that from 12-13 years old, a cat is a senior and entering a more critical stage of life.
I think Kalou124's advice is spot on: see a vet to diagnose the cause of the issues and look into possible treatment...
That said, your cat's symptoms seem mild and she is clearly happy and not in any pain (showing no signs of stress or aggression): so the best medicine for now is simply to give her some peace and quiet and plenty of cuddles!!!
Carpe diem: cherish the moments you share with her!
having watched your video, your cat's behaviour does indeed suggest a neurological issue, possibly caused by a stroke... bearing in mind that from 12-13 years old, a cat is a senior and entering a more critical stage of life.
I think Kalou124's advice is spot on: see a vet to diagnose the cause of the issues and look into possible treatment...
That said, your cat's symptoms seem mild and she is clearly happy and not in any pain (showing no signs of stress or aggression): so the best medicine for now is simply to give her some peace and quiet and plenty of cuddles!!!
Carpe diem: cherish the moments you share with her!
Hi everyone, my 13-year-old cat has been acting quite strange for a few weeks now. She’s lost her usual spark and energy. I thought she was just getting on a bit, but I’ve noticed some really odd behaviour. Sometimes she starts pacing in circles for 5 or 10 minutes unless I step in to give her a cuddle and calm her down. It almost looks like she’s trying to scratch her back but I’m not sure; she also has this vacant look and often just stares into space... Sometimes she meows, and I can tell they aren’t her usual meows. I don’t know what’s wrong and... I’m scared. She’s my baby, you know? I’ve had her since she was barely 8 weeks old and seeing her like this is really breaking my heart. I’ve already been to the vet for a check-up and some blood tests, but they didn't find anything. I’m wondering if it's a neurological issue, but I’m not really sure. What do you think it could be? I can upload a video of her behaviour so you can see it more clearly...
This sounds like senile dementia, which is quite common in cats around 13 or 14. A confused cat will often let out heart-wrenching yowls, pace in circles, and so on. Sadly, it’s not just humans who suffer from this.
Best purrs
Hi, I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s causing it, so I’m just going to echo @Kalou124's excellent point – show this video to the vet. It’ll make their diagnosis a lot easier. :)
In this case, I reckon it’s more likely to be senility. Staring into space, those slightly raucous meows as if she’s howling her heart out, and disorientation are all hallmarks of an Alzheimer’s-type condition, as @Blue Cat mentioned. There are treatments available to help oxygenate the brain; you should definitely bring it up with your vet if they haven't suggested it, or perhaps even get a second opinion.
A CT scan on a 13-year-old puss isn't going to tell you much that’s useful. Even if she does have a tumour, would you really want to put her through an operation, knowing there’s very little chance of her pulling through and that it would cause so much suffering? Personally, I wouldn't do it when a cat is that age, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Reaching 18 is actually quite rare for a cat; most pass away between 12 and 15, which is a grand old age anyway.
Sorry about the WeTransfer link, it was the only way I could get the video to you.
But yes, I can confirm what centpedigree said, and you can indeed see my 13-year-old cat spinning in circles as if she's trying to catch her tail. I wondered if she might have a back problem, but I really don't think so now. She's meowing as if she's in pain and I've also noticed she’s eating less than she used to, whereas only a few months ago she was still bolting her food down.
She isn't tilting her head, as I mentioned; she just stares straight ahead with a blank look. Should I still get some scans done? Could it be a benign tumour?
I live in a flat and she's an indoor cat. I thought cats lived until they were at least 18...
I won’t be watching the video either, but from your description I’d also lean towards it being dementia. However, the fact she’s turning to the same side makes me think of a stroke too. Does she have a permanent slight head tilt? If so, it’s likely a stroke.
When she’s having these episodes, you must leave her be and not intervene, as it can make the episode last longer and even make things worse.
I’m speaking from experience; I’ve had a dog and, more recently, my 18-year-old cat who both passed away from this. The symptoms were the same at the start and then the episodes became more frequent. I’m surprised the vet hasn’t prescribed any treatment—it’s very effective and managed to give my pets a few more months.
I don’t want to get you down, but you should probably be prepared for the fact that she’s nearing the end, so make the most of every moment with your little one.
For those who don't want to download the video, you can basically see her cat circling to the right, as if she’s "chasing" her tail but in slow motion and without actually catching it...
You can't see the blank stare, but you catch a glimpse of her pupil at one point and her eyes don't look glazed or cloudy.
Anyway, I’m not sure if that confirms it's a neurological issue?
I've never had a 13-year-old cat before... but it's true that as long as she isn't in any pain and stays cuddly, then we just need to make the most of her for as long as possible and take loads of photos to remember her by...
