Older fatso cat can't jump

Hey, I know there's a few cat people out there. Have a 14 y/o neutered male, bout 16 lbs. He's pretty much been that weight for 10 yrs. Lately (last 8-9 months) he can't jump like he used to. Before, he could hit the top of the counters, vanities, washing machine with one jump. Then he started sliding off the bed when he tried. We put a stool at the foot of the bed and he immediately took to coming up that way.

No evident pain or stiffness in joints, still gets a little frisky with stuffed mice and all. Vision and hearing appear fine.

Old age, (like me?) or is it worth taking him to get checked out for something?

 

Older fatso people can't jump anymore either. You should be taking your cat at least annually in for a checkup and shots. Take the cat in for a checkup to rule out any underlying health issues and to assure you that you are taking good care of your cat.

Average age of a cat is 15 years. Of course, longevity tends to vary among breeds as well as such factors as genetic makeup, how well that cat has been cared for, nutrition, etc. There are cats who live to be 20 or more. There is documentation of cats having lived to be 30 or more. Indoor cats tend to live longer because they are not exposed to the dangers of the outdoors.

As with humans, overeating can shorten life expectancy. And, like humans exercise is important. For cats, playtime with them is exercise. Regular visits to the doctor is important for both humans and pets.

The first year of a cat's life is equivalent to 15 human years. The second year is 9 human years. At age 2, the cat is the equivalent of 24 years. After that, add 4 years for every year. So, in human years, your 14 y.o. cat is 72 years old.

How many 72 y.o. people do you know that can jump like they used to? Considering the cats age, it's understandable that he no is longer able to or wants to jump up on counters, vanities, and the washer/dryer.

 

Thanks TP....he's a totally indoor cat. I didn't realize how they aged, that was very informative. I also probably shouldn't have called him a fatso (my wife says I'll give him a complex)...he's just pretty darn big. He wasn't neutered as early as he should have been, from what I understand and really got big and thick. His head is the size of a small grapefruit and he has huge paws and such.

It's just that our other one who is 6 months younger (rescue from a Vet dropoff, Maine Coon mix) is still very active and agile. Course he only weighs about 8 lbs and has always been more exciteable and athletic.

They get good stable diets and are seen by vets occasionally...prob not as often as they should, but then, I probably should go to the Doc more also. lol

Again...thanks for the info!

 

Hey, Gunguy, I did not realize that I was answering one of your posts. Some breeds are just bigger than others. And, of course, like us, some of us are just bigger than others. I had never seen a big cat before, until I went to someone's home and there was the biggest cat I ever saw. The only cats I had ever seen were skinny cute little cats. This cat was a bear!

So, now you know. Don't call the cat fatso. And, don't tell him he's old. We old and fat ones don't want you to talk to us that way. Just because we are old and fat does not mean we don't have feelings, too. You are good looking, but the cat and I are suave and debonair.

 

Here's another wee bit of info about cats size...Ragdolls can reach upwards of 25 pounds as a normal size. I have also seen Maine Coons close to 20pounds. Not fat, just big kitties. At this time, I have an older Ragdoll who is almost 20 pounds. My Manx/Himalayan cross was 25 pounds and not fat at all, simply HUGE.

When you need to worry is when they have big fat pads/pockets in their abdomen area, or are low hung in the belly.

One thing is a definite must with any elder cats (nicer word than older ;0) be sure to have a full blood panel done (sooner rather than later) to check for kidney function and other possible elder cat issues. I am always the one who says, better safe than sorry.

Believe it or not, they also make padded steps for elder pets, so they can still get up on beds, sofas and such. I will be getting one for our elder lab very soon, as she is beginning to have trouble getting up on her boy's bed.