Cats can suffer from dementia (stock image) (Image: Getty)
A vet unveiled seven signs to look out for that could indicate your cat is suffering from dementia.
Many households are home to a beloved or , and ensuring they live a pain free, happy life is of utmost importance to the vast majority of owners. Nobody wants to see their pet suffering without being able to ascertain why, so one vet has shared certain symptoms to be on the lookout for.
, a geriatric and palliative vet, said in a recent video that “more than 28%” of cats aged between 11 to 14 will show at least one sign of cognitive dysfunction or , and this number rises to over 50% in cats more than 15 years old. To help pet owners identify these signs, Dr Banks shared a useful acronym, ‘VISHAAL’.
How to spot dementia in cats
The ‘V’ stands for ‘vocalisation’, according to the vet, who explained this is “very common” in cats showing signs of cognitive decline. This could result in cats vocalising more frequently or inappropriately, especially at night.
The next symptom on the list is ‘I’ for ‘interaction’. Dr Banks elaborated: “We tend to see changes in the interaction with people. They either can become really clingy or maybe they’re just not as interested and sort of seek more alone time.
“‘S’ stands for ”. With cats with cognitive dysfunction, we tend to see a lot of changes in the sleep-wake cycle so they tend to be up a lot more at night and sleep more during the day.”
Dr Banks stated the ‘H’ stands for ‘house soiling’, which could see cats having accidents in the home and opting for places other than their litterbox. The two ‘As’ refer to ‘activity’ and ‘anxiety’.
Activity could see cats becoming “a little bit more ramped up” or “quite less active”, while anxiety is more apparent in cats dealing with some form of cognitive dysfunction, and clearly visible.
To conclude, the vet added: “The ‘L’ is for ‘learning’ – they’re not able to learn or perform the same tasks that they used to. Again, a lot of it comes down to changes in their behaviour.
“So, if you see some of these signs, and you have an older pet, it is definitely worth a conversation with your veterinarian. There is no cure for cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats or dogs but there are a lot of things that we can do to help in each of these categories to make the life of your cat better, and your life better as well.”