When Constipation Looks Like a Cat Behaviour Problem: A Senior Cat in Trouble

Ben

My friend Ben is a very handsome, black-furred senior - all of 14 years old. He's famous for being  the Delta Society's first certified therapy cat in Canada. Cats-in-the-know enjoyed the chapter about him called "Take One Cat, as Needed, for Pain" in the book More Great Cat Stories: Incredible Tales About Exceptional Cats. Now retired, he has settled down to a life a relative ease.

Purrhaps this has contributed to his most recent problem: constipation.

Changes in the Eating Behaviour of Senior Cats

 The first installment of a series I plan to write about the behavioural needs of senior cats.

September is back-to-school time for many humans and Herself is no exception. She has now enrolled for cognitive enrichment course called Brain Fitness. I favour cognitive enrichment for humans because they need all the help they can get. Compared to we felines - the superior species - they have a way to go.

"Now what has this to do with cats?" you might ask.

Simply this: Like Herself, I, too, am getting on in years.  I am now in the 11+ category that marks me as senior. Indeed Herself and I are about the same age in human years, except I have a trimmer figure and am more agile. In these ways I have become her role model, though I doubt she'll resort to eating cat food and balancing on railings anytime soon.

Cat Food Matters: Eating Too Fast

 Dear Readers,

A few of you have written about an eating problem that is sometimes behavioural and sometimes not. The query usual goes something like this: While my folks were away, my hired slave noticed that I would, from time to time, wolf down my food. Some 10 minutes later, I would throw it back up. Somehow she didn't appreciate undigested matter on the counter top or the floor. What's with that?

A New Look

I decided to renovate my blog and give it a new look to celebrate having mastered the feature whereby I can insert videos into the entries. Okay, truth be told, I chose this new look because I think the lilac background sets off my pawtrait rather nicely.

I've also added a feature called "Follow By E-mail" so you can have this blog delivered to your e-mail instead of having to search for it.

Scroll to the bottom for some photos of colleagues and cats mentioned in entries. I hope to change these from time to time, so you can acquaint yourself with the stunning looks of my vast array of clients.

And I will expand my behavioural coverage to include said videos as well as notices about books or products I deem worthy. Note that I do NOT get compensated in any way for anything I mention; I prefurr my independence. But it something is worthwhile, I will let you know.

New Entries to Come

I have had a LONG vacation under the juniper bushes in the backyard. There have been voles to hunt, birds to chase, and dragonflies . . . lots of dragonflies. However I have been very remiss about blog entries. And I vow to do better. Stay tuned for new entries in the coming week.

Greyce