Watch for these symptoms of feline cognitive dysfunction
Dear Cathy: I read with interest your response to Kathy from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, who reported that her family’s 17-year-old indoor cat was keeping them awake with his nighttime howling. They reported that the cat had been crying
“for years” after they went to bed but that the crying had gotten worse and escalated to howls. I was disappointed that you did not suggest that the cause of the changed nighttime vocalization could be feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome (FCD). As someone who has owned or fostered nearly 90 kitties over the past 60 years, I’ve had my fair share of super seniors, and many have developed FCD as they aged. Loud distressed-sounding nighttime vocalization and increased attention-seeking are pretty common symptoms of this disorder.
There are other indicators of FCD, like getting lost in a familiar space or staring at a wall for hours along with behavioral problems like eliminating outside of the litter box, but I think it might be helpful for Kathy to discuss FCD with her vet as a possible cause of her kitty’s nighttime howling. There are several medications that can be tried to help reduce this behavior, like Prozac or Gabapentin.
— Marilyn, Canton, Connecticut
Dear Marilyn: I checked in with Kathy and in a follow-up email. She said: “There have been times when he acts as if he has had a stroke or something. He will stare at the wall for extended periods … sometimes he sits in the corner and just howls. It’s heartbreaking but as he is almost 18, I figured there was little to be done. Am I wrong?”
I told her he should be checked for FCD, but
she said he had been on Gabapentin for a year for a left paw injury and saw no changes in his behavior. While it sounds like FCD, he has also been less active as a result of the paw injury. In addition to the activities I suggested, I recommended she follow up with her vet regarding FCD.
Dear Cathy: I have a 2-yearold female Shih-Poo. She is very attached to me until she sees an open door or gate, then she runs like crazy. She is fast and will not come when I call her. I try bribing her with her
favorite treat. She will run and look back to see if I am following. She will come back toward the house but when she sees me, she runs again. It’s all a game to her. What can I do to stop this behavior and get her to come when I call her?
— Evelyn, Longwood, Florida
Dear Evelyn: Your little munchkin needs recall training so she will always come when called. Part of successful recall involves her making eye contact with you every time you say her name. Begin by
saying her name, and when she makes eye contact, use a word, like “bingo” to acknowledge the correct behavior, and give her a treat. When eye contact is solid, call her by saying “come” or “here” in an area of your house where there are no distractions. When you are comfortable with her responsiveness, gradually increase the degree of difficulty by doing it outside while on a leash, then on a leash when a gate is open, etc. Train her every day for the next few months, and you should see improvement in her recall.
Dear Cathy: You should tell Rita from Boynton Beach, Florida, that, in addition to completely changing clothes in the garage, the person applying the chemical must remove their shoes and socks. If the chemicals are on the soles of the shoes, walking into the house in those shoes will spread the chemicals all over the carpets and flooring. They’ll never be able to remove the residue and the poor cat will never have any peace!
Dear Kathleen: I assumed that when I said one should remove their clothes after applying chemicals to the lawn and before going into the house that included shoes and socks as well. But I should never assume. Thanks for writing.