Cutie, Chubby and Grey Girl don’t allow much room for anyone else to sit in the chair with them.

As your cats get older, they start to slow down. They don’t run around like they used to. They sleep even more, which doesn’t seem possible. They don’t jump as high either. They don’t necessarily understand these changes. Here are some ideas to help them.

Put some steps to the higher places they like to sleep. Adding steps will help them get to their special spots, reducing their stress. It also keeps you from having to lift them up and down.

Put a heating pad in their bed. Since cats also get arthritis, a small heating pad in their favorite napping place will help keep their joints from stiffening up.

They will also most likely have incontinence problems. When they pee in places they never had before, they just couldn’t hold it anymore. They may pee while they are sitting with you. Don’t get mad at them, they really couldn’t help it. They may not even realize they did.

Most of all patience and understanding. When your cat doesn’t move fast enough, they aren’t doing it to annoy you, they just can’t move quickly anymore. Be patient, help them along gently. They are just like humans, they get more fragile as they get older.

Make sure you still hold your cat, and sit with your cat. Since they don’t realize they are doing these things, or having these problems, they won’t understand your change in attitude toward them. If you push them away when you were always inviting before, they have no idea why you don’t want them anymore. Keep an extra towel around, add the steps, give them extra heat. Do whatever you can to help them out in their time of need. They were always there for you.

Hopefully you will be understanding about the problems they are having. Just remember, they aren’t doing any of this to hurt you, or to spite you. They are just getting older. Love them and care for them as much as you always did. They may not be with you much longer.

Alph came to us last winter when his family moved.  He was the alpha cat of his little clowder.  He wouldn’t let the others eat, he would lay across the side of the bowl he wasn’t eating from so they couldn’t even get to it.  He has made himself very comfortable inside and outside my home.

Thunder was the third and last survivor of Gidget’s litter.  He had mismatched eyes that made his look even more penetrating.  He liked to spend days and weeks at a time hidden from everyone, but when he decided he wanted company, you weren’t allowed to say no, even if you had wanted to.

If you have hobbies, whether they are needlecrafts, woodworking, leatherworking, model-building, or many others, they can affect the health and well-being of your cat. Here are some cat safety tips to be aware of while working on your hobbies.

Needleworkers, there are many different types of needlework crafts out there, some don’t even have needles, but are still in the same basic category. If your type of craft has needles, always know where your needles are. Your cat can swallow them and cause serious harm. It can get caught in their throat, or if it manages to get into the stomach, it can get caught there, too. Your yarn, thread or floss can be dangerous if they eat it also. These types of things can get caught up in their system, and get wrapped around their organs. If any of these things happens, it will take surgery to fix. Don’t forget when you put your scissors down to put the tip away from anywhere your cat might jump, inside something safe is best.

Working with wood has it’s hazards, too. Watch out for the woodshavings, they can get into your cat’s eyes, and into their lungs. Either way it is dangerous for them to be around while working with wood. I don’t know of any cat that will wear the googles and face mask necessary to be around woodworking. This goes for wood burning as well, cats love heat, and will come close to be near it, and just to see what you are doing. Any power tool is dangerous around cats, they can come out of nowhere and get seriously injured in seconds.

Building any kind of models has it’s share of danger for your cats. Small parts that are tempting to bat around and play with are sure to be swallowed as well. Don’t forget your glue, they are sure to get into it and either get glued to themselves or something else. Your knives have very sharp edges that your cat can easily cut themselves on.

There is a huge list of dangerous plants for your cats, so gardeners need to be aware, too. Lilies, chrysanthemums, potatoes, ferns, baby’s breath, tomatoes, and daffodils are just a small portion of the commonly grown house and garden plants that are extremely dangerous to cats. Make sure you check out a list of dangerous plants before you plant your indoor or outdoor garden. If you are going to grow plants not healthy for cats, make sure you keep them away from your cats.

Glass working of any kind has multiple hazards for you and your cats. Working with stained glass and breaking your own glass for mosaics can produce shards that are easily picked up in kitty paws, that are then licked and swallowed. Sharp edges are also easy for your cat to get into since they jump on everything, and everywhere they are not wanted. Blowing glass has hazards, too. Since cats love heat, they will do everything they can to get near your furnace, and they can get badly burned.

Metal working has similar hazards to the glass. Splinters of metal are like the shards of glass, your cat can pick them up in it’s paws while walking through the room, then lick them off their feet and swallow. Metal shavings can get into their eyes and into their lungs. Sharp edges can easily be jumped onto since cats can jump very high, and from far away.

Painting has numerous chemicals that your cat can get into. If you work in oils, the turpentine or other chemicals needed to clean your brushes can make your cat very sick if he gets into them. Always check into the composition of your supplies to make sure they are safe. Creosote that is sometimes used for cleaning can be dangerous. Make sure you pack these things away, and keep kitty out.

Basically any hobby can be dangerous for your cat, they can swallow jigsaw puzzle pieces, too. I only covered a few here, but each had it’s own hazards. There are a few guidelines to keep in mind for keeping kitty safe. Make sure your cat is not in the room at all when working with powertools. Keep all your supplies safely away where your cat can’t get to them. If working on something that can possibly become airborne, like wood, glass, metal, etc, keep your cat away, and if you plan on letting the cat into the room at another time, find all missing pieces. All sharp edges should be turned in toward a corner of a drawer, if at all possible, keep your supplies enclosed when not actually using them, even if you only put them down for a few seconds.

Moria was the second of Gidget’s litter on March 12, 1995.  She is the oldest girl in the house, and she loves to cuddle.

Lightning is the oldest of our remaining cats.  He was the first born in Gidget’s litter on March 12, 1995.  I had never been around anything giving birth before, and I was all alone.  His mom was determined that I be there for the birth, she screamed if I left, so I had to stay and it was wonderful.