Caring For Your Aging Cat

July 7, 2011 3:42 pm | By Zootoo Editor Flinn D.

Caring for Your Aging Cat, by Janice Borzendowski, covers the ups and downs, ins and outs, and all the bittersweet joy and drama of caring for your feline friend as he enters the golden years.

As your cat progresses into the later stages of its life, as its caretaker, you will want to understand the processes that are taking place in his body. This invaluable book helps you recognize the signs as your cat enters the golden years of life, and instructs you on how to provide appropriate care.

Borzendowski has a light touch and lightens her heavy subject matter with humorous anecdotes drawn from her extensive experience as a cat lover and owner. This tone is important -- because Borzendowski covers some pretty dark areas by necessity, such as recognizing chronic health problems, diagnosing diseases and knowing when it’s time to say goodbye to your loved one.

Caring for Your Aging Cat is structured into separate parts for easier reference. In Part 1, Borzendowski takes us through what we can expect as our cat starts to show signs of aging, as well as ways these progressions will change his life. In Part 2, the book switches over to the specifics of geriatric pet care and goes into great detail about ways in which we can improve quality of life for our cats as they age. Part 3 deals with the tough end-of-life questions, such as how to recognize when your cat’s decline is inevitable and when to consider euthanasia.

All-in-all, Caring for Your Aging Cat is a kind-hearted, step-by-step guide to dealing with one of the hardest aspects of pet guardianship you will ever deal with, and a useful guide for any senior cat owner.

Pros: Covers health care tips and emotional challenges; humane tone.

Cons: None.