August 5, 2008

A new study shows that an increasing number of elderly cats suffer from a form of dementia akin to Alzheimer’s Disease. (Pet Pulse Photo Illustration by Mike Lloyd)

LONDON -- A new study shows that an increasing number of elderly cats suffer from a form of dementia akin to Alzheimer’s Disease, which experts say affects a million cats in Britain, as well as felines in the U.S.

The research on Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome was overseen by Dr. Danielle Gunn-Moore, professor of feline medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. What causes cat dementia remains unknown, she says.

The study included work by Gunn-Moore’s husband, Dr. Frank Gunn-Moore, who researches human Alzheimer’s at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. Bristol University in England also contributed to the study.

“We’d been talking about the fact that our old cat seemed to be getting demented,” Danielle Gunn-Moore told Pet Pulse. “And so, I then started thinking a bit more about how many of my patients show signs of dementia.”

While doing her residency at Bristol, Danielle Gunn-Moore studied the remains of older cats whose bodies were donated to science by their owners.

“These cats all showed signs of neurological disease, behavior problems, things like that,” Gunn-Moore said. “We couldn’t find out what was wrong with them. We studied those brains, and we were able to show that there are changes in the older cats that look like early Alzheimer’s-type changes in them.”

There are between eight million and nine million cats in Britain, Gunn-Moore estimated. Of those, 15 percent are older than 15 years old, and about half in that age group shows signs of dementia.

Alzheimer’s-like symptoms can begin in cats as young as 11 years old, Gunn-Moore says.

“The clinical signs are very, very similar,” she said. “Humans lose toilet training, so they have mistakes and things. These cats forget how to use their litter box. They often wake up in the middle of the night completely awake but very disorientated.

“Cats cry out loudly as well because they’re disorientated and confused. They sometimes forget their owners or they interact differently. Their behavior changes, sometimes they get very clingy. Sometimes they get very disinterested with the owners.”

One reason for a growth in cats with dementia is that felines are living longer than before, Gunn-Moore says.

“Certainly, we’re seeing a growing population in humans, in cats, in dogs through America and in mainland Europe,” she said. “Much improved healthcare is a very important part of it. Owners vaccinate their cats, they get dentals done.

“When their cats get sick, they bring them to the vet and say, ‘Make my cat better.’ They don’t want to just want to get rid of it and have a new cat. They want this cat. So people are willing to spend much more money on veterinary care.”

Better living conditions are also contributing to cat longevity.

“A lot more cats live inside,” she said. “And obviously, if they’re living inside then the risk of trauma from a road traffic accident or being chased by a dog, that sort of thing is reduced as well. And some infectious disease, but not all infectious disease, is reduced by living inside as well.”

There is help for cats suffering from dementia. Hill’s, the pet food manufacturer, makes prescription diet j/d for cats with aching joints due to arthritis. The blend has also proven to improve the mental capacity of cats with dementia.

“All the stuff is in it,” Gunn-Moore said. “Loads of anti-oxidants, loads of other stuff that really improved brain function.”

Hill’s did one study of 75 cats, all older than 12, and later questioned their owners about the j/d food’s impact on their dementia, Gunn-Moore says.

“Over 70 percent said their cats had improved cognitive function,” she said. “It’s great. I think it’s a fabulous brain diet. I’ve got a lot of little old cats on that brain diet. It’s really nice.”

The j/d food should not, however, be given to younger cats as a dementia preventative, Gunn-Moore says, because it contains far too much fat and protein.

There are a few food supplements that look promising for helping cat dementia but require more research, according to Gunn-Moore.

Drugs can also help to stave off dementia in cats, Gunn-Moore says, including Selegiline, which is used to treat humans with early-stage Parkinson’s disease, depression and senile dementia.

The first step in helping your cat cope with dementia is recognizing the signs of it.

“Whether it’s loss of recognition, sleeping more, a bit confused, litter box mistakes,” Gunn-Moore said. “Anything like that, go to the vet and get a geriatric health care check done.

“Because there are lots of diseases that are really treatable. Lots and lots of different things that we can do that will really help improve the health and welfare of that little, old cat.

“And we may be able to make that cat’s life, a lot -- a lot -- nicer.”

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