When you first brought your kitten home, it was a ball of energy, zooming around the house, leaping from the drapes to bookcases and kitchen counters, and always looking for mischief to get into. But time passes quickly. One day you notice that your pet moves more slowly, preferring to curl up on your lap for a nap rather than chase your feet. The birds in the trees outside your living room window barely warrant a look, let alone lifting a paw to bat at the glass.

Its the aging process. Just as we slow down in our later years, cats show similar effects of aging. Bones ache. Joints stiffen. Kidneys and other organs become less efficient. Sight and hearing grow less acute. Balance is not as good. Older cats become less active and sleep more.

Old age can affect any body part, but cats kidneys and thyroid glands often deteriorate first and are the most commonly affected organs, according to Marcia Levine, a feline veterinarian in Buffalo, N.Y. We see a lot of renal disease and hyperthyroidism in our geriatric patients, she says. We also see a fair amount of diabetes, heart disease, dental disease and hypertension, but these aren't geriatric diseases per se, because younger cats can develop these diseases as well.

**For the full article, pick up the August issue of CAT FANCY.**