Max the demented cat.

Max on a good day.


Cats can develop dementia when they get older. Both our cats are showing signs, but Max is really losing it. He's always had some problems reaching back to when he was a kitten, he had cat flu and meningitis, this left him with 'learning difficulties'. He's never caught a bird, his idea of stalking is to bounce up the garden like tigger out of winnie the pooh, and looks surprised when they fly off. He's even been known to run down the garden path wetting him self when a black bird has chased him, what a woos!

Over the last couple of years he has started needing nursing more, which is good. But on the other hand he has started for no reason to bite me, which isn't so good.
He sprays up and down the garden even the pond gets it. This behavior he has brought into the house luckily not as much, Andy's computer screen and in the hall are his favorit places,'nice'.
This the cat does apparently because they forget where they are and how to get back home, and the sent trail helps them to find their way back. (Wicked thought, may be next time he goes out I could have the garden disinfected and he might not find his way back, bad lynda bad, bad girl).
You dare not go up to him to give him a stroke in case he scratches you. I recently had a scratch from him that left a large cut in the palm of my hand. He was sat on a chair looking more out of it than usual, (he always looks like the only thing going through his head is white noise)I gave him a gentle stroke he spun upside down in terror and attacked me.

He comes in through the cat flap in the night and meows until you shout down and say its alright Max, he just needs reassuring then he settles. That is except one night he was too upset and I had to go down stairs to calm him. He was more affectionate tan usual, he was obviously pleased to see me. He settled after lots of love then made sure I didn't disappear from him by marking me. Great! nothing like a shower at 2am in the middle of the night. One other thing, he forgets he's eaten and keeps asking for more, he can be hard work. Oh, I forgot he keeps attacking Leah our other cat, she does not no whats hit her half the time. He jumps on her while she sleeps and grabs her when she goes through the cat flap, she has just had enough of him and growls when he comes near, and who can blame her.

Poor old Max! The condition is very similar to what we see in human Alzheimer's. I didn't realize cats could get it, but there's a lot about cat dementia on the net. It's quite worrying, we not sure what to do about it, or him.