Pain in pets is not always loud. A dog with significant joint discomfort may still wag at the door, and a cat with a painful problem may simply spend more time under the bed, stop jumping to a favorite perch, or hold the eyes partly closed.
An older dog walks toward the wrong side of the door and waits to be let outside. A senior cat begins wandering the hallway at two in the morning, calling loudly even though nothing obvious has changed.
A senior dog that once slept peacefully through the night may begin getting up at 2 a.m., wandering down the hallway, standing in a corner, or pacing from room to room.
Bringing home an older rescue dog can be surprisingly quiet. Instead of exploring the house, carrying toys around, or following everyone from room to room, a timid senior may find the safest corner available and simply watch.
A senior dog or cat can look different from the animal we remember from five or ten years ago. The face may be grayer, the pace may be slower, and the body may become a little less rounded.
There is a certain kind of quiet that settles over a home when a senior pet is resting nearby. Maybe your old dog is stretched out beside the couch after a slow walk, or your cat is curled into that one blanket they have claimed as their personal kingdom.
A senior dog or cat who suddenly begins leaving food behind can turn an ordinary feeding routine into a daily puzzle.
Bad breath in an older dog or cat is easy to dismiss as part of aging.
There comes a point in caring for some senior, chronically ill, or seriously ill pets when the question changes.
Animal rescues hear some version of the same sentence all the time: “I wish I could help, but I just don’t have extra money right now.”
A cat can use the same litter box faithfully for years and then, seemingly out of nowhere, begin hesitating at the entrance, balancing awkwardly on the edge, leaving urine or stool beside the box, or searching for another place to go.
Senior care usually does not begin with a dramatic diagnosis.
