You can’t wing it when it comes to taking care of an elderly pet. To ensure a high standard of living for an old puss, it is essential to be adaptable to its changing needs.
A Chartreux cat named Angèle living in Quebec is full of life despite being 19 years old. To give you an idea, 20 years for a cat is similar to 95 years in human years.
So, Angèle has seen a great many seasons in her eventful life. Besides, her owners, Nathalie Dufour and Louis Robidoux treat her with the utmost care.
They adopted her when she was barely eight weeks old in 2003. She’ll turn twenty next February.
To lessen the effect of Angèle’s advancing years, Louis and his wife now include the cat in their everyday activities. Unfortunately, many older animals are abandoned because their owners lack enough knowledge on the subject.
Louis Robidoux joked that taking care of Angèle was like helping an aging relative. He explained that his Chartreux cat was originally a dark gray but is now gradually going white.
She has also lost a lot of weight. These are both symptoms of arthritis the feline undoubtedly has.
When asked how Angèle walks, Louis replied to Le Reflet:
“Like a model on the runway, she puts one paw in front of the other.”
Despite her frailer condition, the puss enjoys life to the fullest and never misses a chance to get fresh air. She enjoys long walks in the countryside, frequently bringing back fresh kills.
Adapting to the changing senior Chartreux cat
Over her lifetime, Angèle has experienced more than her fair share of unfortunate situations. Three times she came close to drowning in the pool before her owner rescued her.
The noises of the water alerted Louis, and he was able to save Angèle as she began to sink.
Later, the puss abruptly stopped eating, and the vet had no idea why. The good news is that she regained her appetite after trying a new meal plan.
It’s essential to recognize that taking care of Angèle is sometimes arduous. For reasons likely connected to her advanced age, she avoids anything other than pâtée and specially prepared meals.
The senior Chartreux cat is pretty particular about the freshness of the cans she consumes. So to ensure Angèle has enough protein, her owners also provide her with blended, steamed chicken legs.
According to Nathalie, grinding the meal by hand makes it easier to work with. More importantly, Angèle is a giant softie. Her owners know she needs reassurance when she purrs loudly.
Nathalie and Louis have prepared themselves emotionally for the agony of loss when their beloved tomcat finally leaves for the other side.