Why is my senior cat suddenly aggressive, disoriented, not listening?

Sorry you are having some troubles with Monster! I recommend that you take him to your vet for a senior blood panel. They can check his thyroid as well. Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland) is not uncommon in older cats and can lead to behavioral changes, more vocalization, eating more, acting odd. Get him in for bloodwork when you can! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Yes, that could be possible. Dogs can develop canine cognitive dysfunction, which is essentially dementia in dogs. This can cause behavior changes. Being sick can also lead Nelson to act aggressively because he feels so badly. I'd have him seen by a vet first thing in the morning for a health check. If he does have canine cognitive dysfunction, it can be managed with diet and medication. I hope this helps!

It may not be his time yet but he does need to be examined by the veterinarian today. The disorientation and potential blindness is concerning for low blood sugar, hypertension, a brain tumor and a few other conditions. Some of these conditions respond very well to treatment and some don't but first, you must know what is happening so you know the treatment options. Just like humans, diseases are best diagnosed and treated early so have him examined today. I hope he gets this figured out quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Large breed dogs rarely live to be 12 years or older. Even if his blood testing (senior panel) is normal that doesn't mean everything is OK with him. Blood testing is not the only diagnostic tool we have to tell if an animal is healthy. It's a good place to start but it is not the end all, be all. I suggest you have some x-rays done of his chest and his abdomen. He may arthritis in his spine or other joints that is making him crabby. He may be showing signs of congnitive dysfunction (dementia). There are medications that may help him depending on what is going on. The first thing is ruling out medical issues (like arthritis, a tumor in the abdomen, an enlarged heart, etc). If nothing obvious is found then it is likely dementia and again, medications are available that may help him.

A sudden change in food can cause GI upset which may have led to pain or Pepper not feeling well. The stress of moving on top of that could certainly have caused the behavior you saw as well. Giving him some time to adjust to the new food (and switching it over gradually if you can) and new place may help him to relax, however if his symptoms continue or he shows signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, etc, then scheduling a vet visit is best.

PooR Thomas. This does sound quite strange. He could be suffering from dementia or even a seizure or neurological activity. Cats are weird because they don't always have the same type of seizure as you would think they should with convulsions. I would have your vet take a look at him to see if there is anything else that could be causing the behavior. They may be able to start him on an anti-anxiety medicine to help calm him and help him act more normal. I hope this helps !

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The development of aggression as a dog gets older is not something I would consider to be normal. This behavioral change could be due to canine cognitive dysfunction (think of this as doggy dementia) or potentially something more neurological (brain tumor or degenerative change to the brain). I would recommend having Buddy examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. There may be something systemic going on so having his blood tested would be a good idea. There are drugs that you can use for doggy dementia such as Selegiline. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.