How to Help an Elderly Parent With a Pet

Some elderly parents who care for a pet may want or need a bit of help if they have difficulties with memory or balance. pikselstock/Shutterstock

Q: My elderly mother, who lives on her own nearby, has a cat named Emmy whom she adores. My mother is getting a little forgetful, and her balance is worsening. How can I help her with Emmy, or should I find Emmy a new home?

A: With a little help from you, your mother should be able to continue to care for Emmy. Pets contribute a great deal of joy and unconditional love to people’s lives. Moreover, studies show that pets improve human health, prolonging high-quality life.

To help your mother remember routine daily pet tasks, make her a cat care calendar to hang on the refrigerator. Start by choosing a blank calendar template from the internet. In every daily block, add three circles, each followed by one instruction: feed, water, and litter. Then print the calendar and hang it on her refrigerator.

If she already has a calendar she likes, you can print stickers with the three circles and instructions, and you or she can place the stickers on her calendar.

When she completes each task, she'll place an X in the circle to remind herself that it’s been done.

If your mother feeds Emmy twice daily, you can add two circles to the cat care calendar, or you can give your mom a pet feeder with a timer that automatically opens the food bins at the right times. Consider buying a pet water fountain that you'll refill and clean as needed, so your mom doesn’t have to refresh Emmy’s water bowl daily.

The next issue is your mother’s balance. If Emmy zigzags through her legs, give your mom a water pistol so she can squirt her cat when she’s underfoot. It’s probably best that your mother not bend over to pick up Emmy, but instead, sit down and let Emmy jump onto her lap.

Help your mother find a house call veterinarian or offer to drive her and Emmy to the animal hospital for regular wellness care and problem visits.

Finally, your mom may feel more peace of mind if she makes arrangements now for someone to care for Emmy in the event her cat outlives her.

Q: We think Ranger, our 11-year-old terrier mix, may be senile. He wanders around, stares into space, and often seems to get stuck in corners. Sometimes, he even urinates and defecates in the house. How can we help him?

A: Ranger may very well have senile cognitive dysfunction, but first, ask your veterinarian to rule out other diseases that can cause similar clinical signs.

Cognitive dysfunction is surprisingly common in senior dogs. While most affected dogs are over 9, the condition has been reported as early as age 7.

The clinical signs associated with changes in cognitive function progress gradually. They include disorientation, wandering, pacing, restlessness, anxiety, staring, lethargy, loss of house training, decreased interest in socializing and play, and changes in sleep patterns.

When senile dogs’ brains are examined at autopsy, they are atrophied and display evidence of mini-strokes and accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein. These brain changes are also common in human Alzheimer’s patients. In dogs, the amount of beta-amyloid plaque correlates with errors on cognitive tests administered while the dog was alive.

Research shows that dogs with senile cognitive dysfunction benefit from certain prescription diets, such as Hill’s b/d and Purina Neurocare. Medications like selegiline (Anipryl), SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine), and propentofylline are also effective.

In addition, you can help Ranger by structuring a predictable routine, exercising him daily, providing a variety of toys and other environmental stimulation, and offering him opportunities to play with other dogs.