Cats Get Dementia, Too: What Cat Parents Need to Know

“They initially thought she was just a bit confused, but her distress grew more frequent, and she often seemed unsure where she was,” Dench continues. 

Dench ordered a full work-up for the distressed cat, including thyroid, renal, and blood pressure checks. The results ruled out pain or systemic illness and pointed to a diagnosis: Feline Cognitive Dysfunction (FCD), sometimes referred to as feline dementia or Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS).

Similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, CDS in cats and dogs is caused by age-related changes to the brain. It’s progressive and degenerative. CDS becomes more common as cats age, with over 25 percent of cats aged 11 to 14 showing one or more symptoms. By age 15 and over, 50 percent of cats display symptoms.

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Symptoms of Feline Cognitive Dysfunction

“Because of the nature of FCD, a lot of the time we’re relying on owners noticing and mentioning changes they see in their cat’s behaviour at home,” Dench says. The acronym VISHDAAL summarizes the behavioural changes indicative of cognitive dysfunction that a pet owner might witness.

• Vocalization: Excessive meowing and yowling, especially at night.
• Interactions: Noticeable changes in interactions between the cat and its owner or other pets, such as a marked increase or decrease in demands for attention and affection or an increase in aggression.
• Sleep-wake cycle: Noticeable changes in the cat’s sleep patterns. Often this means the cat is restless during the night, wandering around and vocalizing constantly.
• House-soiling: Urinating or defecating outside the litter box, sometimes in front of the owner.
• Disorientation: Wandering aimlessly while seeming confused or lost.
• Activity level: Either a marked increase (pacing, wandering) or decrease (sleeping a lot, not playing much) in the cat’s activity level.
• Anxiety: Visible indicators of stress and nervousness.
• Learning and memory: Forgetting where items, such as the food dish and litter box, are located or forgetting previously learned behaviours.

Diagnosing Cognitive Dysfunction

“Diagnosis of Feline Cognitive Dysfunction can be challenging because feline patients can’t talk to us to tell us about their symptoms. Generally speaking, FCD will present as cats who seem confused in what is otherwise a familiar environment,” says Dr. Julie Hunt, a veterinarian at Embrace Pet Insurance and the Executive Dean of the Lincoln Memorial University-Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine in Tennessee. “In general, FCD goes unnoticed until it is quite far advanced. Typically, the first sign that owners notice is night yowling, because it disrupts the owner’s sleep, or problems with litter box use. Those are the things that bring them into the veterinary clinic. However, often the cognitive decline has been ongoing for several years at that point.” 

Typically, the first sign that owners notice is night yowling, because it disrupts the owner’s sleep.

In addition to the VISHDAAL symptoms, Hunt mentions a less-common sign: difficulty eating. She recalls, “One FCD patient of mine grew to only eat from the near side of his bowl. As soon as the food was pushed to the far side of the bowl, it was like he didn’t know it was there anymore. Once the owner turned the bowl around so that the food was on the near side, he would begin eating again.” 

Some symptoms of cognitive dysfunction may at first seem to point to other neurologic diseases, but a good veterinarian will systematically rule out other conditions before arriving at a diagnosis of FCD. Hunt says, “The signs of FCD can be differentiated from arthritis, which should only impact a cat’s mobility; vision loss, which generally minimally impacts a cat’s movement through the house unless it is complete; hearing loss, which has little impact upon the cat’s function unless complete, and even then is tolerated well in a stable home environment; and metabolic diseases, which can cause yowling and a decrease in appetite but not the other signs typical of FCD.”

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Caring for a Cat with Cognitive Dysfunction

To help a cat diagnosed with cognitive dysfunction, an owner should minimize changes in the home’s physical layout. This is not the time to knock out walls, rearrange furniture, or otherwise make major changes that could be disruptive to the cat. “Adding or removing cats or family members can be similarly disruptive,” Hunt points out. “A clear daily routine can be helpful.” 

A clear daily routine can be helpful for a cat diagnosed with cognitive dysfunction

Also helpful for a cat with FCD is ready access to several food dishes, water bowls, comfy sleeping areas, and litter boxes. Hunt recommends providing lots of play opportunities along with safe access to the outdoors, perhaps via a catio, and visual access to the outdoors via a window shelf, all to make the cat’s day more interesting and help keep the cat’s mind sharp. “Providing puzzle toys, engaging play, and toys is helpful for keeping these cats engaged in their environment.” Of course, cats of any age benefit from an enriched environment. 

Some supplements and nutritional changes can be advantageous for cats with FCD. “Science Diet makes a feline Brain Care diet that supports brain health with nutrients like fish oil (DHA), antioxidants including vitamin E, and L-carnitine. It is often combined with their j/d diet that supports joint health, as many senior cats also have arthritis symptoms,” Hunt says. “If owners prefer to keep their cat on their current diet, they can support their cat’s brain function by supplementing omega-3 fatty acids or DHA, antioxidants such as S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe).”

Cats that often become confused or agitated, especially at night, may be prescribed gabapentin to help ease the anxiety. “Gabapentin will make your cat tired, so you may not want to dose them with it 24 hours a day,” Hunt says. “Using a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway can also help with calming your cat.”

Kathryn Dench describes some modifications that were made to help the 15-year-old domestic shorthair with FCD mentioned earlier. “We established a calm bedtime routine: she received a small bedtime treat, followed by gentle petting before being placed in her bed as the lights went out. We added a SAMe-based cognitive supplement and left dim night-lights on in the hall,” she says. “The yowling didn’t disappear, but as the routine became established it reduced to a few brief calls each night—manageable for both cat and owners. In these cases, better rather than fixed is often the realistic goal.” When it comes to cognitive dysfunction, any improvement should be counted as a win. 

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“Another case I remember was a 17-year-old Persian, who began sitting near her food bowl but not eating, as if she had forgotten why she was there. The owner sometimes found her wandering into the kitchen, meowing in confusion,” Dench recalls. “We made practical adjustments: her food bowl always stayed in the same place, on a brightly coloured mat to catch her attention, and we kept the same brand and scent of food to maintain familiarity. Her owner began gently guiding her to the bowl at set mealtimes and hand-feeding a little food to help remind her it was dinner time. While these simple cues didn’t ‘cure’ the problem, they re-established a predictable routine that reduced stress for both the cat and her owner.”

Dench mentions one more symptom she sometimes sees in the exam room that may point to FCD: the empty stare. She describes it as the cat zoning out or disappearing into their own thoughts. “One patient of mine with early FCD did this during an exam, and her owners mentioned she would sometimes stop mid-grooming and stare into space, seemingly forgetting what she was doing. She’d ‘come back’ if they petted her and talked to her, and then either carry on with what she was doing or move on to something else.” What makes this case particularly fascinating, Dench says, is what happened when the family then fostered a four-month-old kitten. “The older cat initially seemed confused but gradually began watching and then cautiously engaging—batting at a toy, following the kitten to the food area. The zoning out decreased dramatically, as the active kitten around her kept her attention in the here and now.” Similar to having a catio or a window shelf, having an active kitten to play with may help to keep a cat with FCD engaged—or it could stress out the cat even more, since each cat is different. 

Dr. Nathaniel Rakestraw, a veterinarian with TelaVets, reinforces the need to keep everything as simple as possible for cats living with FCD. “These cats can still have a good life for quite a while, but they really depend on routine and stability,” he says. “Keep pathways clear, make sure the litter box is easy to find and easy to get into, and try to keep lighting steady, especially at night. Consistency is key. Feeding them at the same times each day, speaking softly, and maintaining predictable patterns helps reduce anxiety.” Of equal importance, he says, is managing your expectations. “FCD isn’t just memory loss. It’s confusion, restlessness, sometimes even anxiety.”

Quality of Life for Cats Living with FCD

As cognitive dysfunction progresses, the signs of it become more apparent. “Cats might start wandering aimlessly, get stuck in corners, or meow loudly at night. They might forget where the litter box is or even stop recognizing familiar people,” Rakestraw says. “When that starts happening, I tell owners to focus on quality-of-life indicators. Are they eating? Are they comfortable? Do they still enjoy being petted or sitting with you?” 

When it comes to a cat with FCD, these tough questions often must be asked much sooner than anyone would like.

These are questions no animal lover ever likes to consider, but they’re part of choosing to share one’s life and home with pets. And when it comes to a cat with FCD, these tough questions often must be asked much sooner than anyone would like. Rakestraw says, “When a cat begins to withdraw completely, stops eating, or seems anxious and lost more often than calm, that’s when it may be time to have a conversation about what’s next. No one can pinpoint a perfect moment, but your cat will often show you when they’re tired and ready.”

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Preventing Feline Cognitive Dysfunction

Is there any way to prevent Feline Cognitive Dysfunction? “It’s unclear that it can be prevented, as it is primarily caused by age-related changes in the brain,” says Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, a scientist and cat behaviour expert at Rover. However, like humans attempting to ward off Alzheimer’s disease by exercising regularly and doing crossword puzzles, some strategies may be worth trying for cats. 

“It is possible that cat caregivers can slow the progression of CDS by feeding their cat a high-quality diet, engaging the cat in regular exercise and mental stimulation, and setting up the environment to support an aging cat,” Delgado says. For a senior cat, that could mean food puzzles, regular playtime, and ramps or stairs for easy access to favourite spots. It’s also a good idea to minimize stress for the cat as much as possible, Delgado says, and to take the cat to the vet twice a year for a checkup. “Speak to your veterinarian about supplements or medications that may be helpful. To date, their efficacy has been limited, but medications that treat anxiety may help calm your cat who is struggling with changes in their capabilities.”

CBD and Feline Cognitive Dysfunction

A study published in December 2020 in the Journal of Cannabis Research examined Cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible treatment for Feline Cognitive Dysfunction, using the condition as a model for Alzheimer’s disease in humans. 

The study concluded that the use of CBD to treat Alzheimer’s seems extremely promising, thanks to CBD’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and its ability to slow or reverse many of the pathological processes in Alzheimer’s disease. However, much more research on CBD benefits, risks, and doses is still needed, preferably through clinical veterinary trials on aging domestic cats with FCD. 

“At VetCS we frequently see interest from pet owners looking for ways to support aging animals experiencing behavioural or cognitive changes,” says Trish Wilhelm, a registered veterinary technician and the cofounder of VetCS, which focuses on cannabinoid-based therapies for cats, dogs, and horses. “While most clinical observations currently come from canine patients, cats possess the same endocannabinoid system involved in neurologic balance, inflammation, and stress response. In practice, many veterinarians take a cautious approach with cats due to their unique metabolism, using very low doses and monitoring closely.” Wilhelm is optimistic about what the future holds for this area of veterinary care. “More research is needed, but the endocannabinoid system represents a promising area of exploration for supporting senior pet wellness.”

CBD does appear to help ameliorate some of the symptoms of Feline Cognitive Dysfunction, says Dr. Katherine Kramer, an integrative veterinarian at VCA-Canada Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital and co-author of the first textbook on Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine. “A majority of my geriatric feline patients have had very positive responses to CBD.”

“Studies have shown CBD to have anti-inflammatory effects which can help address symptoms made worse by pain,” she continues. “Full spectrum products contain flavonoids and other cannabinoids, which when mixed with MCT oil, has been shown to have antioxidant action and slow down neural degeneration.”

Dr. Kramer notes that obtaining a safe product continues to be a challenge as there are no legal or regulated pet products, and that it is important to be mindful of potential drug interactions as many senior cats are on medications: “Please work with your veterinarian for safety and effective dosing,” she says.

Cats may prove to be a useful model for studying dementia and, ultimately, curing it.

Studying Cats Might Be the Key to New Human Treatments for Alzheimer’s

Cats who develop dementia in old age show brain changes similar to humans with Alzheimer’s, new research has found. The study, published in August 2025 in the European Journal of Neuroscience, looked at the brains of 25 cats postmortem, examining the differences between young cats, older cats, and cats with CDS. The brains of the cats afflicted with CDS showed changes like those found in the brains of humans with Alzheimer’s disease, including atrophy, loss of neurons, tau tangles (twisted fibers of protein inside neurons), and an accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques (misfolded proteins) between nerve cells. Since cats develop CDS spontaneously, similar to how humans develop Alzheimer’s disease, and since cats live in our environments with us, sharing risk factors such as poor air quality, cats may prove to be a useful model for studying dementia and, ultimately, curing it. 

With more research, the hope is that someday dementia will be eradicated for everyone, humans and pets alike. In the meantime, some extra patience, love, and care on the owner’s part can help a cat with cognitive dysfunction to live a long and happy life.

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Cat magazine.
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