Making a cat’s golden years good

Live webinar date : 12th February 2020 8pm

Advances in veterinary medicine has increased the life expectancy of cats. However, we must ensure that they enjoy this extra time. With age, the function of major body organs such as the kidneys, heart, joints and brain deteriorate. The special senses including smell and vision also decline. Although we cannot stop the clock on ageing, we can support an ageing cat if we anticipate and monitor these changes. When working as a team, veterinarians and owners can enhance these golden years and assist their cat with “the activities of daily living”.

Learning objectives

–  To understand the main changes that happen as cats age
–  To learn what is normal in a senior or geriatric cat
–  To learn what is abnormal in a senior or geriatric pet
–  To understand why regular veterinary checks are vital to maintaining an older cat’s quality of life
–  To understand why mental and physical health are both important to a cat’s overall well-being
–  To learn how to help our feline friends navigate their golden years

Speaker: Sheilah A Robertson BVMS (Hons), PhD, DACVAA, DECVAA, DACAW, DECAWBM (WSEL), CVA, MRCVS.

 Dr. Sheilah Robertson graduated from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Following time in private practice and a surgery internship she undertook specialized training in anesthesia and completed her PhD at the University of Bristol. She is board certified in anesthesia and in animal welfare by the respective American and European Colleges and holds a certificate in small animal acupuncture. In 2014 she completed her graduate certificate in Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida. In 2019 she received her certification as a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Palliative and End-of-Life practitioner by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine. She has published widely on the recognition and alleviation of pain in cats. Currently she is the senior medical director of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, a large network of veterinarians dedicated to end-of-life care and in-home euthanasia throughout the USA. Dr Robertson is also a courtesy Professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.