Changes

It is thought that FCD affects 28% of cats between the ages of eleven and fourteen, and 50% of cats over fifteen years old <ref name="Landsberg2">Landsberg, G.M., Denenberg, S., Araujo, J.A., 2010. Cognitive Dysfunction in Cats: A Syndrome we Used to Dismiss as 'Old Age'. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 12: 837</ref>. Although clinical signs in cats generally seem to become evident at around ten to eleven years old, neurones in the caudate nucleus start to show functional changes by six-seven years of age<ref>Levine MS, Lloyd RL, Fisher RS, Hull CD, Buchwald NA. Sensory, motor and cognitive alterations in aged cats. Neurobiol Aging 1987; 8: 253–63</ref><ref>Levine MS, Lloyd RL, Hull CD, Fisher RS, Buchwald NA. Neurophysiological alterations in caudate neurons in aged cats. Brain Res 1987; 401:213–30</ref><ref>Harrison J, Buchwald J. Eyeblink conditioning deficits in the old cat. Neurobiol Aging 1983; 4:45–51</ref>. Diagnosis of CDS in cats is a greater challenge than in dogs, as the signs are often less apparent due to the cat's independent outdoor lifestyle.

It is thought that FCD affects 28% of cats between the ages of eleven and fourteen, and 50% of cats over fifteen years old <ref name="Landsberg2">Landsberg, G.M., Denenberg, S., Araujo, J.A., 2010. Cognitive Dysfunction in Cats: A Syndrome we Used to Dismiss as 'Old Age'. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 12: 837</ref>. Although clinical signs in cats generally seem to become evident at around ten to eleven years old, neurones in the caudate nucleus start to show functional changes by six-seven years of age<ref>Levine MS, Lloyd RL, Fisher RS, Hull CD, Buchwald NA. Sensory, motor and cognitive alterations in aged cats. Neurobiol Aging 1987; 8: 253–63</ref><ref>Levine MS, Lloyd RL, Hull CD, Fisher RS, Buchwald NA. Neurophysiological alterations in caudate neurons in aged cats. Brain Res 1987; 401:213–30</ref><ref>Harrison J, Buchwald J. Eyeblink conditioning deficits in the old cat. Neurobiol Aging 1983; 4:45–51</ref>. Diagnosis of CDS in cats is a greater challenge than in dogs, as the signs are often less apparent due to the cat's independent outdoor lifestyle.

==Signs and Diagnosis==

==Investigation==

'''Behaviours signs of FCD include'''<ref>Gunn-Moore, D., Moffat, K., Christie, L.A. & Head, E., 2007. Cognitive dysfunction and the neurobiology of ageing in cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice 48, 546-553.</ref><ref name= "Landsberg2" />:

'''Behaviours signs of FCD include'''<ref>Gunn-Moore, D., Moffat, K., Christie, L.A. & Head, E., 2007. Cognitive dysfunction and the neurobiology of ageing in cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice 48, 546-553.</ref><ref name= "Landsberg2" />:

*'''Reduced activity'''

*'''Reduced activity'''