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Why is my 12-year-old cat biting me? Is it dementia or pain?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Himalayan | Male | neutered

My 12 year old himalayan has started to bite me for no reason. Could he have dementia.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 17th, 2017

Older cats can sometimes start to show signs of dementia, but usually these cats tend to wander, get 'lost' in the house or vocalize for no obvious reason. There are some other medical conditions that could cause a change in behavior including hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) or possibly pain from arthritis or another condition. I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and potentially testing like blood work to make sure there isn't a medical reason for the biting.

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