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Elderly cats with dementia may hold clues for Alzheimer’s

Cats’ brains show a similar buildup of amyloid beta and messed up nerve cell connections

An old gray cat lies on its side next to a window.

With age, some cats can develop dementia, showing similar symptoms to those seen in Alzheimer’s. A new study shows that aged cat brains also have features of the disease, including hyperactive cells that eat up important connections between brain cells.

Yuliya Koneva/Getty Images

By Claudia López Lloreda

As cats age, they may yowl more than usual at night, have trouble sleeping or sleep too much, and act generally confused or disoriented.