When your cat gets older
From ten years old a cat is a senior, and old age can last another eight or ten years. Catching changes early is what gives it the best quality of life.
When a cat becomes senior
Feline life stage guidelines class a cat of seven to ten as a mature adult and as senior from ten. On the outside it may look the same: cats age quietly. The first changes are small: it sleeps more, jumps less, grooms less well so the fur on its back looks clumped, becomes fussier about food or clingier, or yowls more, especially at night. It is easy to put it all down to age, but many of these changes are symptoms of something treatable.
The most common illnesses
Chronic kidney disease is very common in older cats and progresses silently for years: it shows as more thirst, more urine, weight loss and an erratic appetite. Hyperthyroidism makes cats eat a lot yet lose weight, be restless and vomit. Diabetes causes thirst, lots of urine and weight loss. High blood pressure can damage the eyes suddenly. And the mouth, with tooth resorption and periodontal disease, causes pain the cat bears in silence. All of them show up earlier in a blood and urine test and a blood pressure reading than they do at home.
The arthritis you do not see
Most cats over twelve show signs of arthritis on an X-ray, and almost none limp. What you see is something else: it stops jumping onto the bed or the sofa, gets up in two stages, does not jump to the window, pees or poos outside the tray because climbing into a high-sided one hurts, grooms less or is grumpier when touched. Arthritis pain can be treated, and the vet must set the treatment: never give it human painkillers, paracetamol is highly toxic to cats and ibuprofen can also do serious harm.
A home for an older cat
Small changes make its life much easier. A low-sided litter tray or one with a cut-out entrance, on the same floor where it spends the day. Ramps or steps up to its favourite spot on the sofa or by the window. Soft, warm beds away from draughts. Water in several places, a fountain if it likes one and more wet food. And gentle brushing if it can no longer groom its back properly. Play is still important, but shorter and calmer: an older cat that plays for five minutes stays more agile and more alert.
Check-ups every six months
From ten years old, a check-up every six months is recommended, with blood and urine tests and a blood pressure reading, plus a mouth examination and weighing. Six months in an older cat’s life is equivalent to several years in a person’s, and kidney disease caught early can be managed with diet and treatment for years. At home, note its weight every month, how much it drinks and any change in behaviour, with the date. That notebook is the most useful information you will take to the vet.
From age ten, a check-up every six months with blood tests and blood pressure. What looks like old age, such as sleeping more, jumping less or drinking more, is often something treatable. Low trays, ramps, warmth and never human painkillers.
Educational content from Michipedia. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.