Senior Care

Owners often ask when a cat becomes senior, and the useful answer is that it depends on the cat as much as the calendar. Seven is the usual marker, but a slim indoor cat at twelve may be in better shape than an overweight nine-year-old. What matters more than the label is switching from reactive to proactive care: twice-yearly exams, bloodwork that establishes a baseline you can compare against, and a monthly weight — the cheapest early-warning system there is.

The changes of aging arrive quietly. A senior cat may sleep more, jump less, groom less thoroughly and lose a little muscle along the spine. Some of that is simply age; some of it is pain, dental disease, an overactive thyroid or failing kidneys, and those are treatable, or at least manageable, when found early. Weight loss in particular deserves a conversation rather than a wait, especially if the appetite is still good. A cat that seems confused at night, yowls after dark or forgets where the litter box is may be dealing with sensory decline or cognitive change.

Day-to-day care is mostly about lowering the effort required to live comfortably. Feed a highly digestible diet suited to any diagnosed condition, warm the food slightly to boost its aroma, and offer several small meals if one large one is left half-eaten. Bring the litter box to the cat rather than the reverse, add steps or ramps, keep a warm bed in a draught-free spot, and brush daily both to prevent mats and to feel for lumps, sore joints or new problems. Comfort is a reasonable goal in itself at this stage.