What is considered senior for a cat?

My 15-year-old cat, Lance, sits next to me as I write this piece. He is special to me because he is the oldest of my four cats and we have shared quite a bit of time together. Caring for him helps me to cross-check the guidance I give to anyone who is sharing their life with a senior cat and wants to provide them with the very best care. Owner observations and vigilance, regular veterinary exams, and wellness testing are the four cornerstones of excellent senior cat care.

Table of Contents Show

What to Watch for in a Cat’s Senior Years
What Are the Most Common Diseases Seen in a Senior Cat?
Your Veterinarian's Role
How Can You Keep Your Senior Cat Healthy?
What Is the Best Nutrition for a Senior Cat?

According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Senior Care Guidelines, older cats are classified as mature or middle-aged at 7 to 10 years old, as senior cats at 11 to 14 years old, and geriatric from 15 to 25 years old.

Many in the profession begin treating a cat who is 7 years and older as senior cats, and begin doing wellness exams every six months instead of yearly. Those who work closely with cats are very aware how subtle the signs of illness in cats are and how well cats can hide their (often multiple) illnesses.

As many diseases are more common in older cats, our vigilance in observing their day-to-day habits needs to be intensified after age 7 to be sure we can prevent and catch problems early.

What to Watch for in a Cat’s Senior Years

Weight loss or gain: both overall weight and body condition score should be monitored
Litter box habits: increased size of clumps or frequency of litter box use
Mobility: decreased ability to climb stairs easily and jump up
Behavior: changes pertaining to resting, sleeping, hiding, personal interactions with family members

What Are the Most Common Diseases Seen in a Senior Cat?

Dental disease: Dental resorptive lesions are one of the most common diseases, affecting over 80 percent of cats at 5 years of age.
Osteoarthritis: Arthritis in cats is a degenerative joint disease that affects over 90 percent of cats at 10 years of age.
Kidney disease: Kidney disease in cats is found in over 20 percent of all cats. Symptoms of kidney disease in cats can be as subtle as increased drinking or larger clumps of urine in the cat litter box, (a great reason to use clumping cat litter!) inappetence or slight weight loss.
Hyperthyroidism: Weight loss, increased appetite and vocalization are hallmarks of hyperthyroidism in cats.
Inflammatory bowel disease: Vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss are the most typical symptoms of this very common middle-age and senior cat problem.
Diabetes: This is a common disease of older cats, especially those that are overweight.
Cancer: Intestinal, mammary and oral cancers are all more common in senior cats.
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome: 80 percent of cats have cognitive dysfunction at 15 years of age and older.

Your Veterinarian's Role

A complete physical exam is recommended every six months for all cats over 7 years. If that seems like a lot, consider that biannual vet visits would be the equivalent of a human seeing their doctor every three to four years. Since cats are notorious for hiding their diseases and often have more than one problem, exams and wellness testing are the cornerstones of keeping a senior cat healthy.

During a basic wellness exam for older cats, a chemistry panel should always be performed, which includes a thyroid level check, a complete blood count, urinalysis and heartworm/Felv/FIV screening.

Routine blood pressure checks are advised in all cats over 10 years of age and in cats with diseases commonly associated with hypertension (kidney, diabetes and hyperthyroidism). Additionally, abdominal ultrasound or chest or abdominal radiographs are indicated to help screen for disease.

How Can You Keep Your Senior Cat Healthy?

Make sure you are meeting all your cat’s needs (water, food, litter box, social interactions and resting, sleeping and hiding spaces).
Going to regular veterinary visits yearly up to age 7 and every six months after are the absolute best things a pet owner can do. Use the tips offered by AAFP to make those trips easier for you and stress-free for your cat.
Regular weigh-ins at home are very helpful. Buy a good-quality baby scale to catch sudden weight loss early and easily. A scale that weighs accurately to an ounce or less is best.
Observe your senior cat closely. Any change can mean something is going on. With cats aging five to seven times as fast as humans do, any change is important to take note of.
Easy access to fresh water. Use wide bowls to avoid “whisker fatigue,” and avoid plastic bowls to help prevent chin acne.
Low-entry litter boxes will make it easier for older cats to get in and out. If your cat is arthritic, make sure the litter boxes are placed in easily accessible areas, without your cat having to climb a bunch of stairs to get to one.
Video cameras can help you keep tabs and ease your mind when you are away. PetCube Bites Wi-Fi pet camera is my favorite, as it even dispenses cat treats.
Invite cat-friendly neighbors/friends to pet-sit while you travel.

What Is the Best Nutrition for a Senior Cat?

Your cat’s annual blood work is a great way for veterinarians to determine if a change in nutrition is needed for your senior cat. Protein level and phosphorous levels are two of the most critical analyses that need to be considered.

If a cat has renal disease or a history of bladder stones, a canned food diet fed in small but frequent portions is a great way to encourage water consumption and achieve a diet that is close to the natural diet of a cat.

Any diet switch should be done slowly in cats, especially seniors, and is best done with the guidance of your veterinarian based on physical exam and wellness test findings.

In short, all of these things can help to create a cat-friendly care plan, diet and home environment for senior cats. With this guide, you can catch problems early so your kitty will truly enjoy those golden years!

By: Dr. Ken Lambrecht

Featured Image: Igor/Shutterstock.com

There are a few health problems that tend to appear later on in the life of a cat. These are also signs of old age and you should keep a close eye on their development:

Find out how old your feline companion is in human years using the age calculator below:

When your favorite feline friend is aging, give some extra TLC.

Not long ago, cats were considered seniors at eight years old. Today, it's not unusual for veterinarians to have feline patients in their twenties. Thanks to improved nutrition, living indoors, and advances in veterinary medicine, cats live longer and are now considered older at 12 to 14 years, says Richard Goldstein, DVM, assistant professor in small animal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, whose oldest feline patient reached a healthy 22 years old.

"Growing older is not a disease," he emphasizes. "While it's true that senior cats are more likely to get different conditions, some older cats are perfectly normal and don't change at all."

Older cats tend to be less active and playful, they may sleep more, gain or lose weight, and have trouble reaching their favorite places. Don't chalk up health or behavior changes - often gradual - to old age, however. Such changes can be signs of common diseases or dental problems that should be addressed by your veterinarian.

Making sure older cats have easy access to the things they enjoy and/or need is critical, says Emily Levine, DVM, animal behavior resident of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. "We remember to give them medications, but we tend to forget about addressing food, water and litter box issues," she says.

Indeed, many cat owners don't realize the practical things they can do for their aging cats. To help your older cat enjoy her golden years, consider these simple suggestions.

See the vet. Schedule regular veterinary exams to enhance your older cat's well-being. "Six-month checkups for geriatric cats are great," Dr. Goldstein notes. "For healthy cats, a yearly geriatric exam - including blood work and X-rays - along with a smaller exam in between, is ideal," he recommends.

Think warm. Cats like to seek out warm places to rest. Make sure your older cat's favorite soft bed or resting place is not in a drafty area of your home. Too much heat, though, can potentially burn a cat who can't move quickly, so be sure to think warm, not hot.

Provide easy access to basic needs. As cats age they are more prone to getting arthritis and may have reduced control over their bowels and bladder, Dr. Levine says. It's a good idea to install litter boxes on every floor to make them easy to reach. In addition, some older cats may climb into a normal litter box to urinate but not to defecate. To help solve this problem, use a litter box with very low sides (try a large cookie sheet) or place newspaper around the litter box, she advises. "Older cats should have easy access to food, water, and litter boxes, so if they choose not to climb stairs they don't have to," she adds. This may mean placing food and water bowls in more than one place as well.

Help him get there. If your older cat can no longer jump on his favorite windowsill, create box steps, ramps, or purchase pet stairs that allow him to safely reach a special spot on his own. This also works for a cat that wants to reach a favorite chair or sofa. The idea is to provide firm footing; for example, cover steps or a ramp with carpet to prevent slipping.

Gently groom. Older cats can benefit from more frequent hands-on help if their self-grooming begins to wane. (Be aware that a sudden lack of grooming may signal a health problem.) This is particularly crucial for longhaired cats who become uncomfortably matted. Gently brushing or combing removes loose hairs and stimulates circulation and sebaceous gland secretions, returning luster to the coat.

Turn on a light. Nightlights help older cats with poor vision or eyesight problems navigate at night. If your cat is blind, try to keep your cat's environment as stationary and consistent as possible, including litter boxes and furniture, Dr. Levine recommends. To avoid disorienting or startling a blind cat, do not pick him up unless necessary and call his name before approaching him.

Give a deaf cat a point of view. You should approach a cat with hearing problems from the front rather than behind to avoid startling or scaring him. Keep him safely inside your home to protect him from cars and predators.

Keep her kitten-free and playful. "I do not recommend getting a young kitten to rejuvenate your older cat - a rambunctious kitten climbing all over your cat may be more detrimental than helpful, and people have a tendency to focus on the young cat and ignore the older one," Dr. Levine says. Instead, find gentle ways to encourage your older cat to play with you, she suggests. Try waving a wand, going for a walk with your cat inside your home, and playing chase the kibble, one piece at a time.

Don't forget the basics. Fresh water and good food are vital to cats of any age, but may be particularly important for older cats. Your veterinarian can offer advice on choosing a diet that provides appropriate nutrition and the right amount of calories for your aging cat. "It's especially important that senior cats have easy access to clean water because kidney function frequently deteriorates in older cats," Dr. Goldstein says. "Consider mixing canned and dry food to let your cat absorb the water canned food offers," he suggests.

Finally, older cats cherish predictable days more than younger cats do. "Just as we become set in our ways as we get older, cats do too," Dr. Goldstein says. "Some cats may need more emotional support as they age and others may prefer to be left alone," he explains. "They may become more dependent on relationships and require more attention. It may be harder for them to deal with changes." Sticking to normal routines reassures them, he adds.

"Older cats enjoy spending time with their human family members, Dr. Levine concludes. "It is important to give them the extra tender loving care that they'll need for many years to come."