Last Updated: 22/06/2026
How to Care for a Senior Cat
As your cat enters their golden years, their needs for comfort and care change. Learn to support their health with our guide on senior cat wellness. We cover essential topics like nutrition for ageing cats, joint support, and common health conditions to watch for.
Author: Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 6 minutes - short read
Did you know that according to Guinness World Records, the oldest cat ever lived to be 38 years and 3 days old? That's an incredible feat! While most cats don't reach such a ripe age, it's important to remember that feline aging is much faster than human aging.
Ageing in cats is a gradual spectrum, and most frameworks split a cat's later years into three stages:
- Mature: 7-10 years
- Senior: 11-14 years
- Super senior or geriatric: 15+ years
So whilst cats as young as seven are typically considered senior citizens, knowing which stage your cat is in helps you tailor their care, from diet and vet check frequency to how you set up their environment.
Health conditions in senior cats can progress quickly, and catching them early makes a real difference to outcomes. From age 10, cats should have a vet check-up every six months rather than annually as recommended by the 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines.
With proper care and attention, your cat can enjoy a long and healthy life well into their golden years.
From nutrition to grooming, we've put together a complete guide to senior cat care.
Senior Cat Diet and Nutrition
As our cats age, they require different nutrition to help keep them happy and healthy. There are a number of specifically formulated foods for senior cats to help meet the needs of your aging cat. These 'senior' cat diets contain ingredients to help alleviate the symptoms of aging and keep your feline friend fighting fit! But what are these ingredients, and how do they benefit senior cats?
Senior cat food - What's the difference?
- Addition of Omega Fatty Acids - Almost all senior pets will develop some degree of arthritis as they age. Omega fatty acids help to support joint health and function to keep your cat healthy and active.
- Addition of Carnitine -Carnitine helps to promote the metabolism of fat to energy which supports lean muscle mass and an ideal body weight. This is perfect for senior cats, who are often less active and prone to weight gain.
- Controlled Sodium Levels - Diets that are too high in sodium can cause complications with kidney and heart disease, both of which are not uncommon in senior cats. Senior diets with controlled sodium levels help to maintain their heart and kidney health.
- Controlled Phosphorus Levels - Diets with high levels of phosphorus can put undue stress on your senior cat's kidneys. Kidney disease is one of the most common complication of aging in cats, so senior diets tend to be formulated with controlled phosphorus levels which helps support the kidneys.
- Addition of Vitamin C and E - Vitamins C and E have an antioxidant effect which helps to support your senior cat's aging immune system.
- High Quality Ingredients - Premium diets that are formulated specifically for senior cats are made with high quality ingredients to ensure that they are easy to digest.
Tip: Many elderly cats will require a veterinary therapeutic cat foods for dental, kidney, or urinary care. Always ask your vet if you are interested in a therapeutic or prescription diet.
Best senior cat foods
Joint Care for Cats
Arthritis is very common in older cats. In fact 90% of cats 12 years and older show signs of arthritis on x-rays but because cats hide their pain so well, signs are easily missed.
Signs of arthritis in cats include:
- Reluctance to jump onto furniture
- Less grooming and matted fur particularly over painful areas like the hips
- Vocalising when picked up
- Growling, hissing, swiping or other signs of aggression
- Increased frequency of accidents outside the litter tray
- Less interest in play or other enjoyable activities
To help support your senior cat's joints and manage arthritis, providing them with a soft, warm place to sleep is crucial. See our cat bed buying guide for more information.
Your vet may also recommend a joint care supplement containing green lipped mussel, omega oils, chondroitin, or glucosamine.
For more information on joint support for cats, take a read through our guide Arthritis Care for Cats.
Best joint supplements for cats
Cognitive and behavioural changes
Just like people, cats can experience cognitive decline as they age, known as feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), the cat equivalent of dementia. Signs appear in around 28% of cats aged 11 to 14, rising to roughly half of cats over 15.
Signs to look out for include:
- Disorientation or confusion, such as staring at walls, getting ‘stuck’ in corners, or seeming lost in familiar rooms
- Increased vocalising, especially loud crying at night
- Changes to the sleep-wake cycle, such as restlessness overnight and sleeping more by day
- Toileting outside the litter tray
- Changes in how they interact with you, more clingy or more withdrawn
- Increased anxiety or irritability
These signs can overlap with other conditions in senior cats such as hyperthyroidism or arthritis so it's important to schedule a vet check rather than assuming it's "just old age".
To learn more read our guide to cat dementia.
Exercise and enrichment
Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping. Gentle, regular activity helps senior cats keep muscle tone, manage their weight, support stiff joints. Physical and mental enrichment are essential keep your cat content, mentally sharp and helps to reduce boredom and cognitive decline.
Low impact activities for senior cats include:
- Short, frequent play sessions with wand toys or a slow-moving ‘prey’ toy along the floor
- Food puzzles and treat-dispensing toys to keep their mind working at mealtimes
- Easy access furniture including low cat trees and wide perches and shelves for your cat to climb
Let your cat set the pace and stop if they seem tired or sore. For more on tailoring activity to your cat’s age, see how much exercise do cats need?.
Home modifications
Small changes around the home make a big difference for a stiff or ageing cat. Swap to a low entry litter tray so they don't have to climb in, and add ramps or steps up to favourite beds, windowsills and couches. Lay down non-slip mats on slippery floors to give them confidence and grip, and offer a heated or extra-padded bedding to soothe sore joints. Keep food, water, litter and resting spots on the same level so nothing requires a jump or a flight of stairs.
Common illnesses in senior cats
As your cat ages, their risk of developing certain diseases increases. Common illnesses in senior cats include kidney failure, urinary disease, hyperthyroidism, and dental disease. It is important to know the signs to watch for that may be an early indicator of these diseases.
Symptoms of concern in elderly cats:
- Drinking more water than usual (polydipsia) or urinating a greater volume (polyuria) - may indicate kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or urinary disease.
- Reduced appetite - may indicate dental disease, kidney failure, or general illnesses such as infections.
- Increased appetite - can indicate hyperthyroidism or diabetes.
- Weight loss - can indicate any of the common illnesses.
- Vomiting - can indicate gastrointestinal disease, as well as kidney disease or hyperthyroidism.
It is vital that all senior cats have regular check-ups at their regular veterinarian, ideally every 6 months. This helps your vet to identify any age-related health problems early to nip them in the bud.
By keeping your senior cat's health and wellbeing needs in mind you can help to ensure that they live a long and happy life with you. Who knows, maybe they will even be the next guinness world record holder!
By keeping your senior cat's health and wellbeing needs in mind you can help to ensure that they live a long and happy life with you. Who knows, maybe they will even be the next guinness world record holder!
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Has your older cat started yowling at night or seemingly forgetting the litter box? It could be feline cognitive dysfunction. Our expert vet guide explains the symptoms of cat dementia and offers practical advice to help your senior pet age gracefully.
Our vet guide to arthritis supplements, diets and medications for cats.
Is your pet drinking more or losing weight? Kidney disease is a common condition, especially in seniors. Discover the difference between acute and chronic renal issues, the clinical signs to watch for, and how a prescription diet can help.
Has your cat been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid? Check out our Vets guide to the causes symptoms and treatment for this common condition.
Interested in learning how to get your cat to drink more water? Read our tips from our vet team on how to increase fluid intake in your cat.
Does your pet suffer from anxiety? Check out our Vet-guide for treatment options to help your pet.
History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue 23 June 2026
Edited by Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Gillian graduated from the University of Sydney in 2005 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. She worked in a number of small animal clinics, before joining the Pet Circle Vet team in 2020. Dr. Gillian has special interests in ultrasonography, surgery and behaviour. Her favourite part of being a vet is being an advocate for the animals. She loves helping owners to make the best, evidence-based decisions for their pets, and seeing the beautiful bond that people have with their fur-babies.
