Last Updated: 11/08/2026
Pandemic Pets Are Going Grey: Spotting the Signs of Ageing
If you adopted a puppy or kitten during the 2020 lockdowns, they're likely entering their senior years now. This vet guide covers the signs of ageing to watch for, how often to book a senior check, home care tips, and when to see a vet.
Author: Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)
Reading Time: 4 minutes - short read
If you brought home a puppy or kitten during the 2020 lockdowns, here's something that might catch you off guard: that little companion is about to enter their senior years. Most dogs and cats are considered senior from around age seven, aka right where your pandemic pet is now. It's tempting to see them slowing down as "just getting older", but it's actually your cue to step in. With a few simple changes, the golden years can be one of the most rewarding chapters you'll share.
Is Your Lockdown Pet Becoming a Senior?
Most dogs and cats reach their senior years from around age seven, though it varies. Small dogs may not truly be senior until 10, while large breeds can get there by six. Cats are generally considered mature at seven and senior from around 10. The pets adopted in the 2020 lockdowns are right on that doorstep now. For lifestage-specific advice, check out our guides to caring for a senior dog and looking after your senior cat.
What Are the Signs of Ageing to Watch For?
Ageing rarely arrives overnight. These changes are worth paying attention to:
- Stiffness, or hesitating before a jump
- Cloudy eyes, or bumping into things
- Changes in weight or appetite
- Drinking more than usual, or altered toilet habits
- Changes in sleep, confusion, or restlessness at night
Cats in particular are experts at hiding discomfort, so subtle shifts matter. Night-time pacing, disorientation or forgetting house training can be signs of cognitive decline (pet dementia), which is more common than many people realise but can be well managed when addressed early.
Why Is Joint Health Important?
Arthritis affects up to 80% of dogs over eight and around 90% of cats over 12, and it's frequently missed, especially in cats. Watch for reluctance to jump, stiffness when rising, slowing on walks, difficulty with stairs or reducing grooming (especially cats). Read more on arthritis in dogs and arthritis care for cats.
When it comes to joint supplements, the best evidence-supported ingredients are omega-3s, glucosamine and green-lipped mussel. Our guide to the best joint supplements breaks down what our vets recommend.
Shop all joint supplements.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Dental Health
Dental disease is one of the most common problems we see in senior pets and one of the most overlooked. By the age of three, most dogs and cats already have some degree of dental disease, and it only builds with age. Left unchecked, it's not just bad breath: painful gums, loose teeth, and infection that can even affect the heart, liver and kidneys. Because pets rarely stop eating until things are advanced, it's easy to miss.
Look out for bad breath, yellow-brown tartar, red or bleeding gums, drooling, pawing at the mouth, or chewing on one side. See our guides to dental disease in dogs and dental care for cats. At home, daily tooth brushing is the gold standard. Other home interventions to improve dental health include dental chews, dental diets and water additives. But home care only slows the build-up. A professional scale and polish under anaesthetic is the only way to properly clean teeth below the gum line, so make the mouth part of every senior check.
Shop all dental care.
How Often Should Your Senior Pet See a Vet?
The single most useful habit is booking a senior health check every six months, rather than once a year. Problems caught early are far easier to manage. Your vet can assess joints, senses like vision and hearing, and body condition, feel for any lumps, and run annual blood and urine tests to detect internal changes before they show on the outside. Between scheduled visits if your pet has any loss of appetite, difficulty moving, changes in drinking patterns, toilet habits or behaviour it’s important to book a check up sooner.
Senior Pet FAQs
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Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)
Veterinarian
Dr Olivia graduated from Murdoch University in 2015 and worked in Western Australia before moving to Sydney to work in specialist practice as an avian and exotics veterinarian. Olivia has thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of species and interesting cases in her time as an exotics veterinarian. She has a particular soft spot for rabbits and thoroughly enjoys all aspects of rabbit medicine and surgery. She also has many years of experience working with dogs and cats as well as an array of wildlife.
History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue Aug 11 2026
Written by Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)
