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Are you worried because your ageing feline friend no longer responds to her name? Or are you wondering why your house cat can’t find her food bowl straight away? Your cat has probably reached a proud senior age and now needs special care. Find out how to spot the symptoms of senility in your cat early on and give her an age-appropriate life.
A rule of thumb says that cats live to an average age of around 15 years. That’s equivalent to 76 in human years. On the bright side, this means that some feline companions can even live a few years longer.
How old would your cat be in human years? Our cat age chart will tell you.
When Is a Cat Considered Old?
Cats can already be regarded as seniors from around seven years of age. Just like with people, however, it depends on the individual animal whether and how ageing becomes noticeable.
After all, how old a house cat can actually become depends on its genes and individual lifestyle. Of course, it also plays a role how much the cat is affected by the signs of ageing.
The healthier a cat lives, the greater the likelihood that the symptoms of old age will develop more slowly. Conversely, poor or inappropriate nutrition as well as underlying health conditions can shorten life expectancy.
Interesting to know: The oldest cat in the world to date was “Creme Puff”. According to the Guinness World Records, she reached the impressive age of 38. Although this is an absolute rarity, it shows that life certainly doesn’t have to end at 15.
A senior cat shows typical signs of ageing, such as a changed posture and an increased need for rest.
What Happens in a Cat’s Body during Old Age?
Every living being is made up of several billion cells that perform different functions in the body. Through cell division, they multiply and replace cells that have already died – that’s the basic principle.
In kittens, body cells are still very vital. As they age, however, they gradually lose functionality and lifespan. This is when the ageing process begins in cats. At the same time, organs such as the kidneys, liver and brain also lose efficiency. Reduced organ function in older cats can show up, for example, as hearing loss or increased urination.
Typical Signs: How Can You Recognise Ageing in Cats?
Compared to their younger counterparts, senior cats display certain age-related changes. These can be observed in cats from around seven years of age. They are divided into physical characteristics and changes in behaviour.
Changes in the Body
A commonly observed sign of ageing in cats is a grey-white discolouration of the fur, particularly around the head. In general, the coat becomes duller with age and loses its shine.
As a result of ageing, a cat’s coat often appears matted, as affected felines are no longer able to groom themselves sufficiently in later life.
It is also increasingly noticeable that muscle mass decreases and posture becomes less stable. Underlying conditions that commonly occur in old age, such as joint wear, can further negatively affect outward appearance.
Changes in Behaviour
It’s normal for cats to show changes in behaviour as they age. These are not caused by illness but are simply part of getting older. Typical behaviour in senior cats includes:
disoriented wandering due to loss of sight and hearing
The signs of old age in cats are not only visible on the outside. There are also certain behavioural changes that can indicate increasing age-related weakness.
Is It Possible to Prevent Ageing in Cats?
A cat’s age is influenced by two factors: environmental influences and genetically inherited traits. While the genetic factor can only be influenced through selective breeding, you can increase your feline friend’s life expectancy through a healthy lifestyle and thus influence the ageing process in cats to a certain extent.
The following tips will help you make your cat’s senior years as species-appropriate as possible and keep your house cat physically and mentally fit for longer.
Adjusting Nutrition to Your Cat’s Age
Cats are carnivores and need cat food with a high protein content. In addition, supplementary vitamin A and taurine are essential, as cats cannot produce these substances themselves. Furthermore, nutrients such as arginine and arachidonic acid are important for a species-appropriate diet in old age.
Ensuring Sufficient Exercise
Exercise is essential for your cat’s wellbeing – science has known this for a long time. That doesn’t mean your feline has to become a high-performance athlete. If your cat can roam around the neighbourhood, she will usually get enough exercise.
However, if you have a laid-back indoor cat at home, you can tempt her with cat toys or exciting obstacle courses. This can help prevent early ageing in cats.
Compared to young and adult cats, senior cats have a weaker immune system. If they are also stressed, they become even more susceptible to infections and illnesses. As a result, the ageing process in cats can progress more quickly.
Make sure your cat’s environment is stress-free and avoid introducing new animals or hosting noisy celebrations. If this can’t be avoided, you can consider stress-relieving measures such as using pheromones for cats.
It’s a normal process for a cat’s memory to decline with age. However, you can slow this development slightly by offering your cat mental challenges. By hiding food and using interactive cat toys, you can boost your cat’s brainpower.
Regular Health Checks
Many senior cats suffer from systemic diseases. In older cats, for example, the following age-related conditions occur more frequently:
With the right care, however, it’s still possible to enjoy many wonderful years with your cat. To ensure these conditions are detected and treated as early as possible, regular visits to the vet are advisable. For example, they can support your senior cat by prescribing pain relief or deciding which medications should accompany daily life in later years.
Your vet is also the most important person to speak to when it comes to saying goodbye. With loving care and regular check-ups, however, you can delay this topic for as long as possible and focus entirely on giving your cat a comfortable and happy old age.
Important Note: The content provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your pet's health, please always consult a licensed veterinarian.
At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene.
Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future.
Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
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Are you worried because your ageing feline friend no longer responds to her name? Or are you wondering why your house cat can’t find her food bowl straight away? Your cat has probably reached a proud senior age and now needs special care. Find out how to spot the symptoms of senility in your cat early on and give her an age-appropriate life.
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