Cats are living longer than ever before due to improved nutrition and veterinary care, making the welfare of senior and geriatric cats an increasingly important focus, as multiple age-related conditions frequently co-occur and interact.
Senior cats commonly accumulate multiple concurrent health conditions that interact and compound each other, creating complex welfare challenges that require integrated management. Arthritis pain reduces mobility and grooming ability, affecting physical and psychological wellbeing. Cognitive dysfunction causes anxiety and disorientation. Hypertension causes acute welfare crises including sudden blindness. The normalisation of reduced activity and altered behaviour as signs of ageing — rather than treatable conditions — means many senior cats live with unrecognised pain and disease. Proactive monitoring and early intervention for common senior cat conditions substantially extends good-quality life. The human-cat bond in senior cats is often deep and the welfare of the cat affects the owner as well.