Cats are living longer than ever, with many reaching 15-20 years. The senior and geriatric years bring an accumulation of age-related conditions — most of which are manageable with proactive veterinary care. Welfare-centred senior cat care requires understanding what changes are normal ageing and what represents treatable disease.
Senior cat welfare is primarily determined by the quality and frequency of veterinary oversight. Cats who receive biannual checks with comprehensive screening are diagnosed earlier, treated more effectively, and maintain better quality of life than those seen only when obviously ill. The welfare harm of undetected senior cat disease is substantial: a cat with untreated hypertension risks sudden blindness; one with unmanaged arthritis lives in daily pain dismissed as "slowing down with age"; one with advanced dental disease experiences chronic oral pain that owners attribute to "getting older." The transformative welfare impact of proactive senior cat care — the cat that regains energy after hyperthyroid treatment, the cat whose painful joints are finally managed — demonstrates that welfare investment in aging animals is genuinely impactful.