Quality of life assessment for senior cats requires validated tools that integrate multiple welfare domains, enabling better end-of-life care decisions and treatment intensity choices.
Quality of life assessment in senior cats is both a clinical necessity and a welfare imperative. As cats age into the teen years and beyond, the burden of concurrent disease increases, and owners and veterinarians must regularly re-evaluate whether treatment is maintaining or improving quality of life. Without structured assessment tools, these evaluations are susceptible to emotional bias in both directions — either prolonging life beyond the point of adequate welfare or euthanizing prematurely. Validated quality of life scales provide a structured framework for these conversations, ensuring that physical pain, emotional state, social engagement, and functional independence are all considered. Regular quality of life monitoring — not just at end of life but throughout senior years — enables proactive welfare management rather than reactive crisis response.