Senior cats face a distinct constellation of welfare challenges in their final months, and palliative care approaches substantially improve quality of life during this critical period.
Geriatric cat welfare requires proactive identification and management of pain and chronic disease, combined with honest quality-of-life conversations with owners. The most common welfare failure in geriatric cat management is undertreated pain — particularly osteoarthritis, which cats mask effectively. Regular senior health screening from age 10, validated quality of life assessment, and early introduction of palliative care discussions allow families to make informed, welfare-centred decisions at end of life.