Cats are considered to be “seniors” when they reach 11+ years of age.  Senior cats can develop a variety of chronic health problems, including:

• Arthritis
• Kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Dementia
• High blood pressure
• Thyroid disease

Other common health issues seen in older cats include weight loss, dehydration/constipation, and tooth and gum disease.

Because your senior cat is at a greater risk of developing chronic health problems than she did when she was younger, it’s important to make regular veterinary visits a part of your cat’s health plan.

Cat Care for Life is a feline health and wellness initiative from the International Cat Care charity.  They have created a handy senior cat checklist for cat owners to take with them on veterinary visits.  Checklists are a great way to remind yourself of issues and concerns you’d like to bring up with your vet.

You can download and print a pdf of the one-page senior cat checklist by clicking HERE!