Glossary

Senior cat

A cat from about 10 or 11 years old, when joint, kidney, thyroid and dental disease become more common and check-ups should be more frequent.

Also called: older cat, aging cat, elderly cat, senior

Veterinary guidelines count a cat as senior from about ten or eleven years old. The older scheme sets senior at 11 to 14 years, and geriatric from 15. Many cats live well past this stage, particularly indoor cats with good care. Age is not a disease, though the odds of illness do go up.

Common conditions include arthritis, which is often missed because cats hide pain, dental disease, kidney disease, an overactive thyroid, diabetes, high blood pressure and cognitive changes. Many of them are easier to manage when found early. Vets often advise check-ups every six months, with blood and urine tests, and you should ask what suits your cat.

At home, make life easy. Put litter boxes with low sides, beds and food where the cat does not have to climb, add ramps or steps and a warm bed, and brush a cat that grooms less. Offer a diet suited to its health, see senior diet, and keep water easy to reach.

Call your vet about weight loss, drinking more, a poor appetite, litter-box accidents, vocalising at night or any change in routine, see night howling. Do not put changes down to old age.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Mature cat A cat of about seven to ten years old, equivalent to a person in their mid-forties to fifties, when screening for age-related disease begins. Geriatric cat A cat aged about 15 or older, who needs closer monitoring, a comfortable home and a focus on quality of life. Senior diet Food marketed for older cats, which varies widely, so the right choice depends on the individual cat's weight, teeth and health. Night howling Loud calling, wailing or yowling at night, common in older cats and in cats in heat, and sometimes a sign of illness. Hydration Keeping a cat's body supplied with enough water, which matters because cats drink little and are prone to urinary and kidney problems.

Related guides

Why a senior cat can be the right cat What adopting an older cat offers, what to ask the shelter, the health costs to plan for, and how to help a senior settle in. Caring for a senior cat How to adjust food, vet visits, litter boxes and daily life as your cat ages, and which changes mean a call to the vet.