The senior cat checklist every cat owner should know

Mao resting comfortably

A few months ago, I had one of those moments where my veterinary degree felt about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I was sitting in my lounge, watching Mao (my gloriously clumsy British Shorthair) attempt to jump onto her favourite couch spot for the third time that week.

Approach. Back away. Approach. Back away. Approach. Stand, gingerly put paw on couch, scramble up not-at-all-gracefully.

Finally, she had made it on the third attempt and shot me a look that clearly said, "We shall never speak of this."

And here's the embarrassing part - I'm literally a cat veterinarian who specialises in senior pets, and I almost wrote it off as "typical Mao clumsiness."

Because that's what we do, isn't it? We explain away the subtle changes until there’s no more denying it…or in Mao's case, until she can’t jump at all.

This little wake-up call reminded me why I created the assessment I'm about to share with you - the same one I teach students, but without the unnecessary jargon.

The senior cat checklist

MOBILITY CHECK (2 minutes):

• Can they still jump to their favourite "I'm judging you from above" spots?

• Any hesitation when using stairs? (Have you noticed a ‘pause-and-reconsider’ moment?)

• Do they get up from sleeping - stiff and grumbly, then gradually "warm up"?

DAILY HABITS DETECTIVE WORK (2 minutes):

• Any litter box "oops" moments or obvious difficulty using the tray?

• Bad hair days? (Less thorough grooming = red flag)

• Suddenly avoiding humping to favourite high spots?

HEALTH RADAR (1 minute):

• Drinking more water than usual? (Or weirdly, less?)

• Eating habits changed?

• Increased nighttime vocalisation? (AKA the 3 AM yowling serenade nobody asked for)

If you ticked ANY boxes:

Don't spiral into "my cat is dying" mode (I see you, anxiety brain) but DO book a vet check.

Here's the thing - these sneaky little changes are often our pets' way of whispering "help me" before they have to shout it. And honestly? Most of these early signs point to completely manageable conditions. Anxiety and pain are completely unnecessary in our cats.

Coming up next week: The emergency signs that mean "drop everything and get to the vet NOW" - because knowing the difference between "schedule an appointment" and "emergency room sprint" can literally save your cat's life.

Stay observant (and just so slightly paranoid),

Dr. Bec

P.S. Mao is thriving, by the way. What I initially dismissed as "typical Mao clumsiness" was actually early joint stiffness combined with some anxiety around jumping. A few months on my Anxiety+ and Joint+ supplements, and she's not only nailing her jumps but has completely come out of her shell. She's back to silently critiquing my life choices from on high, exactly as nature intended - just with way more confidence and grace.