They might be getting old and grey, they might be slowing down and sleeping more, but our senior pets are still full of love for us. Even the most energetic and playful kittens will eventually turn into wise mini-panthers or venerable floofs. The chilly time of the year has officially begun and we wanted to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, dear Readers. So Bored Panda collected the most wholesome and blessed photos of senior cats for you to hug through the screen. Scroll down, remember to pet your favorite elderly cats with an upvote, and share photos of your own cats in the comment section below.
“Senior cats certainly require special accommodations. They need more frequent vet visits to manage chronic illness for one thing. Cats are silent sufferers and mask their illness so routine veterinary care is paramount,” cat behaviorist Ingrid Johnson told Bored Panda. Read on for the rest of Ingrid’s advice on how to take care of elderly cats.
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And don’t worry, dog lovers, we haven’t forgotten about you. When you’re done enjoying this list, have a look through our earlier post about adorable senior dogs right here.
#1 My Grampie And His 20-Year-Old Cat/Sidekick Elvis. As My Grampie Says, “We’re Just Two Old Men Hanging Out”. This Picture Makes Me Happy And Sad All At Once
Image credits: dansheridan
#2 We Adopted An 11-Year Old Cat From A Chicago Shelter. He And My 13-Yo Daughter Fell In Love. This Is Them After She Got Back From A Week At Camp
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 My 100 Year Old Grandpa And His 17 Year Old Cat
Image credits: reddit.com
Cat behaviorist Ingrid explained that older cats need easy access to food, water, and their litter; they also need soft, warm bedding.
“This means ensuring that you have resources placed in all of the areas where your senior citizen spends time. The last thing you want to do is have a litter box in the basement of a three-story home knowing your cat spends most of their time on the top floor in the bedroom,” the expert said, pointing out that not keeping litter boxes close by might lead to some icky ‘surprises’ on the carpet.
“Would you want to walk down two flights of stairs to go to the bathroom when you are 90? No! You would not!” Ingrid pointed out that we should set our senior cats up for success, instead of making life difficult for them.
#4 My Beautiful 18-Year-Old Girl Mia With The Eyes Of Sauron
Image credits: Martinpinne
#5 My 1.5yr Old Son And 14yr Old Cat Had A Moment This Morning
Image credits: reddit.com
#6 Walked Into The Shelter And Asked Which Cat Had Been There The Longest… Came Home With A Deaf, Toothless Senior Lovebug. Reddit, Meet Cali!
Image credits: reddit.com
Senior cats need to use ‘the facilities’ more often and have larger volumes of waste to get rid of, so it might be a good idea to have multiple litter boxes for them to use. You should also strive to keep the boxes immaculately clean: this way, they’ll avoid stepping in urine clumps while navigating the box.
“It can be challenging for senior cats to navigate cat litter if they are arthritic. How many 85-year-old humans walk the beach for fun? Walking on sand is tough! Many cats start developing signs of arthritis between the ages of 10-12 years, so preventative joint care is key and this helps keep them being able to use their litter box!” cat behaviorist Ingrid said.
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#7 Tiger Is 31 Years Old, And Is Still A Prime Example Of The Ever Loving Box And Cat Relationship
Image credits: reddit.com
#8 2 Years Ago Today I Walked Into A Petsmart And Met A Cat Named Sonny Who No One Would Adopt Because He Was 13 Years Old, Covered In Fleas, Underweight, And Had A Mouth Full Of Rotten Teeth That Had To Be Removed. He Came Home With Me That Night And It Was The Best Decision I’ve Ever Made
Image credits: reddit.com
#9 I Hear You Guys Like Old Cats. This Is Thomas. He’s 27
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According to Ingrid, there are lots of ways to help out your senior cats. For example, arthritis is often under-diagnosed and under-treated in cats, so scratch ramps are a way to help cats keep limber.
Meanwhile, environmental enrichment and optimizing a healthy mind can lessen cognitive dysfunction and senility in older cats. What’s more, foraging toys and food puzzles can be a good way to keep your cat’s brain healthy.
“Foraging for food keeps cats fit and engaged, it is close to letting a mouse loose in the house as you can get!” the cat behaviorist said. You can find more info about challenging your cat with food puzzles right here.
“Last but not least, offer warmth! A heated bed, easy access to sunny spots, etc. Seniors often have kidney disease. The kidneys help regulate body temperature, so these seniors tend to be cold. Offer warmth!” Ingrid stressed.
#10 My Little Guy Is 20 Years Old And Still As Cute As Ever
Image credits: canuck5551
#11 An Elderly Cat Who Can No Longer Bird Watch Receives A Fish Tank Full Of Fake Fish To Watch From The Comfort Of His Bed
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 My Grandpa Passed Away On Thanksgiving And No One Would Take His 18 Year Old Cat… So We Did. Welcome Home, Lovey!
Image credits: reddit.com
Vet visits become more and more frequent when your cat gets older because new illnesses or hereditary issues will be popping up as the animal’s body wears down. However, even if your catto seems fine, it’s still important to go for regular check-ups at the vet around every 6 months. Better safe than sorry!
According to Cat Friendly, cats can be very subtle and sneaky when it comes to hiding their illnesses. So you have to keep a keen eye out for any unusual changes in their behavior, appetite, and mood.
Even if you think they might be small enough to ignore or not bother your vet with. The biggest indication that something’s wrong is when your cat’s weight changes drastically. The same applies to practically any pet and human being, too.
#13 My 19 Year Old Cat Just Found Out He Loves The Smell Of Lavender
Image credits: 3 years ago
#14 A Few Weeks Ago I Adopted A 12 Year Old Cat. She Buries Her Face In My Hand When She Wants More Love
Image credits: reddit.com
#15 Me And My Old Bud Taking In Some Sun
Image credits: johnnygalactic
Meanwhile, Cats Protection explains that elderly cats need extra care and attention from their owners to ensure that they spend their twilight years comfortably. So older cats really do need more warmth and extra soft bedding.
What’s more, they might have difficulty getting to high places in their senior years, so consider providing stools, ramps, or ladders leading up to their favorite napping spots. Or you can keep picking your cat up and placing it where it wants to go. We’re sure your cat won’t mind that.
Older cats can also have difficulty looking after their coats. So to keep them gleaming and neat, spend some more time grooming them. It’s a win-win situation: your cat’s coat will look nicer, you’ll spend more quality time together bonding, and you’ll reduce your stress levels while you’re stroking your cat. No matter their age, cats deserve care from their owners to keep the happy days coming.
#16 This Guy Has Been By My Side For Twenty Years Today. He Helped Me Through Some Rough Times
Image credits: reddit.com
#17 When Your Cat Is Pushing 20 Years Old, But Can Still Pull Off That Innocent Baby Look
Image credits: reddit.com
#18 15-Year-Old Blind Cat Snuggling Daughter’s Toy Because It Smells Like Her
Image credits: ilovejackiebot
#19 I Brought Home A Stray Cat When I Was 17 Years Old. I’m 36 Now. Every Time I Go To My Parents House, I Check To Make Sure He Is Still There And Give Him Some Extra Love Before I Leave. Meet Scooter
Image credits: reddit.com
#20 My Old Man (19) Was Just Diagnosed With Kidney Failure. Prayers And Good Thoughts For Tigger
Image credits: PixelSypher
#21 A 24 Year Old Cat. We Call Her The Immortal
Image credits: reddit.com
#22 This Happens Every Time I Go To My Barbers. He’s An Old Kitty Now, And He Can’t Miaow Anymore, It Comes Out As “Aaaggh!” I Always Let A Load Of Customers Go Ahead Of Me So I Don’t Disturb Him. Time Spent With Cats Is Never Wasted
Image credits: reddit.com
#23 My Grandmother’s 26 Year Old Cat (We’re The Same Age)
Image credits: 3 years ago
#24 Most Of Our Friends Don’t Believe We Have A Cat. We Don’t See Him Much Either As He Mostly Hides Behind The Bed. Today, While I Was Working, He Was Brave Enough To Come Out For Pets. This Is My 15 Year Old Cat, Elwood
Image credits: reddit.com
#25 My Cat Is Now 20 Years Old. Here Is A Pic Of Her As A Kitten (Around A Few Months Old) And Now. She Has Always Been Tiny For Her Age!
Image credits: reddit.com
#26 The Cat Shelter I Volunteer With Has A Program That Brings Senior Cats To Visit Seniors In Nursing Homes. This Says It All
Image credits: reddit.com
#27 I Was 23 When I Adopted Him. He’s 16 And I’m Almost 40. Just The Sweetest Kitty
Image credits: reddit.com
#28 My 21 Year Old Cat, Tigs
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#29 My 23 Year Old Cat
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#30 My 19 Year Old Cat Has Always Grabbed Her Leg When She Sleeps
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#31 Two Best Friends Growing Old Together: How My 20-Year-Old Cat And 70-Year-Old Father Spend Their Evenings
Image credits: ap1215
#32 This Cat Is 26 Year Old. Her Name Is Lexi
Image credits: reddit.com
#33 My 18 Year Old Cat, Oscar, Just Experienced His First Home Move (Across The Country). Wasn’t Sure If He Would Make It, But He Seems To Be Doing Just Fine
Image credits: reddit.com
#34 This Is My 17 Year Old Cat, Geo. He Still Looks Like A Kitten To Me I Got Him When I Was 10
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#35 Our 14 Year Old Cat That We Found Crying Under A Neighbors Truck When He Was 10 Years Old. He Was Chipped, But Unfortunately His Owner Had Died. Theo Is The Sweetest Boy
Image credits: reddit.com
#36 My 16-Year-Old Good Boy Recovering From A Stroke
Image credits: kaikaikaikaikaikai
#37 My 22 Year Old Cat Noticed I Was Eating Doritos
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#38 We Would Take You To The Bar, But They’re All Closed. Happy 21st Birthday Mario!
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#39 My Dad Built A Ramp So Our 20 Year Old Cat Can Still Get Into The Bed
Image credits: reddit.com
#40 My 20-Year-Old Rebel. He’s Been With Me Since 1999. Through Everything Since He Was 8 Weeks Old
Image credits: SpawnlingMan
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