No matter how energetic is your lovely kitten, it will age over time. The lifespan of cats varies by breed and other factors, but cats usually enter the mature stage at the age of 7, when their body cells will start to degenerate gradually. When they age around 12, they will start to develop apparent ageing signs and may suffer from some common feline diseases. You should therefore pay more attention to your cat’s health.

6 common ageing signs of cats

Decreased activity

The cat will become lazy to move and jump onto high areas, or even experience difficulty in climbing one stairstep.

• Shedding fur and change in body shape

The cat sheds its hair throughout the year, especially during the change of coat. The cat’s fur appears thin, dry and dull while its muscle mass decreases.

• Changes in appetite and bowel habits

The cat may not get excited at mealtime and eat less than usual. The frequency and amount of bowel movements will also change.

• Increased sleep hours

The cat often has its eyes half-closed and dozes off. Sometimes it may sleep for more than 18 hours.

• Degenerative functions

The cat will experience degeneration in vision, hearing ability and joints, or even disorientation, anxiety or other abnormal behaviours. It will therefore meow more as a way to seek attention.

• Changes in temperament

When you touch its painful area, it will react by extending its paws and claws, avoiding you or hissing at you. It may also prefer to hide.

If you spot the above signs in your cat, it has entered the senior stage. You should look after and accompany it with extra care to relieve its bad mood and anxiety triggered by these ageing signs.

Common diseases in cats

Yet, some cats’ behavioural and physical changes are not necessarily caused by ageing, but are signs of diseases that develop along with ageing. Some common diseases and symptoms of senior cats include:

• Dental and oral diseases

Loss of appetite, food dropping from the mouth, chewing on one side (tilting the head when chewing), preference for soft food, swallowing dry food without chewing, weight loss, reduced muscle mass

• High blood pressure

Organ damage leading to nosebleeds, vision loss/dilated pupils, rapid breathing, shaking eyeballs, loss of balance, unsteady gait or weakness in legs

• Kidney disease

Increased thirst and urination, constipation, decreased appetite and muscle mass, unkempt and dull fur

• Hyperthyroidism

Increased activity, vocalization and appetite, weight loss, decreased muscle mass, increased thirst and urination, vomiting, diarrhoea

• Diabetes

Increased appetite, weight loss, reduced muscle mass, increased thirst and urination

• Chronic gastroenteritis

Vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weight loss

• Arthritis

Difficulty in jumping up and down, hesitating before jumping, decreased interaction and playing activities with people, sudden crying when being picked up, pooping outside the litter box, postural changes (arched back, sitting with the body tilted to one side), unkempt and dirty fur on the lower back and around the anus

• Cancer

Loss of appetite, weight loss, great loss of muscle mass, increased thirst and urination

These symptoms are sometimes mild and are similar to ageing signs. You should therefore bring your cat to a vet for regular health check-ups to facilitate prompt treatment!