At what age is my cat considered a senior? Is my cat old?

A cat is considered geriatric/senior after about the age of 7. So, with Pi being 11 years old I would say she fits into this category. An 11 year old is basically 60 years old in human years. Hope this answers your question.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on the breed and size of the dog to some extent. For a small breed dog it would be like 10 years of age and for a large breed dog it would more like 8-9 years of age. Have a great day!

Happy early birthday to Edward! Cats do tend to start being considered "senior" pets at around 7-8 years old, even if he (hopefully!) isn't acting like it! As cats age, they can develop certain diseases, such as diabetes, skin failure or an overactive thyroid. These can all be diagnosed with bloodwork at your regular veterinarian. If Edward develops any of these, there may be specific dietary recommendations to help him. Otherwise, if he is doing well he can stay on his regular food for a couple more years, unless you are seeing something that is concerning you and making you want to switch him, at which point you should discuss it with his regular veterinarian.

I typically recommend a senior food when a cat is around 10 years of age, but that depends on the health status of the cat. This is because their nutritional requirements change as they age. Aging is typically associated with lower energy requirements, and the tendency to lose muscle and gain fat. Immune function and kidney function also decline with age. Because senior cats can be susceptible to gaining weight, and being overweight leads to health problems, senior cat foods are lower in calories to meet their lower energy requirements. With all of this being said, if Boomie is a normal weight (not obese), in good body condition, and is overall healthy, you can give him an adult cat food. Should you notice he starts gaining weight on it, however, I would speak with your vet about switching him to an appropriate senior cat food. I hope this helps!

Not necessarily. Senior cats do get several treatable aging diseases like hyperthyroidism, chronic renal failure, and heart abnormalities. With treatment they can improve and continue to live a comfortable life. I recommend a senior workout to determine if there is a treatable problem. She could also have cancer or a more serious medical condition that there is no treatment for. You’ll know more after an exam and blood work. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry your cat is having this issue. I suggest you get him to your vet for a check up and some blood testing. Thyroid disease is very common in older cats as is kidney disease and diabetes. All of these things can cause similar symptoms and all are easily diagnosed with simple blood testing. You need to realize that at 17 years old he is about 85 in human years. At this age, things start to fail and go wrong. You need to find out what is wrong so you know how to best treat him. Some things are very easily treated with daily medications. I don't think this is something you are going to be able treat at home without knowing what the underlying cause is. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Hello. It is very common for the coat to become a little more brittle as pets age. Tony is probably grooming a little less, too, so the oils in the coat are not being distributed as well as in a younger animal. all of this is very normal. If you suspect that Tony may have a bit of arthritis, talk to your vet about starting him on a glucosamine supplement, Adequan injections, or even some more directed analgesic medications. He may groom a bit more with this. But otherwise, I would not be too concerned. You have done a great job keeping him so healthy for all these years! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.