Senior cat checklist

Senior Cat Quality of Life Checklist

Senior cats can hide discomfort or routine changes. A small weekly record can help you see patterns that are easy to miss day by day.

CHECKLIST

What to notice this week

  • 1Eating: appetite, food preference changes, chewing difficulty, or unfinished meals.
  • 2Water: drinking more, drinking less, or visiting the water bowl more often.
  • 3Litter box: accidents, straining, changes in stool, urine amount, or box avoidance.
  • 4Grooming: mats, greasy coat, reduced grooming, overgrooming, or new sensitivity to touch.
  • 5Mobility: jumping, stairs, climbing into boxes, stiffness, or hesitation.
  • 6Behavior: hiding, vocalizing, clinginess, irritability, confusion, or changed sleep spots.
  • 7Good days vs. hard days: whether the week felt mostly comfortable, mixed, or more difficult.

NOTES

How to make the notes useful

  • Track the same categories for at least a week before comparing trends.
  • Include concrete examples, such as "missed the litter box twice" or "stopped jumping to the sofa".
  • Ask your veterinarian before starting vitamins, supplements, or diet changes.
  • This guide is not a diagnosis or veterinary advice. It is a way to organize observations before talking with a licensed veterinarian.

VET QUESTIONS

  1. 1Which senior-cat screening schedule makes sense for my cat?
  2. 2Should we discuss weight, blood pressure, teeth, bloodwork, or pain signs?
  3. 3Are these litter box or grooming changes worth checking soon?
  4. 4What should I keep tracking for the next 7 days?

NEXT STEP

Turn these notes into a printable quality-of-life report and a 7-day follow-up journal. The calculator uses the same observation-first approach.

Start the quality-of-life calculator

What changes matter most for senior cats?

Appetite, water, litter box habits, grooming, mobility, hiding, and good vs. hard days are useful categories to track and discuss with a veterinarian.

Should I give my senior cat supplements?

Ask your veterinarian before starting supplements. Some are unnecessary, and some may not fit your cat's health history or medications.

Please note: Quality-of-life scales are a starting point for observation and conversation, not a medical assessment. Always consult a licensed veterinarian about your pet’s health.