Yves here. Because my cats who lived to be old (one died at 16 and the other, 18) were robust up to close to the end, I was probably not attentive to signs that they were aging and perhaps not as attentive to things I could have done as I might have been. One of them, Blake, had gotten thin but was still jumping up and down from counters, so I might have missed signs of arthritis. When he went in for a regular check, the doctor noticed that his lung capacity did not seem right and ordered an Xray, which showed a big white blob that the vet thought was probably cancer. I did not want to put him through more tests to firm that up since he really really hated going to the vet and there was not much that could be done if it was cancer. I put it out of my mind.<\/p>\n
When his breathing became labored in early January, I took him to a different vet who had treated him when he was a kitten (I had changed vets to get him certified to go to Oz, which very few can do, and then decided against that; Blake had really taken a dislike her after the Xray and so I thought this might be a smidge less distressing). He remarked, \u201cThey found a pulmonary mass in May and he\u2019s still alive?\u201d I procrastinated a bit about putting him down and took him in for the little they could do in the way of palliatives. He was considerate enough to die the day before the his appointment for his terminal shot.<\/p>\n
My other elderly cat, Gabriel, was similarly active up to his last 6 weeks or so (he died of bladder cancer). So I did not have to contend with frailty with either one. I imagine this is a big issue with dogs given their susceptibility to hip arthritis.<\/p>\n
By Sara Hoummady, DMV, PhD, Associate professor in ethology and animal nutrition, UniLaSalle. Originally published at The Conversation<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Geriatric veterinary care is in great shape, with dogs and cats living on average 11.3\u00a0years, according to French data. Our knowledge of how to accompany them in later life is expanding fast. We now know that simple changes can do wonders for an old cat or dog\u2019s comfort and quality of life. The main trick is for pet owners not to stand by idly as their four-legged companions\u2019 age.<\/p>\n At What Age Can My Dog or Cat Be Considered Old?<\/b><\/p>\n A study of over two million cats and four million dogs has enabled us to better define their different life stages.<\/p>\n Cats enter old age at around 10\u00a0years old. This period is then divided into mature, senior and super-senior stages.<\/p>\n The same study points out that it\u2019s less uniform for dogs, for whom old age depends heavily upon size.<\/p>\n Small dogs (toy<\/em> and small<\/em> breeds weighing less than 9\u00a0kg, such as Chihuahuas or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels) enter their third age at around 7\u00a0years old, then become seniors at around 12\u00a0years old.<\/p>\n Medium to large dogs weighing more than 9 kg, such as Welsh Corgis, Golden Retrievers and Australian Shepherds, for example, reach this stage earlier: around 6.<\/p>\n Not to panic, however: the new stage needn\u2019t mean that the end is near. Rather, it may just be time to pay greater attention to your pet and to gradually adjust their environment, medical and care routine to help them age in the best possible conditions.<\/p>\n What Is Healthy Ageing? How Can You Assess It in Your Pet?<\/b><\/p>\n But before we even talk about \u201chealthy ageing\u201d, it\u2019s useful to recall what ageing is: a natural, gradual and inevitable process. Over time, animals become less tolerant of environmental stress and their cells accumulate damage, leading to various physiological changes.<\/p>\n So, what do we mean by a dog or cat ageing \u201cin good health\u201d? A recent consensus article<\/a> in which I participated offers a definition adapted to our pets: an elderly animal in good health is one that retains sufficient capacity and resilience to meet its physical, behavioural, social and emotional needs, while maintaining a stable and positive relationship with its human.<\/p>\n Some signs are completely normal: greying hair, slight tartar build-up, thinner skin, and slightly duller senses\u2013these bear no noticeable impact on quality of life.<\/p>\n On the other hand, mobility issues that hinder access to resources (difficulty getting up, climbing stairs or interacting easily with you) should not be considered simply as signs of ageing. The same goes with the first signs of cognitive dysfunction<\/a> (a syndrome that has some similarities with Alzheimer\u2019s disease) when a dog or cat struggles to find its food bowl or seems lost in the house, for example. These cases call for veterinary advice.<\/p>\n Quality of life therefore becomes the central criterion for assessing whether an animal is ageing harmoniously. In dogs and cats, the concept of frailty, derived from human geriatrics, is now used (see table below).<\/p>\n How Can You Assess Your Pet\u2019s Frailty?**<\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-26-at-2.27.43\u202fPM.png\")
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