Nurturing your cat during their golden years

Now your cat has reached their golden years, their body will age more rapidly. To help support your cat during this transition, we recommend you book a senior cat health check every 6 months at Nurture.

This regular contact allows our team to monitor your cat as they age, catch up with you about any concerns you have and assess your cat for health conditions that could be starting to affect their quality of life.

Nurture believes all senior cats benefit from staying up to date with their preventative healthcare. This includes cat vaccinations and parasite treatments for worms & fleas. Book an appointment with one of our friendly cat vets in Wells or Weston-super-Mare who will be able to advise and create a bespoke preventative care plan based on your cat’s lifestyle and health status.

Cat vaccinations protect against:

• Cat flu (feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus)
• Feline infectious enteritis
• Feline leukaemia virus

As of June 10th 2024, it is now a legal requirement to microchip all cats in England over 20 weeks of age – learn more about this new law.

A microchip provides the best chance of you being reunited with your cat should they get stolen or become lost or injured, and can be implanted during a consultation or procedure at Nurture – book now.

Cats are masters at hiding discomfort and pain so they often do not demonstrate obvious signs that you might expect.

Spotting arthritis: When it comes to feline arthritis, they restrict their own activity to minimise the use of the sore joints and so tend not to show the same signs of arthritis as other animals. In particular, cats uncommonly show overt signs of limping or pain associated with arthritis.

You can help to spot arthritis in your cat by monitoring their behaviour and letting us know about any changes. Major signs of arthritis in cats are reduced mobility and activity, altered grooming, and temperament.

Other ageing conditions: As cat age, they can become more prone to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Your vet will work with you to create the optimal treatment plan, which may include recommending changes to your cat’s environment & routine.

During their golden years, your cat’s nutritional and exercise requirements will change. You might see a weight change due to reduced exercise or muscle wastage. Your senior cat may also start to struggle with dry food if their teeth become affected by dental disease.

It’s very important you make Nurture aware if there are any changes in your cat’s food intake, exercise levels, urination, faecal output or their general wellbeing. This could be a sign that your cat’s daily care needs adjusting to meet the needs of their golden years.  

If your cat is diagnosed with dental disease, you can have peace of mind that Nurture has experienced and passionate vet dentists on site who can provide consults, treatment plans and advanced surgeries if required.

Although your pet may slow down in their golden years, they can still lead a fulfilling life – ask our team about cat enrichment tips for older cats, including toys and treats to suit their needs.

Booking your older cat in for surgery can feel daunting. Rest assured that your cat will be in the best hands with our highly experienced & compassionate team.

Before we book any neutering or other procedure, we will see you and your cat for a consultation. This is where we can run through the surgical procedure, and the care your cat will benefit from before, during, and after. At Nurture we offer pre-op blood tests to check there are no underlying health conditions that could affect your beloved companion’s recovery.

We also have a unique wellbeing cattery at Wells – discover why it’s so special

We understand that acute illness and injury can occur at any time of the day and night. Nurture ensures around-the-clock care through our own RCVS Tier 3 Vet Hospital in Wells and our close connections with Langford Emergency Service near Weston-super-Mare – learn more.

There are many types to choose from for older cats, but having a dependable pet insurance policy ready helps to ensure your cat can receive vital care when unforeseen circumstances arise, whether that be through illness or injury. Take a look at how Vetsure policies are designed with your cat’s ongoing care at heart.