A day in the life of an aged cat – Environment of old domestic cats and welfare implications

The aging feline population presents unique challenges for care and welfare, yet the environmental adaptations and opportunities available to aging cats remain insufficiently studied. This study examines differences in health, environmental use, and enrichment among mature (8- <10 years), senior (≥10–14 years), and super-senior cats (≥15 years) through an online questionnaire completed by 441 cat owners. The findings reveal significant disparities in health and environmental access across the three age groups. Super-senior cats exhibited the highest prevalence of frailty (51%) and pain-related indicators (47%), alongside reduced self-grooming (63%) and diminished affiliative behaviour with their caregivers (68%). Super-senior cats also initiated fewer play sessions with their owners. Environmental analyses showed that aging cats, particularly super-seniors, had less access to or made less use of critical resources such as olfactory enrichment, and interactive feeding tools; for example, only 15% of super-seniors had access to interactive feeding tool. These findings highlight a decline in play behaviour and owner interaction with age, raising concerns about the emotional wellbeing of super-senior cats. The study emphasizes the importance of evaluating the alignment between an aging cat’s environment and its needs, paving the way for future development of welfare assessments tailored to the aging feline population. • Super-senior cats have limited access to key environmental resources. • Age is associated with reduced play, grooming, and owner interaction in cats. • Frailty and pain increase significantly in cats aged 15 years and older. • Use of interactive feeding devices declines with advancing feline age. • Findings support the need for tailored welfare strategies for aging cats.