Senior care: setting the stage for optimal feline aging

Abstract

We are excited to present a comprehensive update of the AAFP’s Senior Care Guidelines in this issue of JFMS.1 Many of us are treating more senior cats more often for an increased range of age-associated medical conditions. The 2021 Guidelines provide a thorough review of current thinking in feline medicine to benefit these senior patients. We now use the term ‘senior’ exclusively to describe all older cats over the age of 10; the previously used term ‘geriatric’ is more a description of health status than a specific age range. The Guidelines introduce the notion of ‘frailty’ and propose feline scales to help with improved identification in our patients. This aligns with an important concept in human medicine and better explains the debilitation that some aging cats experience. An emphasis on the individual senior patient and each cat’s aging process incorporates the owner for an optimal outcome in each patient. We briefly discuss common conditions affecting the senior patient and point to additional resources offering more information on individual diseases. As part of a discussion on the frequency and scope of diagnostics appropriate to the senior life stage, the Guidelines propose that looking for and treating the clinical signs of hypertension is a priority. Assessment of body weight, composition and muscle condition is critical in this life stage as well. identifying trends in diagnostics and physical examination or historical findings is important in all patients, but conceivably more so for senior cats. The recommended frequency of the minimum database and ancillary diagnostics will increase with advancing age, and be influenced by the aging process in the individual cat. There is detailed discussion of particular aspects of medicine that are especially relevant in older patients. These include comorbidities, quality of life and hospice care, and considerations regarding end of life care and ultimately euthanasia. All of these are much more common issues in aging cats, and the Guidelines seek to provide resources to address owners’ concerns, as well as each cat’s individual needs. We acknowledge with great appreciation our colleagues on the Guidelines Task Force, who included academicians, specialty practitioners, and private practitioners from both feline-exclusive and small animal practices. The challenges of senior care vary among different clinical settings and, in recognizing these differences, we offer viable options focused on the individual feline patient and its aging process, complete with customizable diagnostic and therapeutic plans. This should serve as an eminently practical resource for all senior cat needs. Happy reading!