7 Odd Little Things Your Cat Starts Doing After Fourteen
The yowling, the staring, the sudden love of your lap. What your older cat's new habits are really telling you, and the small fixes that help.
Most of us assume an older cat is simply a slower version of the young one. Same personality, more naps. Then she starts singing at four in the morning, and you begin to wonder who replaced your cat.
The truth is that cats change in their teens, and nearly every odd new habit has a sensible reason behind it. Some are harmless. A few are worth a call to the vet. Here are the seven we hear about most from readers.
Read all the way to the end. We save the one detail most people never think about for last.
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The night shift
1. She yowls at nothing in the small hours
Sound familiar?A loud, drawn-out cry in the middle of the night is one of the most common changes in older cats. It often starts suddenly and it sounds nothing like her usual meow.
There are several possible causes. Fading hearing makes a cat louder, because she cannot judge her own volume. An overactive thyroid and high blood pressure can both make a cat restless and vocal. Age-related confusion can leave her unsure where she is when the house goes dark.
AdvertisementA new night-time yowl is a reason to book a check-up, not a quirk to sleep through.
Try thisLeave a low night light on near her bed and mention the yowling at her next vet visit. A simple blood test rules out the common medical causes. -
The missed jump
2. She stops jumping onto her favourite spots
Sound familiar?You may notice she takes the long way round now: chair first, then table, then windowsill. Or she looks at the sofa, thinks about it, and walks away.
AdvertisementStiff, sore joints are far more common in older cats than most owners realise, and cats are very good at hiding discomfort. They rarely limp. They just quietly stop doing the things that hurt.
Try thisPut a sturdy step or a footstool beside the places she loves. If she uses it straight away, her joints were the problem, and your vet can help with the pain.Advertisement -
The long stare
3. She stares at walls or out of windows for ages
Photo: Hana Oliver / Unsplash Sound familiar?Cats have always enjoyed a good stare. In an older cat it can become longer and more fixed, sometimes at a blank wall or the corner of a room.
Often she is simply listening to something you cannot hear. But long, vacant staring combined with getting lost in familiar rooms or forgetting where her bowl is can be a sign of age-related changes in the brain.
AdvertisementTry thisKeep furniture, bowls and litter trays in the same places. A predictable home is calming for a cat whose memory is not what it was. -
The water bowl
4. She suddenly drinks far more than she used to
Sound familiar?Cats are not big drinkers by nature. If you are filling the bowl more often, finding her at the tap, or scooping bigger clumps from the litter tray, take note.
Increased thirst is one of the earliest visible signs of kidney disease, diabetes and thyroid problems, all of which become more common with age. All three are much easier to manage when they are found early.
AdvertisementOf the seven habits on this list, this is the one to act on first.
Try thisMeasure how much water you put down each morning for a few days and write it down. Your vet will find real numbers far more useful than a hunch. -
The shadow
5. She follows you from room to room
Photo: Tatyana Rubleva / Unsplash Sound familiar?A cat who was once happily independent may become your shadow in her later years. She waits outside the bathroom. She wants your lap the moment you sit down.
AdvertisementOlder cats often seek more warmth and more reassurance. As sight and hearing fade, staying close to a trusted person is the easiest way to feel safe. It is one of the nicer changes on this list.
Try thisGive her a warm spot in the rooms you use most. A folded blanket on a chair near you is usually all it takes.Advertisement -
The scruffy coat
6. Her coat looks greasy or matted along the back
Sound familiar?A cat who always kept herself spotless may start to look a little unkempt, especially along the lower back and hips. You might find small mats that were never there before.
Grooming those areas means twisting and stretching. When that becomes uncomfortable, she simply does less of it. Sore teeth can put a cat off grooming too.
Try thisBrush her gently for two or three minutes a day with a soft brush. Most older cats come to love it, and you will spot lumps or sore patches early.Advertisement -
The near miss
7. She starts missing the litter tray
Sound familiar?Finding a puddle just outside the tray is frustrating, and it is easy to assume she is being awkward. She almost never is.
High-sided trays are hard to climb into with stiff hips. A cat who is drinking more also needs to go more often and may not reach the tray in time. Occasionally she has simply forgotten where it is.
AdvertisementTry thisSwap to a large tray with one low side, and add a second tray on each floor of the house. If the accidents continue, ask your vet to check for a urinary problem.
The short version
An older cat isn't being difficult. She's adapting to a body and a world that feel a little different than they used to. Watch for changes in thirst, appetite and confusion, and let the vet know. The rest usually needs nothing more than a step, a brush and a warm spot.
Last updated . This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for advice from your own vet.
