At what age is a cat elderly?

[Shirley]

  The cat may be fine and lively on the outside, but the kidneys will still be 10 years old. 

Nothing to do with cats but the above quote reminded me of when my Dad was in his hospital bed waiting for an op on his brain tumour. He was 71 and had always been fit and well, had regular medicals as he was an HGV driver and was told he had the heart of a 50 year old. The neurosurgeon said ' Ah, but he's got the blood vessels of a 70 year old and that makes the difference'

So i agree, even tho our furries seem well on the outside, it's what's going on on the inside that counts! My Chuch (9/10) and Charlie (7.1/2) look good, and try not to think about what's to come!   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Elderly, I rreckon around 15.............Kocka lived to 20 but started going downhill around 16.

My birmans are 17 and acting like elderly kittens at the moment but both have problems.

Sasa is 11 and could be older but apart from a new issue she has never been ill

Misa I am horrified to realize is now 9 and cant believe he is that age, still a big kitten although much wiser now then when he was 4 LOL

[Gillian Harvey]

Not sure really, I would say perhaps 14 I'd consider elderly. I havent got many under 10 yrs, only Gwynnie and Lacie.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i dont consider them oldies till they are 12. Dont ask me why, I just do (and that is my lower age for adopting too)

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I would imagine that cats' health deteriorates at different rates just like people, but in general I'd consider a cat senior at somewhere between 8 and 10 years.  By that I mean the internal organs will be ageing to a point where it's worth paying some attention to that and thinking of preventative measures such as lower phosphorus food.  The cat may be fine and lively on the outside, but the kidneys will still be 10 years old.  As to elderly, well I guess some 20 years olds are still kittens in many ways.  I am struggling with the concept of Mosi as an elderly cat  but in just over 2 years he will be at an age which some food manufacturers consider senior (7).

[Janeyk]

Often rescues say elderly at over 10/12 but our Byron was 26 and Pep is 18 so 10/12 is fairly young to us 

[maryas]

I think it might depend on the cat in some ways.  My Bonnie looks 4 sometimes and acts it but she is 13.  My first cat, Tibby lived to be 26 - so what was she classed as? - Ancient? 

Mary

[Kay and Penny]

I'd say senior at 10 and elderly at 14

no science to my opinion though

[MrsR]

What age do you think you can call a cat elderly?