For people with older dogs and cats
Grey muzzle. Good years ahead.
Dogs become seniors somewhere between 5 and 12, depending on size. Cats, around 10. Find your pet's stage and what changes now: food, exercise, and how often to see the vet.
Tell us about your petMyis aand is8years old.
Show my pet's stage →
73 breeds. Breed-specific curves, not the seven-year rule.
What changes when they get old
Two guides, written plainly. Pick your animal.
- Senior dogsSize sets the clock: giant breeds at 5, small ones past 10. Signs to notice, food and exercise changes, the vet-visit list.
- Senior catsCats hide it. Quieter signs, kidney and thyroid watch-points, and small changes at home that make a big difference.
- Insurance that still takes seniorsSeven insurers compared on age limits, premiums and waiting periods. Three have no upper age limit.
- Symptom checkerSay what you are seeing. It shows which signs mean go now and what to read about the rest.
- Quality-of-life scaleScore the seven things that matter, keep a log of good days and bad days, and take both to your vet.
- Can my dog or cat eat this?Type a food. See whether it is fine in small amounts, only with care, or a no, and read why.
- Is my pet overweight?Three hands-on checks vets use, ribs, waist and belly, to tell whether a dog or cat is the right weight.
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The signs of aging, as a checklist.
Tick what you've noticed, then take the list to your vet. It's a prompt for that conversation, not a diagnosis.