18 Best Products for Senior Cats
I am the proud momma of two senior cats, Rosie, my 18-year-old tuxedo, and Sybil, my 14-year-old calico. Rosie was the first cat I ever adopted back in 2011; she was three at the time and I was in college. I adopted Sybil when I was in grad school two years later shortly before her 2nd birthday. I love that my girls have been with me through so much of my life! 🥹
Since I’ve been with my kitties for so long, we’ve tried a multitude of different cat products before settling on our favorites that we all use and love every day. Even still, we are constantly trying new products, and they have some new favorites since I first published this post. Now that they’re seniors, it’s important to spoil them rotten more than ever before!
Below, I rounded up 18 of the best products for senior cats, including Rosie and Sybil’s (and, of course, my) favorite toys, scratchers, supplies, and food for senior cats! You can shop most of these products at Amazon and/or Chewy. I also shared eight tips on how to care for a senior cat so they can live happily and comfortably for as long as possible.
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18 Best Products for Senior Cats
Best Toys and Scratchers for Senior Cats
Rosie and Sybil are absolutely spoiled. They have toys and scratchers all over the place! I don’t mind, though; we appreciate that they don’t scratch the furniture. I recommend buying a variety of scratchers and putting them everywhere, especially near or on items they like to scratch. If they don’t like cardboard, try other materials, like sisal!
As for toys, my cats have never been big fans of the stereotypical cat toys. I recommend trying the “cat dancer” rolled cardboard toy, which has been their favorite cat toy, or a laser pointer. Senior cats don’t tend to play quite as much as their younger counterparts, so I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a lot of toys unless you know what they like.
1. Yeowww! Catnip Toys
Shop the banana via Amazon or Chewy, rainbow via Amazon or Chewy, pink cigar via Amazon or Chewy, and brown cigar via Amazon or Chewy. Browse all Yeowww! products on Amazon or Chewy.
Both of my cats are obsessed with Yeowww! catnip toys, and they remain potent for years. I prefer buying the cigars because Sybil can rip apart the curved catnip toys (banana and rainbow) much faster and easier for some reason. Once they are ripped, I toss them so they don’t leak catnip all over the house.
2. Turbo Scratcher with Ball
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We have scratchers everywhere; they really help keep the cats occupied and not scratching the furniture. When Rosie gets upset, she goes straight to a scratcher to take out her anger, LOL.
Her favorite is the round turbo scratcher with the ball that my mom got them. She scratches on it and plays with the ball! It’s fun to play with her. Sybil doesn’t play with or scratch on it; she sleeps on it every once in a while! I love that it’s easy to replace the cardboard center once Rosie destroys it (you can also buy replacement cardboard on Amazon or Chewy).
3. Scratch Lounge
The cats also love the Scratch Lounge (though Sybil sleeps on it more than she scratches it) and various other cardboard scratchers.
4. SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
We also have two SmartCat ultimate scratching posts; the first one is very well-loved, so I purchased a second, and I keep them in two different parts of the house. Rosie loves this one because, as a tall/long cat, she can really stretch out on it. The 16” by 16” base is sturdy, and the woven sisal lasts a number of years!
5. Scratching Post with Hammock
I bought the scratching post with hammock to put next to our living room window. At first, both cats were uninterested, but Sybil took to the hammock and sleeps in it every once in a while. She also loves scratching it. Rosie doesn’t sleep in it, but she scratches it! I need to replace the sisal rope on both sides because it’s now quite destroyed.
6. Triple Sisal Ball Cat Scratching Post
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This is the most recent scratcher I’ve purchased for my girls. I really thought they’d like scratching their chins and necks on the roller balls (because they love chin scratches!) but they avoid the roller balls and only scratch on the posts. The cool thing about this scratcher is that the sides also have scratch pads so they can scratch on all of it! (We’ve been using ours as another end table in the living room, though, haha.)
Best Supplies for Senior Cats
If your senior cat is anything like mine, they may not care as much about these pet supplies as you do, but these are well-used and -loved in my house and are what I’d recommend for yours, too!
7. Pet Rover Run PErformance Jogging Stroller
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I’ve wanted a stroller for YEARS to take my cats out for walks, and I finally purchased this jogging stroller a year ago. I’m still kicking myself for not purchasing it sooner! It was one of the most expensive options, but I’m so glad I got a stroller with rubber tires because I can take it on uneven terrain, and these tires don’t make a terrible noise on concrete or pavement.
Both of my cats can fit inside this stroller at the same time (and there are two leash connections, which I attach to their harnesses so they can’t jump out), but we don’t take them out together often because Rosie is rude and will smack Sybil if she’s in her space for too long. They love going on walks individually, though, especially Rosie!
8. Self-Warming Reversible Mat
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I purchased this mat to see if it would keep Rosie warm in the winter, and it’s still a favorite even now that it’s summer! We usually keep a folded blanket on the end of chaise lounge because it’s one of Rosie’s favorite spots to hang out, but this is a great alternative to a blanket and keeps her warmer. I love that it’s reversible and machine-washable.
9. Self-Warming Bolster Kitten Bed
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Because Rosie liked the reversible mat so much, I ended up purchasing two of these self-warming kitten beds for their favorite dining room chairs that sit by the window. They are definitely kitten-sized beds, but Rosie is small enough now that she can curl up completely in the bed. Sybil is usually hanging a limb or two out, but they both love them and curl up in them daily!
10. Cat Face Recycled Rubber Placemat
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I really love this cute cat face recycled rubber placemat for under their food bowls. I have one for each cat. They’re easy to clean, but my cats are super messy and still get food all around the mats… so, they’re helpful but don’t totally eliminate food going every which way if your cat is like mine!
11. Catit Water Fountain
I got a water fountain about a year into having Rosie because I discovered she likes to stick her paw into still water and flick it everywhere. We still use this Catit flower water fountain (the flower adds even more movement to the water).
I will say that it gets gross really quickly… like in less than a month. The nice thing is that you can put everything but the pump through the dishwasher. Also, the filters have to be replaced fairly often. After trying what feels like all of the off-brand replacement filters, I only recommend the Catit brand (shop via Amazon or Chewy).
12. Rubber Litter Catcher Mat
I’ve also tried a few different rubber catcher mats for under the litter box and finally found one I like. Caveat: My cats still track litter everywhere (we currently use a Litter Robot automatic litter box with stairs that cover half the mat, and they manage to get litter all over the floor outside the laundry room where the litter box is located). BUT, this mat worked the best out of the others I’ve tried if you have a regular litter box! It’s heavy and lays flat.
13. Cat Steps
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My cats aren’t yet to the point where they can’t jump up on the couch or bed (Rosie sometimes needs help getting up on the counter for faucet water), but if one of them ever gets to that point, I’d get some stairs like these. I love that you can build them with three or four steps depending on the height needed.
Best Food for Senior Cats
Food is super personal and definitely depends on your senior cat and their needs. Be sure to involve your vet when it comes to adding or changing anything related to your senior cat’s diet.
My cats currently get dry food every morning and wet food every night. Sybil also gets some of her urinary prescription dry food in the morning to help prevent crystals. Prescription food is expensive, BUT it’s far cheaper than taking her to the vet when she has crystals, which used to happen almost annually. The food has worked really well for her!
That said, we will likely be transitioning them away from dry food entirely because they haven’t really been eating it and instead seem to hold out for their wet food in the evening.
14. Open Farm RawMix Grain Free Cat Kibble
Korri learned about this brand, which is carried at local retailers here in Boise, and we decided to switch the cats to this dry food. They really liked it at first and now they don’t eat it as much (though Sybil loves the big freeze-dried pieces). I’m not sure we’ll repurchase this and instead switch to wet food for morning and evening… or maybe we’ll start pouring bone broth into the dry food to encourage them to eat it!
15. Open Farm Pate Canned Wet Food
My cats LOVE the Open Farm canned wet food. They honestly will starve themselves all day until dinnertime, which I don’t think is good for them and probably is contributing to their weight loss. They like every flavor we tried so far. I noticed that the harvest turkey and harvest chicken flavors are a lot “sloppier” than the salmon mixes.
16. Open Farm Bone Broth
Korri randomly decided to order Open Farm’s pet-friendly bone broth, and it’s now Rosie’s favorite thing in the entire world. She begs for it all of the time. If we go into the kitchen for anything, she’s on our heels crying at the fridge hoping we grab the container and pour her a bit of bone broth. She loves all three flavors! I usually top her wet food with a bit of bone broth, though I think it would work well on dry food, too.
17. Choolip Squeeze Vita Stick Lickable Cat Treats
My cats are big “Go-Gurt” fans, and I purchased the Choolip lickable cat treats because they supposedly have vitamins in them to help with different parts of their bodies. I’m not sure how true that is, but my cats enjoy all of the flavors nonetheless.
18. Fussie Cat Puree Lickable Treats
These were the first lickable treats I gave my cats, and they love them! They’ve gone crazy for every flavor they’ve tried so far.
How to Care for a Senior Cat
Schedule regular wellness checkups
Once your vet recommends semi-annual (typically twice-yearly) wellness checks, do them as long as you are financially able! Issues can arise QUICKLY in senior cats, so you want to jump on things as soon as possible. My senior cats get a full work-up with blood work twice a year.
Try alternate therapies and/or additional medications
With the guidance of your vet, seek therapies or medications to help with pain your senior cat is experiencing. I started Rosie on acupuncture about a year ago to help with pain, and she went weekly for a couple of months, then twice-monthly for a few months, and now she goes monthly. She doesn’t mind the needles going in, but she hates having to stay still for ~15 minutes to let the needles work! She now also gets monthly Solensia injections to help with the pain of arthritis.
Learn your cat's habits
Pay attention to your senior cat so you know what’s normal for them and what’s not. I know when my cats aren’t feeling well when they spend all day hiding or if they lay in a spot they don’t usually lay in. I also noticed that they tend to puke more right before a hair ball, so when I notice that, I can administer hairball gel to soothe their tummy.
Monitor your cat’s food and water intake
This goes with learning your cat’s habits. Pay attention to what and how much your cat is eating and drinking, especially if you suspect something is up with their health. Then you can relay this information to your vet when you go in for the wellness check. You’ll also figure out if they need a different brand of food or prefer one type of food over another.
Look out for signs of pain
Cats are wizards at hiding physical pain. I can tell Rosie is in pain when she reacts more violently to being pet (hitting us). My cats also hide out when they are in pain or not feeling well. Make mental notes every time your cat acts out of character because it could be a sign of pain.
Keep up with grooming and hygiene
Your cat should hopefully still be grooming themselves even when they are seniors. Supplement with brushing their coat as needed. I also have a pack of wet wipes I open up if my cats are looking particularly mangy. Their dental hygiene is also very important; if you are able to, brush their teeth and get regular dentals. You can also buy water additives that can potentially help with bad breath, though I haven’t found one I think works really well.
Create a senior cat-friendly environment
Senior cats will lose weight as they lose their muscle mass, so they’ll get cold much easier. Make sure to keep lots of blankets or self-warming beds in their favorite spots to keep them warm. Also make sure their litter box is easy to access, and add steps if needed to help them navigate to the couch, bed, or other high spaces in your house.
Know common signs of diseases
Tracking your cat’s habits, including their food and water intake, will guide a conversation with your vet if you think they may have a disease. For example, increased thirst may mean that your senior cat has kidney disease. My girls have pancreatitis (managed with medication), and Rosie has kidney disease, and I wasn’t surprised by either diagnosis based on how they were acting at home.