Five things we forget when building a winter kit for a senior cat
Having a twelve-year-old cat forced us to rethink the whole house when the temperatures dropped. A loving list for cats who don't jump as high anymore.
My cat Coco turned twelve this year. She is still magnificent, still bossy, but she no longer jumps to the kitchen counter without thinking twice. Our first Bogotá winter with her taught us that a senior cat doesn't need more things, she needs better things.
First thing we forgot: the floor is colder than the rest of the house. A rolled-up fleece blanket near the window where she catches the sun completely changed her routine. She spends three hours a day there, dozing, looking like a very warm version of herself.
Second: water. Filtered water fountains aren't a luxury, they're preventive medicine for older cats. They drink more, kidneys say thanks, vet visits drop. Coco uses hers religiously and gets cranky if I unplug it to clean it.
Third, fourth, fifth: a litter box with a lower edge (joints say thanks), a horizontal scratcher (because she doesn't stretch upwards anymore), and omega-3 supplements if your vet approves. Small things, big difference.
Having a senior cat is a privilege. The way to honor it is to adjust the house to her new size, not ask her to adjust to ours.