Choosing a senior cat bed: what changes with age

An older cat who abandons their usual bed isn't being fussy: they're often in pain. Arthritis affects a large proportion of cats over ten, and the first visible sign is almost never a limp — it's a cat who no longer jumps where they used to. Their bed is therefore the first thing to rethink, and the simplest — here's what makes a good senior cat bed.

What changes with age

Joints. Arthritis is common in ageing cats and shows itself discreetly: fewer jumps, more cautious movements, a hesitation before climbing. Your cat doesn't complain, they adapt — and adapting means giving things up.

Temperature control. An older cat finds it harder to maintain their body temperature, especially if they've lost weight. They seek out warmth and cope badly with cold floors and draughts.

Sleep. They sleep more, and more deeply, which makes the quality of their bed matter more than before.

Sight and hearing. Both decline gradually. A cat who doesn't hear as well needs to see things coming: a bed backed against a wall, with a clear view, reassures them more.

The five criteria for a good senior cat bed

1. Reachable without jumping

This is criterion number one. The bed should be on the floor, or reachable via an intermediate step. If your cat used to sleep up high and no longer goes there, don't assume they've changed their mind: add a way up.

2. A low edge at the entrance

A high rim forces them to lift a leg, which becomes painful. A bed with a partly cut-away edge, or a flat bed, can be stepped into without effort. A raised camp-style bed is still a good option as long as the height is modest: it insulates from the cold floor without requiring a big jump.

3. Warm, but breathable

Insulation from the floor matters as much as warmth. An enclosed bed holds on to body heat without any electrical device: a capsule bed suits a cat who feels the cold, and a sleeping bag lets them burrow in, which many older cats look for.

4. Stable

A bed that slides when your cat leans on it is a bed that gets abandoned. Weight and a solid base count: a rattan bed doesn't move, and neither does a tunnel bed on a wooden frame.

5. Easy to clean

Toilet accidents become more frequent with age — kidney problems, arthritis that makes the litter tray hard to get into. A material that cleans quickly, such as a cotton rope bed, or a machine-washable cover, saves you having to replace the bed.

Off the cold floor, with their back supported
The taut fabric takes their weight without sagging, which matters for an older or heavier cat, and keeps them away from cold floors and draughts. Discover the raised cat bed →

The warning signs

These aren't a matter of home set-up, and they warrant a trip to the vet.

• They no longer jump where they jumped six months ago — the most reliable sign of arthritis in cats.
• They hesitate before climbing, or gather themselves several times before jumping.
• They sleep in unusual places, often lower down and more tucked away.
• They groom less, especially the lower back and hindquarters, which they can no longer reach.
• They growl or pull away when you stroke their back or hips.

Feline arthritis can be treated, and a cat whose pain is relieved often gets back behaviours you thought were gone for good. Don't put down to age what is really pain.

Keep an eye on how much they drink, too: a marked increase in an older cat can go hand in hand with a kidney or thyroid problem. The subject is covered in what you need to know about a cat who drinks too little or too much.

Setting things up around the bed

The bed alone isn't enough. Three simple changes make a real difference to an older cat's daily life:

A step up to their favourite spots. A stool in front of the sofa, an upturned crate in front of the windowsill. They get their access back without jumping. For the sofa or the bed, our foam cat stairs come in 31, 40 or 46 cm heights, with wave-shaped steps and no sharp edges.

Resources close together. Water, food and litter tray a short distance from the bed, and on the same level. A flight of stairs between the bed and the litter tray is a common cause of accidents.

A low-sided litter tray. The same stepping-over problem comes up there too, and it's often wrongly taken for poor toilet habits.

Changing things without turning everything upside down

An older cat copes badly with sudden change: familiar landmarks matter more as their senses decline. The classic mistake is to rearrange their whole space in one day, with the best of intentions.

The right method is gradual:

1. Add before you take away. Put the new bed next to the old one, without removing it. Let them choose for one to two weeks.
2. Transfer their scent. Put the fabric they were already using, unwashed, into the new bed. That's what speeds up adoption the most.
3. Keep the spot. If the old bed was well placed, change only the object, not the place. One thing at a time.
4. Only remove the old one once the new one has been used several days in a row.

The same logic applies to access steps: put them in place and let your cat discover them, rather than suddenly cutting off the high spot they used to reach. A cat deprived of their usual lookout without a tried-and-tested alternative will look for somewhere else, often less practical.

Do they need a heated bed?

It's not essential in a heated home. An enclosed bed, which holds on to body heat, is enough in most cases and carries fewer risks. If their bed is an open one, a cushion with a reflective film works the same way, with no wire or plug: it reflects their own body heat back to them.

If you do go for a heated device, take two precautions: a very moderate temperature, and the option for your cat to move away from it freely. An older or weakened animal is less sensitive to heat and may not move away in time. A lukewarm hot-water bottle wrapped in a towel, placed at one end of the bed, is often the safest solution.

Frequently asked questions

At what age is a cat considered “senior”?

The threshold is generally put at around ten to twelve years, but the signs appear gradually from the age of seven or eight. It's better to adapt early than to react to a fall.

My older cat sleeps sixteen hours a day — is that normal?

Older cats do sleep more. The warning sign is a cat who no longer perks up at all, even at mealtimes, or who stops interacting.

Does an older cat need several beds?

Yes, and even more so than a young cat: they move around less, so you need to offer several accessible resting spots rather than a single perfect one.

They no longer get up on my bed — should I help them?

Give them a way up rather than lifting them: a step or a low piece of furniture gives them back their independence, which matters for an animal who is gradually losing their abilities.

How do I choose the right size?

As for an adult cat, with one difference: an older cat stretches out more often than they curl up, because curling into a ball puts strain on the joints. Err on the generous side. Measuring guidelines are in which cat bed to choose.