How to Set Up Your Home for a Senior Cat

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Older cats sleep more, jump less and often find stairs, high sides and long trips across the house harder than they used to. A few changes at home can keep an ageing cat comfortable and independent. This guide covers where to put the litter tray, water and beds, how to keep favourite high spots within reach, scratching and grooming help, and the signs that mean a trip to the vet rather than another change at home.

How we wrote this: the steps follow Battersea’s guide to caring for an older cat, PDSA’s vet-written page on arthritis in cats and Best Friends Animal Society’s page on senior dog and cat care. We put their advice in our own words and mark our own tips with “in our view”. All were checked on 2 November 2026. We did not test any of the products named here ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings. This is not veterinary advice: if your cat seems unwell or in pain, see your vet.

When is a cat a senior?

Battersea describes cats as senior from roughly 11 to 14 years and geriatric from 15 onwards. Age alone does not decide what your cat needs, though. Battersea notes that older cats tend to be less active, spend less time outdoors, sleep more and move less freely, and that their sight, hearing, smell and tolerance for stress can all decline.

PDSA adds that arthritis is very common in older cats and easy to miss, because cats hide pain. It suggests comparing your cat now with how it was a few months or years ago. Signs it lists include stiffness or limping, trouble jumping up, trouble with stairs, the cat flap or the litter tray, sleeping more, grooming less, and claws that grow long because the scratching post is used less.

1. Make changes slowly and keep things where your cat expects them

Battersea points out that change tends to unsettle older cats, so if you need to move a key resource such as the litter tray, water or bed, do it gradually. In our view, add the new item first and leave the old one in place for a week or two, then remove the old one once your cat is clearly using the new spot. The same goes for a new type of litter: our guide on how to switch cat litter explains how to mix old and new over several days.

2. One set of essentials on every floor

Stairs often get harder with age. Battersea suggests that if your home has more than one level, your older cat should have a litter tray, water and a feeding spot on each floor. In our view, put them on the floor where your cat spends most of its day first, and close to where it rests, so a stiff cat does not have to make a long trip when it wakes up.

3. Choose a litter tray your cat can step into

Both Battersea and PDSA recommend a tray with low sides or a lowered entrance, so a stiff cat can climb in and out without effort. Battersea also says an older cat may dislike a covered tray, especially one with a swinging flap door that can knock it on the way in and out, which can put a cat off using the tray at all.

Battersea adds that even a cat that has always toileted in the garden should have an indoor tray in a quiet, private spot once it is older. Older cats may not want to go out in cold or wet weather, may want to avoid other cats, and an indoor tray lets you notice changes in urine or stools that need a vet.

In our view, if your current tray has high sides, a low plastic storage tray or a tray with one side cut down can work while you look for a replacement. Keep the litter depth and type the same so only one thing changes at a time.

4. Water in several easy-to-reach places

Battersea says older cats are more prone to dehydration, and suggests encouraging drinking by putting water bowls in several places, away from food and litter trays. It notes that cats tend to prefer wide bowls filled to the brim, so they do not have to lower their heads, and that ceramic or glass bowls are better than plastic. Some cats prefer moving water, so a fountain can help; see do cats need a water fountain?

PDSA notes that bending down can hurt a cat with arthritis, and that raising food and water bowls a little, on a purpose-made stand or simply on something placed underneath, can help. Battersea says the same for food bowls.

For what and how much an older cat should eat, ask your vet; our sister site InTheKibble covers cat food.

5. Warm, soft beds at floor level

PDSA suggests giving a cat with arthritis a choice of comfortable beds it can reach easily, and mentions orthopaedic memory foam beds as a good option. It also says warmth from a heated bed or heat pad may ease arthritis pain. In our view, put at least one bed somewhere warm and draught-free at floor level, near the litter tray and water, so your cat does not have to climb to rest.

If you choose a heated bed, follow the maker’s instructions, keep the cord out of reach of chewing, and make sure your cat can step off the heat when it wants. The K&H Thermo-Kitty Heated Cat Bed is a low-wattage, thermostat-controlled bed with soft walls, and its heater comes out so it works as a plain bed in summer, according to its listing. The SnuggleSafe Microwave Heat Pad is a cordless disc that goes under the bedding, per its listing. Our best heated pet bed guide compares electric, self-warming and microwave options and covers safety.

6. Keep favourite high spots within reach

Many cats still want to sit up high when they are older, but jumping can hurt. PDSA suggests carefully placed ramps, steps or furniture so a cat can reach its favourite places safely and comfortably.

In our view, look at where your cat used to jump and build a staircase of shorter hops: a footstool next to the sofa, a chair next to the windowsill, a sturdy box in front of the bed. Every step should be stable and not slide on the floor. A cat tree with low, wide platforms close together is easier than a tall, narrow one; see best cat trees for indoor cats. If you have wall shelves, our guide on how to set up cat wall shelves explains spacing, and an older cat will need smaller gaps between them.

7. Swap tall posts for flat scratchers

Battersea explains that stretching up a vertical post can strain an older cat’s joints, and suggests flat scratchers instead; even an offcut of carpet laid on the floor will do. Scratching still matters, because it helps keep claws worn down. The Necoichi Cozy Cat Scratcher Bowl is a horizontal cardboard scratcher shaped as a shallow bowl, so it can double as a bed, according to its listing. Our best cat scratching post guide includes more flat options.

Battersea also notes that older cats may be less able to pull their claws in, so claws can catch on carpets and furniture. It recommends asking your vet before trimming at home, or having claws trimmed at routine checks. Our guide on how to trim cat nails covers the basics if your vet agrees you can do it yourself.

8. Help with grooming, gently

Older, stiffer cats often struggle to reach their back, back legs and tail, and PDSA lists matted fur in those places as a possible sign of arthritis. Battersea suggests regular, gentle brushing with a soft brush to stop mats forming, while taking care over joints, hips and the spine, where older cats are often thinner and bony areas can be sore. It adds that if your cat cannot clean its back end, you can wipe the area gently with cotton pads dampened with warm water, and that long-haired cats may need the fur there trimmed.

A soft rubber brush such as the KONG Cat ZoomGroom, which its listing describes as a small rubber brush made for cats, is gentler on bony areas than a wire slicker. In our view, keep sessions to a few minutes and stop if your cat flinches.

9. A night light and a calm, predictable home

Best Friends says vision problems are common in older pets and suggests watching whether your pet struggles to find its way at night or bumps into furniture. It also says hearing loss is common, and that a pet that startles easily when approached from behind may not hear well.

In our view, a plug-in night light along the route from bed to litter tray and water can help, as can keeping furniture where it is. If your cat hears less well, approach where it can see you, or tap the floor gently so it feels you coming.

When to see the vet

Home changes make an older cat more comfortable, but they do not treat anything. Battersea suggests seeing your vet about stiffness, limping or trouble jumping; difficulty passing urine or stools, or blood in them; lumps anywhere on the body; pawing at the mouth or drooling; and any unusual behaviour such as hiding or aggression. Best Friends adds drinking or urinating more than usual, weight loss, confusion, getting stuck in corners, and toileting outside the tray. PDSA recommends a check every 6 to 12 months for older cats.

Never give your cat human painkillers: PDSA warns that some, paracetamol among them, are very dangerous for cats. Ask your vet before trying any supplement or treatment.

Living with an older dog? Our guide on how to set up your home for a senior dog covers non-slip floors, supportive beds, stair gates and ramps.

FAQ

What age is a cat considered a senior?

Battersea describes cats as senior from about 11 to 14 years old and geriatric from 15 years upwards.

What kind of litter box is best for an older cat?

Battersea and PDSA both recommend a tray with low sides or a low entrance. Battersea adds that a covered tray, especially one with a flap door, may put an older cat off.

Why has my older cat stopped jumping onto things?

PDSA lists difficulty jumping up as a common sign of arthritis. Add steps to your cat’s favourite spots and book a vet check.

More for cat owners: best cat beds and window perches, best heated pet bed and how to switch cat litter.