A cat that once jumped onto a favorite chair may start waiting beside it. A dog with chronic kidney disease may struggle to rise after resting, even though yesterday’s walk seemed manageable.
An older dog may hesitate before standing after a long nap. A senior cat might spend more time considering a jump that once required no thought at all.
An older dog pauses before climbing the stairs. A senior cat that once jumped effortlessly onto the bed now hesitates, studies the distance, and eventually walks away.
There comes a time when the familiar walk around the neighborhood begins to look a little different.
An older dog arrives at an animal shelter with a graying muzzle, worn teeth, and a lifetime of habits that someone once knew by heart.
For years, an older feral cat may have lived in the same neighborhood, appearing at familiar feeding stations, sleeping beneath porches, and keeping a cautious distance from the people who provide food.
The living room looks wonderful after a little rearranging. The sofa has a better view of the television, the chairs make the room feel more open, and that old coffee table finally has a new home.
Lethargy is one of those symptoms that can be easy to explain away, especially in a middle-aged or senior dog.
There is a particular kind of silence that settles into a home after one animal in a bonded pair dies.
One day your dog walks confidently through the house, jumps onto a favorite bed, and heads straight for the water bowl.
A child may look at an older dog sleeping on the rug or a gray-faced cat curled on the sofa and see the same familiar companion they have always known.
Nighttime can change as a dog or cat gets older.
