| Stage | Definition |
| Kitten | 0-1 year old |
| Junior/Adult | 1-6 years old |
| Senior | 7+ years old |
| All | Kitten | Junior/Adult |
Senior |
|
| General | Recommended frequency of veterinary visits, importance of prevention and early detection of disease, health care planning | Breed predispositions, alternatives to declawing, congenital concerns | Evaluate congenital disorders. Address special needs for lifestyle | Evaluate congenital disorders. Discuss preventative testing |
| Behavior & Environment |
Housing, hunting activity, children and other pets, enrichment activities, behavior, travel | Confirm adequate resource allocation and play with appropriate toys. Acclimate to car and vet visits. Teach commands | Inter-cat interactions and social play may decline with age. Provide continuing training to allow manipulation of mouth, ears and feet. | Review enrichment. Encourage interaction with toys. Increased importance of box, food and bed accessibility. Monitor cognitive function (vocalization, confusion). Discuss quality of life issues |
| Medical & Surgical History |
Previous medical history, medications, over the counter items | Discuss sterilization and declawing. Pros and cons of surgery at different ages | Spay/neuter if not done already. Discuss establishing baseline data to assess changes | Monitor for subtle changes such as increased sleeping or decreased activity. Monitor mobility. Review medications and supplements |
| Elimination |
Discuss urinary tract health, elimination habits, litter box management | Litter box setup, cleaning, and normal elimination | Confirm that litter box size accommodates growing cats | Review size and edge height of box and adjust as needed for aging cats |
| Nutrition & Weight |
Discuss eating habits, feeding recommendations, importance of regular assessment of weight | Monitor for weight changes and feed to achieve ideal body weight | Feed to achieve ideal body weight. Adjust food accordingly if weight changes | Monitor food intake. Feed to achieve ideal body weight |
| Oral Health |
Discuss dental health, home care, dental disease, preventive care, cleanings and treatments | Monitor and discuss as needed | Monitor and discuss as needed | Monitor for oral tumors, inability to eat and decreased quality of life due to painful dental disease |
| Parasite Control |
Tailor laboratory evaluations to lifestyle. Evaluate risk based on geography. Discuss zoonotic risk and prevention | Fecal exams 2-4 times during the first year of life | Fecal exams 1-2 times per year | Fecal exams 1-2 times per year |
| Vaccinations |
Discuss core and non-core vaccines | Core vaccines given up to 4 times, three weeks apart until 16 weeks old | Continue core and necessary non-core vaccinations based on current guidelines | Continue core and necessary non-core vaccinations based on current guidelines |
