ASK DR. SCHELLING

Dear Dr. Schelling,

It seems like just the other day, Coco was a tiny kitten, running everywhere and playing all the time. All of a sudden, she's almost 10 years old. Coco's the only cat I've ever had. What should I expect from this point forward, and how can I make her "autumn years" as happy and healthy as possible?

Due to continuing progress in feline veterinary science and techniques, always-increasing knowledge of cats' physical and emotional needs (although there will always be some mystery), and more attentiveness than ever to our cats' safety and well-being, not only is the average lifespan of cats on the rise, but the quality of life for older cats has never been better. There are many things you can do—from regularly taking Coco to the vet, to engaging in age-appropriate play sessions with Coco, to giving her lots of love and comfy snoozing places—to help ensure that every season of Coco's life is full of sunshine and purrs. Here is an introductory article on taking care of your cat as she ages: caring for your senior cat.

Click here to read the full article.

There are lots of ways you can keep Cleo occupied, content, and out of trouble when there aren't any humans around over whom she can preside.

The three basic rules are: spend some quality time with her before you leave for the day, enrich her environment (make it comfy for sleeping and fun and interesting for awake periods), and give her the proper worship when you return home. In fact, here's a whole article about that: how to keep your cat entertained when no one but kitty is home.