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Senior cats: The pet industry's blind spot
The silver-whisker wave is coming
Welcome back, feline fans.
Long before launching Feline Business Brief, this editor adopted two lovely cats, Ethel and Morag, when they were just gangly 6-month-old youngsters.
This year, Ethel and Morag will be turning 13 years old. And while I still see them as overgrown kittens, the telltale signs of the older feline are there. Slower movements, more downtime, and sadly, for Ethel, the beginnings of cataracts.
As they age, I increasingly go online in search of senior cat stuff, like high-fibre food and litter boxes with lower sides.
But beyond that, I’ve encountered a distinct lack of products. Where are the visual aids for Ethel? Or ramps that are actually cat-sized?
When it comes to senior cats, there’s definitely a lot less choice out there. This week, we look at why this represents a massive missed opportunity for the pet industry, and why it urgently needs to be addressed.
Ethel. At nearly 13, this kitty still has claws!
News in Brief
Senior cats need more TLC from the pet industry
If cats as a whole are underserved by the pet industry, then senior cats represent a real blind spot.
Despite rising numbers of ageing cats in developed markets, the pet industry remains youth-obsessed.
Most nutrition, innovation and marketing still skews toward kittens and adult cats in their prime (when was the last time you saw a TV ad featuring an older cat?).
As a result, senior cats often feel like an afterthought, and are much less visible.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Senior cats represent a serious (multi-million) missed opportunity for the pet industry.
At the moment, over half (52%) of cat-owning U.S. households include senior cats1 (7 years and over), on a par with senior dog ownership, according to Packaged Facts.
Not only that, the senior cat market is forecast to increase significantly.
According to L.E.K. Consulting, we are facing a “Silver Tsunami” of ageing pandemic pets.
During the pandemic, there was a boom of 35-40 million pet adoptions.
Sixty percent of pets acquired during the pandemic were kittens or puppies, and an additional 20% were adopted as young pets (aged 1-2).
Now, these pets are 4-7 years old and ageing. As a result, the U.S. is facing a wave of 70-75 million cats and dogs who will qualify as senior pets (dogs aged 8+ cats aged 10+) by 2029.
This, in turn, is expected to ramp up pet health spending in the coming years. Spending on pet supplements, for example, will more than double by the time pets reach 6 years versus 0-2 years, L.E.K. Consulting says.
And not to bury you in data, but the global senior cat food market is valued at approximately US$2.5 billion, and expected to see a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2025 to 2033, according to Archive Market Research.
FEWER PRODUCTS FOR OLDER CATS
Indoor cats now routinely live 15 to 20 years, thanks to improved care. But extended lifespan also requires the right tools to maintain quality of life.
While pet parents of older cats are ready and willing to spend, the lack of products designed for ageing cats means that spending power has nowhere to go.
For example, when it comes to senior dogs, a quick online search will throw up all kinds of results:
Orthopedic beds / therapeutic / ergonomic (dogernomic?) furniture
Mobility chews
Incontinence gear
Vision aids
Veterinary-grade supplements and cognitive supplements
Dog ramps
Breed-specific nutrition
Senior-focused enrichment, e.g. play and grooming aids
Pain management options
But for cats? The industry still assumes they don’t need much. Maybe a cardboard box.
From a business perspective, this gap is baffling.
Pet parents of older cats are more likely to have a strong emotional bond, built up over the years. They’re also likely to be more observant of physical changes, and happier to spend (and spend, and spend) to keep their cats comfortable.
CASE IN POINT: FOOD & NUTRITION
Fewer product lines & formulas: The dog industry offers distinct food formulations geared towards seniors: large-breed, joint-friendly, dental deterioration, cognitive decline. Similar cat nutrition does exist, but is rarer.
Marketing bias: Pet brands often lead product launches and marketing with dogs, assuming they are the more lucrative audience. Dogs are also often perceived as the more “active” pets whose ageing needs require proactive support. In contrast, cats are typically seen as low maintenance and not needing much.
Fewer direct to consumer (DTC) options: While the established brands do offer veterinary-formulated, nutrient-dense foods for senior cats, few DTC or smaller brands do. Those that do cater to cats, tend to focus on general life-stage nutrition.
Palatability enhancers: Ageing cats are perceived as picky eaters (or are older cats picky because their food isn’t palatable to them? See infographic below). However, the senior cat market has not (yet) seen the boom in feline-focused meal toppers and soft textures enjoyed by dogs.
Supplements: There is a similar relative lack of nutraceutical products supporting joint, cognitive, and immune health in cats, compared to dogs.
“I am not eating this.”
SO WHO IS FOCUSING ON SENIOR CATS?
Senior cat food remains largely the domain of legacy brands such as Hill’s, Purina, Mars, Blue Buffalo, and Royal Canin, who offer senior-specific product lines:
😺 Hill’s Pet Nutrition has extended its senior line, including cognitive-support formulas and enhanced digestibility; backed by its Cat Advisory Team. E.g. Hill’s Science Diet Senior, which emphasises glucosamine and targeted fibres.
😺 Nestlé Purina markets its Healthy Aging range for senior cats, while developing veterinary-exclusive diets for joint and renal support.
😺 Blue Buffalo markets recipes, enriched with controlled-calorie profiles, joint-care nutrients, and antioxidants for senior cats.
😺 Royal Canin develops veterinary formulas focused on urinary health and weight control for ageing cats and dogs.
DTC and challenger brands trail behind, mainly due to high R&D costs. This means many lack the clinical evidence or product development to support joint health, cognitive function, or gut microbiome balance.
Tellingly, Purina launched DTC sales of its therapeutic pet food earlier this year, to fill a clear gap in this market.
(It’s worth noting a few exceptions: DTC brands KatKin, Untamed and tuft + paw have started to acknowledge senior cats. But these are exceptions in a space begging for segmentation.)
Unable to compete on the R&D front, challenger brands and emerging players often focus instead on wellness products, e.g. digital vet consultations and herbal blends.
OUR CALL TO ACTION
As global cat ownership rises and cats live longer, demand for age-appropriate feline products will only grow.
There’s a real opportunity here for brands to specialise or extend into the senior cat space. Brands, investors, and shelters should treat senior cats not as a burden, but as an attractive growth segment.
1. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), cats are considered seniors after they turn 10 years old, though some veterinarians deem cats ‘senior’ when they reach 7 years.
It ain’t easy getting older.
Retirement homes for senior cats: The next cat care frontier?
When pets grow old and need round-the-clock care, few facilities are equipped to take them in.
Not so in Tokyo. In 2013, Japan changed its laws by requiring owners to care for pets until the end of their lives. This has led to increased demand for specialised pet retirement homes, which offer elderly and ailing animals the love and support their human carers can no longer provide.
How likely is this to take off in western countries? Let us know what you think!
Until next week! 🐾