Clinically important abnormalities are common in senior cats perceived to be healthy by owners.

OBJECTIVE

To describe physical examination findings, diagnostic abnormalities, and owner-reported assessments of senior cats perceived as healthy by their owners, and to evaluate agreement between owner perceptions and objective findings to inform diagnostic prioritization within a spectrum-of-care framework.

METHODS

Client-owned cats aged ≥ 12 years presenting to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine were prospectively enrolled between 2022 and 2024. Cats were included if their owners reported good health; cats with stable, chronic conditions were also eligible. Owner questionnaires, examinations, and diagnostic testing were performed. Prevalence of abnormalities and agreement between owner perceptions and findings were assessed.

RESULTS

129 cats were included in the study. All cats had abnormalities on physical examinations, most commonly dental (129 of 129 [100%]) and orthopedic disease (63 of 81 [77.8%]). Diagnostic testing revealed a high prevalence of previously unrecognized disease, including chronic kidney disease (49 of 80 [61.3%]), hypertension (54 of 56 [96.4%]), and hyperthyroidism (11 of 17 [64.7%]). Owner-reported mobility scores were not associated with orthopedic abnormalities. Although increased urination was associated with chronic kidney disease, 75.6% (34 of 45) of affected cats had no owner-reported change and only 1.3% (1 of 78) had reported increased thirst. Physical examination, urine specific gravity, renal parameters, total T4, and blood pressure were most informative for disease detection.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically important abnormalities are common in apparently healthy senior cats. Reliance on owner-reported changes underestimated disease burden. Physical examination revealed most abnormalities, with urine specific gravity, renal values, total T4, and blood pressure abnormalities being prevalent.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings support routine screening and a prioritized diagnostic approach, particularly when constraints limit comprehensive evaluation.