Senior Maine Coon Care Checklist

A practical guide to daily, weekly, and long-term care

This checklist is designed to help Maine Coon owners monitor, support, and adapt care as their cat enters senior years. It does not replace veterinary advice – it helps you notice changes early and act appropriately.

For the full explanations behind each checklist item (what’s normal vs concerning), read the complete guide here: 👉 Senior Maine Coon Care.

🐾 Daily Senior Maine Coon Checks

Tick through these mentally each day.

☐ Is my cat moving comfortably after resting?
☐ Any hesitation standing up, walking, or climbing?
☐ Has appetite remained normal?
☐ Drinking habits unchanged?
☐ Using the litter tray normally (frequency + posture)?
☐ Grooming normally, without excessive licking or bald patches?
☐ Seeking warmth, comfort, and familiar resting spots?
☐ Behaviour and affection level consistent?

👉 Sudden changes = vet check recommended

☐ Weigh your senior Maine Coon at least once per month, using the same scales where possible, and note any consistent upward or downward trends

😴 Sleep & Rest Behaviour Check

Changes in sleep location and duration are often the earliest signs of discomfort or decline.

☐ Sleeping longer than usual (normal with age, but track changes)
☐ Choosing warmer or more enclosed spaces
☐ Avoiding previously favoured high resting spots
☐ Difficulty settling after lying down

🦴 Mobility & Joint Support Checklist

Review monthly, or sooner if changes appear.

☐ Reduced jumping onto high surfaces
☐ Slower or more deliberate movements
☐ Stiffness after sleep
☐ Preference for ground-level routes

Action steps:

☐ Introduce or maintain joint supplements (vet-approved)
☐ Add omega-3 (e.g., salmon oil) if tolerated
☐ Replace tall cat trees with lower-perch options
☐ Provide ramps or steps to favourite areas
☐ Add warm bedding or heated pads

Related reading:
👉 Maine Coon Health And Wellness

🩺 Subtle Signs Of Pain In Senior Maine Coons

☐ Sitting in a loaf position more often than usual
☐ Reluctance to be picked up or touched in specific areas
☐ Increased irritability during grooming
☐ Tail flicking when resting
☐ Reduced tolerance for handling
☐ Moving away rather than vocalising discomfort

➡️ These signs often appear before limping or obvious stiffness.

Sensory Decline Monitoring (Eyes, Hearing, Smell)

Owners often misinterpret sensory decline as “behavioural change.”

☐ Bumping into furniture more often
☐ Delayed response to visual cues, such as toys, hand movements, or people entering the room
☐ Increased hesitation at steps, thresholds, or unfamiliar surfaces
☐ Delayed response to sounds
☐ Startling easily
☐ Reduced interest in food due to smell changes
☐ Changes in response to sound (once responsive, now delayed)
☐ Staring into space or confusion at thresholds

The latter are subtle indicators of cognitive change, not just sensory.

➡️ Sudden sensory changes warrant veterinary assessment.

Eye & Vision Checks

Veterinary sources highlight vision changes in senior cats as a regular part of ageing.

☐ Watch for signs of vision changes (bumping into objects, reluctance to navigate obstacles)

🍽️ Diet & Hydration Checklist

Reassess every 3-6 months.

☐ Weight stable (no unexplained gain or loss)
☐ Muscle tone maintained
☐ No vomiting, diarrhoea, or appetite drop
☐ Drinking enough water
☐ Ribs, spine, or hip bones becoming more visible through the coat
☐ Muscle loss over the shoulders or the hips despite a stable appetite
☐ Sudden loss of previously present “belly fat”

Action steps:

☐ Prioritise high-quality protein
☐ Increase wet food if hydration is poor
☐ Use urinary or senior diets if recommended by a vet
☐ Avoid sudden food changes
☐ Multiple fresh water sources placed around the home
☐ Consider a cat water fountain to encourage drinking, especially if appetite remains good, but urine volume drops
☐ Weigh your senior cat at least monthly
☐ Track weight and body condition on a simple log

Senior feeding guidance:
👉 Maine Coon Diet And Nutrition

🌡️ Temperature & Environment Check

Senior Maine Coons are far more sensitive to cold.

☐ Warm bedding available year-round
☐ Heated pad used safely and supervised
☐ Drafts avoided
☐ Extra warmth provided in the winter months

🚽 Urinary & Litter Box Checklist

Check weekly.

☐ Normal urine volume
☐ No straining or crying
☐ Normal urine output should remain regular, pale yellow, and produced without visible straining, hesitation, or repeated box visits
☐ Sudden changes in frequency, volume, or effort may indicate urinary discomfort and should be monitored closely
☐ No frequent box visits
☐ No over-grooming of the genital area

Action steps:

☐ Keep boxes easily accessible
☐ Seek veterinary advice for any sudden change
☐ Low-entry litter trays are used to reduce joint strain
☐ Trays placed on non-slip surfaces
☐ Soft, fine-grain litter chosen for sensitive paws
☐ Additional trays added to avoid long walks or stairs
☐ Monitor for signs of hesitation before urination (can signal discomfort)

This is a frequent early indicator vets watch for urinary discomfort.

🪮 Grooming & Coat Care Checklist

Senior Maine Coons often struggle to groom fully.

☐ Check behind hind legs and under the belly weekly
☐ Look for mats forming near the backend
☐ Watch for irritation, redness, or dandruff
☐ Note defensive reactions during grooming (often pain-related)

Action steps:

☐ Short, gentle grooming sessions
☐ Remove small mats early
☐ Consider professional grooming if tolerance is low

More grooming guidance:
👉 Grooming And Care

🐾 Paw & Nail Care Checklist

Reduced activity = less natural nail wear → pain + altered gait

☐ Nails checked monthly
☐ Overgrown nails not catching on fabrics
☐ Paw pads free of cracking or dryness
☐ No limping caused by nail overgrowth

Action step:

☐ Trim nails more frequently in senior years
☐ Nails checked and trimmed more frequently in senior years
☐ Overgrown nails not catching on bedding or carpets
☐ Paw pads checked for dryness or cracking

🦷 Dental Health Checklist

Even if no problems are visible.

☐ No bad breath
☐ No drooling
☐ Eating normally
☐ No pawing at the mouth

Action steps:

☐ Schedule regular dental checks
☐ Budget for potential dental work
☐ Don’t assume “good teeth” in one cat applies to another

❤️ Heart & General Health Monitoring

Maine Coons are predisposed to certain silent conditions.

☐ No sudden weakness or collapse
☐ No unexplained breathing changes
☐ No sudden paralysis or pain

Action steps:

☐ Maintain regular vet checks (often twice yearly for seniors)
☐ Investigate subtle changes early
☐ Understand breed-specific risks

Regular Veterinary Test Reminders

Veterinarians recommend senior cats get bi-annual wellness exams with bloodwork, urinalysis, etc. to catch hidden diseases early.

☐ Schedule wellness exams every 6 months with bloodwork and urinalysis to screen for kidney, thyroid, heart, and other age-related conditions

🧠 Behaviour & Emotional Wellbeing Checklist

Normal senior changes include:

☐ Increased affection or clinginess
☐ Preference for routine
☐ Sensitivity to noise or disruption
☐ Increased sleeping

Action steps:

☐ Keep routines consistent
☐ Avoid unnecessary stress
☐ Prioritise comfort over stimulation
☐ Meals served at consistent times
☐ Keep sleep, play, and interaction routines predictable
☐ Introduce household changes gradually where possible

Cognitive & Behaviour Changes

Senior cats can experience cognitive shifts (disorientation, staring into space, altered interaction), which owners often misinterpret.

☐ Observe for confusion, repetitive behaviour, or changes in interaction patterns
☐ Note any disorientation (e.g., bumping into furniture or walking past familiar spots)

This helps catch early cognitive decline.

💊 Supplement & Medication Review

☐ Supplements are still well-tolerated
☐ No digestive upset after dosing
☐ No behaviour change linked to new products
☐ Review supplements with vet at least annually

When To Book A Vet Visit Immediately

⛔ Sudden weight loss
⛔ Persistent pain or stiffness
⛔ Excessive grooming with hair loss
⛔ Litter tray avoidance
⛔ Sudden behavioural change
⛔ Collapse or paralysis

End-Of-Life Planning

🕊️ Quality of Life Considerations

☐ Eating willingly
☐ Able to rest comfortably
☐ Seeking interaction
☐ Pain managed effectively
☐ More good days than bad

If several of these change over a short period, it’s a sign that a supportive veterinary conversation may be needed to reassess comfort and care options.

Quality-of-life assessments are about kindness, not timelines. Quality of life should always guide care decisions.

Final Note

This checklist is not about extending life at all costs – it’s about maintaining comfort, dignity, and quality of life as Maine Coons age.

Used alongside the full guide, it helps ensure nothing important is overlooked.

👉 Full senior care guide:
Senior Maine Coon Care