CatPAWS study finds multimorbidity is common in aging cats

A new CatPAWS analysis is putting numbers behind what many feline clinicians see every day: aging cats rarely develop just one problem. In the University of Liverpool’s seven-year prospective cohort study, 96% of 209 cats developed at least one age-related abnormality, and 84% developed multimorbidity, with dental disease, orthopedic abnormalities, and heart murmurs leading the list. The study was published in 2026 in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

The work comes from one of the better-established longitudinal feline aging cohorts in the UK. According to the University of Liverpool, CatPAWS enrolled its first cat in February 2017 and has now followed cats from middle age into later life to study lifespan, healthspan, and age-related disease. The university said in a September 24, 2026 update that 243 cats have been recruited over the life of the program, and that the clinic is now launching its first randomized controlled trial, focused on nutritional intervention and healthy aging. (news.liverpool.ac.uk)

The newly published paper tracked 209 cats for up to 6.9 years, with 1,241 examinations completed and a median follow-up of 4.4 years. Across the study period, dental disease affected 84% of cats, orthopedic abnormalities 82%, and heart murmurs 59%. The study also found that pedigree status and midlife muscle loss were associated with significantly higher mortality risk. Those details matter because they move the conversation beyond single-disease screening and toward a broader frailty- and function-based view of feline aging. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

The findings also fit with a wider body of evidence suggesting that subtle disease in older cats is easy to miss without structured follow-up. A separate study of senior cats presented as healthy found clinically important abnormalities were common, and earlier repeated-screening research in apparently healthy mature and senior cats likewise reported high rates of exam abnormalities and systemic disease, supporting regular health screening from at least 7 years of age. (vin.com)

Professional guidance has been moving in the same direction. The 2021 AAFP Feline Senior Care Guidelines emphasize that comorbidities are common in older cats, that chronic pain is often underrecognized, and that routine assessment can improve early disease detection and quality of life. AAHA’s 2023 senior care guidance similarly recommends tailored preventive, diagnostic, nutritional, dental, pain-management, and comorbidity plans for aging pets. In other words, CatPAWS doesn’t just add prevalence data; it strengthens the case for making senior feline medicine a more deliberate, protocol-driven part of practice. (journals.sagepub.com)

Industry and clinical commentary around senior feline care has increasingly focused on the complexity of overlapping chronic disease. Coverage from dvm360, summarizing AVMA Convention discussion on senior cats, highlighted the need to prioritize treatment goals across conditions such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism, while maintaining quality of life for both the cat and their family. That framing matches the CatPAWS message: multimorbidity is the rule, not the exception. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the practical takeaway is that age-related change should trigger broader workups, not narrower assumptions. A cat presenting for dental disease, a new murmur, reduced mobility, or mild muscle loss may also be signaling a larger multimorbidity picture. The study’s signal around midlife muscle loss is especially relevant because muscle condition scoring is feasible in general practice and may help identify cats at higher risk earlier. The data also supports more frequent senior wellness visits, better pain screening, and clearer conversations with pet parents who may normalize “slowing down” or subtle behavior changes. Those steps are already recommended in guidelines, but longitudinal feline data like this can make the case more concrete. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: The next development is CatPAWS’ first randomized controlled trial, now recruiting cats aged 7 to 12 years for a 12-month nutrition study. If that trial shows an effect on physical measures, behavior, chronic disease development, or other healthy-aging markers, it could give practices more evidence-based tools for nutrition-centered senior care, not just earlier detection. (news.liverpool.ac.uk)