Diary of a Cat Mom

My Cats Are Growing Older | How Their Changing Needs Changed Me | Ep. 119

By Dagmar Gatell — Creator & Host of Diary of a Cat Mom Season 1 Episode 119

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0:00 | 3:23

As our cats grow older, their needs begin to change—and so do ours.

In this Diary of a Cat Mom podcast episode, I share how caring for my cats has shifted from focusing mostly on enrichment and play to paying closer attention to medications, supplements, comfort, and subtle changes in their behavior. Their journey has also taught me to slow down, be present, and make the most of every moment we have together.

What You'll Learn In This Cat Podcast Episode

  • Why senior cats often require a different daily routine
  • Small changes to watch for as cats grow older
  • How aging cats changed my own priorities
  • Why being present matters more than perfection
  • Why taking care of yourself helps you care for your cats

Timestamps & Chapters

  • 00:00 My cats are growing older
  • 00:47 From playtime to daily health care
  • 01:42 Paying attention to small behavior changes
  • 02:45 Adapting my own life to meet their needs
  • 03:42 Why caring for myself helps me care for my cats
  • 04:25 How are your cats changing with age?

Diary of a Cat Mom is a gentle, diary-style cat podcast about everyday life with cats—created especially for cat moms 35+ in multi‑cat homes who see their cats as family.

Resources for Cat Parents
Everything I use for my cats is here: https://diaryofacatmom.com/cat-care-resources/

About the Diary of a Cat Mom Podcast

Diary of a Cat Mom is a personal cat podcast created by Dagmar Gatell, sharing real moments from life with cats. Everything shared comes from lived experience as a cat mom, not intended as professional veterinary advice. Every cat is unique, and for health concerns, always consult your trusted veterinarian.

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SPEAKER_00

Diary of Cat Mom. My cat's lives are changing and my life is changing too. Welcome to Diary of Cat Mom with the kitties getting older, especially Snow White with a thyroid issue and Maxie with his um background of that they thought he has um diabetes and the other kitties are getting older. What we had a few years ago they were more running around and jumping and being very outgoing. Now that they're getting older, they're getting more sleepy and more sensitive and more needy from a perspective they have health issues, or they need nutritions, or they need supplements. So compared from years ago, where it was more the focus on entertaining them, making sure they are eating and drinking and peeing and having a good life. Now the focus is really: are they taking their medicine? Are they getting on the supplements? Do they have any behavior changes? Is the body language changing? Are they becoming more sensitive to touch? Are they getting tired easier? Does the heat affect them? So it's the same as Leanne asks for us humans, with changing ages, our needs changing. And it's not only requiring for the kitties to adapt to that, but for sure for me as their caregiver to adapt to it and to make sure that I have time scheduled to be there with them and to give them what they need. Because I want to be present with them and I want to give them and do what I can in the moment.

SPEAKER_01

I don't want to later think, oh why didn't I?

SPEAKER_00

And perhaps when you had kitties in the past, and in the moment you had a lot going on with family or with business or your own life challenges, and then you were looking back and said, Wow, now that I know this, I will do this differently, and that's where I am in my life too. I learned from the kitties I had what's important to me, important to me is that every minute of their life they can experience the best life quality I can give them. And so with their life changing, I want to adjust my life and adapt my life to it, but also make sure that I'm taking care of myself. Because as a caregiver, you're only as good a caregiver as you take care of yourself in the first place. Because if you cannot take care of yourself, you cannot take care of anybody else. What do you experience with your kitties? Do they have um changes in their lifestyle? Are they getting older? How do you adapt to that? I would love to read that in the comments. Well, thank you so much for joining me for this diary of a cat mom episode. There's always another story, another lesson, another insight waiting to be shared right around the corner. So please watch the next video and join me for my next entry.