This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The University of Liverpool's Cat Prospective Aging and Welfare Study (CatPAWS), which follows a group of pet cats from middle age into later life, is celebrating more than nine years of work to improve the health and welfare of cats more than 7 years old. Part of the Feline Healthy Aging Clinic, sponsored by Royal Canin, the study recruited its first cat in February 2017.
Over the last nine years, 243 cats have been recruited. The oldest is Pou Pou, who is now more than 18 years old. The study has collected data over time to assess health, lifespan and "healthspan" (the period of life spent in good health), resulting in several scientific publications.
The clinic is now recruiting for its first randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of a nutritional intervention on aging. Owners of eligible cats who enroll will receive complimentary cat food for the 12-month trial, as well as complimentary gold-standard veterinary health screenings at their appointments. The new study aims to determine if, and how, nutrition can improve the aging process and extend healthspan in cats.
Researchers will monitor physical characteristics, behavior, the development of chronic conditions and overall markers of healthy aging. Owners interested in enrolling their cats should register through a recruitment questionnaire. CatPAWS' most recent findings, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, examined patterns of disease development and mortality in the first 209 cats.
Key findings: Principal investigator, Professor Alex German, said, "CatPAWS' longitudinal study design enables us to examine a more complete picture of health and aging, by observing the same cats over time, rather than relying on single snapshots. In time, findings from CatPAWS will be used to educate owners and veterinary professionals about how to spot the development of age-related diseases and better care for pet cats in general." Christine R. Pye et al, Patterns of morbidity, multimorbidity, and mortality in aging cats: findings from seven years of the Cat Prospective Ageing and Welfare Study, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2026).
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1813450 BA art history, MA material culture. Former museum editor, paramedic, and transplant coordinator. Editing for Science X since 2021.
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