The Graceful Cat: A Health Journal for Senior Cats
Cats hide discomfort. Three months of short weekly notes make the quiet changes visible — for you and for your vet.
A Health Care Journal for Senior Cats • Veterinarian-Developed, Based on International Guidelines • Easy to Fill In • Helps Your Vet Catch Age-Related Illness Early
$24.99Price on Amazon.com. May change.
Ordered and shipped through Amazon. Also available in German.
Is this journal right for you?
- Your cat is about 11 years or older.
- You have noticed small changes — quieter days, eating a little less, hesitating before a jump.
- You want to arrive at the vet with notes, not only impressions.
- You are looking for a thoughtful gift for someone with an older cat.
See what’s inside
Veterinary knowledge on one page, structured documentation for everyday life on the other.
Behavior & social interaction · weekly entry
Appetite & eating · weekly observation
Weight & body condition · monthly entry
What you track
- Weekly entries for mobility, appetite, sleep, mood, weight and more
- Pages for quality of life and cognitive change
- Vet-visit preparation and a medication overview
- Monthly reviews and space for your own notes
Why notes help your vet
The idea behind The Graceful Cat comes from clinical practice: every assessment starts with observation. What you notice at home is often missing at the appointment, simply because no one wrote it down. This journal keeps that record.
In older age, most things change slowly. A cat is quieter for a day, eats a little less, hesitates before a jump. On its own, each thing is easy to forget. Noted regularly, they show you what is actually changing.
The journal was created by a practicing veterinarian and follows recognized international guidelines (AAHA, AAFP/ISFM and the Villalobos quality-of-life framework). At the next appointment you bring more than impressions: you bring notes from the weeks before. That makes age-related changes easier to place in context early, and illness easier to catch sooner.
Three months is the start. When you finish, the 6-month Extension continues without a gap. The Graceful Cat — Extension →
Veterinary foundation
This Journal draws on established veterinary guidelines, clinical tools and selected scientific sources.
Care frameworks
- 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage GuidelinesJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2021
- AAFP Senior Care GuidelinesPittari J, et al. · Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2009
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines, 2011WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee
- WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines, 2020Niemiec B, et al.
Clinical tools
- Body Condition Score & Muscle Condition Score (feline)WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee
- IRIS Staging of Chronic Kidney DiseaseInternational Renal Interest Society, cats
- Quality of Life Scale (HHHHHMM)Villalobos AE · Canine and Feline Geriatric Oncology, Wiley-Blackwell
- 2016 AAFP Guidelines for the Management of Feline HyperthyroidismCarney HC, et al. · JFMS, 2016
- ISFM/AAFP Consensus Guidelines: Long-Term Use of NSAIDs in CatsSparkes AH, et al. · JFMS, 2010
Selected evidence
- Bellows J, et al. (2016)Aging in cats: common physical and functional changes · JFMS
- Bellows J, et al. (2016)Evaluating aging in cats: what is healthy and what is disease · JFMS
- Slingerland LI, et al. (2011)Prevalence of osteoarthritis in cats · The Veterinary Journal
- Lascelles BDX (2010)Feline degenerative joint disease · Veterinary Surgery
- Sordo L, Gunn-Moore DA (2021)Cognitive dysfunction in aged cats: clinical assessment and management
The guidelines, instruments and scientific sources named here were used as professional foundations for the development of this journal. Their inclusion does not imply official endorsement, authorization or collaboration with the organizations named.
Questions about this journal
How long does it last?
Three months of weekly entries. A six-month Extension continues from there.
What do I record?
Weight, appetite, drinking, grooming, mobility and behavior each week, with pages for quality of life, cognitive change, medication and vet-visit preparation.
When is my cat a senior?
From about 11 years.
Does it replace my vet?
No. It helps you observe and describe, so your vet has more to work with.
Design for everyday life
Designed for everyday life.
Beautiful enough to keep within reach. Structured enough to become part of your routine.
The Graceful Cat is the starter volume for senior cats. Three months is enough to settle into a routine and see what regular notes bring. If you want to keep going, the six-month extension carries on from there. For dogs, there is a companion volume, The Gentle Hound.
The approach behind it, the Veterinary Mindset, is set out in full in the book of the same name.
By T. Abend, veterinarian. A companion to veterinary care, not a replacement.
$24.99Price on Amazon.com. May change.
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