Research overview: age-related hearing loss in senior cats

As cats age, many experience a decline in hearing, a feline counterpart to the presbycusis seen in aging humans. This overview surveys age-related hearing loss in senior cats, which can reduce sensitivity, especially to higher frequencies, and may contribute to behavioral changes such as increased vocalization or reduced responsiveness to sounds. The decline reflects degeneration in the inner ear and auditory pathways with age. The survey relates feline presbycusis to the normal aging of the sensory systems and to the practical implications for caring for older cats, which may startle more easily or seem less attentive. It discusses how hearing loss can be difficult to detect in cats. Understanding age-related hearing loss extends the story of feline hearing across the lifespan. It shows that the acute hearing of the adult cat can diminish with age, and it connects sensory aging to the recognition and accommodation of the changing needs of senior cats.