Quality of Life Scale

Because our pets can’t use words to express what they’re feeling, we face the unique challenge of trying to assess their condition through simple observation of their behavior at home when they are elderly or unwell. In order to help you better evaluate and track your pet’s wellbeing, we’ve put together a quality of life scale that focuses on key behaviors and quantifies each animal’s individual response. Incorporating the Quality of Life (QoL) factors for pets into a 1-10 point scale involves evaluating each aspect on a scale where 1 represents poor condition and 10 represents excellent condition.

While the following scale may be used for any animal companion, please note that it does more accurately represent the quality of life for our canine companions. Click here, or continue reading below to find another scale catered specifically to our feline companions.

Basic Quality of Life Scale for Animal Companions:

  1. Hurt (Pain Management) – Understanding your pet’s comfort level is key. A score of 1-3 indicates significant discomfort, suggesting a need for better pain management. A score of 7-10 reflects well-managed pain, showing your pet is comfortable.
    • 1-3: Severe pain, not effectively managed with medication or therapies.
    • 4-6: Moderate pain, partially managed but still affecting quality of life.
    • 7-10: Minimal to no pain, effectively managed with treatments.
  2. Hunger (Nutritional Status) – Nourishment is vital. Scores between 1 and 3 mean your pet might be struggling with eating and may need extra care in feeding. A high score (7-10) indicates your pet is eating well, which is reassuring.
    • 1-3: Severe loss of appetite, may vomit often
    • 4-6: Inconsistent or reduced eating habits, vomits but not more than 3x a week.
    • 7-10: Good appetite, eats regularly with proper nutrition, rare if any vomiting.
  3. Hydration (Fluid Intake) – Keeping your pet hydrated is essential for their health. A low score (1-3) shows a need for increased attention to their water intake, while a high score (7-10) means they’re staying nicely hydrated.
    • 1-3: Severely dehydrated or refusing to drink water; or drinks a lot but still has a skin “tent” for >2 sec between shoulder blades.
    • 4-6: Occasional dehydration or inconsistent drinking habits.
    • 7-10: Regularly drinks water, well-hydrated.
  4. Hygiene (Cleanliness and Grooming) – A well-groomed pet is a happy pet and an unkempt appearance can indicate underlying pain or discomfort. Scores of 1-3 could indicate discomfort due to hygiene issues, while scores of 7-10 show that your pet is clean and well-cared for, which is wonderful.
    • 1-3: Poor hygiene, severe grooming issues, has sores or matted fur.
    • 4-6: Moderate grooming issues, needs assistance or encouragement, has occasional mat or skin sore.
    • 7-10: Well-groomed, clean, and free of sores.
  5. Happiness (Emotional Well-Being) – Your pet’s joy matters. If they score between 1 and 3, it might mean they’re feeling down and could use some extra love and attention. A score in the 7-10 range is a lovely sign that your pet feels happy and loved.
    • 1-3: Shows no interest in activities, withdrawn, sleeps most of the day.
    • 4-6: Occasional interest in activities, some interaction.
    • 7-10: Regularly engaged in activities, interactive, and appears happy.
  6. Mobility (Ability to Move) -Your pet’s ability to move with ease is important. A low score (1-3) suggests they might be struggling and could benefit from your support, while a high score (7-10) indicates they’re moving comfortably, which is great.
    • 1-3: Unable to move or severe difficulty, requires extensive assistance, won’t engage in activities that pet used to enjoy.
    • 4-6: Limited mobility, can move with some assistance or encouragement, does some of the activities they used to enjoy.
    • 7-10: Moves easily, no assistance needed, continues to enjoy activities.
  7. More Good Days Than Bad – Reflecting on the overall quality of life, a score of 1-3 suggests more challenging days, signaling a need for more care or adjustments in their routine. Scores of 7-10 indicate that your pet is experiencing mostly good days, which is heartening.
    • 1-3: Predominantly bad days, suffering is evident, not engaging in social interaction. Good days are less than 50%
    • 4-6: Mixed, some good days but also many bad days. Maybe 50:50
    • 7-10: Mostly good days, overall positive quality of life. Over 70%

Please tally your results and click here to be taken to score interpretation.

Quality of Life Scale for Feline Companions:

Assessing the quality of life of our cats can be especially challenging, as most cats are adept at hiding signs of their discomfort for long periods of time. As you consider each portion of this 7-point quality of life scale, please keep in mind that each individual cat may exhibit signs of discomfort differently. By regularly filling out this scale and recording your cat’s results as they age, you can track and monitor any changes that you notice. These changes in your cat’s behavior or activity are the most telling signs that something is different with your companion and may need further investigation.

Here at SPVC, we encourage pet owners to schedule professional health assessments if they notice any changes in their pets.   Below is a 7-point quality of life scale designed specifically for cats. By focusing on subtle activities and behaviors specific to our feline companions, we can gain valuable insights about their overall quality of life.  Please consider and rank the following aspects:

  1. Physical Mobility – Notice changes in how your cat moves. Difficulty jumping, climbing, or a decrease in general activity can be a sign of pain or discomfort.
    • 1-3: Significant difficulty with normal movements showing signs of pain or stiffness – no longer jumping or climbing to favorite perches, crouched or hunched posture
    • 4-6: Some hesitance or occasional difficulty in moving around, not as agile as they used to be.  Takes breaks on climbing stairs, hesitates to jump up, and slides front paws down closer to the floor before jumping, reluctance to jump or climb to favorite perches.
    • 7-10: Movement comes with natural ease and grace, enjoys normal activities
  2. Eating and Drinking Habits – Monitor your cat’s appetite and water intake. Changes in weight, eating patterns, or a disinterest in food or water can indicate health issues. Please note that excessive water consumption may also be an indication of illness.
    • 1-3: Noticeable loss of appetite or interest in water, leading to weight or hydration changes.  May refuse favorite foods or treats, or stop eating after just a few bites, may sniff food but not eat
    • 4-6: Some inconsistency in eating habits or slight changes in weight, but not a drastic difference.  May still take favorite foods and treats, but show decreased interest in regular diet. May also be losing weight despite normal eating habits or increased appetite.
    • 7-10: Well hydrated with a healthy appetite, eats and enjoys their regular diet while maintaining weight.
  3. Grooming Behavior – Cats are usually meticulous groomers. Changes in self-grooming, whether a decline in grooming or over-grooming in specific areas, can signal discomfort or stress.
    • 1-3: Significant neglect in self-grooming leading to matting and increased dander, OR over-grooming that leads to hair loss and irritated skin.
    • 4-6: Mild changes in grooming habits, perhaps not as meticulous as before. Haircoat may begin to appear more unkempt, but mats can still be brushed out as needed
    • 7-10: Engages in normal levels of self-grooming, able to keep difficult to reach areas such as the base of the tail and hind end clean and comfortable. (Please note that some long haired cats may require frequent brushing to prevent matting even when healthy. Consider what is normal for your cat.)
  4. Litter Box Use – Changes in litter box habits, such as accidents outside the box or changes in the frequency or appearance of urine or feces, can be a sign of health issues.
    • 1-3: Irregular or no use of the litter box, accidents, or noticeable changes in urine or feces (frequency, amounts, consistency, etc.) Difficulty getting into litter box.
    • 4-6: Occasional deviations from normal litter box habits, abnormal accidents unrelated to litter box cleanliness.  Difficulty getting into litter box.
    • 7-10: Consistent and regular use of the litter box, indicating good health and comfort in their environment.
  5. Vocalization – Pay attention to changes in your cat’s vocal patterns. Increased vocalization, or a change in the tone or volume, can indicate discomfort, pain, or anxiety. More talkative cats may become more quiet and reserved.
    • 1-3: Increased frequency of vocalization or significant changes in tone or volume, may spend more time “crying” or “yowling” unprompted
    • 4-6: Some changes in vocal patterns, but not overly pronounced or distressing.
    • 7-10: Normal frequency, volume, and tone in vocalizations, rarely “cries” or “yowls” without apparent reason
  6. Comfort and Rest – Notice where and how your cat chooses to rest. Seeking isolated spots, changes in sleeping patterns, or reluctance to lie down or get up can indicate discomfort.
    • 1-3: Changes in rest locations (seeking more isolation or more companionship), difficulty finding a comfortable position, changes in sleeping patterns
    • 4-6: Some restlessness or changes in preferred resting places, worth gentle observation.  May be less social.
    • 7-10: Rest comes peacefully and comfortably, enjoys naps and relaxation time just as they always have.
  7. Behavioral Engagement – Observe your cat’s daily habits and interactions. A more friendly and social cat may become isolated when unwell, whereas more aloof cats may begin to seek out more comfort and attention from their human companions.
    • 1-3: Significant, consistent changes in playfulness, natural curiosity, and social interaction with humans and other pets at home – more reserved/isolated OR more needy/cuddly
    • 4-6: Occasional changes in playfulness, natural curiosity, and social interactions – changes in play “style” (laying down vs. chasing/jumping), decreased tolerance or patience
    • 7-10: Normal levels of playfulness, curiosity, and social interaction for your cat – each cat interacts with their environment in a unique way. Consider what a normal level of engagement is for your cat.

Total Score

  • 49-70 points – Good to excellent quality of life; your pet still finds joy and excitement in everyday activities.
  • 28-48 points – Adequate to good quality of life; your pet may be experiencing some signs of illness and aging, but is still able to find joy in their favorite food, activities, and people.
  • 7-27 points – Poor quality of life; your pet may be experiencing enough signs of illness and aging that they’re having difficulty finding any joy in their normal food and activities

By carefully considering each of these key aspects in your pet’s life and how your pet approaches each day, using these scales can help determine and track how your pet is feeling on a regular basis by quantifying their quality of life. You can keep a journal and track your pet’s score daily or weekly to find trends and averages that may provide insight on your pet’s overall wellbeing. Regular veterinary check-ins are also important in managing illness and aging as well as maintaining your pet’s wellbeing. As always, if you ever have a question or concern regarding your pet’s quality of life and you would like an outside perspective, you can contact your veterinarian for a discussion or quality of life consultation.