Gear Score Methodology
PetPal Gear Score
Senior Cat Accessibility Setup: Low-Entry Litter, Raised Bowls, Steps & Traction
Editorial synthesis of veterinary and trade-association guidance — Cornell Feline Health Center senior-cat materials, the AAFP Senior Care Guidelines, the AAFP/ISFM environmental-needs framework, the Merck Veterinary Manual chapter on degenerative joint disease in cats, and manufacturer/retailer documentation. PetPalHQ does not run a testing lab.
PetPal Senior Cat Score = (Expert Consensus × 0.35) + (Access and Geometry × 0.25) + (Stability and Traction × 0.20) + (Senior-Cat Mobility Fit × 0.20)Factor breakdown
Expert Consensus
35%Synthesized from Cornell Feline Health Center senior-cat materials, the AAFP Senior Care Guidelines, the AAFP/ISFM environmental-needs framework, and the Merck Veterinary Manual chapter on degenerative joint disease in cats. The PetPal Senior Cat Score is a composite of veterinary senior-care guidance and manufacturer specs — PetPalHQ does not run a testing lab.
Access and Geometry
25%Front-wall height, ramp angle, step rise, and bowl elevation evaluated against Cornell's senior-cat access framing and the AAFP/ISFM environmental-needs framework's emphasis on usable resources.
Stability and Traction
20%Surface grip, base stability, and footing — weighted against the accessibility logic that an unstable upgrade is worse than no upgrade.
Senior-Cat Mobility Fit
20%Whether the product geometry fits the most common senior-cat problems — climb-in litter avoidance, floor-crouch feeding, and refused furniture jumps — without forcing a household into a footprint they will stop using.
See all score methodologies on the Gear Score index.