Adult cats undergo changes in body weight and tissue reserves during the course of their lives. These changes are predictable trends that form distinctive life stages: adulthood (1 to 7 years), mature (7 to 12 years) and geriatric (over 12 years). During adulthood cats gain body weight slowly, leading to a mature life stage with high risk of obesity. In the geriatric life stage, cats suffer progressive losses of weight, fat and lean tissue reserves. Data records show that cats associated with longer life had a mature life stage with lower body condition scores than the population mean. The strategy for longevity should target ideal body weight and provide nutrition that evolves to manage specific trends during different life stages.