Record the jumps she has surrendered, in order
Cats rarely lose height all at once; they edit their map of the house one surface at a time. Write down the sequence as you remember it and as it continues: the kitchen counter she no longer attempts, the bed she now reaches by way of a chest or stool, the windowsill she looks at but leaves, the chair she still manages only after a pause. Note dates as best you can, and from now on log each new change when you see it. Also record how she attempts the jumps she still makes — a clean single leap, a scramble with back claws catching the edge, a front-paws-first haul, or a cry or shake of a hind leg afterwards. That order and those mechanics give your vet a picture of which joints and muscles may be struggling.
Watch how she moves between the jumps
Jumping is the headline, but the supporting details fill in the story. Observe her on stairs: does she take them one step at a time with both back feet together, pause midway, or avoid them at certain times of day? Notice her first movements after a long sleep, when stiffness usually shows most, and whether she loosens up after walking around. See whether she still stretches fully after resting, scratches a post at height, and twists to groom her back and tail base, or whether those movements have quietly shrunk. A cat who moves cautiously everywhere is different from one who is sound on the flat but has lost spring and confidence for height specifically.
Note confidence, pain signals, and daily life around it
Some senior cats stop jumping because a failed landing taught them caution, not because the strength vanished overnight. Log any falls, slips, or near misses you witnessed, and whether she hesitated, circled, or measured a jump repeatedly before declining it. Track the quieter signs too: sleeping on the floor instead of her usual high spot, irritability when her hips or back are stroked, less interest in play that involves pouncing, or choosing lower, warmer places to rest. Keep brief notes on appetite, weight as you feel it over her hips, and litter box use, including whether a high-sided box has become harder for her to step into, because mobility changes rarely stay confined to jumping.
Make her routes easier while you gather the picture
You do not need to wait for the vet check to help her. Place a stable step, ottoman, or low stool beside the bed, sofa, and windowsill she still loves, so each favourite height becomes two smaller, safer climbs. Keep those aids in exactly the same places so she can learn and trust them, and check they do not wobble under her weight. Move one litter box, food, and water to the floor she spends her day on if stairs now cost her effort, and add a low-sided box if she is hitching a leg over a tall rim. These changes are also diagnostic: if steps restore her access and her mood lifts, that tells the vet the barrier was the jump itself.
Discuss pace, pain, and a monitoring plan at the check
At the appointment, present the timeline plainly: which heights went first, over what span, what her attempts look like now, and how she manages stairs, grooming, and rest. Ask your vet to assess her joints, muscle condition, weight, and vision — poor eyesight can also erode jumping confidence — and to agree what you should track next and what changes should trigger an earlier call. Contact the clinic sooner than the routine check if she suddenly cannot manage a jump she did last week, cries out moving, stops eating, hides away, or cannot get comfortable to sleep, because a sudden drop is a different signal from this gradual one.
With the surrendered jumps, stair notes, and dates stored together in her KinsLe Pet Passport, your vet can judge how fast her mobility is changing and plan around real evidence.