A Guide to Nutrition for Senior Cats
After 7 to 8 years of its life, a cat starts taking life a little bit easier. Why? Because just like us, cats also go through bodily changes once they start aging. Older cats become more and more vulnerable to medical problems and common diseases. The most that we can do as pet parents is provide our feline friends with proper nutrition to help prevent the risk of developing chronic conditions.
What to feed senior cats?
Once your cat has turned 7 to 8 years old, it is time to switch its cat food to specially formulated ‘senior cat food’. However, you must check with your vet to make sure that your cat does not have any underlying medical conditions that may make the transition to senior cat food difficult.
Senior cat foods are formulated with high-quality protein and many other ingredients like vitamin E which is great for strengthening a cat's natural defenses. These foods also contain fewer calories, making sure that you are pet maintains its optimum body weight as its activity levels drop with age.
As cats start to get older, their ability to smell, taste, and chew starts to fade. Make sure that you’re feeding your cat smaller and softer pieces, so it can chew and digest the food easily. Don’t shy away from adding higher meat content to its food as this helps in making it more appealing to them. The goal is to offer the right nutrition.
All parents must remember that the transition from a cat's old-formulated food to its newly formulated food should be slow and steady. You can start by offering a tiny amount of the new formulated food with its old food and keep increasing the amount of the new commercial cat food.
What is the perfect senior cat diet?
There are 41 essential nutrients that a cat requires to stay healthy. All types of balanced cat food formulas contain a combination of carbohydrates, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins, making sure your pet‘s body is replenished with the right amount and proportions of nutrients.
But, as a cat enters a different life stage, its nutritional requirements change. With age, a cat's need for protein, amino acids, and vitamins becomes very specific. Since cats have a high protein requirement, they can quickly become deficient in vitamins and certain amino acids. The right senior cat food formula will feature ingredients carefully tailored to provide your senior cat with the right amount of nutrients.
Cats also become thinner as they age. They do not just lose fat but also muscle mass. Many studies show that with age, a cat’s ability to digest protein and fat weakens. This is why pet parents must start to include quality proteins and fats in their age cats' diet so that it can easily digest all its calories.
Your vet is the best person to advise you on what to feed a senior cat. Always consult your doctor before making any changes in your senior cat’s diet to make sure that you avoid any unwanted accidents.
How to feed a senior cat?
Serve food in a clean, big bowl so that your cat has enough space to go through its food. Make sure that you are serving wet food and dry food in different bowls as cats can be very particular about freshness.
It is best to feed your cat in the same place and at the same time every day so that it forms a habit. Cats love to have their own space and privacy when doing most of their favorite things. Pick a quiet spot in your house and place its bowl there. Place the feeding bowls far away from the litter tray and water bowl so that there is a reasonable distance between different foods. This will be of great help for parents with two or more cats.
If you have two cats and one of them is older, feed it in a separate area to make sure that the younger cat is not stealing its food.
How much should I feed my senior cat?
Once your vet has recommended a food formula designed for older cats, you can follow the feeding guide at the back of the pack and maintain portion sizes. You can also have your vet recommend portion sizes to you. Every cat is different and may require a different diet to stay lean and healthy.
Can treats and snacks be fed to a senior cat?
It is very important for you to discuss snacks and treats with your vet when it comes to appropriate food choices for your senior cat. A lot of cat treats are loaded with extra calories and their intake must be carefully monitored.
Remember to weigh your cat regularly to assess its health. If your senior cat starts to build an aversion to food or starts craving more and more food, take it to a vet for a check-up.