Cats are very sensitive to change in diet and there comes the challenge of feeding the cat correctly when you find out that they grow older they will need different nutrients from what they used to take before. Your older pet can benefit from getting proper senior cat food as you get to experience improved quality of life, more energy and better overall health. Compared to the normal cat food, the cat food designed for senior cats it attests to the balanced nutrients present in the food in order to meet the requirements of the aging cats including the joint health, kidney health and the right weight.
Regardless of whether your elderly cat is still healthy or at the start of developing age related issues, the key thing that makes their Sundays better is a proper diet. In this we’ll go in greater depth about the following topics- The pros of giving senior cat food. Feeding senior cats- What ingredients to look for?, How to find the right food for a senior cat?
What Age Is A Cat A Senior?
Pet parents who have had cats for a long time may ask themselves at which point their lovely cat is a pensioner. Naturally, one wonders whether the answer is as simple as that. Cats live on an average of 12-15 years but have been known to live up to 18 or 19 or even 20 years according to Dr. Patrik Holmboe, the Head Veterinarian at Cooper Pet Care. That is synonymous to more than 100 human years, and that made me take caution when interpreting my result from this model.
When exactly, then is a cat considered to be a senior one?, It’s a bit arbitrary. Holmboe has it that a cat is best described as a senior when it attains the age of seven or eight years.
Senior cats, like any other living creature, may develop one or more illnesses which portray deafness, poor eyesight, and loss of dexterity. But you should know that for all that their one might be considered a senior one it does not still mean that your cat has outgrown that playful kitten mode. It’s essential to learn how to manage your cat’s environment so that you can meet its needs as they age with this cat entering their golden years at home.
Why Choose Senior Cat Food?
Senior cat food is therefore formulated in order to meet the nutritional needs of older cats. Cats commonly develop problems with their gastrointestinal tracts, muscle wasting and reduced energy levels as they grow older. Giving senior cats cat food guarantees that they get the right levels of vital nutrients. Whether dry, canned, or wet the best senior cat food is low in calories to avoid obesity, high in protein to maintain muscles, and contains extra vitamins and minerals for immunological and joint health.
Best Cat Food for Senior Cats
The range of options available when choosing the finest cat food for elderly cats might be daunting. Nonetheless concentrating on your cat’s particular requirements for example whether they want dry, moist, or grain-free alternatives—can assist in reducing the possibilities. Below are some of the best.
- Nine Lives Senior Meals Cat Food Another company that deals with senior cat food offers include Nine Lives Senior Meals Cat Food. Containing important vitamins and minerals it is ideal for indoor senior cats, to support healthy and muscular body and healthy body condition, overall well being, healthy bones, and joint.
- The Best Dry Foods for Elderly Cats For the pet owners, a dry cat food is convenient. If for controlling weight or for retaining muscle bulk, the perfect dry kitten food for senior cats lies somewhere between protein, fiber, and, fat content. Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging is ideal for aging cats with sensitive gums due to their teeth because it includes quality proteins and omega fatty acids.
- Wet Food for Older Cats Older cats are fed best with wet food because it is easily digested and helps them to take water. Thankfully the best wet food, including Hill’s Science Diet Senior Wet Cat Food is nowadays easy to find online; it is rich in moisture content and high-quality protein needed by the cat’s kidneys, joints, and teeth with required vitamins as well.
- Grain-Free Cat Food for Senior Cats Senior cats with sensitivity are often recommended for grain-free cat foods. Rich with protein as chicken or turkey and including glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint health, Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Senior Cat Food is formulated with grains.
Benefits of Wet Cat Food for Senior Cats
Because of normal aging, some cats may develop dental problems that make it difficult for them to chew on the dry foods. That is the reason most vets encourage owners of older cats to feed their cats wet cat food. Some of the benefits that you are going to enjoy with senior wet cat food includes the following.
- Water intake – Older cats may have a poor intake of water that can cause kidneys related problems. Since wet food contains more water than the dry food, it is a very good diet when it comes to the urinary system.
- Ease of ingestion – with old teeth, some of the cats are unable to chew on dry food. Soft moist food is easier to meal for the aging feline and they will not struggle to chew or swallow their food, it will also provide them with their necessary nutrients without much strain.
- Appetite Stimulation – In this development stage, many cats withdraw their ability to smell food, and refuses to eat. Your cat can prefer wet food because of its soft and wet type of consistency and its smell.
The ideal wet food for cats in their senior years will be soft for them to chew and will require few moments to be digested, major ingredients will have been included. There are brands that are formulated to cater for senior cats these include Royal Canin Aging 12+ Wet Cat Food and Wellness Complete Health Senior Wet Cat Food.
Selecting the Right Dry Cat Food for Mature Cats
Nevertheless, as favorable all seemed wet food some owners of the pets prefer dry food more often only because this product is cheaper and more easily stored. The best dry food for senior cats should therefore contain high quality proteins, good fats and digestive assistive fibers. They need to search for alternatives that contain.
- Fatty acids omega 3 & 6 – They make the skin and hair healthy.
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin – These will help keep your senior cat’s joints healthy, if arthritis is something that often plagues your own cat.
- Vitamins and Antioxidants – they support immune system and overall improved well being.
Because it is made to be gentle on aging teeth and offers balanced nourishment Nutro Wholesome Essentials Senior Dry Cat Food is a well liked option for pet owners searching for soft kibble cat food for seniors.
Indoor Senior Cats Special Considerations
However, things can be different, particularly as your indoor cat is getting older, when they have different dietary needs to your outdoor cat. Because senior cats stay inside, their weight comes into play a lot more than they usually do. The indoor senior cat food you choose can help avoid obesity. Along with management of hairballs (a common cat indoor problem), fiber rich formulations can be useful.
The best indoor senior cat food would be Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus Indoor Senior Cat Food. It was designed to keep you at a healthy weight and provide the nutrients you need for a shiny coat and healthy joints.
Soft Dry Senior Cat Food and Soft Kibble for Older Cats
Soft dry senior cat food or soft kibble for senior cats can be a good compromise between the convenience of dry food and the ease of wet food for senior cats with dental trouble. There are some brands making kibble that cats older also can chew without subtracting the nutritional content.
Soft dry cat food alternatives from brands like IAMS Proactive Health Healthy Senior are kind to aged teeth and provide senior cats the nutrients they need.
Are Treats Safe for Senior Cats? What You Should Know
In any conversation with your veterinarian about what your cat should eat as it ages, you should always consider including treats and snacks. Unfortunately, many cat treats are filled with unnecessary calories – kind of like the human equivalent of ‘fast food’.
Your veterinarian may recommend commercial treats that are consistent with the nutrient composition of the senior diet your cat has selected. Treats for cats should not exceed 4 calories each, and should ideally be in the low calorie range regardless of the cat’s age. Portable snacks come from the dinner table, and they are not nutritionally sound, thus they contain fats and sodium. The raw or frozen green beans, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, frozen prepared lettuce are very low fat and are ideal treat options for the senior cats. Five- or six-piece serving sizes of fresh apples, bananas, oranges, or perhaps the variety of berries that come frozen also fit the license.
To some extent, a little forward thinking and attentive surveillance can help you build the nutritional base for your cat’s senior years.
Conclusion
So to ensure your cats longevity and general health, it becomes imperative to choose the best senior cat food which will meet their nutritional needs as they get older. The key is to be focused on nutrition that supports joint health, weight control, and wellness no matter if your senior cat is consuming senior wet food, senior dry food, or a grain free alternative. To keep your elderly cat active, healthy and content give them the best diet for what they need.
Whether grain free cat food for senior cats is what you choose, or Nine Lives Senior Meals Cat Food, there is sure to be an option among these soft kibble cat food for senior cats that will help keep your aging feline feeling their best.