How To Feed Older Cats

The nutritional needs of pets change over the years.  Today we tell you how to feed older cats to provide them with a better quality and life expectancy.

Food, a key issue when kittens get old

Cats spend approximately 40% of their lives in the so-called third age. In general, from the age of 8 or 10, they begin to be less active and have a slower metabolism.

Needing fewer calories, our purring friends should be on a diet that provides quality protein and is easily digestible.

If your kitten is getting older, do not hesitate to consult your vet, or a specialist in animal nutrition, so that they can tell you the best way to feed it.

A suitable diet for animals of the third age, will make older cats have fewer health problems and achieve a higher quality and life expectancy.

An ideal diet to feed older cats

To ensure good nutrition and try to maintain good health, elderly cats should receive food – either commercial or homemade – containing:

• Low fat
• High-quality, low-phosphorus protein to protect your kidneys
• Easily digestible carbohydrates as an energy source
• Essential minerals to take care of the joints
• Vitamins to strengthen your immune system, especially E
• Less calories, to avoid being overweight

Details to consider when feeding senior cats

Consider that, as they age, our feline friends lose their sense of smell and taste. And that also, it is more difficult for them to chew, especially if they no longer have all of their teeth, or have inflamed gums. For this reason, you must:

• Provide him with food in small pieces and more tender
• Stimulate your appetite with a food that is particularly to your liking
• Moisten the feed with warm water, so that –in addition to being softer- it releases more of its aroma
• “Seasoning” your dish, for example, with the oil from a can of sardines

Also, remember that it is convenient for older cats to feed several times throughout the day but eating small amounts of food.

Other tips

As kittens are usual animals, the ideal is that they always eat at the same time and in the same place.

Also consider the following topics when you go to feed them:

• Give them the food in containers that are always clean and that, if possible, are made of stainless steel.
• Keep the bowls away from the litter box.
• Do not keep an open container of moist food in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours.

• The feed must be kept in a clean and dry place, inside an airtight container.

Obesity and Weight Loss in Senior Cats

As we already said, as they get older, the kittens decrease their activity and tend to gain weight.

It is of the utmost importance, then, to prevent cats from becoming obese, as they will be at greater risk of developing various health problems. For instance:

• Diabetes
• Cardiac and respiratory complications
• Bladder stones
• Arthritis

However, some of these felines can lose weight as they age, mainly due to less efficient absorption of the nutrients that make up their diet. Once again, always go to specialists for advice on the most suitable diet for animals of advanced age.

Food as an ally to maintain the health of older cats

So that our meowing friends spend their third age in the best way, you must ensure, then, that the food you provide them are the best allies to maintain their health.

In any case, if other diseases are added to the ailments of old age – kidney problems, osteoarthritis, etc. – you will have to adapt their diet even more, according to the veterinarian’s instructions.

This way you will get the kitties through in the best way this stage of their life in which they will need more attention and, above all, large doses of love.