feeding senior cat food to younger cats

Subscribe to our email list to be instantly notified when we make a new post. But now I know a cat-only hospital in San Antonio, Texas, where, every time a cat reaches its 20th birthday, they put it up on their reader board. No matter their age, cats require protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and water—but they require some very specific amino acids and vitamins, according to the National Research Council Committee on Animal Nutrition (NRC). “If they are gaining weight for no particular health reason other than a change in metabolism, then feeding a ‘senior’ type of diet or a lower energy and higher fiber diet may be [recommended]. It is also grain-free, minimizing the presence of … Older cats tend to develop sensitive teeth or gums. As you might observe, almost all cat feeding guides recommend feeding the pregnant cat kitten food. Although it is a common belief, reduced dietary protein is not beneficial for the healthy older dog or cat. So a food that includes these will be a great option for a senior cat. Through evolution, cats have become dependent on the specific forms of nutrients found only in animal tissue. Therefore, dogs and cats should not be fed a reduced protein diet just because they are aging. Keep your cat safe by knowing which common indoor and outdoor houseplants are toxic to your cat. This diet features salmon and tuna in its recipe, along with a blend of vitamins, minerals, healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and fiber-rich chicory root to aid in digestion. Watch how much food your cat eats. Also, unlike most humans, a cat's caloric needs remain the same as it ages. It's been fortified with essential fatty acids and nutrients like taurine, as well as healthy antioxidants for a strong immune system. The chunky slices in gravy make it easier for older cats with sensitive teeth and gums to eat. Dahlia: Here’s a good article on the basics of hand-rearing orphaned or rejected kittens, in case you’re interested in reading up on the topic. But … primary GI disease, such as chronic enteropathy or intestinal cancer, will not show up on blood work and requires imaging, such as ultrasound, to evaluate.”. Sometimes not eating or drinking enough can be a problem for older cats. Now that we understand the basic nutrient requirements of an adult cat, let’s take a look at the basic guidelines for cat food and who regulates them. She seems to enjoy it and so far has no problems from eating it, but I don’t want her to wind up losing nutrition or getting unbalanced. Dahlia: She said it’s fine to feed younger adult cats a senior-formula food if you’re living in a mixed-age household. Hill's Science Diet Adult 11+ Chicken Recipe Dry Senior Cat Food Should you get one with higher protein? It also includes brown rice, oatmeal and pea fiber, with carrots, peas, apples and cranberries for plant-based nutrients. After moving from a city shelter to Best Friends, Hootie was diagnosed with age-related kidney disease and immediately was put on extra fluids and a diet to help manage his illness. With open arms, the graduate student and animal lover welcomed Hootie into her family, which included another rescued cat named Bonnie. If your feline is losing muscle, it might be time to switch to a higher-protein diet, Dr. Bartges says. Here’s what they recommend for each nutrient: When it comes to selecting a particular diet, Dr. Fascetti says that quality does differ across various brands, but a consultation with your veterinarian can help you choose the right one for your individual cat. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Thomas: If you look at kittens nursing, you’ll notice that they have their tummies on the floor. Contains EC Permitted Colourant. Goat milk or sheep milk would be even better, but those products tend to be hard to find if you don’t live near a farm. It really is hard to pick the perfect diet! Don’t Neglect Your Cat’s Dental Health. Pea fiber, along with pumpkin and carrots give the diet fiber, and a mix of vitamins and minerals provide the additional nutrients the senior cat needs to thrive. For example, many older cats benefit from diets that are higher in protein to help maintain lean body mass. As your cat gets older, they may benefit from a senior cat food that is designed to meet their precise nutritional needs. If there is no disease present, then feeding a higher protein and lower carbohydrate diet may help,” Dr. Bartges says. The risks start if your cat only eats kitten food. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Find it here: Chicken Soup for the Soul Weight & Mature Care Ocean Fish, Chicken & Turkey Recipe Pate Canned Cat Food. “Each cat is different, but it seems like, overall, palatability tends to be a little higher on wet food for cats.”, Many of their preferences develop in their younger years. One difference that is mainly present is that senior cat food contains higher protein levels. Here's the ingredients Chicken: Chicken and Chicken Derivatives 4%, Fish and Fish Derivatives, Minerals, Various Sugars. Siouxsie: One common mistake people make when hand-rearing kittens is that they hold the kittens on their back while feeding them from the bottle. Hootie, a 15-year-old shelter cat living in Salt Lake City, Utah, faced a tough road to adoption. Turns out our feline friends have good reason to be finicky. However, they are all high quality, and designed for older cats. It’s made with protein-rich chicken, along with corn, wheat, pea fiber and beet pulp, along with a healthy blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. So 4% meat for an obligate carnivore, the rest is cereals and sugars, both of which a cat has no need for and can't properly digest, so will just come right out the other end. We try to help you understand your cat and what may or may not be going on with him or her, but please discuss your concerns about your cat with your veterinarian! The low-carbohydrate recipe also includes split peas, beet pulp, tapioca, lentils and flaxseed for fiber and nutrients, with a mix of essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. In fact, the report says, cats will choose foods based on these features rather than nutritional adequacy. As you can see, we don’t use ads on this site. By: Chewy EditorialPublished: December 10, 2019, BeWell / Health & Nutrition / The Best Senior Cat Food: A Guide to Feeding Your Older Cat. “Whether a cat needs these dietary modifications is really cat dependent,” he says. If you live with an overweight dog, you can put your pooch on a dog weight-loss diet. Sometimes it is due to diet if the diet was changed to a lower protein diet. “In general, transitioning over [several] days should be done to ensure the cat accepts the new food,” Dr. Bartges says, also noting that it can take up to weeks or months for the cat to accept the new food when a disease, such as chronic kidney disease, is present. The information at Paws and Effect is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, nor prevent any disease and is intended for educational purposes only. Manufactured senior cat foods provide high-quality protein and lower levels of phosphorous to reduce the strain on the kidneys, plus added Vitamin E to strengthen the natural defences. “As with other issues, the first thing to check is whether there is a disease present or not, especially in an older cat,” Dr. Bartges says. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. With myriad senior cat foods available on the market today, it’s tough to choose the best one for your feline friend. Senior cats with missing teeth may prefer wet food or kibble softened with some warm water, but some can still gum the crunchy stuff. Purina Fancy Feast Adult Canned Wet Cat Food Senior 7+ Cats love tuna, and this blend brings taurine and vitamin E to your cat’s diet to maintain eye and coat health. Andrea Fascetti, Ph.D., VMD, a veterinary nutritionist and professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in California, says that compared to other mammals, cats have some unique nutrition requirements. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Moderate to High Fat Levels Around the age of 11 or 12, a cat’s ability to digest fat starts to decline. While cats can use carbohydrates, a senior cat food with a high level of protein is important. When it’s time to switch, it should be done over several days, he adds. “There is no AAFCO designation for a ‘senior’ diet, nor is there a nutrient profile for a senior cat,” he says. Fortunately, there are more categories of cats than just average, obese and ill. For instance, you may be in the position to want to know what to feed a pregnant cat. Specially formulated to support heart and joint health, this senior cat diet features high-quality chicken as its main protein source, along with pea protein, potato protein and salmon meal. Those include feeding instructions, guaranteed analysis and a nutritional adequacy statement. Find it here: Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus Adult 7+ Salmon & Tuna Entree Classic Canned Cat Food. Those foods provide enough nutrients for an animal’s growth and reproduction, as well as for maintaining a healthy adult—which includes senior and geriatric cats. If it's stated to prevent the diseases of the elderly cats, like CRF and liver diseases, then feeding your older cat a regular diet, designed to prevent those diseases, would work for him too. As kitten food is at least 30% higher in calories than adult food, feeding kitten food regularly over a long period of time can cause your cat … That’s when Kelly Smith fell in love. And there are lots and lots and lots of reader board messages. A Complete Guide, Keep Your Pet Birds Warm And Safe This Winter, Help Your Overweight Dog with a Dog Weight-Loss Plan, Maintaining their health and ideal body weight, Lessening the symptoms of any pre-existing illnesses. What to feed senior cats It’s generally recommended to move older cats onto a specially formulated senior cat food in preference to a normal ‘adult’ cat food, as long as they don’t have any underlying medical conditions or your vet has advised you otherwise. The owners and operators of Paws and Effect will not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages or loss in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions, suggestions or products on this website. Learn how to train your dog to rest on a mat in 10 easy steps. Feeding your cat a proper diet is one of the most important aspects to help keep them at optimal health. Plus, raising orphaned or milk-starved kittens by hand is a very time-consuming endeavor. Cats generally have a hard time tolerating it, and it doesn’t have the nutritional qualities kittens need. Before we explore the best senior cat food options for more mature felines like Hootie, let’s first take a look at the specific dietary requirements for adult cats. “Warming food to near but not above body temperature helps,” Dr. Bartges says. Find it here: Royal Canin Aging 12+ Thin Slices in Gravy Canned Cat Food. Find out what... Help your pet feel their very best with this guide to understanding animal physical therapy. Do indoor cats live longer than outdoor cats? She’s very active, she’s slender, very talkative and spry. “Hootie and Bonnie love me just because I exist, and they are happy to see me regardless of how my day went,” Smith says. In short: Don't take our word as gospel. However, cats that are physically inactive or those that are already showing visible signs of obesity should not eat high-calorie foods. “Owners should discuss diet with their veterinarian at all visits regardless of age,” Dr. Bartges says. “Scientific research has shown that cats have obligatory requirements for nutrients that are not essential for many other mammals,” she says. Siouxsie: While we’re on the subject of foods and their appropriateness for cats of various ages, we should mention that you do need to feed kittens with a food specifically formulated for kittens. In general, no, your adult or senior cat eating kitten food occasionally or for a short period of time won’t hurt him. The recipe includes healthy fats for aging brains, and a mix of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for overall health. “Because we certainly don’t want somebody overlooking a problem, thinking it’s just the animal being finicky, when in fact there’s a real underlying problem that needs to be addressed.”. Vitamin E, Vitamin C (citric acid), Vitamin A, carotenoids and selenium are all powerful antioxidants. If your senior cat needs to drop a few pounds, this protein-packed dry food could help. Finding a food with the right taste, texture and water content—not to mention all the right nutrients—can be a challenge, especially when you have a picky senior cat. It has fresh, raw and dried chicken, turkey, saltwater fish and duck—including organ meat and cartilage. This diet, formulated especially for cats that have been neutered, helps control appetite by increasing fiber intake. There are small differences between adult cat food and senior cat food. Formulated with turkey, egg, salmon and duck, the zero-grain formula adds pea fiber along with a cornucopia of vegetables and fruits, like spinach, cranberries, blackberries, pumpkin, lentils and carrots. Paws and Effect will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Find it here: Now Fresh Grain-Free Senior Weight Management Recipe Dry Cat Food. Formulated with turkey, egg, salmon and duck, the zero-grain formula adds pea fiber along with a cornucopia of vegetables and fruits, like spinach, cranberries, blackberries, pumpkin, lentils and carrots. “It’s made my life so much better. When choosing a food for your senior cat, Dr. Fascetti says your main goals should be: But other things matter, too, like the food’s taste, texture and moisture content, according to “Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats” by the National Research Council. Dahlia: She said it’s fine to feed younger adult cats a senior-formula food if you’re living in a mixed-age household. Siouxsie: It just so happens that Mama asked our vet this very question a few years ago. On the hunt for the best wet food for senior cats? For healthy joints and a strong immune system, this senior cat food includes glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate, along with antioxidants like zinc, yucca, rosemary, kelp and green tea extract. Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Pierson’s website CatInfo.org advocates the feeding of raw food for cats using rabbit meat obtained directly from a rabbit farmer, or whole chicken and turkey thighs that are partially baked to kill surface bacteria. Some states have adopted more specific regulations established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). “For animals who have or may be predisposed to having urinary tract problems, that increase in water intake and encouraging more frequent urination may help with problems like feline urologic syndrome [or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease],” Dr. Fascetti says. Just make sure you feed them high quality food and they'll be fine. Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have three cats, two sisters that just turned 7, and another female that turned 4 in Februrary. And don’t worry about your senior cats if they’re getting into the younger one’s kibble. Thanks in advance! Keep your pet birds safe from space heaters and other heating devices. Because of possible stomach upset or toxic reactions, senior cats—not to mention adults and kittens, too—should not eat certain human foods, Dr. Fascetti says. “The first step is to contact your veterinarian,” she says. Siouxsie: It’s not a good idea to feed kittens cow’s milk. I wouldn't frequently feed senior cat food to younger cats. Here’s an article on how to feed a pregnant cat properly. Well, with the right diet, we can supply all they need nutritionally so they’ll remain happy and healthy well into their golden years. Thomas: When Mama adopted me, I was 3 years old. Get tips for transitioning your cat to a new food. The recipe also contains the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids cats need in their diets, along with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for a soft and shiny coat. This means that amounts of nutrients found in … “If an older cat is maintaining body weight and muscle condition on a certain diet, then there is no reason to change it,” he says. It all depends on the individual cat and their veterinarian’s recommendations. 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