Feeding Senior Cats

As a cat ages, its nutritional needs change. Once a cat reaches the age of nine, the cat owner may want to consider altering the cat’s eating habits and the type of food consumed by the cat. Cats are often living into the late teens and even past twenty. Since cats are living longer now, it is important to ensure that they enjoy their health throughout their senior years.

A senior cat is generally less active than younger cats. Therefore, a senior cat’s calorie requirements are slightly less than it was when it was younger. Continuing to serve meals with the same caloric content to a senior cat can cause obesity. To prevent obesity, a cat owner might switch from allowing food to set out for extended periods of time to a feeding schedule. This gives the cat owner more control over the senior cat’s food intake.

There are some cat foods on the market that are designed for senior cats. These often have fewer calories than other cat food. The senior cat food may have more fiber than other cat foods. Senior cats have a larger need for fiber than younger cats. Senior cats can have an impaired sense of smell. This can negatively impact a senior cat’s appetite.

Though many senior cats are susceptible to obesity, some cats lose weight as they age. A veterinarian should examine the cat to determine the cause of the weight loss and the proper feeding recommendations for a senior cat experiencing weight loss. Since weight loss can be a symptom of disease, a veterinarian needs to rule out any conditions that could be causing the weight loss such as diabetes mellitus, liver disease, cancer, or hyperthyroidism.

Cats may have new special diets related to medical conditions or concerns specifically for that cat. The cat owner should follow the veterinarian’s instructions to help the senior cats e as healthy as possible. Dental disease is a common problem for older cats. If the senior cat has dental problems or other health problems that affect its appetite and ability to eat, a veterinarian should be consulted.