SENIOR NUTRITION
Cats have unique needs at different stages of their lives and even though your senior cat may still look and act like a rambunctious kitty, that doesn’t mean her nutritional needs are still the same.
Senior cats between the ages of seven and 11 years of age are more prone to obesity, while geriatric cats 11 years of age or older tend to lose body mass. If your cat is getting up there in years, it might be time to switch up her food.
So what should you look for? A highly digestible cat food with adjusted levels of nutrients that meets your senior cat’s special needs.
- Higher protein. A higher protein diet helps older cats maintain lean body mass. Because some geriatric cats experience less efficient protein digestion as they age, dietary protein should be high quality and highly digestible.
- Healthy fats. Fats can be particularly difficult to digest for some cats over 11 years of age, but they’re still an important part of their nutritional needs. Reduced fat diets are not advisable for older cats, especially geriatric ones.
- Enhanced antioxidants. Senior cats can benefit from enhanced antioxidant levels to support their immune systems, which may be declining.
- Sufficient water intake. Getting enough water can also be a struggle for older cats. They can experience an impaired sensitivity to thirst, often accompanied by kidney problems that can increase water loss through urine. Providing multiple dishes of clean, fresh water in various locations may encourage an elderly cat to drink more. Wet food can provide a good source of water for cats as well.
- In addition, your cat needs these enhancements delivered in highly digestible ingredients to help support her aging digestive system.
For geriatric cats, a more energy-dense kibble like Purina® Pro Plan® Focus 11+ Senior Cat Formulas can help ensure proper nutrition and body weight maintenance.