No cats are alike, but there’s one thing that cats of all ages have in common: they all need a diet that meets their nutritional needs. And when it comes to cats over the age of 7, which is considered “senior” in terms of felines, their specific nutritional needs are especially important.
Does that include special cat food specifically formulated for senior cats? Absolutely. One of the main differences with this senior-specific diet is that they have fewer calories than regular cat food to help older cats maintain a healthy weight.
What’s the Reason Behind Lower-Calorie Senior Cat Food?
As cats age, their activity level naturally decreases, but their caloric needs remain about the same. That’s where senior cat food comes in.
Lower-calorie senior cat food can help manage a senior cat’s weight while still providing the balanced nutrition needed for longevity and health.
The number of calories in senior cat food can vary from brand to brand, but it’s generally lower than regular adult cat food. Senior cat food usually contains 5-10 percent fewer calories than the same brand of regular adult cat food.
You may see some other differences between senior cat food and regular adult cat food, like a different taste or texture.
Senior cat food often makes use of smaller kibble that’s easy to chew and digest for senior cats and contains higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals for promoting joint health, promoting healthy energy levels, and supporting digestion.
When to Switch Cat Food for Your Senior Pet
When it comes to switching your senior cat’s food, it’s important to talk to your veterinarian before making any changes to their diet.
Your veterinarian can help you determine the best cat food for your cat’s specific needs and provide any needed dietary modifications. They can also provide guidance on when it’s time to switch to senior cat food.
In general, cats 7 years of age and older can benefit from switching to senior-specific cat food, even if their health is still relatively good.
But if your cat is showing signs of age-related issues, such as joint discomfort or decreased energy levels, it may be beneficial to switch to a senior cat food sooner.
You may also consider switching to a senior cat food if you’ve noticed that your cat is gaining more weight than they used to.
How to Ease The Transition to Senior Cat Food
When switching your senior cat to a lower-calorie food, it’s important to work with your veterinarian to make sure your cat doesn’t miss out on the nutrition they need. Begin by slowly adding the senior cat food to their existing diet over a period of time.
Depending on their existing diet, you can start slowly and increase the amount of senior cat food until they are only eating the senior-specific cat food.
If your cat is resistant to trying the new food, try warming it up a bit as cats often enjoy warmer foods. You can also sprinkle a bit of chicken baby food on top for more flavor.
Another thing to keep in mind is to check the label for additional vitamins and minerals that may be missing in your cat’s existing diet that can be added to the senior cat food.
The Benefits of Feeding Senior Cat Food
In addition to providing lower-calorie nutrition geared to meet the needs of older cats, senior cat food can provide many other benefits.
It can contain a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help support cardiovascular health and the immune system, two areas that are especially critical for senior cats.
It can also provide in the levels of antioxidants which are important for promoting healthy aging and can help protect cats from free radicals that can cause damage.
Older cats are at increased risk for conditions like kidney disease and urinary problems, so senior cat food formulated to help support urinary tract health may be beneficial as well.
Proper nutrition is important for cats of all ages; however, when it comes to senior cats, special consideration must be taken to ensure their nutritional needs are being met.
That’s why lower-calorie senior cat food is a great option. It helps meet nutritional needs while helping manage a senior cat’s weight in a healthy way.
Before making any decisions about your senior cat’s food, be sure to talk to your veterinarian for the best advice specific to your cat.
His professional interests include humane education, ethics, small animal behavior, and veterinary. As a pet lover from school life, having grown up with two cats and a dog. If he isn’t spending time with his friends and family, Justin enjoys traveling. Learn more about Justin here.
