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Feeding Older Cats |
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As a cat gets older, his/her digestive system becomes less efficient and he requires several smaller meals a day rather than two main meals. Most cats enjoy a variety of food and occasional treats such as cooked meat or cooked fish.
The word complete on cat food packaging indicates that the food provides a balanced diet for your cat. Complementary food should be fed as a treat only. The CPL leaflet Feeding Felines will tell you what you need to know about feeding cats.
Always clear away or refrigerate uneaten food otherwise it will become stale or fly-blown and may cause digestive upsets if eaten later. However, cats do not enjoy food straight from the fridge so always ensure any food given is at room temperature.
As well as many types of commercially produced cat foods, you may find foods available which are aimed specifically at older cats and less active cats.
These are formulated to suit an older cat's digestive system and to reduce the risk of obesity in less active cats but they are often expensive and not all cats like them.
Unless your cat has problems digesting ordinary cat food, is developing pronounced middle aged spread or is on a special diet perscribed by a vet, ordinary complete cat food accompanied by fresh drinking water is perfectly suitable.
Many cats enjoy dry complete food and the crunchy texture may help to keep their teeth healthy. If your cat eats mainly dry complete food make sure there is always a supply of fresh drinking water available.
As cats grow older they may experience dental problems which make it difficult for them to eat crunchy food. It is useful to wean a cat on to tinned food as it gets older since a toothless cat may swallow dry food whole; this can cause indigestion and the cat may regurgitate the undigested food.
Cats manage very well without teeth but, if you think your cat is having problems, you can chop tinned food to a manageable consistency. Some of the very firm foods can be mashed with gravy, tomato juice from a sardine can or warm water to give it the consistency he/she prefers.
Like humans, cats sometimes need some extra roughage in their diet, especially if they are overweight or constipated. Mashing one or two teaspoons of bran, porridge oats, cooked rice, cooked pasta or cooked mashed potato into tinned food sometimes helps to bulk up the diet. Some older cats also enjoy warm porridge or hot oat cereal on cold mornings, but this is not suitable for cats who are intolerant of milk.
There is some evidence that a cat's sense of smell deteriorates with age and this can lead some cats to become finicky eaters. The slight odour from plastic bowls, especially in hot weather, can also put a cat off his food. Cats are also adept at manipulating owners into serving food that they like, which is not necessarily the food that is best for them. Unless you enjoy preparing gourmet meals for your cat, and some owners do enjoy cooking for their cats, try not to be manipulated as this creates a risk of dietary imbalances.
Signs that your cat may not be eating a suitable diet include a thin, dull coat and excessive moulting or dandruff, general thinness, vomiting, diarrhoea, yellow teeth and mouth odour. A cat which wobbles when walking is probably receiving too much food for his level of activity.
Any cat which is experiencing difficulty eating, has lost his appetite or has an excessive thirst should be examined by a vet in case there is an underlying problem. Likewise, a suddenly increased appetite, especially if the cat is losing weight at the same time, needs to be investigated.
* Excerpt from The Cats Protection
League Leaflet "In Praise of Older Cats".
